'I don't know what you mean, Alaric,' said Harry Norman, who was just at present somewhat disposed to contradict his friend, and not ill-inclined to contradict the captain also; 'as far as I can judge, the Admiralty is the very last office the Government will think of touching.' 'The Government!' shouted Captain Cuttwater; 'oh! if we are to wait for the Government, the navy may go to the deuce, sir.' 'It's the pressure from without that must do the work,' said Alaric. 'Pressure from without!' said Norman, scornfully; 'I hate to hear such trash.' 'We'll see, young gentleman, we'll see,' said the captain; 'it may be trash, and it may be right that five fellows who never did the Queen a day's service in their life, should get fifteen hundred or two thousand a year, and have the power of robbing an old sailor like me of the reward due to me for sixty years' hard work. Reward! no; but the very wages that I have actually earned. Look at me now, d---- me, look at me! Here I am, Captain Cuttwater--with sixty years' service--and I've done more perhaps for the Queen's navy than--than--' 'It's too true, Captain Cuttwater,' said Alaric, speaking with a sort of mock earnestness which completely took in the captain, but stealing a glance at the same time at the two girls, who sat over their work at the drawing-room table, 'it's too true; and there's no doubt the whole thing must be altered, and that soon. In the first place, we must have a sailor at the head of the navy.' 'Yes,' said the captain, 'and one that knows something about it too.' 'You'll never have a sailor sitting as first lord,' said Norman, authoritatively; 'unless it be when some party man, high in rank, may happen to have been in the navy as a boy.' 'And why not?' said Captain Cuttwater quite angrily. 'Because the first lord must sit in the Cabinet, and to do that he must be a thorough politician.' 'D---- politicians! craving the ladies' pardon,' said Uncle Bat. 'Amen!' said Alaric. Uncle Bat, thinking that he had thoroughly carried his point, finished his grog, took up his candlestick, and toddled off to bed. 'Well, I think I have done something towards carrying my point,' said Alaric. 'I didn't think you were half so cunning,' said Linda, laughing. 'I cannot think how you can condescend to advocate opinions diametrically opposed to your own convictions,' said Norman, somewhat haughtily. 'Fee, fo, fum!' said Alaric. 'What is it all about?' said Mrs. Woodward. 'Alaric wants to do all he can to ingratiate himself with Uncle Bat,' said Gertrude; 'and I am sure he's going the right way to work.' 'It's very good-natured on his part,' said Mrs. Woodward. 'I don't know what you are talking about,' said Katie, yawning, 'and I think you are all very stupid; so I'll go to bed.' The rest soon followed her. They did not sit up so late chatting over the fire this evening, as was their wont on Saturdays, though none of them knew what cause prevented it. CHAPTER V BUSHEY PARK