“To be sure, yes. Keep to your time, Mr Leigh. By the way, before you go will you tell me in a frank gentlemanly spirit what you think of Lieutenant Lipscombe.”
“No, sir, I can’t,” said Hilary bluntly.
The admiral looked angry on receiving so flat a refusal, but he calmed down directly.
Then, recollecting himself, Hilary exclaimed, “I beg your pardon, sir; I hope you will not ask me. I would rather not say.”
“Quite right, Mr Leigh; I ought not to have asked you, for you are not the proper person to speak, but you will tell me this, I suppose,” he added with a smile. “You will not be sorry to hear that Lieutenant Lipscombe will be appointed to another vessel.”
“I am both sorry and glad, sir,” replied Hilary, “for he is a brave officer, even if he is eccentric.”
“Eccentric!” said Captain Charteris. “I think he is half mad.”
“But you do not ask who will be your new commander!”
“No, sir,” said Hilary; “I shall try and do my best whoever he may be.”
“Good!” said the admiral; “but I’ll tell you all the same—shall I?” he said laughing.