"Your brother, the youngster who came on board with you. I was sure of it; you are as like as two peas," said Mr Cherry. "I hope that he'll imitate you in all respects. It's a satisfaction to have steady youngsters on board who keep out of sc.r.a.pes and don't give trouble."

Tom--who had already made himself known to Harry Bevan--was called aft, and introduced by Jack to Mr Cherry, and felt very happy and proud as he looked along the deck of the fine frigate to which he belonged. It was no dream; there he was in reality, walking about and talking to Bevan and other fellows dressed like himself in midshipmen's uniforms; and then he went into the berth, and took his seat among the others at dinner. It was just as Jack had described it; not very large, but, till the rest of the mess had joined, with just sufficient elbow-room. They had plenty of good things, for the caterer, old Higson, was something of an epicure; and Tom tasted grog for the first time, which he thought very nasty stuff, though he did not say so, as he knew that sailors liked it; and besides it would not be polite to express his opinion to Higson, who had evidently no objection to its taste. Altogether Tom was convinced that midshipmen, as he had always supposed, must lead very jolly lives. That very night, too, he was to sleep in a hammock, which he thought would be rare fun. He and his new messmates soon returned on deck, when the men who had been at dinner came tumbling up from below, and set to swaying up yards and hoisting in stores, the boatswain sounding his shrill pipe amidst the hubbub of noises--the officers, from Mr Cherry downwards, shouting at the top of their voices, and the men bawling and rushing in gangs here and there at headlong speed, hauling away at ropes till Tom felt more bewildered than he had ever before been in his life, and narrowly escaped being knocked over several times in spite of the efforts he made to keep out of the way. However, his experiences were only those of midshipmen in general when they first join a ship.

Tom had been advised by Jack to learn all about the masts and rigging as soon as possible, and he accordingly set to work without delay, asking questions of every one whom he for a moment saw standing quiet, and was likely to answer him. Harry Bevan told him a good deal, as did the other midshipmen, no one showing a disposition to humbug him, possibly on Jack's account, who would have found them out if they had. Before night Tom began to fancy that he really knew something about a ship, though it might be some time before he could consider himself a thorough sailor.

Though the captain lived on sh.o.r.e, the first lieutenant had taken up his quarters on board; Jack finding plenty to do, and being economically inclined followed his example. A fine-looking corvette, the _Tudor_, was fitting out a little way higher up the harbour. Jack scanned her with a seaman's eye, and thought that had he not been appointed to the frigate he should like to belong to her. It was still uncertain to what station the _Plantagenet_ would be sent. No great difficulty, however, was found in getting men to enter for her. Sailors look more to the captain and officers than to the part of the world to which they are to go. One clime to them is much the same as another. They are as ready to go to the North Pole as to the coast of Africa, if they like the ship and the commander. Captain Hemming bore a good character, as did Lieutenants Cherry and Rogers, among those who had ever sailed with them. No persons are more thoroughly discussed than are naval officers by seamen; the wheat is completely sifted from the chaff, the gold from the alloy; and many who pa.s.s for very fine fellows on sh.o.r.e are looked upon as arrant pretenders afloat. Jack was making his way towards the shop of Mr Woodward the bookseller, when two seamen in a happy state of indifferentism to all sublunary affairs came rolling out of the street which debouches on the Common Hard near the Dockyard gates.

"I say, d.i.c.k, if that bean't Jack Rogers, say I never broke biscuit!"

exclaimed one of the men, pointing ahead with out-stretched arm.

"No doubt about it, Ben," answered his companion, "I'd a known him a mile off, and I see'd last night in the paper that he's appointed to the _Plantagenet_ along with Captain Hemming. (d.i.c.k p.r.o.nounced all the syllables long.) What say you? my pockets are pretty well cleaned out, and so, I've a notion, are yours. Shall we go and enter at once? It must come to that afore long."

"I'm agreeable, d.i.c.k--when a thing's to be done, it's best to do it like men," said Ben, just as they arrived in front of the bookseller's shop, where they waited the reappearance of the lieutenant, Jack soon came out, and at once recognising two former shipmates in the _Dugong_, d.i.c.k Needham and Ben s.n.a.t.c.hblock asked them if they were willing to join the _Plantagenet_. An affirmative being given, he begged them to pick up any other prime hands they could come across. By the evening, when he returned on board, he had, much to his satisfaction, obtained ten good men.

