The outer cabin-door was opened by the sentry, who thrust his head in at the opening.
"I want one of the young gentlemen, sentry," said the rear-admiral.
The door closed, and, in another minute, the smiling face of Lord Geoffrey was at the entrance of the after-cabin.
"Who's on deck, my lord," demanded Bluewater, "beside the watch ?" "No one, sir.

All the idlers keep as close as foxes, when the decks are getting it; and as for any of our snorers showing their faces before six bells, it's quite out of the question, sir." "Some one must surely be stirring in the gun-room, by this time! Go and ask the chaplain and the captain of marines to do me the favour to step into the cabin--or the first lieutenant; or the master; or any of the idlers." The midshipman was gone two or three minutes, when he returned with the purser and the chaplain.
"The first lieutenant is in the forehold, sir; all the marines have got their dead-lights still in, and the master is working-up his log, the gun-room steward says.

I hope these will do, sir; they are the greatest idlers in the ship, I believe." Lord Geoffrey Cleveland was the second son of the third duke in the English empire, and he knew it, as well as any one on board.

Admiral Bluewater had no slavish respect for rank; nevertheless, like all men educated under an aristocratic system, he was influenced by the feeling to a degree of which he himself was far from being conscious.

This young scion of nobility was not in the least favoured in matters of duty, for this his own high spirit would have resented; but he dined in the cabin twice as often as any other midshipman on board, and had obtained for himself a sort of license for the tongue, that emboldened him to utter what passed for smart things in the cock-pit and gun-room, and which, out of all doubt, were pert things everywhere.