2
le irritable this evening--maddening toothache, and that sort of thing. Don't get into mischief. That'll do."
Commander Glossop, R.N., generally known as Captain of H.M. Gunboat Tonans, on special duty from the Channel Squadron, went below to his cabin, and Fitzgerald Burnett--Fitz for short--midshipman, seemed suddenly to have grown an inch taller, and comparatively stouter, as he seemed to swell out with satisfaction, while his keen grey eyes literally sparkled as he looked all a boy.
"Thought he was going to snap my head off," he mattered, as he began to walk up and down, noticing sundry little preparations that were in progress in connection with one of the quarter-boats, in which, as she swung from the davits, a couple of the smart, barefooted sailors, whose toes looked very pink in the chill air, were overhauling and re-arranging oars, and the little mast, yard and sail, none of which needed touching, for everything was already in naval apple-pie order.
Fitz Burnett ended his walk by stopping and looking on.
"Going along with us, sir?" said one of the sailors.
"Yes," said the lad shortly, and sharply enough to have satisfied his superior if he had overheard.
"That's right, sir," said the man, so earnestly that the boy looked pleased.
"Know where we are going, sir?" the other man ventured to ask.
"Is it likely?" was the reply; "and if I did know do you suppose that I would tell you?"
"No, sir, of course not. But it's going to be something desperate, sir, because we have got to take all our tools."
"Ah, you'll see soon enough," said the boy, and full of the importance of being one in some expedition that was to break the monotony of the everyday routine, as well as to avoid further questioning, and any approach to familiarity on the part of the men, Fitz continued his walk, to come in contact directly after with another superior officer in the shape of the lieutenant.
"Hullo, Mr Burnett! So you are to go with us to-night, I