he 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?"

"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-four, I really would inform the reader if I knew,
but I am afraid that that most curious story is never to be handed down
to posterity.

The next morning, Mr Tomkins, as usual, forgot to report the cook, the
jar of butter, and the kettle of salt water; and Mr Appleboy's wrath had
long been appeased before he remembered them. At daylight the lieutenant
came on deck, having only slept away half of the sixteen, and a taste of
the sevente