“Where are the men?” asked Daniel.
Quite awake now, the midshipman, who had good eyes, had noticed, in spite of the darkness, the gold of the epaulets. This made him very respectful at once; and he replied,—
“Lieutenant, all the men are in town.”
“How so? All?”
“Why, yes, lieutenant! When all the officers had gone on shore, they told the boatswain they would not come back very soon, and he might take his time to eat a mouthful, and to drink a glass, provided the men did not get drunk.”
That was so; and Daniel had forgotten the fact.
“And where did they go?” he asked.
“I don’t know, lieutenant.”
Daniel looked at the large, heavy boat, as if he had thought for a moment to return in it to “The Conquest” with no other help but the little midshipman; but, no, that was impracticable.
“Well, go to sleep again,” he said to the boy.