Early in November, when the day of joining the _King Arthur_ seemed to be separated from the present by a lifetime, instead of by little more than a month, of experience, and when the prospect of Christmas leave, not infinitely remote, coloured even the present with hope, John had an adventure in night boat work. For him the day had been more than usually strenuous. The _King Arthur_ had been at sea for Commander-in-Chief’s firing. From half-past eight in the morning until half-past seven at night, John had been almost continuously on duty. It had happened, as sometimes it must happen, that when he was not on watch he was required in a duty boat, and when neither in a boat nor on the bridge, he had had to go to his gun. At dinner he thought his day was over, and, Krame having chosen a sing-song that night in preference to Gunroom Evolutions, he settled down to read as best he could among the choruses. But soon after nine a cutter was called away again. Banford-Smith, whose duty it should have been, had advanced too far into a cheerful evening to venture out into the night. Some midshipman must run the boat, and the choice fell upon John. Fortunately the evening was fine, for the trip seemed likely to be long. It appeared that the _Vera_ was bringing or had brought into harbour a target of which the _King Arthur_ stood in need. This target required repairs and a new sail. “And first of all,” added the officer of the watch, “you’ve got to find the thing.” “Where is the _Vera_ lying, sir?” John asked. “The Lord knows! The bridge seems to have lost her. She hasn’t come to her buoy yet. But go to the dockyard wall first. The target is probably there already. If it isn’t, you’ll have to look round till you find the _Vera_, and make enquiries.” John ran down the gangway into his cutter, seated himself on the “dicky,” and gave orders to shove off. The oars dropped into the water and the boat drew away from the ship. On one hand, the many lights of the Fleet winked at their reflections in the smooth water; on the other, the great rock, magnified by the night, and speckled with the illumination of innumerable windows, rose, dark and gigantic, against the sky. When the wall was reached they searched in vain for the target, and turned to cruise the harbour in quest of the _Vera_.