ferred to the _Orion_, the berth
of the _Bellona_ being overcrowded. Some of the crew of the unfortunate
_Dragon_ were also sent to her, the remainder being kept on board to be
distributed among other ships of the squadron, while most of the
officers had gone on to Hong-kong with Commander Rawson, to await a
passage home. Mr Joy joined the _Orion_ in lieu of her third
lieutenant, who was invalided. Gerald, as soon as he had an
opportunity, having waited in vain for his uncle to speak on the
subject, asked to be informed about the matter for which he had been
sent for home.

"The uncertainties connected with it are so very great, that I have been
unwilling to disturb your mind on the subject," answered Adair. "You
know that you had a distant relative, Lord Saint Maur, who had a fine
estate and numerous heirs to succeed him. One after the other, however,
they have died. Immediately on hearing this I put the matter into the
hands of a clever Dublin lawyer, who tells me that the direct
descendants of the last lord having died, it is necessary to go several
generations back, to a former Lord Saint Maur, of whom your grandfather
was the lineal descendant, and that all the other lines having become
extinct, you are the rightful heir to the title and estate. Other
Desmonds, however, have appeared, who have made out a similar claim, and
the question is who has the best. They have money, which,
unfortunately, you have not; but our Dublin friend is so confident that
he has undertaken the matter at his own risk. You, at all events, will
lose nothing, and may gain your case; at the same time, I must confess I
am not very sanguine on the subject. At first being so, I sent for you
home, but after a time I arrived at a different conclusion, and would
advise you not to think about the matter, though, if some day or other
you succeed, well and good. It will be pleasant to be Viscount Saint
Maur and owner of a fine estate, but perhaps you would not be much the
happier. If you stick to the navy you will get promoted in due course,
and it will be much the same thing to you a hundred years hence."

Gerald did not quite agree with his uncle in the philosophic view he
took of the case; at the same time, he determined not to bother himself
about the affair. He was sorry to be parted from Tom and Archie, and to
have only Billy Blueblazes instead, the rest of his shipmates being
strangers to him.

The _Bellona_ and _Orion_ had a q