, that I enjoy those parts about the sea-fights more than
you do." The Captain looked at Tom as if he had made an audacious
remark.

"I am sure you do, sir," said Tom, smiling.

"Because you see, Mr. Brown," said the Captain, "when one has
been in that sort of thing oneself, one likes to read how people
in other times managed, and to think what one would have done in
their place. I don't believe that the Greeks just at that time
were very resolute fighters, though. Nelson or Collingwood would
have finished that war in a year or two."

"Not with triremes, do you think, sir?" said Tom.

"Yes, sir, with any vessels which were to be had," said the
Captain. "But you are right about triremes. It has always been a
great puzzle to me how those triremes could have been worked. How
do you understand the three banks of oars, Mr. Brown?"

"Well, sir, I suppose they must have been one above the other
somehow."

"But the upper bank must have had oars twenty feet long, and
more, in that case," said the Captain. "You must allow for
leverage, you see."

"Of course, sir. When one comes to think of it, it isn't easy to
see how they were manned and worked," said Tom.

"Now my notion about triremes--" began the Captain, holding the
head of his stick with both hands, and looking across at Tom.

"Why, father!" cried Hardy, returning at the moment with the
pipes, and catching the Captain's last word, "on one of your
hobby horses already! You're not safe!--I can't leave you for two
minutes. Here's a long pipe for you. How in the world did he get
on triremes?"

"I hardly know," said Tom; "but I want to hear what Captain Hardy
thinks about them. You were saying, sir, that the upper oars must
have been twenty feet long at least."

"My notion is--" said the Captain, taking the pipe and
tobacco-pouch from his son's hand.

"Stop one moment," said Hardy; "I found Blake at my rooms, and
asked him to come over here. You don't object?"

"Object, my dear fellow! I'm much obliged to you. Now, Hardy,
would you like to have anyone else? I can send in a minute."

"No one, thank you."

"You won't stand on ceremony now, will you, with me?" said Tom.

"You see I haven't."

"And you never will again?"

"No, never. Now, father, you can heave ahead about those oars."

The Captain went on charging his pipe, and proceeded: "You see,
Mr. Brown, they must have been at least twenty feet long,
because, if you allow the lowest bank of oars to ha