"Thanks, Dick; I reckon I am pretty green, but what’s a ’truck’? It sounds like a wagon of some sort!" "That is the name given to the very top of a mast or flagstaff. You’ll soon pick up these little points," said Dick generously. "I just happen to know some of them because of being brought up in an old whaling port and having seen and known about ships all my life; but I’ve a lot to learn myself." First Sergeant Douglass now called the boys in to interview them. "Your first duty, eh?" he said after adjusting his glasses and glancing over the enlistment record which accompanies every marine in his travels. "Either of you know anything about a ship?" and he looked up at the two youngsters with an approving gaze. Dick said nothing, but Henry spoke for him: "Drummer Comstock does; he has been making me acquainted with some of the many things I never knew before." "To-morrow morning I’ll have Corporal Dorlan take all the new arrivals over the ship, and I want you two musics to become acquainted with every nook and corner of her. You will have to act as messengers for the Officer of the Deck and must be ready to go to any place and find any person without hesitation. If you shouldn’t happen to know where the place or person or thing is located then you must be prepared to know how and where to find out about ’em in the most expeditious manner. The Officer of the Deck can’t be bothered with questions, so it’s up to the messenger to know." "Is Corporal Dorlan any relation to a Sergeant Michael Dorlan who was on the _Nantucket_?" asked Richard. "Couldn’t be closer related," answered the First Sergeant; "he is one and the same person. Do you know him?" "I should say I do," beamed Dick; "he saved the life of a boy friend of mine this past summer; but I thought he was a sergeant." "He was a sergeant, but unfortunately an enemy of Dorlan’s got the best of him, and he was reduced to the rank of corporal by sentence of a court-martial." "My, I’m sorry to hear that," returned Dick, honestly grieved over the misfortune of his brave acquaintance. "Yes, boys, everyone who knows Mike Dorlan is sorry, and I hope neither of you will ever have an enemy like his, nor a ’court’ against your record, nor any other kind of an offense, for that matter. Your slate is clean now; keep it so, and when you’ve finished your enlistment you’ll be wearing one of these,--and proud of it too, I’ll warrant." * * * * * * * * * [Illustration: The Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal] THE MARINE CORPS GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL