r.

This last had been detailed by the commander to take us off to the
_Candahar_; then lying alongside the old _Blake_ hulk and moored in the
stream, about midway between the Sheer Jetty and the King's Stairs,
where she was "fitting out for sea" as speedily as possible, the
authorities having urged the utmost haste in her preparation.

"Shove off!" sang out the coxswain; and, impelled by her twelve oars,
that were manned by as many pairs of stalwart arms, the boat sprang
through the water.

The last sound I heard, beyond the wash of the tide against the side of
the cutter and the subdued breathing of the men pulling, was little Tom
Mills' voice in the distance shouting until I got out of earshot,
"Good-bye, Jack, old fellow, good-bye!"

CHAPTER SIX.

ON BOARD THE OLD "CANDAHAR."

"In bows!" cried the coxswain of the cutter as we neared the starboard
side of the old hulk to which the _Candahar_ was lashed; and, the next
minute, when close up to the foot of the accommodation ladder, the same
functionary shouted the usual orders on approaching to board a ship.
"Way enough. Oars!"

The oars were at once tossed, while the bowman gripped a projecting
ringbolt in the side of the hulk with his boathook to hold on by; and
the other cadets and myself, jumping out on to the ladderway, made our
way nimbly enough up to the deck of the mastless _Blake_, passing over
her by a gangway to the _Candahar_ that lay on her further side.

Here all was apparent confusion, stores of all sorts being hoisted in by
a derrick amidships from the dockyard lighters alongside and struck down
the main hatchway, while ropes and tackle of every description lumbered
the upper deck fore and aft.

Groups of men, clad in dirty overalls, were busy setting up the rigging
and getting the yards into position; and hoarse orders were shouted ever
and anon, followed by the shrill pipe of the boatswain's whistle and the
steady tramp of the hands as they walked round with the capstan and
swayed the heavy spars aloft, or hauled away at the gantlines and
steadying guys and purchase falls and other tackle.

The commander, the presiding spirit of the scene, if a smart officer,
has never a better opportunity for showing his smartness than when a
ship is fitting for sea; all the burthen of the work then falls upon his
shoulders, for he has to be here and there and everywhere, directing a
hundred different jobs at one and the same time.

As I went aft, a