than a largewherry came alongside, and a card was sent up for the captain.
"Certainly," he answered.
The boatswain's mate whistled; the side boys were called away, I beingone of them, and we hastened to our posts on the accommodation-ladder.There, in a boat, sat Mrs. Brigadier, with the Brigadier on one side andMaster Richard on the other, and the two young ladies I had before seen.Mrs. Brigadier, putting her hand on the shoulder of one of the men whowas holding on the bow stepped up the accommodation-ladder with adignified air, followed humbly by the Brigadier. Then came the youngladies. Young master followed his sisters in a spick-and-span newuniform, looking especially well pleased at himself. As he came up heespied me. That there was no pride in him, he showed by an inclinationto shake hands with me. But against this there were two reasons: first,I should have fallen from my perch, and then it would have beendecidedly against nautical etiquette.
"Why, Jack, shall I have to do this sort of work?" he asked, as hepassed me.
"I think not, sir," I answered, for I had learned to say "sir" to auniform. "I am a side boy, you are a midshipman."
"Oh, ay, that makes a difference," he observed, following up hissisters; and I do believe he gave the last a pinch in the ankles, as hepretended to keep down her petticoats, for she kicked out behind,missing his nose, though, narrowly. The whole party were soon on deck,where the captain stood to receive them, bowing with formal politenessto Mrs. Brigadier and to the Brigadier, as well as to the young ladies.He cast a very different sort of glance at young master, who came up, noway disconcerted, by the side of his father.
"We were anxious to see the last of our boy," said Mrs. Brigadier, forthe Brigadier seldom spoke much in her presence. "We wished alsoproperly to introduce him to you and to his brother officers. He is notour only son, but he is our youngest son, and as such we naturally prizehim greatly. These are our two girls--Leonora and Euphemia. They arenot likely to leave us, unless at any time they should be destined tomake the home of some worthy man happy; but boys, Captain Sharpe, mustgo out into the world, and Richard Alfred Chesterton does not findhimself an exception to the general rule. He desired to enter yournoble profession, and I am sure, Captain Sharpe, that you will watchover him with paternal care; I trust by-and-by because you appreciatehis merits, but at present, as he is unknown to you, for my sake--forthe sake of a fond, doting mother."
"I always do look after my midshipmen, madam," answered the captain; "Iwish them to learn their duty, and I make them do it. If your sonbehaves himself, he will get on as well as the rest; but if not, he willprobably find himself spending a considerable portion of his time upaloft there," and the captain glanced at the mast-head.
I saw young master screw up his mouth at this. However, Mrs. Brigadiersaid nothing. She had unburdened her maternal bosom, and done her duty,as she considered it.
The captain now invited the Brigadier and his family down to luncheon,and Master Richard followed, his air of confidence somewhat abated. Hehad taken the captain's measure, and the captain had taken his, but theywere not likely to get on the worse for that. I saw many glances ofadmiration cast at the young ladies by the lieutenants and midshipmen,for really they were very pretty, nice girls, according to my notion--not a bit like their mamma.
At last the party came out of the cabin again, and the side boys wereonce more called away. The old Brigadier took a hearty affectionatefarewell of his boy, and his sisters kissed him--all very right andproper--and then came Mrs. Brigadier. I saw that poor Master Richardwas rather uncomfortable, when, quite regardless of where they were, shetook him up in her long arms, and kissed his cheeks, and his forehead,and his lips, just as if he had been a baby, and a big tear did startinto her eye. "Well, she is human, at all events," I thought, "in spiteof her appearance."
Though some of the midshipmen might have laughed, the captain looked asgrave as a judge, and so did the other officers. Master Richard wentdown the ladder, and saw his party off: then he again came up the side,and walked about the deck by himself, evidently not knowing exactly whatto do. At last, the first-lieutenant, Mr. Blunt, went up to him.
"Have you ever been to sea before, Mr. Plumb?" he asked.
