"I'm sure you must know more about that than I do. I'll like it first-rate if you could, for I--well, to be plain, I like you." Caleb Walton held out his horny hand. "The liking is mutual, Walter, and there's my fist on it. Now I have an idee." The old gunner took several puffs at his pipe. "I know Captain Cook of the _Brooklyn_ tolerably well--served under him for a short spell, and once did a little private business for him. Now, Captain Cook won't do a thing as is out of his line of duty, but still----" "He may aid you in having me assigned to the gun you expect to have charge of?" finished Walter. "That's it. I think I can work the deal--almost sure of it,--but you must help me." "What must I do?" "Say nothing and leave it all to me, and if my plan goes through, don't tell any one that you were favored. If you do, you'll only make enemies." "I'll remember that. But what of Haskett, Doring, and the others?" "I'd like to have Doring in my gang--he's the right sort. I don't want that scowling Jim Haskett, not after what Doring has told me of him. But he's out of it, anyway, for he enlisted as a first-class seaman, at twenty-six dollars per month." "I wish I knew a little more about a warship," said the youth, longingly. "The more I hear, the less I seem to know." "It will all come to you in time, and when you are on board I'll show you all I can. It would do no good to talk about guns and the like until I can point out the different parts to you, for you wouldn't know a breech-block from a priming-wire until you laid eyes on it." "But how is a ship commanded? Won't you tell me something about that?" "Of course you mean a warship, not a merchantman. Well, the highest officer is, of course, the captain, although the vessel may be the flagship of a commodore or an admiral." "And what of a commodore and an admiral? You see I'm awfully green, when it comes down to the navy. My younger brother Larry is the real sailor in our family." "You'll get there, lad; anybody will who is in for learning as you are. An admiral is the highest officer in any navy, and he commands everything that floats, from battleship to despatch tug. Next to him is the vice-admiral. In the United States navy these offices don't exist any more, having died out with the deaths of Admiral Porter and Vice-Admiral Rowan." "But the newspapers speak of Admiral Sampson." "He is acting rear-admiral, but holds only the office of commodore. He commands a fleet of warships, while a commodore commands only a squadron; that is, four or six, usually, although he may have more at times. His ships are generally divided into two divisions." "I understand. Please go on."