The next day Jack went on sh.o.r.e for the same purpose, accompanied by Tom, with the intention of calling on Admiral Triton before returning on board. They had just pa.s.sed through the Dockyard gates when Jack saw approaching from the left, accompanied by a young midshipman, a lieutenant, whom it did not take him many seconds to recognise as his old messmate, Alick Murray. They did not exactly rush into each other's arms as Frenchmen or Spaniards would have done, but they shook hands with honest warmth, and Jack exclaimed, "I thought you were in Scotland.

Where have you sprung from, Alick?"

Murray then told him that he had been appointed as second lieutenant to the _Tudor_, Commander Babbicome, with orders to join immediately, which he had done the previous evening but having the outfit of a youngster to look after, and letters to write, he had been unable to get on board the _Plantagenet_. He turned round and introduced his companion, a tall, slight lad, as his cousin Archy Gordon, who had also been appointed to the corvette. Thereon Jack introduced Tom, and the two midshipmen, who had before been eyeing each other askance, shook hands, and of course at once fraternised. Tom felt very proud of being able to speak in an authoritative tone about the frigate to Archy, who had not as yet been on board the corvette, and had not even seen a ship of war except at a distance.

"We do things as smart as lightning aboard our frigate, I can tell you,"

continued Tom. "Our first lieutenant is a very good fellow, and our second is my brother Jack, and there are not many like him. I've been twice up to the main truck, and ever so often into the mizen-top, and we've a capital mess, and shall be a jolly set when all hands join. Are you going to belong to us?"

"I dinna think so," answered Archy, in a broad Scotch accent. "My cousin, that is my father's sister's son, Alick Murray there, is lieutenant of a ship they call the _Tudor_, and I'm to go alang wi'

him."

"Oh, that's the small craft fitting out ahead of us. She's a fine little ship of her cla.s.s though, so my brother Jack says, and so I may congratulate you, but of course she's not to be compared to our frigate.

I say, you must come and pay us a visit on board, and I'll put you up to all sorts of things."

Archy expressed himself much obliged, but cautiously refrained from accepting the invitation till he knew what his cousin Alick might say on the subject.

Meantime Jack and Alick Murray were talking eagerly together.

"And where are you bound for?" asked Jack.

"I heard through a friend at the Admiralty that the _Tudor_ is to be sent to the same station as the _Plantagenet_, which, as you may suppose, gave me no slight satisfaction," answered Murray.

"That is capital news," cried Jack. "It will be curious if we keep together as lieutenants as much as we did as midshipmen, and go through as many more adventures as we have already fallen in with. I only wish that by some wonderful chance Paddy Adair could be with us."

"And that same wonderful chance has brought him here," exclaimed a voice from behind, and while a hand was placed on the shoulders of each, on looking round they caught sight of the merry countenance of Paddy himself, now smiling into the face of one, now into that of the other.

"It's dropped from the clouds you are after thinking I am now," he continued, laughing, "only they don't as a rule rain such big fish as myself. Well then, to satisfy your curiosity you are indebted for the satisfaction of seeing me here this morning, to a peremptory missive from my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, directing me to hasten over from Ireland to join the _Plantagenet_ as third lieutenant, and I needn't tell you I never obeyed an order with more willing alacrity."

"And I don't think anything next to being made commander-in-chief right off could have given me greater satisfaction," said Jack, who seldom indulged in anything so nearly approaching a sentimental speech.

Murray said something of the same sort.

While the three old school-fellows were carrying on an animated conversation, a third midshipman had joined Tom and Archy.

"Will ye be after telling me, if ye plase, who are those two leetenants my Uncle Terence is talking to?" he said, as he stepped up to them and made them a polite bow with his cap. Archy returned it, but Tom, who had discovered that it was not the fashion for midshipmen to bow to each other, only laughed, and asked as he pointed with his chin at the three lieutenants--

"Do you mean that merry-looking fellow between those two?"

"That same sure," was the answer.

Tom explained who they were, adding, "And who are you, and what ship do you belong to?"