"No, indeed, I have not," was the answer, "and I am rather doubtful--"
"Well, well," broke in Mr. Blunt, "remember, I speak to you as a friend.You should say, `Sir!' when you address a superior officer."
"Certainly," answered Master Dicky, "but I did not know you were mysuperior officer."
The lieutenant laughed.
"You will have a good deal to learn, I suspect, Mr. Plumb. Remember, Iam the first-lieutenant of the ship, and you must obey with promptitudeany orders which I, or any of the other lieutenants give, or the master,or the warrant-officers, or, indeed, any officers on duty, may issue.You have a great many people above you on board this ship, Mr. Plumb."
"So it seems, sir," said Richard, "but if they all try to teach me myduty, so much the better; I shall learn the faster."
"You will," said Mr. Blunt, "only there is one thing you must neverpretend to be, and that is--stupid. The captain believes you to be oneof the sharpest lads who ever came to sea; and, let me tell you, he isnot the man to allow anybody to gainsay his opinion."
CHAPTER FOUR.
FIRST EXPERIENCES OF SAILING.
We ran down Channel at a rattling rate, the wind off shore, the seasmooth, the sun shining brightly. Young Master Richard soon got thename from his messmates of Dicky Plumb--a name which, of course, stuckto him. In spite of his airs of dignity, he soon showed that he was aplucky little fellow; and he was at once for going aloft with the othermidshipmen and boys. The first time, he ran up the main rigging prettysmartly, till he got to the futtock-shrouds; go higher he could not, andgo through the lubber's hole he would not. He kept looking up, till atlength he determined to go round by the futtock-shrouds into the top.He clambered along; I was aft, cleaning some brass-work, and could nothelp looking up, and watching him. Round into the top he could not get.More than once I thought he would lose his hold. The captain, who cameon deck, thought so too. He made as if he would go aloft himself, whenNed Rawlings caught his eye.
"Go and look after the boy," he said.
Ned sprang aloft, and in a twinkling had his arms round Dicky's waist.
"Don't struggle," he said, "and I'll have you down safe."
In a few seconds, Dicky was all right on the deck. He was notcontented, however; aloft he would go again, immediately.
"I will try once more, sir," he said, turning to the captain--for he hadlearned to say "sir," by this time, to everybody--and after three orfour attempts--Ned Rawlings taking care to be in the top beforehand--round the shrouds he got, and safe into the top. He was not going tostop there, though; and up the top-mast rigging he went, and down againon the other side.
"If that boy does not break his neck, he will do well in the service," Iheard the captain observe. "The little fellow has got pluck andcoolness."
"They say in the berth, sir, that he is a most impudent little chap,"observed Mr. Blunt.
"Very likely," remarked the captain; "it takes some time to rub thatsort of material out of a boy."
Dicky often came forward to have a talk with me, and though he could beuppish enough with his equals and superiors, he was as kind and gentleto me as any one could be.
"I am very glad I came to sea, Jack," he observed. "I am learning moreabout my work every day; and then the weather is so different to what Ithought it was at sea. I always fancied we were tumbling and tossingabout, except when the ship was in harbour; but here we have beengliding on for the last fortnight with the water as smooth as amill-pond."
I, in reply, said I was glad I came; but from what I heard, we mustexpect ups and downs at sea--sometimes smooth, and sometimes blowinghard.
"It is all the same to me," I observed. "When I came to sea, I made upmy mind to take the rough and the smooth together."
"Jack, were you ever sea-sick?" asked
Dicky.
"Not that I remember. Were you?"
"No; and I don't intend to be," he answered, drawing himself up somewhatproudly. "I am not going to be made the sport of my inside."
"More likely of your messmates," I answered.
We soon found, however, that this easy sort of life was not going tolast for ever. One night we had to tumble out of our hammocks, in themiddle watch, pretty fast, at the cry of--"All hands shorten sail!" Themen were out of bed in a twinkling. It was wonderful how soon theyslipped into their clothes. The sea was roaring, the wind howling andwhistling, and the officers shouting--"Clew up! Haul down! Close reeftopsails!" and similar cries.