Reaching the main deck in due season, I found I had contrived to miss the Chief Gunner's lecture on the great guns, whereupon who so agitated and bitterly apologetic as my Midshipmite, who there and then ushered me hastily down more awkward stairs and through narrow openings into a place of glistening, gleaming polish and furbishment where, beside the shining breech of a monster gun, muscular arm negligently leaning thereon, stood a round-headed, broad-shouldered man, he the presiding genius of this (as I afterwards found) most sacred place. His lecture was ended and he was addressing a few well-chosen closing remarks in slightly bored fashion (he had showed off his ponderous playthings to divers kings, potentates and big-wigs at home and abroad, I learned) when I, though properly awed by the gun but more especially by the gunner, ventured to suggest that a gun that had been through three engagements and had been fired so frequently must necessarily show some signs of wear. The gunner glanced at me, and I shall never forget that look. With his eyes on mine, he touched a lever in negligent fashion, whereon silently the great breech slipped away with a hiss and whistle of air, and with his gaze always fixed he suggested I might glance down the bore. Obediently I stooped, whereon he spake on this wise: "If you cast your heyes to the right abaft the breech you'll observe slight darkening of riflin's. Now glancin' t' left of piece you'll per-ceive slight darkening of riflin's. Now casting your heyes right forrard you'll re-mark slight roughening of riflin's towards muzzle of piece and--there y'are, sir. One hundred and twenty-seven times she's been fired by my 'and and good for as many more--both of us. Arternoon, gentlemen, and--thank ye!" Saying which he touched a lever in the same negligent fashion, the mighty breech-block slid back into place, and I walked forth humbly into the outer air. Here I took leave of my Midshipmite, who stood among a crowd of his fellows to watch me down the gang-plank, and I followed whither I was led very full of thought as well I might be, until rousing, I found myself on the deck of that famous _Warspite_, which our foes are so comfortably certain lies a shattered wreck off Jutland. Here I presently fell to discourse with a tall lieutenant, with whom I went alow and aloft; he showed me cockpit, infirmary and engine-room; he showed me the wonder of her steering apparatus, and pointed to the small hand-wheel in the bowels of this huge ship whereby she had been steered limping into port. He directed my gaze also to divers vast shell-holes and rents in her steel sides, now very neatly mended by steel plates held in place by many large bolts. Wherever we went were sailors, by the hundred it seemed, and yet I was struck by the size and airy spaciousness between decks.