"Sure I don't belong to one at all at all, but my Uncle, Terence Adair, is to be third lieutenant of the _Plantagenet_ frigate, and I'm to be a midshipman with him; and in the matter of my name, I'm Gerald Desmond, of Ballymacree Castle, in County Clare, Ireland."

"Well, Mr Gerald Desmond, of Bally--what do you call it, County Clare, Ireland? I have the pleasure of informing you that you are to be a messmate of mine, and as I've heard a good deal of your uncle, Paddy Adair, from my brother Jack, I shall be very happy to welcome you on board and to introduce you to the other fellows."

Gerald expressed himself much obliged to Tom for the intended favour.

"But ye'll not be after calling my Uncle Terence, Paddy, if ye plase,"

he added, his Irish blood rising with the idea that some disrespect was shown to his relative.

"Don't trouble yourself about that, my dear fellow," said Tom, who never wished to quarrel with any one. "My brother Jack always calls him so, and the Paddy slipped out by mistake; but you may be very sure that you'll be Paddy Desmond from the hour you step on board, and for ever after unless there's another Irishman to deprive you of the t.i.tle, though, probably, there'll then be a brace of Paddies."

"Faith, I'm not ashamed of my country, and I am perfectly happy to be Paddy Desmond if you and the other boys like to call me so," answered Gerald, laughing.

Adair finding that it was not necessary to go on board the frigate immediately, accompanied his two friends into Portsmouth, the three young midshipmen following in their wake, Gerald having first been introduced to Jack and Alick. The youngsters were fast friends from that moment, laughing and rattling away, and playing each other all sorts of tricks. No one would have supposed that they had only just met for the first time in their lives. As they turned into the High Street the lieutenants encountered Admiral Triton stumping along in his flushing coat and weather-beaten hat. He recognised Murray and Adair at once, and invited them and Jack, with Tom and his two friends to dine with him at the "George" at six.

"I shall then hear how you like being a sailor. It isn't too late to give it up," said the Admiral, looking at Tom.

"Wouldn't change if they would make me a judge or Archbishop of York,"

answered Tom, in a positive tone.

"Just like Jack," observed the Admiral, smiling, "I hope at the end of your cruise you'll have no reason to repent your resolution."

Jack during the day picked up several more men, and returned early on board; when Tom, with no little pride, introduced his new friend to the mess, as Mr Gerald Desmond, of Ballymacree Castle, County Clare, Ireland.

"Mr Gerald Desmond be hanged!" exclaimed old Higson, who had come down tired, after having worked hard all day, and was out of humour. "Call him Paddy Desmond at once. We have no misters in this berth."

"And sure, so I am Paddy Desmond, and if it's to show that I come from old Ireland, I'm proud of the t.i.tle," said Gerald, taking his seat, and looking about him with an air of unconcern.

"I told you so," whispered Tom. "I knew from the first that they would call you Paddy."

Gerald quickly made himself at home, and took in good part all the quizzing his messmates chose to bestow on him.

The dinner at the "George" went off capitally. The Admiral put his young guests at their ease, and let them talk and laugh away to their hearts' content, telling them all sorts of amusing anecdotes, and though he took good care not to allow them to drink more wine than their heads could carry, they unanimously declared that he was the jolliest old fellow they had ever met. Of course, he did not forget to tell all the company boxy Adair had made him carry his portmanteau, and to chuckle over the story for five minutes at least.

"A pretty pa.s.s the service has come to when midshipmen take such liberties with their superiors, eh, Captain Sourcrout?" he exclaimed, giving a poke in the ribs with his elbow to a stiff, old, martinet style of post-captain, who sat next to him, and had looked utterly horrified at his story.

"The world's turned upside down, isn't it? We shall have the youngsters mast-heading us next, if we don't exactly please them, eh?"

Captain Sourcrout, unable to speak from indignation, could only shake his head and frown terribly, at which the midshipmen, as he was not their captain, laughed the more heartily. The Admiral had heard, too, of the trick Jack and his messmates had played with Quirk, the monkey, on Lieutenant Spry, of the marines, and while he told the story as he had received it from Jack, with a few amplifications of his own, the tears ran down his eyes, till Captain Sourcrout, boiling over with indignation, exclaimed:

"The navy has indeed come to a pretty pa.s.s when such things are allowed.

Instead of being mast-headed, the three midshipmen should have been brought to a court-martial, and dismissed the service."