At these words a young man who was walking up and down the frigate's quarter-deck turned quickly. He was dressed in the same uniform as the one who had just asked the question,--that of a midshipman of the American navy. "Not if you are starting at once, Raymond," he replied. "I won't be off duty for a quarter of an hour. Is the boat ready?" "Not yet--maybe you will have time--have you asked for leave?" "I have that right enough, but I can't be in two places at once. I'd like to go, though, if I could." "It's too bad; all the fellows were counting on your coming." And Midshipman Raymond left the quarter-deck, and strolled forward to the mast, where five or six other middies were waiting, all dressed in their best uniforms, with rows of polished brass buttons, and neat little dirks swung at their left hips by slender chains. They were impatient at the delay. Every one wished to be ashore, as it was the intention to dine together and afterwards to attend a concert at the Malta Theatre; for the _Constitution_ was lying at anchor just off the town, and not far from the walls of the heavy fortifications that make the island England's greatest stronghold in the Eastern Mediterranean--second in importance among her possessions only to the impregnable Gibraltar. "I hear Carlotti is going to sing to-night," observed one of the midshipmen knowingly, interrupting the chorus of grumblings at the slowness of the shore boat in returning. "She's great," he added. "How do you know?" asked a short tow-headed reefer; "you never heard her." "No, but Bainbridge has, and he told me." "Wish Bainbridge was going with us----" "So do we all," was the chorus to this, and just at this moment the ship's bell clanged the hour, and the one to whom they referred ran past them. He paused at the head of the ladder. "I'll be up in a minute; don't you fellows go without me." With these words he jumped below, and running into the steerage, he slammed open the lid of his chest and shifted into his best uniform in "presto change" fashion. He was just in time to hasten down the ladder and leap into the boat as she shoved off from the side. There were two lieutenants going ashore, and they don't wait for tardy midshipmen. "Quick work, Joseph," said Middy Raymond, laying his hand on Bainbridge's knee. "Rather," was the panted reply. "Do I look shipshape? Feels as if I'd forgotten something." "All ataunto--far as I can see." Joseph Bainbridge was a younger brother of Commodore William Bainbridge, and like him he had gifts of popularity. He possessed a magnetic personality that attracted to him the notice of both officers and men, and a bold, adventurous spirit that won their admiration. Added to this was the fact that he was tall and strong, and conceded to be the handsomest young officer in the service. When the boat drew up at the pier, the middies flocked off by themselves, and the two young lieutenants fell behind.