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The report of Jack's boldness, and every word and opinion that he had uttered of course, much magnified were circulated that evening through the whole ship; the matter was canvassed in the gun-room by the officers, and descanted upon by the midshipmen as they walked the deck.
The "unknown midshipman," taking Darrin's shrewd hint, had already made himself invisible. After the prompt drubbing they had received, not one of the young civilians felt any desire to follow these husky midshipmen. The police in Annapolis are few in number, and so do not always hear a street summons.
The midshipmen and their sable ally had too much reason to fear that they should be captured. Wasser led the way over the palisade, Jack followed, Alick and Paddy brought up the rear. Jack had not yet discovered his friends, as in consequence of their dread of being discovered no one had spoken. Jack only thought that some negro lads, for some reason or other, had come to his assistance.
"I will go up, myself, sir," Hardy said; and he ran up the starboard shrouds while, at the same moment, one of the midshipmen led the way on the port side. The sailors at once followed their officers. The latter had nearly reached the yard, when the two balls of fire began to roll along it, joined in the centre, and then slowly ascended the topmast.
The reception over, they made their way down to the shores of the harbour, where, among several Chinese and other strange craft, what was their satisfaction to see an English brig. While the midshipmen were standing on the shore of the harbour a boat put off from the brig, and came towards them. She was pulled by four hands, two of whom were blacks and two Malays.
If the company at the captain's table, which consisted of the second lieutenant, purser, Mr Jolliffe, and one of the midshipmen, were astonished at such heterodox opinions being started in the presence of the captain, they were equally astonished at the cool, good-humoured ridicule with which they were received by Captain Wilson.
“I am very glad to have such a lad on board,” said the lieutenant. “If we are at any station on the Mediterranean, and have sports between the ships, I should back him against any other boy in the fleet to get to the masthead and down again.” One of the midshipmen, named Forster, came up to Will when he left the lieutenant, and said: “Well done, young un!
The midshipmen, on going outside their hut, saw the whole ground covered by huge black forms moving in all directions, while the seamen, armed with clubs or whatever they could pick up, were running about, striking right and left at the astonished creatures. The seals apparently had landed at one of their usual places of resort, not at all expecting to find it occupied by human beings.
"I'm not going to drag you into anything that you'd object to," Darrin continued. "Come along; all I want you for is as a witness to what I am going to say." "Don't do it, old fel " "I've thought that over, and I feel that I must," replied Dave firmly. "Come along. Don't attract attention by standing here arguing." In another instant the two midshipmen were going swiftly up the steps.
The effect, however, was only temporary, for the following day he became worse, and his companions began to fear that he would be taken from them. Their daily visitor, as it happened, remained in the hut longer than usual, and had thus an opportunity of observing how ill Deane looked. The midshipmen and Burridge also told him that they were afraid their officer would die if he had not some help.
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