e.

Men and officers were first of all expected to get used to each other
and to the ship. This familiarity could only come about through drills
and practice work in every branch. The men must have confidence in their
officers, and the officers know their men thoroughly before the
commander could feel that he had a smoothly working ship's company.

The excitement caused by the first blow struck at the enemy and the
successful target practice that followed would not soon wear off. And
both incidents helped the morale of the crew.

Almost every enlisted man showed delight in his face. Only Hans Hertig
displayed a woful countenance. The solemnity of the boatswain's mate
attracted even Ensign MacMasters' attention.

"What's the matter with you, Hans?" he demanded of the petty officer.

It was difficult to get any explanation out of Seven Knott; but finally
the tale of the ghostly "clock" on the lower deck was blurted out by
the superstitious petty officer.

"What do you mean, a ghost?" growled the ensign. "Don't let me hear of
your repeating such nonsense, Hertig. Let me tell you it will interfere
with your advance in rating if you do circulate the story. I'll take the
matter up with Captain Trevor if I hear anything more about it."

But it was impossible to stop the circulation of such a story on
shipboard. Rumor flies from deck to deck on wings. A hint of the strange
noise below decks made others besides Seven Knott investigate. Many
declared they heard the "tick-tock" sound.

There never was a crew at sea yet in which some of its members were not
superstitious. Seven Knott was not the only one troubled by the ghostly
clock. Stories of haunted ships became common among certain groups of
seamen and marines during the hours off duty.

To most of the boys and enlisted men it was all a huge joke;
nevertheless there were enough of the crew really superstitious for the
tale of the clock-ticking sound to interfere with the general morale of
the ship's company.

The chief master-at-arms finally made what he deemed a thorough
investigation of the report. But it was evident that he had made up his
mind to counteract the influence of the strange sound upon the men by
denying its existence.

This, of course, did no good at all. The men, or, at least, some of
them, could hear the "tick-_tock_! tick-_tock_! tick-_tock_!" for
themselves. Those who wandered into the room where the lumber was stowed
were strongly impressed by