“Tom Rogers and I took him with us on board the Niobe. He was making immense strides in civilisation, having taken to sleeping in a hammock under bedclothes, and learned to drink tea in a teacup, when he was lost at sea in a gale of wind rounding the Cape. Tom tried to write a poem to his memory, but broke down, declaring that his feelings overcame him; though in truth he couldn’t manage to make even the two first lines rhyme, so that that might have had something to do in the matter.”
While Gerald was rattling on, Archie produced the letter-bag, which he had hitherto forgotten to give to Commander Murray. It contained several letters for him, as also others forwarded by his navy agent to Lieutenant Adair. Among them were two long, official-looking despatches, with the words, “On Her Majesty’s Service,” printed outside. Murray looked somewhat grave as he read his; at the same time, an expression arising from gratified pride appeared on his countenance.
Terence tore his letter open. “They don’t intend to let me rest on shore, at all events. I expected to have my promotion, however; but instead, their lordships send me off to sea again. I am appointed to the Opal, just commissioned at Portsmouth, as first lieutenant. I ought to be highly flattered; and, Desmond, my boy, you are to go with me.”
“The best thing that could happen to you; I congratulate you,” said the admiral. “And what news does your despatch contain?” he continued, to Murray. Without answering, Alick put the letter into the admiral’s hands, and, taking his wife’s arm, led her into the garden, where they were concealed from sight by the shrubbery.
“It will be a blow to her,” said the admiral, as he glanced over the official document; “still it is flattering to Murray, and, unless he has resolved to give up the service altogether, I could not wish him better luck. You and your old shipmate are not to be parted, Adair. He is appointed to the command of the Opal, and I have a notion that she will be stationed at the Cape, and probably sent to the East Coast of Africa, where there is work to be done, and prize-money to be picked up, not to be got every day in these piping times of peace. It is no easy matter, however, to catch those slippery Arab slavers, so you mustn’t count your hens before they are hatched. Still, the Opal is a fast craft, and if any man can do what is to be done, Murray will do it.”
“At all events, I am delighted to hear that I am to serve with him. I was anxious to be off to sea as soon as possible, and it makes amends to me for my disappointment in not getting my promotion.”
“I say, Archie, I suppose that you will be appointed to the same craft?” exclaimed Desmond.
“Nae doot about it, mon,” answered Archie; “I’ve a notion it’s the doing of our cousin, Admiral McAlpine, who returned home not long ago from the West Indies, and would of course have been looking after our interests, for he is a very kind man.”
“I suspect that Mrs Murray considers it a very cruel kindness,” observed the admiral; “but every sailor’s wife must be prepared to be parted from her husband, and to make the most of him when he is on shore.”
“He is a lucky fellow who has got a wife to be parted from,” said Terence, thinking of Lucy; “at all events, when he is away, he can look forward to the happiness of being again united to her, instead of having to come home, as is the lot of some of us, without anyone who cares for him to give him a welcome; so the favours of Heaven are very fairly divided, and in my opinion Murray has the best of it, though it may give him and his wife a severe pang to part from each other.”