“Yes, sir, I should be glad to know,” replied Hilary.
The old admiral stood looking at him attentively for a few moments, and then said quietly:
“You.”
Hilary half staggered back in his surprise.
“Me? me, sir? Do you mean that I shall be appointed to the command of the Kestrel? I have not passed my examination for lieutenant yet.”
“No, but you will, Mr Leigh, and I have no doubt with credit. I have been having a chat with my friend the captain here. It is a novelty, I own, but the Kestrel is a very small vessel, and for the present you will have with you a brother officer of riper years, who, pending his own appointment to a ship, will, as it were, share your command, and in cases of emergency give you his advice. Of course all this is to be if I obtain the sanction of the Admiralty, but I think I may tell you this will come.”
Hilary was so overpowered by this announcement that he could only stammer a few words, and Captain Charteris took his hand.
“You see, Mr Leigh,” he said, “we want a dashing, spirited young officer of the greatest fidelity, a man who is brave without doubt; ready-witted, and apt to deal with the smuggling and fishing craft likely to be the bearers of emissaries from the enemy’s camp. We want such an officer at once for the Kestrel, and in the emergency, as we find those qualities in you, the admiral decides to set the question of years aside, while, as his spokesman and one to whom he often refers for counsel—”
“And takes it,” said the admiral smiling.
“I cannot help giving my vote in your favour. Mr Leigh,” he said, speaking very sternly now, “in the king’s name I ask you from this time forth to set aside boyish things and to be a man in every sense of the word, for you are entering upon a great responsibility; and Lieutenant Anderson, who comes with you, will never interfere, according to his instructions, unless he sees that you are about to be guilty of a piece of reckless folly, which in your case is, I am sure, as good as saying that he will never interfere.”