All was now in readiness for the attempt. James dined with Captain
Peters, the first lieutenant and four officers of the general's staff
being also present, General Wolfe himself being too ill to be at table,
and Admiral Holmes having, early in the morning, gone down the river to
confer with Admiral Saunders.
"I drink good health and a safe return to you, Captain Walsham, for our
sake as well as yours. As a general thing, when an officer is chosen
for dangerous service, he is an object of envy by all his comrades;
but, for once, I do not think anyone on board would care to undertake
your mission."
"Why, sir, your little midshipman is delighted at going with me. He and
I have been chatting the matter over, and he is in the highest glee."
"Ah! He has only got the first chance of being shot at," Captain Peters
said. "That comes in the line of duty, and I hope there isn't an
officer on board a ship but would volunteer, at once, for that service.
But your real danger only begins when his ends.
"By the way," he asked, as, after dinner was over, he was walking up
and down the quarterdeck, talking to James, "have you and Lieutenant
Horton met before? I thought you seemed to know each other when I came
up, but, since then I have noticed that, while all the other officers
of the ship have been chatting with you, he has kept aloof.
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