night. There, that will do. Now, Tomkins, fill up yours; and you, Mr.
Smith. Let us all start fair, and then you shall have my story--and a
very curious one it is, I can tell you; I wouldn't have believed it
myself, if I hadn't seen it. Hilloa! what's this? Confound it! what's
the matter with the toddy? Heh, Mr. Tomkins?'

Mr. Tomkins tasted; but, like the lieutenant, he had made it very stiff;
and, as he had also taken largely before, he was, like him, not quite so
clear in his discrimination. 'It has a queer twang, sir; Smith, what is
it?'

Smith took up his glass, tasted the contents.

'_Salt water_,' drawled the midshipman.

'Salt water! so it is, by heavens!' cried Mr. Appleboy.

'Salt as Lot's wife! by all that's infamous!' cried the master's mate.

'Salt water, sir!' cried Jem in a fright, expecting a _salt_ eel for
supper.

'Yes, sir,' replied Mr. Appleboy, tossing the contents of the tumbler in
the boy's face, 'salt water. Very well, sir--very well!'

'It warn't me, sir,' replied the boy, making up a piteous look.

'No, sir, but you said the cook was sober.'

'He was not so _very_ much disguised, sir,' replied Jem.

'Oh! very well--never mind. Mr. Tomkins, in case I should forget it, do
me the favour to put the kettle of salt water down in the report. The
scoundrel! I'm very sorry, gentlemen, but there's no means of having any
more gin-toddy. But never mind, we'll see to this to-morrow. Two can
play at this; and if I don't salt-water their grog, and make them drink
it too, I have been twenty years a first lieutenant for nothing, that's
all. Good-night, gentlemen; and,' continued the lieutenant, in a severe
tone, 'you'll keep a sharp look-out, Mr. Smith--do you hear, sir?'

[Illustration: _'Salt water, sir!' cried Jem. 'Yes, sir,' replied Mr.
Appleboy, tossing the contents of the tumbler in the boy's face._]

'Yes,' drawled Smith, 'but it's not my watch; it was my first watch; and
just now it struck one bell.'

'You'll keep the middle watch, then, Mr. Smith,' said Mr. Appleboy, who
was not a little put out; 'and, Mr. Tomkins, let me know as soon as it's
daylight. Boy, get my bed made. Salt water, by all that's blue! However,
we'll see to that to-morrow morning.'

Mr. Appleboy then turned in; so did Mr. Tomkins; and so did Mr. Smith,
who had no idea of keeping the middle watch because the cook was drunk
and had filled up the kettle with salt water. As for what happened in
ninety-three or ninety-f