le several of the men were arguing and
wrangling as if the welfare of the nation depended on the result of
their discussions. I thought to myself, I am well out of all that.
Belonging to the ship, I shall not have to associate with those people.

I had been some time in the top when the other two new midshipmen joined
me. They had never been to sea before; and there we all stood looking
very foolish, and staring at each other, wondering what we were to do.
They also had been sent up by the first mate, as he told them to loose
the topsail. To them it signified very little; but as I wished to be
with poor Herbert, I was very much vexed at being kept up there doing
nothing. At length several seamen did come into the top in a lazy,
half-asleep sort of way. I found that they had all been tipsy the
previous night, and were even then scarcely sober. They cut their jokes
at us, loud enough for us to hear them, and addressed us as the three
Master Greenhands with much mock respect, begging to know if they really
were expected to loose the topsail, and to be informed how they were to
do it. I was pretty well versed in nautical phraseology, though my
practical experience of sea affairs was very limited; so, knowing that
there was nothing like making a good impression at first, I turned round
on them, and said quickly--

"Come, bear a hand, my hearties! You are sent up here to loose that
topsail,--I was sent to see you do it. You do your duty; I'll do mine."

They looked at me with surprised glances, never suspecting my ignorance;
and instantly laying out on the yard, they cast off the gaskets and let
fall the topsail; which done, as soon as it was sheeted home, I
descended on deck. I determined to try and make myself acquainted with
everything about the ship as soon as I could, and to maintain, if
possible, the superiority I had gained over the seamen in the top.

Among Mr Ward's many valuable gifts was one on practical seamanship,
full of prints and diagrams, which made it very easy to understand.
This also I resolved to study with all the attention I could give it, so
that I might avoid the necessity of constantly asking questions of the
seamen,--at the same time, I must say that it is very much wiser to ask
questions about things than to remain ignorant of what one wants to
know. When I got on deck I found Herbert and Solon waiting for me at
the foot of the fore-mast, and we agreed to remain there, hoping by
keepi