Lieutenant Johnson gazed full in the lad's face, half sternly, half amused at his quaint idea, and then nodded. Then there was another stentorian cheer, and what seemed like its echo from the island, when Bob smiled his satisfaction, strutting about the quarter-deck as he exclaimed,--"We can beat the soldiers hollow at cheering, sir, can't we?" "Yes, Mr Roberts," said the lieutenant quietly; and then to the warrant officer near him, "Pipe down to breakfast, Mr Law; the men must want it." "I know one man who wants his," said Bob, half aloud; and then he stared wistfully after the tail of the departing expedition, as the sun glinted on the spears, and a very dismal sensation of disappointment came over him. "You'll make a good officer some day, Roberts," said the lieutenant, and Bob started, for he did not know he was so near. "Thank you, sir--for the compliment," said Bob. "But at present, my lad, you do imitate the bantam cock to such an extent that it irritates grown men." "Do I, sir?" said Bob. "You do indeed, my lad," said the lieutenant kindly. "But I don't want to, sir, for nothing worries me more than to see Ensign Long coming all that strut and show off." "Well, we won't quarrel about it, Roberts," said Lieutenant Johnson kindly. "You'll grow out of it in time. As it is, I'm captain for a few days, and you are my first lieutenant. So first lieutenant," he continued, clapping the lad on the shoulder, "come down and breakfast with me in the cabin, and we'll talk matters over." Bob flushed with pleasure, and if the lieutenant had asked him to jump overboard just then, or stand on his head on the main truck, Bob would have tried to oblige him. As it was, however, he followed his officer into the cabin, and made a hearty breakfast. "I tell you what," said the lieutenant, who was a very quiet stern young officer--and he stopped short. "Yes, captain," said Bob. Lieutenant Johnson smiled. "I tell you what," he said again, "nothing would give me greater pleasure than for Mr Rajah Gantang to bring down his prahus some time to-day, Lieutenant Roberts. I could blow that fellow out of the water with the greatest pleasure in life." "Captain Johnson," said Bob, solemnly, "I could blow him in again with greater pleasure, for I haven't forgotten my swim for life." "You feel quite a spite against him then, Roberts?" "Spite's nothing to it," said Bob. "Didn't he and his people force me, a harmless, unoffending young fellow--" "As ever contrived to board a prahu," said the lieutenant. "Ah, well, that wasn't my doing," said Bob. "I was ordered to do my duty, and tried to do it. That was no reason why those chicory-brown rascals should cause me to be pitched into the river to the tender mercies of the crocodiles, who, I believe, shed tears because they couldn't catch me."