“But the Middy is a fine little vessel.” “No matter for that, my lad: she aren’t big enough to hold a man like Mr. Bankhead. If they should send off Mr. Dickey, or even Mr. McBride, I shouldn’t so much wonder. But to send off the fust-luff in a cockle-shell like that,--why, it aren’t reasonable.” “But if he should go----” “I tell you, my darling, he aren’t goin’. Why, I’d almost as soon think of the commodore’s goin’ in her himself!” “But the officers are selected according to the service they have to perform, as well as to the size of the vessel. The Middy may be ordered to duty which requires one of the best officers in the fleet.” “That may be, Jack,” said Tom, taking off his cap, and rubbing his bald head. “Suppose he should go, what will become of me?” “He aren’t goin’, I tell ye, my dear,” persisted Tom. “You mought as well talk of the cap’n’s goin’ cockswain of the dingy!” Notwithstanding the very decided opinions of Quartermaster Longstone, Mr. Bankhead was detached from the Harrisburg, and ordered to the Middy. The report passed from the wardroom to the steerage, and thence, through Mr. Bobstock, the boatswain, to Cheeks, sergeant of marines, who conveyed it to a ship’s corporal, by whom it was disseminated through the ship, clothed with such an air of authority, that even Longstone and Grummet were compelled to believe. “It may be so, Jack,” said Tom. “There can no longer be a doubt,” added Jack. “All I got to say is, if it is so, then the Middy’s goin’ to do a big thing somewhere.” “I wouldn’t care, if I were only sure of going in her,” continued Jack. “Do you want to go off in the Middy, and leave me here, my darling? Haven’t I watched over you like a baby? Haven’t I mended your trousers, like your grandmother? Didn’t I put that ‘eagle, anchor, and star’ in your blue frock? Haven’t I nussed ye, and tended ye, and made a man-o’-war’s man of ye? And now you want to go for to leave me!” “No, I don’t want to leave you, Tom. I want you to go with me.” “You’d sartinly git killed in the fust action, if I w’a’nt there to take care of ye.” “You shall be there, Tom. I won’t leave the Harrisburg without you, if I can help it.” “Give us your flipper, my dear. I hain’t got nobody in this world but you, Jack; and, if you cast off and leave me, I won’t keer much what becomes of this old hulk.” “I will not leave you, if I can help it, Tom,” replied Jack, much moved by the tenderness of the old man. “I know you won’t, Jack. I allus took you for an honest lad; and, if you desart me, I shall be disappointed,--that’s all. Now read me a chapter in your mother’s Testament, my darling.” Jack took the Testament from its place of concealment under the mess-table, and read--as he had often done before to the old quartermaster--a portion of a chapter. Tom, as was his habit, commented upon the text in man-of-war style. Our sailor-boy listened, but with only half his attention; for the Middy was still an anxious topic in his mind.