te.

"Ha, humph! A nice lot of raw material to be licked into shape!"
observed this gentleman, whose uniform denoted that he was the master-
at-arms, or head of the ship's police. He was evidently cogitating
within himself as to our respective and collective capabilities, for he
eyed us critically the while as we stood before him, hats off and mute
as mice. "Hi, my lads! I fancy I know what you're after this fine
morning. You want to join the service, I can see, eh?"

"Yes, sir," the three of us shouted in three different keys--"yes, sir--
yes, sir!"

"Keep your hair on, lads," he said, amused at our eagerness. "Got your
papers all right, eh?"

To this the ugly chap, as well as the one to whom I had taken a liking,
responded by handing over to the master-at-arms certain official
documents representing their certificate of birth to show they were of
the proper age, and a declaration of their parents that they were
joining Her Majesty's Service with their full consent and goodwill.

When it came to my turn, though, I had absolutely nothing to show.

"Hullo!" exclaimed the master-at-arms. "Where are your papers, young
'un?"

I was about to explain; but the ship's corporal who had first spoken to
me at the entry-port and taken on to the captain the letter from Captain
Mordaunt which father had handed to me, saved all further trouble.

"Here are Tom Bowling's certificates, sir," said he, giving the couple
of sheets of foolscap in question to his superior officer. "The cap'en
says they're all right, and he's to be entered if he passes the
schoolmaster and is medically fit."

"That's all right, then, Mister Bowling," said the master-at-arms to me,
with a mock bow. "Hullo, though, Bowling--Bowling? It strikes me I've
heard that name before, my lad. Father in the service, eh?"

"He _has_ served in the navy, sir," I replied. "But he's a pensioner
now, and works as a waterman up and down the harbour."

"Ah, I thought so! He and I were old shipmates together out in the
Ashantee War on the West Coast, and I recollect him well. You are very
like him, too, I can see now from the cut of your jib, youngster!
You're a regular chip of the old block."

"So everybody says, sir," I said with a grin. "I only hope, sir, I will
turn out as good a sailor!"

"Only act up to that wish, my boy, and you'll do! I say, corporal, take
these three lads down to the schoolmaster and see what he makes of
them."

With that,