Rayner, thanking the captain, and bowing, made his exit. On afterwards comparing notes with the midshipman who had been turned back, he mentioned the question which had been put to him.
“Why, that’s the very one he asked me,” said his companion. “I told him I would club-haul the ship, and try all sorts of manoeuvres to beat out of the bay, and would not on any account let her go ashore.”
“I’m not surprised that you were turned back, old fellow,” observed Rayner, with a laugh.
On returning on shore he met Commander Saltwell. “I congratulate you, Rayner,” he said. “I have just received orders to commission the Lily sloop-of-war, and I will apply to have you with me. By-the-bye, where are you going to put up?”
“Mrs Crofton has asked me to go to her house, and as I thought that you would have no objection, I accepted her offer, sir,” answered Rayner.
“I am glad to hear it; the very best thing you could do,” said Commander Saltwell. “Though many would prefer the freedom of an inn, I admire your good taste in taking advantage of the opportunity offered you to pass your time in the society of refined, right-minded persons like Mrs Crofton and her daughter.”
Our hero spent a few happy days with the kind widow and Mary, who both evidently took a warm interest in his welfare. It was the first time he had been living on shore, except during his sojourn in France, since he first went to sea. He was introduced to some of the few friends they possessed, and he made several pleasant excursions with them to visit some of the beautiful scenery in the neighbourhood of Plymouth. His observation, unknown to himself, enabled him rapidly to adapt himself to the manners of people of education, and no one would have recognised in the gentlemanly young midshipman the powder monkey of a short time back. It was with more regret than he supposed he could possibly have felt that he received a summons to join the Lily, now fitting out with all despatch for the West Indies. Though he no longer belonged to the Thisbe, it was with much sorrow that he heard she was pronounced unfit for sea, and that her crew had been dispersed. He made inquiries for Jack and Tom. The former, he discovered, had gone to pay his mother a visit; but, though he searched for Tom, he could nowhere hear of him.
The day after he had joined the Lily, he was well pleased to see Jack come on board.
“I found out, sir, that you belonged to the corvette, as I thought you would when I heard that Mr Saltwell was appointed to command her,” said Jack; “so, sir, I made up my mind to volunteer for her, if I could escape being pressed before I got back to Plymouth.”
“I am glad to see you, Peek,” said our hero. “Have you heard anything of Tom Fletcher?”