Two hours later they
reached Plymouth, marched through the town to the dockyard, and
went straight on board the transport.
There was the usual confusion until the cabins had been allotted,
portmanteaus stowed away, and the general baggage lowered into the
hold. A tedious wait of three or four hours followed, no one
exactly knew why, and then the paddle wheels began to revolve. The
men burst into a loud cheer, and a few minutes later they passed
Drake's Island and headed down the sound.
They had, as expected, found young Marshall on board. He kept below
until they started, although told that there was little chance of
the bailiffs being permitted to enter the dockyard. As he had the
grace to feel thoroughly ashamed of his position, little was said
to him; but the manner of the senior officers was sufficient to
make him feel their strong disapproval of the position in which he
had placed himself by his folly.
"I have taken a solemn oath never to bet again," he said that
evening to Captain Mallett, who was a general favourite with the
younger officers; "and I mean to keep it."
"How much do you owe, young 'un?"
"Four hundred and fifty.
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