He was a short and rather stout man, so he looked uncommonly funny in
his mess jacket, which, according to the custom of the service, was cut
in the Eton fashion and gave him a striking resemblance to an over-grown
schoolboy, as I thought; but, I soon forgot his appearance, his manner
was so charming, while his anxiety to set me at my ease seemed as great
as if I had been an admiral at the least, instead of being only little
Jack Vernon, naval cadet!
The doctor was talking to him when I came in; and he spoke to me very
cordially, too, feeling my pulse as he shook hands with me.
"Ha! No fear of your kicking the bucket yet, my little friend," he said
in his dry way, as we all proceeded into the fore cabin, where dinner
was laid, Captain Farmer leading the way as soon as his steward Peters
intimated that everything was ready. "No cold or fever after your
sudden chill, thanks to my prescription! But, I won't answer for
consumption after your long fast. I can see from your eye, youngster,
you'll have a bad attack of that presently, eh? Ho, ho, ho!"
Of course I grinned at this; and, I may state at once, that, by the time
the repast was concluded, I had fully justified the doctor's sapient
prediction, being blessed with the healthiest of appetites and a good
digestion, which my temporary indisposition had in nowise impaired.
Mr Cheffinch, our gunnery lieutenant, who was one of the other guests,
sat beside me, and from a remark or two he made I discovered that not
only did he know of my adventure, but that the captain was also
cognisant with the circumstances of the case, although the facts had not
been officially communicated to him and he was not supposed to be aware
of what had happened.
"He thinks you behaved very pluckily, youngster," observed Mr Cheffinch
in the most gracious way, when informing me of this. "Ay and so do we
all in the wardroom, let me tell you!"
"I'm sure I don't know what I have done to deserve your praise, sir,"
said I, feeling quite abashed by all these compliments. "It was all an
accident."
"It is not so much what you did as what you didn't do, youngster," he
replied, frankly enough. "You didn't show any funk or make a fuss when
you fell overboard, and you did not wish to get your messmates into a
scrape when Dr Nettleby--he told us this himself in confidence--found
out the state you were in and made inquiries. In so doing, you behaved
like a true sailor and a gentleman, and we're all proud to have such a
promising brother officer amongst us, young Vernon, I assure you. If
you go on as you have begun, you'll be a credit to the service."
Such a flattering eulogium made me blush like a peony, and I was very
glad when the captain presently proposed the toast of "The Queen," which
we drank, all standing.
This being satisfactorily done, taking that hint from the doctor that I
had "better turn in early and have a good night's rest after all the
exertions I had gone through," as a sort of reminder that they had seen
enough of me for the occasion, I paid my adieux to the captain and
company and went on deck, where I remained while the watch was being
called at Eight Bells.
I need hardly add that, in this interval, I ruminated over the strange
succession of events that had taken place within so short a period;
events which, possibly, might make, as they just as probably might have
marred, my entire future career in the service--ay, and, perhaps, have
ended it altogether, but for God's good providence!