“ ‘Your junior officer seems to have behaved very well,’ he said.
“ ‘Extremely well, sir,’ I said. ‘I only wish I had done as well.’
“ ‘His plan of forming a barricade across the bow so that his little force were ample to defend it was excellent,’ he said. [pg 92]‘Also the blocking up of the door of communication through the bulkhead was well thought of, and his final escape through the hatchway and sudden attack upon the enemy was well carried out. I will make a note of his name. I suppose he is not as old as yourself, as he is your junior?’
“ ‘No, sir, he is not yet sixteen, and he was only promoted from being a ship’s boy to the quarter-deck three weeks ago.’
“ ‘Promoted from being a ship’s boy?’ the admiral said in surprise.
“Then I had to give a detailed account, not only of the fight that led to your promotion, but also of your life so far as I knew it.
“When I had finished, the admiral said:
“ ‘He must be a singular lad, this Gilmore, and is likely to prove an honour to the navy. Bring him up here at this hour to-morrow; I shall be glad to see him. There, now, you may go, and don’t forget in future that when you are in charge of prisoners you must always place a guard over them.’
“So unknowingly you have done me a good turn, Gilmore, for I expect that if the admiral had not been so interested in you he would not have let me off so easily. You must put on your best uniform for the first time and go up to-morrow.”
“Well, I am afraid I should have felt very shaky if I had not heard your account of the admiral. From what you say it is evident he is a kindly man, and after all you have told him about me he can’t have many questions to ask.”