“I’d let the gunner rivet them on, sir, joining the men two and two. They could not get them off without a blacksmith; and it would disable them for some hours.”
“Well, yes, I had some such an idea as that,” replied the lieutenant. “Under the circumstances, Mr Leigh, I will humour you in this.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Hilary quietly, for he was so much in earnest as to the duty required at this special moment, that he would not let his annoyance keep him back.
“Perhaps, too, you had better take command of the expedition, Mr Leigh. Duty to the king stands first, you know.”
“Certainly, sir.”
“And, by the way, Mr Leigh, I would certainly change my uniform; for, you will excuse my saying so, you look more like a scarecrow than an officer.”
Hilary bowed, and soon after he was inspecting the men detailed for the duty in hand, one and all of whom saluted him with a grin of satisfaction.
“Well, Tom Tully,” he said, “how is your shoulder?”
“Feels as if it was shov’d out, sir,” growled the big sailor; “but lor’ bless your ’art, sir, I don’t mind.”
“Tom wishes you’d fell on his head, sir,” said Billy Waters, laughing; “it’s so thick, it wouldn’t have hurt him a bit.”