outed the first lieutenant,
as he received the order from the captain.

It was repeated by the second lieutenant on the forecastle, the third
in the waist, and the fourth on the quarter-deck.

"All ready, sir!" reported the several officers.

"Lay aloft!"

At the command those whose duty it was to prepare the sails and
rigging for the manoeuvre sprang up the rigging, and in three
minutes the midshipman aloft reported that all was ready.

"Lay aloft, sail-loosers!" continued the first lieutenant.

The seamen, who were arranged in proper order on deck, the royal
yard men first, then those who belonged on the top-gallant yards, the
topsail, and the lower yards, placed in succession, so that each could
reach his station without passing others, leaped into the rigging, and
went up like so many cats.

"Man the boom tricing-lines!"

These are ropes by which the studding-sail booms, which lie on the
yards, are hauled up out of the way.

"Trice up!"

The studding-sail booms were drawn up.

"Lay out! Loose sails!"

The hands jumped upon the foot-ropes, and worked themselves out to
their places on the yards, where they loosed the sails, overhauled the
rigging, and made everything ready for the final evolution. The
midshipman in the tops reported to the officers on deck when the
preparations were completed, and the lieutenants on deck, in their
turn, reported to the first lieutenant.

"Let fall!" said the executive officer; and all, as one, the sails
dropped from the yards.

The precision of the movement called forth a demonstration of applause
from the visitors. Mr. Clyde Blacklock stood with his mouth open,
looking up at the students on the yards, but occasionally glancing at
the "swellish" first lieutenant, who seemed to be the master-spirit of
the occasion, because he spoke in a loud voice, while the captain, who
really controlled the evolutions, could hardly be heard, except by the
executive officer, to whom alone his order was given.

"Lay in! Lay down from aloft!" said the first lieutenant; and in a
moment more all hands were on deck again.

"Do you ever man the yards, sir?" asked a gentleman of the principal.

"Occasionally, sir--not often. You are aware that it requires some
preparation, for we are obliged to extend life-lines over the yards,"
replied Mr. Lowington. "We are not in condition to do it now. If we
should happen to be visited by the king at Copenhagen or Stockholm,
and had previous notice