"Well, Cross," said the first lieutenant. "I've brought a young gentleman on board to join the ship. Captain Delmar has, I believe, given his orders about him." "Mr Keene, I presume?" said the first lieutenant, eyeing me from head to foot. "Yes, sir," replied I, touching my hat. "How long have you been at Portsmouth?" "Three days, sir; I have been staying at Mr Culpepper's." "Well, did you fall in love with Miss Culpepper?" "No, sir," replied I; "I hate her." At this answer the first lieutenant and the officers near him burst out a-laughing. "Well, youngster, you must dine with us in the gun-room to-day; and where's Mr Dott?" "Here, sir," said Tommy Dott, coming from the other side of the quarter-deck. "Mr Dott, take this young gentleman down below, and show him the midshipmen's berth. Let me see, who is to take care of his hammock?" "I believe that Bob Cross is to take care of it, sir," said I. "The captain's coxswain--humph. Well, that's settled at all events; very good--we shall have the pleasure of your company to dinner, Mr Keene. Why, Mr Dott and you look as if you knew each other." "Don't we, Tommy?" said I to the midshipman, grinning. "I suspect that there is a pair of you," said the first lieutenant, turning aft and walking away; after which Tommy and I went down the companion ladder as fast as we could, and in a few seconds afterwards were sitting together on the same chest, in most intimate conversation. My extreme resemblance to our honourable captain was not unobserved by the officers who were on the quarter-deck at the time of my making my appearance; and, as I afterwards heard from Bob Cross, he was sent for by the surgeon, on some pretence or another, to obtain any information relative to me. What were Bob Cross's reasons for answering as he did I could not at that time comprehend, but he explained them to me afterwards. "Who brought him down, Cross?" said the surgeon, carelessly. "His own mother, sir; he has no father, sir, I hear." "Did you see her? What sort of a person was she?" "Well, sir," replied Bob Cross, "I've seen many ladies of quality, but such a real lady I don't think I ever set my eyes upon before; and such a beauty--I'd marry to-morrow if I could take in tow a craft like her." "How did they come down to Portsmouth?" "Why, sir, she came down to Portsmouth in a coach and four; but she walked to the George Hotel, as if she was nobody." This was not a fib on the part of the coxswain, for we came down by the Portsmouth coach; it did, however, deceive the surgeon, as was intended. "Did you see anything of her, Cross?" "Not when she was with the captain, sir, but at her own lodgings I did; such a generous lady I never met with."