“Here goes,” Forster said, as he stepped into the boat with his report. “It all depends now on what sort of a man the admiral is, but I should not be surprised if he ordered me to take court-martial.” “Oh, I hope not!” Will exclaimed. “I do wish you would let me go with you to share the blame.” “It cannot be thought of,” Forster said; “the commanding officer must make the report.” Two hours later Forster returned. “It is all right, Gilmore,” he said as the boat came alongside. “Of course I got a wigging. The admiral read the report and then looked at me as fierce as a tiger. “ ‘How was it that no sentry was placed over the prisoners?’ “ ‘I have to admit, sir,’ I said, ‘that I entirely overlooked that. I am quite conscious that my conduct was indefensible, but I have certainly paid very heavily for it.’ “ ‘It was a smart trick taking to the shrouds,’ the admiral said, ‘though one would have thought they would have shot you at once after you had cut them.’ “ ‘That is what I expected, sir,’ said I, ‘but they seemed to think it was a very good joke, my being a prisoner up there, and preferred to wait till I was driven down by thirst.’ “ ‘I suppose your men sold their lives dearly?’ he asked. “ ‘Yes, sir,’ I replied. ‘Taken by surprise as they were they certainly accounted for more than one man each.’ “ ‘And doubtless you did the same, Mr. Forster?’ “ ‘Yes, sir, I cut down two of them, and I did not cease fighting until I saw that all was lost.’ “ ‘Then I suppose you thought that your duty to His Majesty was to take care of yourself,’ he said slyly. “ ‘I am afraid, sir,’ I said, ‘at that moment I thought more of my duty towards myself than of my duty to him.’ “He smiled grimly. “ ‘I have no doubt that was so, Mr. Forster. Well, you committed a blunder, and I hope it will be a lesson to you in future.’ “ ‘It will indeed, sir,’ I said. “Then he started to question me about you. “ ‘Your junior officer seems to have behaved very well,’ he said. “ ‘Extremely well, sir,’ I said. ‘I only wish I had done as well.’ “ ‘His plan of forming a barricade across the bow so that his little force were ample to defend it was excellent,’ he said. ‘Also the blocking up of the door of communication through the bulkhead was well thought of, and his final escape through the hatchway and sudden attack upon the enemy was well carried out. I will make a note of his name. I suppose he is not as old as yourself, as he is your junior?’ “ ‘No, sir, he is not yet sixteen, and he was only promoted from being a ship’s boy to the quarter-deck three weeks ago.’ “ ‘Promoted from being a ship’s boy?’ the admiral said in surprise. “Then I had to give a detailed account, not only of the fight that led to your promotion, but also of your life so far as I knew it. “When I had finished, the admiral said: