"Seize upon his predominant feature, Mr. Falland, and use your own discretion in the matter," said the Captain, half suspecting that his subordinate was trying to make fun of him, but knowing full well that, whatever the navigator did, he could always find fault with it. He marched forward to continue his rounds, leaving the astonished divisional officer wondering if he was also to form special detachments of red-faced sailors, white-faced sailors, snub-nosed sailors, and bandy-legged sailors. The inspection of the upper-deck and mess-deck passed without much comment, the Captain even saying that he was glad to see that the ship was 'quite clean,' a term which made the zealous Pardoe writhe with annoyance; but the next thing which caught his attention was a small hencoop containing eight or nine miserable, bedraggled-looking fowls. "Bless my soul, First Lieutenant!" said he. "Look at these fowls!" They were sorry looking birds, it is true, but Chinese chickens are not renowned for their beauty and sprightliness of appearance at the best of times. "They seem quite healthy, sir," the First Lieutenant answered, putting his head on one side in a most judicial manner. "Yes, yes," murmured the Commander. "But they are all the colours of the rainbow. White, yellow, brown, grey, and black." "So they are, sir," said Pardoe, as if he had observed the astounding fact for the first time. "Who do they belong to?" "They're yours, sir. Your steward looks after them." "Does he, indeed?" said the skipper, rather nonplussed. "Well, send for my steward." The portly and dignified Ah Fong presently appeared. "Is it not possible for you to buy fowls of all the same colour?" the "Owner" wanted to know. Ah Fong stared in hopeless bewilderment, trying to grasp his master's meaning. "My no savvy, sah," he said, shaking his head. "Can you not buy your chickens, or my chickens, rather, all one colour? White, for preference, as the weather is hot." "I savvy, sah," exclaimed the Chinaman, with a beatific smile slowly spreading over his countenance. "You no likee black piecee hen, sah?" "No, no, that's not what I mean at all," said Potvin, going off into a long explanation. At last Ah Fong began to understand what was wanted. "No can do, sah!" he expostulated. "S'pose I go 'shore catch piecee hen. I say to one man, I wanchee plentee fat piecee hen, no wanchee olo piecee, wanchee young plenty big piecee hen for capten...." "I really cannot waste my time listening to this senseless conversation!" interrupted the Captain, with some petulance. "Mr. Pardoe, you will kindly explain to him that in future all the fowls on board are to be white in the summer, and blue... 'er, I mean black, in the winter. I will have them in the proper dress of the day like the ship's company, do you understand?" "I do, sir," said the wretched Pardoe with an inaudible sigh, as the little procession moved on.