dilection for
low life, utterly regardless of his proper rank as an officer, with a
collar and badge. This article was of gold lace, and became him well,
contrasting favourably with his black-and-tan head and soft white coat,
which latter was guiltless of spot or blemish.

The fact was, I had better acknowledge it at once so as to preserve the
poor animal's character, which was, and is, so far as I know up to the
present, as spotless as his coat, never having had a slur cast upon it,
save in this one respect, that `Gyp,' as the master-at-arms said, in his
funny way, "smelt a mice."

Not only that, `Gyp' smelt rats; and, what is more, he managed to nab
one very cleverly as the rodent was leisurely hopping up the hatchway in
the most free and easy manner from below, with a piece of cheese in its
mouth which the beggar had appropriated from the steward's pantry, or
from the mess of some Johnny below!

This happened in the afternoon, just after inspection on the upper deck
and when the divisions were dispersing to their respective drills, for I
was going below with some of the other chaps at the time to man the
pumps on the orlop deck, the second time I had been put to this job
since I had come on board, and I can't say I liked it!

Now, whether `Gyp' carried the rat he had captured cosily to the
captain's quarters, or through some one taking the tale aft, I'm sure I
can't say; but, while the working party of us boys told off to clear the
bilge were pumping away for dear life, and looking out for old
Jellybelly, who was superintending our task, to sing out `spell ho!' to
give us breathing time, down comes a lot of the officers after their
lunch, with the captain at the head of them, accompanied by Master
`Gyp,' who, somehow or other, didn't need anybody to show him the way,
though he hadn't been below in the ship there to my knowledge before,
his nose being as good as a compass, and pointing out where he thought
his services might be required.

"I hear, Tarbolt," said the captain, addressing old Jellybelly by his
proper name, "you have rats aboard here?"

"Aye, aye, sir," replied the quarter-master, drawing himself up sharp
from the act of touching up with his cane one of the boys a little way
from me, whom he fancied wasn't putting sufficient elbow grease into his
work. "I believe, sir, as how the ship reg'lerly swarms with 'em. They
wore working away, sir, last night at some of the b'ys' hammicks; and
one of 'em