looked, and
sees a midshipman in uniform like the rest, and so it was. "The sly
soft-sauderin' beggar!" says I. "All fair in war, and a press-mate!"
says one o' the frigate's men. All the while I kept looking and looking
at the midshipman; and at last I says to Bill when we got below, giving
a slap to my thigh, "Blessed if it ain't! it's the _Green Hand_
himself!" "Green Hand!" says Bill, sulky enough, "who's the Green Hand?
Blow me Bob, if I don't think we're the green hands ourselves, if that's
what you're upon!" So I told him the story about Ned Collins. "Well,"
says he, "if a fellow was green as China rice, cuss me if the reefers'
mess wouldn't take it all out on him in a dozen watches. The softest
thing I know, as you say, Bob, just now, it's to come the smart hand
when you're a lubber; but to sham green after that style, ye know, why,
'tis a mark or two above either you or I, messmate. So for my part, I
forgives the young scamp, 'cause I ought to ha' known better!"

By the time the frigate got to sea, the story was blown over the whole
maindeck; many a good laugh it gave the different messes; and Bill, the
midshipman, and I, got the name of the "Three Green Hands."

One middle-watch, Mister Ned comes for'ard by the booms to me, and says
he, "Well, Bob Jacobs, you don't bear a grudge, I hope!" "Why," says I,
"Mister Collins, 'twould be mutiny now, I fancy, you bein' my officer!"
so I gave a laugh; but I couldn't help feeling' hurt a little, 'twas so
like a son turnin' against his father, as 'twere. "Why Bob," says he,
"did ye think me so green as not to know a seaman when I saw him? I was
afeared you'd know me that time." "Not I, sir," I answers: "why, if we
hadn't sailed so long in company, I wouldn't know ye now!" so master Ned
gave me to understand it was all for old times he wanted to ship me in
the same craft; but he knew my misliking to the sarvice, though he said
he'd rather ha' lost the whole haul of 'em nor myself. So many a yarn we
had together of a dark night, and for a couple of years we saw no small
service in the Pandora. But if ye'd seen Ned the smartest reefer aboard,
and the best liked by the men, in the fore-taups'l bunt in a gale, or
over the maindeck hatch, with an enemy's frigate to leeward, or on a
spree ashore at Lisbon or Naples, you wouldn't ha' said there was
anything green in his eye, I warrant ye! He was made acting lieutenant
of a prize he cut out near Chairboorg, before he passed exami