l soon pick up strength again. It has had one good effect;
it has kept you from fidgeting over your wound, and I have no doubt that,
now the fever has left you, you will go on nicely."

In another three weeks Will was able to leave the sick bay, and on the
morning he was discharged from the sick list he found by his hammock two
suits of midshipman's uniform, a full dress and a working suit, together
with a pile of shirts and underclothing of all kinds, and two or three
pairs of shoes. His other clothes had been taken away, so he dressed
himself in the working suit, and with some little trepidation made his way
to his new quarters. The midshipmen were just sitting down to breakfast,
and, rising, they all shook hands with him and congratulated him heartily
both on his promotion and his recovery.

"You are very good to welcome me so heartily," he said. "I know that
neither by birth nor station am I your equal."

"You are quite our equal, youngster," said one of the midshipmen,
"whatever you may be by birth. Not one of us could have worked half so
well as you have done; the chaplain tells us that you can take an
observation as well as he can. I can assure you we are all heartily glad
to have you with us. Sit down and make yourself at home. We have not much
to offer you besides our rations; for we have been out for over a month,
and our soft tack and all other luxuries were finished long ago, so we are
reduced to ham and biscuit."

"It could not be better," Will said with a smile, "for I have got such an
appetite that I could eat horse with satisfaction. I feel immensely
indebted to you, Mr. Forster; for if you had not brought my request before
the first lieutenant I should not have been able to make such progress
with my books as I have done."

"The chaplain is a first-rate fellow--but, by the way, we have no misters
here; we all call each other by our surname plain and simple. Even Peters,
who has welcomed you in our name and who is a full-fledged master's mate,
does not claim to be addressed as mister, though he will probably do so
before long, for the wound of Lieutenant Ayling, who, it is settled, will
be invalided when we get to Malta, will give him his step. On that
occasion we will solemnly drink his health, at his own expense of course."

"That is not the ordinary way," the mate laughed. "I know that you fellows
will be game to shell out a bottle apiece--I don't think I can do it--not at
least until I get three