pected distinction that
he could scarcely speak. The captain stepped forward and shook him by the
hand, an example followed by the other officers and midshipmen.

"You had better retire," the captain said, seeing that the lad was quite
unable to speak, "and when you have recovered from your wound the ship's
tailor will take your uniform in hand. Lieutenant Farrance has kindly
expressed his intention of providing you with it."

Will, with the greatest difficulty, restrained his feelings till he
reached the sick berth, and then he threw himself into a hammock and burst
into tears. Presently Tom Stevens came in to see him.

"I am glad, Will," he said, "more glad than I can possibly express. It is
splendid to think that you are really an officer."

"It is too much altogether, Tom. I had hoped that some day I might come to
be a mate, or even a captain in a merchant ship, but to think that in less
than two months after joining I could be on the quarter-deck was beyond my
wildest dreams. Well I hope I sha'n't get puffed up, and I am sure, Tom,
that I shall be as much your friend as ever."

"I don't doubt that, Will; you would not be yourself if it made any
difference in you. Dimchurch asked me to tell you how much he too was
pleased, but that he was not surprised at all, for he felt sure that in
less than a year you would be on the quarter-deck, as it would be
ridiculous that anyone who could take an observation and be at the same
time one of the smartest hands aloft should remain in the position of
ship's boy. One of the elder sailors said that in all his experience he
had never known but three or four cases of men being promoted from the
deck except when old warrant officers were made mates and appointed to
revenue cutters."

"Thank Dimchurch very heartily for me, Tom, and tell him that I hope we
shall sail many years together, although it may be in different parts of
the ship. Now I will lie quiet for a time, for my arm is throbbing
dreadfully. The doctor tells me that although the wound is severe it can
hardly be called serious, for with so good a constitution as I have it
will heal quickly, and in a month I shall be able to use it as well as
before."

The agitation and excitement, however, acted injuriously, and the next day
Will was in a state of high fever, which did not abate for some days, and
left him extremely weak.

"You have had a sharp bout of it, lad," the doctor said, "but you are safe
now, and you wil