pipe-clay, and ended by spreading his legs a little,
swinging himself slowly toe and heel, and saying patronisingly--

"Rather hot toggery that, my lads, for weather like this."

"Well, of all the impudence!" cried the young officer hotly; and he took
a step towards where Rodd was standing.

Rodd faced slowly round, looked at the boy superciliously, then said as
coolly as could be--

"Hullo, midshipmite! Not gone below?"

"No, puppy, I have not gone below," and as he spoke the lad pressed the
hilt of his dirk involuntarily and sharply downward.

"Ha, ha!" laughed Rodd. "Why, that looks like wagging your tail like a
moorhen. I say, why didn't you draw that skewer just now? My word, you
did look fierce!"

One of the marines tittered, and the other spread his mouth into a broad
grin, while, convulsed with rage, the young officer turned upon both
furiously, making them draw themselves up as stiff as their muskets.

"How dare you!" cried the middy, turning back to Rodd, and now becoming
fully conscious of the fact that the schooner's crew gathered forward
were gazing at the scene with intense enjoyment.

"What's the matter, reefer?" said Rodd, whose face was scarlet, but
whose words sounded as cool and indifferent as if he were calm in the
extreme.

"Matter, you insolent blackguard!" cried the midshipman. "If I were not
on duty, and too much of a gentleman to soil my hands with a schooner's
loblolly boy, I would give you a sound thrashing with my belt."

"Would you?" said Rodd coolly. "That's the worst of you reefers. You
are nearly all of you like that when you come ashore at Plymouth. It's
your uniform and the wearing of a skewer that makes you all so cocky.
Now, do you know you have said what a fellow just your age once said to
me at Saltash--but he didn't. He had an accident, and then we shook
hands, and I took him home to my uncle's and helped him to bathe his
face. It was such a hot day that his nose bled a good deal. But we
stopped it. Nice fellow he was too, afterwards. So I dare say you'd be
if I had taken you in tow a bit."

"I understand you, sir," panted the middy; "and look here, I shall not
forget this."

"Pooh! Yes you will," said Rodd, with a mocking laugh. "I wish you
were going to stop on board. We have got a spare cot here. Get your
old man to give you leave when your lieutenant has done smelling in all
the lockers below. You come while the two vessels are in company, and