In a third of the time she had taken to stem the current, Sandgrub made the passage down stream, and thence to Shanghai. Owing to the height of the river, she now ran no risk of getting aground on the shoals.
The drugged officers had recovered their normal state; the expedition had been successful beyond all expectation, but for obvious reasons the manner in which it was carried out had to be veiled with a discreet silence up to a certain point.
The Admiral, of course, had to be informed, but there would be no decorations “dished out” for this particular Yang-tse expedition.
In due course Kenneth Raxworthy was “returned” to the light cruiser Kirkham, but not as a midshipman.
He is now Sub-lieutenant Raxworthy, and amongst other advantages accruing from his new rank is one that he highly appreciates—and that is that he is no longer harried by that awe-inspiring despot as far as midshipmen are concerned, the Commander!