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'Thank you； sir；' said Hornblower； still stupid。
Soames had been a gray…haired officer of vast experience； He had sailed the seven seas； he had fought in a score of actions。 But； faced with a new situation； he had not had the quickness of thought to keep his boat from under the ram of the galley。 Soames was dead； and acting…lieutenant Hornblower would take his place。 Fighting madness； sheer insanity； had won him this promise of promotion。 Hornblower had never realized the black depths of lunacy into which he could sink。 Like Soames； like all the rest of the crew of the Indefatigable； he had allowed himself to be carried away by his blind hatred for the galleys； and only good fortune had allowed him to live through it。 That was something worth remembering。
CHAPTER EIGHT … THE EXAMINATION FOR LIEUTENANT
H。M。S。 Indefatigable was gliding into Gibraltar Bay； with Acting…Lieutenant Horatio Hornblower stiff and self…conscious on the quarterdeck beside Captain Pellew。 He kept his telescope trained over toward Algeciras； it was a strange situation； this； that major naval bases of two hostile powers should be no more than six miles apart； and while approaching the harbour it was as well to keep close watch on Algeciras； for there was always the possibility that a squadron of Spaniards might push out suddenly to pounce on an unwary frigate ing in。
'Eight ships…nine ships with their yards crossed； sir；' reported Hornblower。
'Thank you；' answered Pellew。 'Hands 'bout ship。'
The Indefatigable tacked and headed in toward the Mole。 Gibraltar harbour was； as usual； crowded with shipping； for the whole naval effort of England in the Mediterranean was perforce based here。 Pellew clewed up his topsails and put his helm over。 Then the cable roared out and the Indefatigable swung at anchor。
'Call away my gig；' ordered Pellew。
Pellew favoured dark blue and white as the colour scheme for his boat and its crew…dark blue shirts and white trousers for the men； with white hats with blue ribbons。 The boat was of dark blue picked out with white； the oars had white looms and blue blades。 The general effect was very smart indeed as the drive of the oars sent the gig skimming over the water to carry Pellew to pay his respects to the port admiral。 It was not long after his return that a messenger came scurrying up to Hornblower。
'Captain's pliments； sir； and he'd like to see you in his cabin。'
'Examine your conscience well；' grinned Midshipman Bracegirdle。 'What crimes have you mitted？'
'I wish I knew；' said Hornblower； quite genuinely。
It is always a nervous moment going in to see the captain in reply to his summons。 Hornblower swallowed as he approached the cabin door； and he had to brace himself a little to knock and enter。 But there was nothing to be alarmed about； Pellew looked up with a smile from his desk。
'Ah； Mr Hornblower； I hope you will consider this good news。 There will be an examination for lieutenant to…morrow； in the Santa Barbara there。 You are ready to take it； I hope？'
Hornblower was about to say 'I suppose so； sir；' but checked himself。
'Yes； sir；' he said…Pellew hated slipshod answers。
'Very well； then。 You report there at three P。M。 with your certificates and journals。'
'Aye aye； sir。'
That was a very brief conversation for such an important subject。 Hornblower had Pellew's order as acting…lieutenant for two months now。 To…morrow he would take his examination。 If he should pass the admiral would confirm the order next day； and Hornblower would be a lieutenant with two month's seniority already。 But if he should fail！ That would mean he had been found unfit for lieutenant's rank。 He would revert to midshipman； the two months' seniority would be lost； and it would be six months at least before he could try again。 Eight months' seniority was a matter of enormous importance。 It would affect all his subsequent career。
'Tell Mr Bolton you have my permission to leave the ship to…morrow； and you may use one of the ship's boats。'
'Thank you； sir。'
'Good luck； Hornblower。'
During the next twenty…four hours Hornblower had not merely to try to read all through Norie's Epitome of Navigation again； and Clarke's plete Handbook of Seamanship； but he had to see that his number one uniform was spick and span。 It cost his spirit ration to prevail on the warrant cook to allow the gunroom attendant to heat a flatiron in the galley and iron out his neck handkerchief Bracegirdle lent him a clean shirt； but there was a feverish moment when it was discovered that the gunroom's supply of shoe blacking had dried to a chip。 Two midshipmen had to work it soft with lard； and the resultant pound； when applied to Hornblower's buckled shoes； was stubbornly resistant to taking a polish； only much labour with the gunroom's moulting shoebrush and then with a soft cloth brought those shoes up to a condition of brightness worthy of an examination for lieutenant。 And as for the cocked hat…the life of a cocked hat in the midshipman's berth is hard； and some of the dents could not be entirely eliminated。
'Take it off as soon as you can and keep it under your arm；' advised Bracegirdle。 'Maybe they won't see you e up the ship's side。'
Everybody turned out to see Hornblower leave the ship； with his sword and his white breeches and his buckled shoes； his bundle of journals under his arm and his certificates of sobriety and good conduct in his pocket。 The winter afternoon was already far advanced as he was rowed over to the Santa Barbara and went up the ship's side to report himself to the officer of the watch。
The Santa Barbara was a prison hulk； one of the prizes captured in Rodney's action off Cadiz in 1780 and kept rotting at her moorings； mastless； ever since； a storeship in time of peace and a prison in time of war。 Redcoated soldiers； muskets loaded and bayonets fixed； guarded the gangways； on forecastle and quarterdeck were carronades； trained inboard and depressed to sweep the waist； wherein a few prisoners took the air； ragged and unhappy。 As Hornblower came up the side he caught a whiff of the stench within； where two thousand prisoners were confined。 Hornblower reported himself to the officer of the watch as e on board； and for what purpose。
