"Very good, very good indeed," he remarked; "far more creditable than mine were when I was your age, I am afraid.  I consider you a most promising young officer, and am going to take you under my wing, because I believe you will do me credit.  Nay, boy, I want no thanks,"--as I broke in somewhat incoherently in an attempt to express my gratitude--"at least, not in the form of words," he continued; "words are often spoken under the influence of a strong momentary impulse, and forgotten almost immediately afterward.  But if you should desire to show that you are grateful to me for what I intend to do for you, you cannot exhibit it more acceptably than by justifying the very great trust that I am about to repose in you.  And I believe you will, for, young as you are, you have proved yourself to be made of the right stuff; you have made good use of your time, and have as much knowledge in that curly pate of yours as many officers of twice your length of service possess.  Now, I am not telling you this because I want to make you conceited--far from it; it is simply because I want you to understand that I have formed a very high opinion of you, and that I expect you to live up to it.  D'ye understand that, youngster?"