“Sir!” The midshipman came running, stopped and saluted. “Look at that ensign--disgusting! The Admiral noticed it. Why can’t you keep your eyes open instead of standing about doing nothing? What do you think you are here for?” “It was cleared a little time ago, sir. The wind----” “Damn it! Don’t argue. It’s your job to see that it’s always clear. Don’t let me find it like that again, or your leave will suffer.” He dashed for’ard, swinging a telescope. The midshipman knew his cue. “Sideboy!” And the sideboy, a wizened little creature as yet too young to be an ordinary seaman, came running in his turn. “Look at that ensign! The Commander noticed it.” The sideboy looked; and gulped while he summoned his excuse. “I cleared it just afore quarters, sir,” he said. “The rain an’ the wind----” “It’s your job to see that it’s always clear. Understand?” “Yessir.” “And put your cap on straight.” “Yessir.” “Now go and clear the ensign. Get a move on!” The midshipman tucked his telescope under his arm and watched for the Commander’s return. CHAPTER II SEEN THROUGH STEEL Before they reached the Gunroom after their interview with the Commander, Lynwood and his companions met a tall midshipman, whom they immediately recognized. “Hullo, are you the new snotties?” he asked. “I’m Reedham, three terms senior to you--probably you remember me at Dartmouth? You are Lynwood, aren’t you? Weren’t you the fellow that was made a Cadet Captain first shot?” “Yes,” said Lynwood, and added quickly: “We’ve just come from the Commander.” “Oh have you? Did he bite your heads off?” “We seemed to do something wrong.” “You always will seem to do something wrong whenever the Bloke’s about.... But where are you going now?” “The Gunroom. Ollenor told us to go there when we had reported ourselves.” “Well, I shouldn’t, if I were you. Quarters will be sounding off in a minute or two. You had better come up for them. Ten to one, if you don’t, the Bloke will jump on you for shirking. He’s bound to be on the look out. Really you ought to have twenty-four hours to sling your ’ammicks in--standing off all duties; but that theory is a back number with our people.... Are your chests on board yet?” “No; they have only just come off in the sailing pinnace.” “Then you’ll have to go to Quarters in the rig you have on. You ought really to change into monkey-jackets, of course. Anyway, I should unship those dirks. Chuck them down behind somebody’s chest for the time being--out of sight, though.” When they had followed his advice they trailed behind Reedham on to the upper deck. “Of course, you haven’t been told off for Divisions yet,” he said. “It won’t matter where you go this afternoon so long as the Bloke sees you somewhere. You come to the Foretopmen with me, Lynwood, and the remainder had better take a Division each.”