"Give my compliments to the captain, and say that I shall be most happy to accept his kind invitation," I answered, putting on my most dignified manner, as if it was quite an everyday occurrence for me to be asked to dinner by officers of the highest rank; though, I felt inclined to jump with joy at the prospect, especially under the circumstances of my famished condition. "What time do you serve up dinner, steward?" "We allers dines at Four Bells, sir," said he, with equal dignity, conscious of his position apparently as captain's steward, and at the same time not oblivious of the fact that I was only a naval cadet. "In ten minutes time, sir, dinner will be on the table." "All right, my man, I'll be there," I replied in an off-hand way, as he went on towards the wardroom, opposite to where we were standing; and I added aside to the corporal, "I don't think there's any fear of my being late!" "Faith, the divil doubt ye, sor," said Macan in reply to this, breaking into a broad grin as he set to work methodically to put the doctor's cabin straight again, while I turned to go below to my proper quarters, with the intention of making myself smart for the forthcoming feast. "Musha, I wudn't loike to be the dish foreninst ye, sor, if ye can ate a hoss, as ye s'id jist now!" A few minutes later, attired in my best uniform, I was ushered by the marine sentry, who stood without the doorway, into the big after-cabin beneath the poop that served for Captain Farmer's reception-room. This was a handsome apartment, hung round with pictures and decorated with choice hothouse flowers and evergreens, as unlike as possible anything one might expect to find on board ship. The very gun-carriages on either side were concealed by drapery, as well as the windows at the further end which opened on to the stern gallery, that projected, like a balcony, over the shimmering sea beneath, whereon the lights from the ports played and danced on the rippling tide in a hundred broken reflections, the evening having closed in and it now being quite dark around. I was received very kindly by Captain Farmer. He was a short and rather stout man, so he looked uncommonly funny in his mess jacket, which, according to the custom of the service, was cut in the Eton fashion and gave him a striking resemblance to an over-grown schoolboy, as I thought; but, I soon forgot his appearance, his manner was so charming, while his anxiety to set me at my ease seemed as great as if I had been an admiral at the least, instead of being only little Jack Vernon, naval cadet! The doctor was talking to him when I came in; and he spoke to me very cordially, too, feeling my pulse as he shook hands with me.