"Yes, I told you. But look here, old fellow, just call me 'Grant', and 'douse' the 'Dr.'."
"All right, Grant," said Creggan, laughing.
The fires were now let down and the paddles thrown out of gear, and presently that old Osprey was doing ten knots an hour on a beam wind.
I suppose that Captain Leeward had some inkling of where he was going to, else he would not have held this course.
But the sealed orders were opened next morning, and he found that the Osprey was on particular service, her first destination being Venezuela.
He told his officers this, and that they might then look in at Rio and open further orders there—probably.
If, reader mine, you knew the Service as well as I do, you would remark that it was very good of the gallant Captain Leeward to be thus explicit with his officers. Many men that I know, or have known, would have shrouded themselves in their cold dignity, and to any inquiry made by an officer as to their destination, would simply have replied—
"Venezuela."
If asked, "And where next, sir?" such men would reply, "I really can't tell you at present".
Well, lads who mean to join the glorious British Navy, and serve either as young officers or boys under—