The Midshipmaid

Sir Percy Newbiggin, a pompuous M.P., has been sent out to Malta  to prepare an economy report. He is accompanied by his daughter Celia, a charming young lady, who makes an early impression to one of the Commanders,of H.M.S. Crusader, depsite the confidence that she is engaged with to Lord Chinley, an alliance promoted by her father to further his own political career. The Commander wishes to get up a theatrical entertainment on board, in honour of Sir Percy, and the latter reluctantly consents to Celia taking part. The programme is eventually ficed up and all goes fairly well until the dress rehearsal, when Sir Percy comes straying behind the scenes and finds Celia in the Commander's arms, he having just practised a duet with her. Celia is promptly ordered ashore, and forbidden to take any part in the show; but with the aid of Midshipman Colighly, she manages to rig up as a MIddle, and later to do her turn with the Commander. Exposure follows when Sir Percy comes ramping round now in company with Lord Chinley, who has arrived from England that day; but the happy ending is contrived by the fact that Chinley and the Commander happen to be brothers, and that from Sir Percy's point of view it does not matter which of the two Celia marries after all. The choice has been simplified, in fact, by Lord Chinley marrying the winner of a beauty competition on the way out.