'Whoever would have guessed it？' said the officer of the watch…an elderly lieutenant with white hair hanging down to his shoulders…running his eye over Hornblower's immaculate uniform and the portfolio under his arm。 'Fifteen of your kind have already e on board； and…Holy Gemini； see there！'
Quite a flotilla of small craft was closing in on the Santa Barbara。 Each boat held at least one cocked…hatted and white…breached midshipman； and some held four or five。
'Every courtesy young gentleman in the Mediterranean Fleet is ambitious for an epaulet；' said the lieutenant。 'Just wait until the examining board sees how many there are of you！ I wouldn't be in your shoes； young shaver； for something。 Go aft； there； and wait in the portside cabin。'
It was already unfortably full； when Hornblower entered； fifteen pairs of eyes measured him up。 There were officers of all ages from eighteen to forty； all in their number one's； all nervous…one or two of them had Norie's Epitome open on their laps and were anxiously reading passages about which they were doubtful。 One little group was passing a bottle from hand to hand； presumably in an effort to keep up their courage。 But no sooner had Hornblower entered than a stream of newers followed him。 The cabin began to fill； and…soon it was tightly packed。 Half the forty men present found seats on the deck； and the others were forced to stand。
'Forty years back；' said a loud voice somewhere； 'my grandad marched with Clive to revenge the Black Hole of Calcutta。 If he could but have witnessed the fate of his posterity！'
'Have a drink；' said another voice； 'and to hell with care。'
'Forty of us；' mented a tall； thin； clerkly officer； counting heads。 'How many of us will they pass； do you think？ Five？'
'To hell with care；' repeated the bibulous voice in the corner； and lifted itself in song。 'Begone； dull care； I prithee be gone from me…'
'Cheese it； you fool！' rasped another voice。 'Hark to that！'
The air was filled with the long…drawn twittering of the pipes of the bos'n's mates； and someone on deck was shouting an order。
'A captain ing on board；' remarked someone。
An officer had his eye at the crack of the door。 'It's Dreadnought Foster；' he reported。
'He's a tail twister if ever there was one；' said a fat young officer； seated fortably with his back to the bulkhead。
Again the pipes twittered。
'Harvey； of the dockyard；' reported the lookout。
The third captain followed immediately。 'It's Black Charlie Hammond；' said the lookout。 'Looking as if he'd lost a guinea and found sixpence。'
'Black Charlie？' exclaimed someone； scrambling to his feet in haste and pushing to the door。 'Let's see！ So it is！ Then here is one young gentleman who will not stay for an answer。 I know too well what that answer would be。 ''Six months more at sea； sir； and damn your eyes for your impertinence in presenting yourself for examination in your present state of ignorance。'' Black Charlie won't ever forget that I lost his pet poodle overside from the cutter in Port…o'…Spain when he was first of the Pegasus。 Good…bye； gentlemen。 Give my regards to the examining board。'
With that he was gone； and they saw him explaining himself to the officer of the watch and hailing a shore boat to take him back to his ship。 'One fewer of us； at least；' said the clerkly officer。 'What is it； my man？'
'The board's pliments； sir；' said the marine messenger； 'an' will the first young gentleman please to e along？'
There was a momentary hesitation； no one was anxious to be the first victim。
'The one nearest the door；' said an elderly master's mate。 'Will you volunteer； sir？'
'I'll be the Daniel；' said the erstwhile lookout desperately。 'Remember me in your prayers。'
He pulled his coat smooth； twitched at his neckcloth； and was gone； the remainder waiting in gloomy silence； relieved only by the glug…glug of the bottle as the bibulous midshipman took another swig。 A full ten minutes passed before the candidate for promotion returned； making a brave effort to smile。
'Six months more at sea？' asked someone。
'No；' was the unexpected answer。 'Three！ 。 。 。 I was told to send the next man。 It had better be you。'
'But what did they ask you？'
'They began by asking me to define a rhumb line。 。 。 。 But don't keep them waiting； I advise you。' Some thirty officers had their textbooks open on the instant to reread about thumb lines。
'You were there ten minutes；' said the clerkly officer； looking at his watch。 'Forty of us； ten minutes each…why； it'll be midnight before they reach the last of us。 They'll never do it。'
'They'll be hungry。' said someone。
'Hungry for our blood；' said another。
'Perhaps they'll try us in batches；' suggested a third； 'like the French tribunals。'
Listening to them； Hornblower was reminded of French aristocrats jesting at the foot of the scaffold。 Candidates departed and candidates returned； some gloomy； some smiling。 The cabin was already far less crowded； Hornblower was able to secure sufficient deck space to seat himself； and he stretched out his legs with a nonchalant sigh of relief； and he no sooner emitted the sigh than he realized that it was a stage effect which he had put on for his own benefit。 He was as nervous as he could be。 The winter night was falling； and some good Samaritan on board sent in a couple of purser's dips to give a feeble illumination to the darkening cabin。
'They are passing one in three；' said the clerkly officer； making ready for his turn。 'May I be the third。'
Hornblower got to his feet again when he left； it would be his turn next。 He stepped out under the halfdeck into the dark night and breathed the chill fresh air。 A gentle breeze was blowing from the southward； cooled； presumably； by the snow…clad Atlas Mountains of Africa across the strait。 There was neither moon nor stars。 Here came the clerkly officer back again。
'Hurry；' he said。 'They're impatient。'
Hornblower made his way past the sentry to the after cabin； it was brightly lit； so that he