Later in the day that English officer and one or two of his staff officers would return the call by coming out to the flagship.

That accomplished, all the required courtesies would have been observed.
It was still broad daylight, for in summer the English twilight is a long one, and darkness does not settle down until late.
"Oh, if we were only going ashore to-night!" murmured Hallam.

There were many others to echo the thought, but all knew that it could not be done.
"Couldn't we find a trick for slipping ashore after lights out ?" eagerly queried Dickey, who was not noted as a "greaser." "Could we ?" quivered Hallam, who, with few demerits against him, felt inclined to take a chance.
But Pennington, to whom he appealed, shook his head.
"Too big a risk, Hally," replied Pen.

"And trebly dangerous, with that greaser, Darrin, in the class." "Oh, stow that," growled Hallam.

"Darrin is no greaser.