months of my new rate of pay."

So they laughed and chaffed, and Will felt grateful to them, for he saw
that it was in no small degree due to the desire to set him at his ease.

"You will be in the starboard watch, Gilmore," the mate said when the meal
was finished. "That was the one Ayling had. The third lieutenant, Bowden,
who is now in charge, isn't half a bad fellow. Of course he is a little
cocky--third lieutenants on their first commission generally are, but he is
kind-hearted and likes to makes himself popular, and he will wink one eye
when you take a nap under a gun, which is no mean virtue. The boatswain,
who is in the same watch, is a much more formidable person, and busies
himself quite unnecessarily. One cannot, however, have everything, and on
the whole you will get on very comfortably. I am in the other watch,
Rodwell and Forster are with you. They are well-meaning lads; I don't know
that I can say anything more for them, but you will find out their faults
soon enough yourself."

Will then went up on deck with the others. It seemed strange to him to
enter upon what he had hitherto regarded as a sort of sacred ground, and
he stood shyly aside while the others fell into their duties of looking
after the men and seeing that the work was being done. Presently the first
lieutenant came on deck. Will went up to him and touched his hat.

"I cannot tell you, sir," he said, "how indebted I feel to you for your
kindness in speaking for me to the captain, and especially in providing me
with an outfit. I can assure you, sir, that as long as I live I shall
remember your kindness."

"My lad, these things weigh but little against the saving of my life, and
I can assure you that it was a great satisfaction to me to be able to make
this slight return. I shall watch your career with the greatest interest,
for I am convinced that it will be a brilliant one."

Owing to the fact that two officers had gone away in their first prize,
and that three had been killed or disabled in the late fight, there was a
shortage of officers on the _Furious_. Three had left in the Moorish
prizes, and when, a week later, another Moorish vessel was captured
without much fighting, the captain had no officers to spare above the rank
of midshipmen.

"Mr. Forster," he said, "I have selected you to go in the prize. You can
take one of the juniors with you; I cannot spare either of the seniors.
Who would you like to take?"

"I would rather ha