"It's lucky for you, Paddy, that you are able to gain your experience while the ship is in harbour and as steady as a church steeple. It would be a different matter if she were rolling away across the Bay of Biscay with a strong breeze right aft; so you ought to be duly thankful to old Saunders for mastheading you without waiting till we get there. And now I'd advise you to have a look at the rules and regulations of the service. It will please old Rough-and-Ready if you can tell him you have employed your time up here studying them, but don't forget you are up here, and go tumbling down on deck." I was very well disposed to follow Tom's advice, and I held tight on with one hand while I pulled the paper out of my pocket and read a page or two relating to obedience to superiors. Having thus relieved my conscience, I took a look round at the beautiful panorama in the midst of which the ship floated: the wooded banks, the magnificent harbour dotted over with numerous vessels; ships of war and merchantmen,--the latter waiting for convoy,--while among the former was the admiral's flag-ship riding proudly, surrounded by the smaller fry. The pretty town of Cove, with neat houses and villas on the one side, and the mouth of the river Lee, running down from Cork, to the westward. Sooner than we expected we heard old Rough-and-Ready's voice summoning us down. He was not an ill-natured man. He knew well that my fault had been unintentional, and that Tom had certainly not deserved any punishment at all, for grinning at a brother midshipman in his presence could scarcely be considered disrespectful. "You may go through the lubber's hole," said Tom, when we reached the top. "No, no. If you go round, I'll go to," I answered. For being thus put on my mettle, I determined to do whatever he did. By holding fast with my feet and following him, I managed to put them on the rattlings underneath, and thus, though I didn't like it at all, got down on to the main rigging. "Next time you run along the deck, youngster, you'll look where you're going," said the first lieutenant, when I reached the deck. "Ay, ay, sir," I said, touching my hat. "Did you read the rules and regulations?" he asked. "Yes, sir," I answered; "though I hadn't time to get through them all." He was pleased with the respect I paid him. "Well, you'll know them by heart soon; and to ensure that, remember to take them with you whenever you're mastheaded." "Of course, sir, if you wish it," I answered. He gave a comical look at me under his bushy eyebrows, and turned on his heel. After this I accompanied Tom into the berth. Old Nettleship was there. I told him of the way the marine had behaved, and said that for the sake of keeping up the dignity of the midshipmen, I considered it necessary to make his conduct known, though I had no ill-feeling towards the man himself. At this remark the old mate burst into a hearty fit of laughter.