as propounded; "he'll do in it first-rate style--ha, ha, ha!" and
a merry peal of laughter ran through the berth.

The gale blew over, and the sea once more was bright and blue, as the
frigate made her way towards the Rock of Gibraltar. For several days
the three midshipmen were wonderfully quiet below; sometimes they were
forward, and sometimes they sat together at the farther end of their own
berth. They had needles and thread and scissors under weigh, and bits
of red cloth and leather, and indeed all sorts of outfitters' materials,
the employment on which seemed to afford them infinite satisfaction.
Mr Spry, as in fancied dignity he paced the quarter-deck, of course did
not remark the constant absence of so insignificant a person as a
midshipman from it; and the recollection that he had behaved not
altogether in a becoming way to Adair did not probably cross his mind.
Now the lieutenant had a peculiarly pompous air, and the habit, whenever
he wished to blow his nose, of drawing his white cambric
pocket-handkerchief from his breast pocket with what he thought peculiar
dignity, and of flourishing it in his hand after each operation in a
fine theatrical style. He had read in some advertising circular that
the use of a fine cambric handkerchief always marks the gentleman; so he
considered that if he purchased a set, no one would afterwards venture
to doubt his claim to that character. All day long, Jack, or Alick, or
Paddy, sometimes singly and sometimes all together, were forward in the
company of no less important a character than Quirk, the monkey. It is
extraordinary how perseveringly they devoted themselves to him. Had
they employed the same time in teaching some of their fellow-creatures,
the ship's boys, they might have imparted a considerable amount of
useful knowledge, notwithstanding what the men said on the subject. At
last they considered that the time had arrived for bringing their
labours to a triumphant result.

One fine calm morning the marines had been called out to drill. For
some reason Lieutenant Spry did not at once make his appearance, but a
representative came forward instead in the person of Master Quirk, who
sprang aft to the spot which should have been occupied by the
lieutenant, dressed in full fig, with red coat and belt and hat, and a
sword by his side, while his breast pocket was well stuffed out with a
huge piece of white cotton. "Attention!" cried out some one on deck.
The men un