d by certain laws laid down for his guidance, and,
if he broke any of them, would have to explain the reason to the
Government at home, administered by the Board of Admiralty.

Ben soon understood that all these people could not live together in
harmony, nor the ship be properly managed, without prompt and exact
obedience to all laws and orders. The captain must obey the laws--the
articles of war, as they are called--and the rules and regulations of
the service, and all the officers and men the orders issued by those
above them.

One of the last things done was to bend the sails, that is, to stretch
them out on the yards; and the men were then exercised in furling them,
which means, rolling them up; in again loosing them; and in reefing,
that is, reducing their size by rolling up only a portion of each sail.
At length, the ship being ready for sea, she sailed out to Spithead. As
Ben, who was on the forecastle with Tom Martin, saw her gliding through
the water for the first time, like a stately swan, he felt very proud of
belonging to her, though he was nearly the youngest boy on board, and of
the least consequence. "So I am," he said to himself, recollecting
this; "but still, though I am but small, I can do as well as I am able
whatever I am set to do; that, at all events, will be doing right." Ben
thought rightly that no one is too young or too insignificant to do his
best in whatever he is set to do, never mind what that doing may be.

The powder was received on board, and until it was stowed carefully away
in the magazine, all lights were extinguished. If people were as
careful to avoid sin and its consequences as sailors are to avoid
blowing up their ship, how different would be the world from what it is!
Yet how far more sad are the consequences of sin!

A few more stores and provisions came off; so did the captain. Blue
Peter was hoisted [see note 1]; all visitors were ordered out of the
ship; despatches and letters for many distant places she was expected to
visit were received; the anchor was hove up to the merry sound of the
fife as the seamen tramped round and round the capstan, and, her canvas
being spread to the wind, she glided majestically onward, her voyage now
fairly commenced.

The wind was fair, and the frigate quickly ran down Channel, and took
her departure from the Lizard, one of the south-western points of
England. She had a wide extent of ocean before her to traverse, and
many weeks wo