he gun-room to attend to, he learned
to go aloft, and to furl and reef sails, and to knot and splice, and to
perform many other tasks required of sailors. He made many friends,
too, among the best men and the petty officers, for he was always
obliging and ready to serve any one he could in a lawful way; but any
one who had asked Ben to do what he knew to be wrong would have found
him very far from obliging.

Day after day the frigate sailed on over a smooth ocean, it being
scarcely necessary to alter a sail, but the crew were not idle; the ship
had to be got into perfect order below, and there was much painting, and
cleaning, and scrubbing; then the men were exercised in reefing and
furling sails, and going through all the operations necessary to bring
the ship to an anchor. Though no gale threatened, topgallant masts and
their yards were sent down on deck, and everything was made snug, so
that they might quickly make the proper preparations when one should
come on. The men were also daily exercised at the guns. To each gun a
particular crew was attached, who cast it loose, went through all the
movements of loading and firing over and over again, and then once more
secured it. Sometimes powder was fired, and, whenever there was a calm,
an empty cask with a target on it was towed off some way from the ship,
and shot were fired at it.

On several occasions, in the middle of the night perhaps, that dreadful
sound of the fire-bell was heard, and then the men sprang into their
clothes--each man going to his proper station; the fire-buckets were
filled, the pumps manned, and all stood ready to obey the orders of
their officers to meet the danger. "Very well, my men; you were quickly
at your stations," cried the captain. "Pipe down." The men then
returned to their hammocks. Really there was no fire, but they were
summoned to their posts that, in case a fire should take place, they
might be cool and collected, and know exactly what to do. This was very
different from "calling wolf," because a sailor _must_ obey whatever
signal is made to him or order given by his superior, without stopping
to consider why it is issued. When the drum beats to quarters, he must
fly to his station, though he knows perfectly well that no enemy is
near.

One day Ben and Tom, with the gunner, the purser's steward, and the
sergeant of marines, were seated in the boatswain's cabin to enjoy what
he called a little social and religious conv