Mr. Inskip, who remained altogether thirteen years in the two ships, is a very well remembered character among the earlier cadets. He took an immense interest in the lads, and knew them all intimately, discoursing with them on all kinds of subjects out of study hours. It was no uncommon occurrence to see his keen, good-humoured face the centre of a little crowd of cadets, pacing the deck with him, some walking backwards in front, and following up behind as he went back--many of them taller than he was, for he was a little man, with a large heart; and many were the strange sea-tales related during these pleasing promenades. He always had a kindly word for any lad whom he might casually encounter: "Well, Smith, we tackled that chronometer this morning, didn't we?" or, "How does the Great Circle sailing get on?" He was a very capable instructor, with the knack of imparting his knowledge to others, and many a problem of formidable aspect at starting would assume quite a kindly guise under his hand, as he stood by the black board and dexterously chalked in meridians, parallels, and what not; or came behind some blunderer and reduced the chaos of his mind--and his diagram--to something like order. One of Mr. Inskip's sea yarns may be given here as a sample; it is to be presumed that he occasionally amused himself by trying how much the ordinary cadet would swallow--or pretend to swallow. He related how, when he first went to sea--apparently in some other capacity than that of naval instructor--his outfitter deemed it a good plan to place a layer of bricks at the bottom of his chest. This appeared peculiar, no particular reason being assigned for it. However, he went to sea, bricks and all. When becalmed one day in the tropics, the ship being, of course, surrounded by voracious sharks of enormous dimensions, he suddenly recollected his bricks, and was seized with a remarkable inspiration. Hurrying down to his chest, he took several bricks to the galley, and got the cook to heat them; then wrapping them up, all hot, in a blanket, he watched his opportunity when a monster shark approached, and threw the bundle overboard. The shark immediately seized and bolted it, and apparently felt quite happy--as, indeed, any reasonable shark would under the circumstances. After a time, however, the hot bricks came through the blanket, and the fun began, the monster's agonies being described in the most graphic style! [Illustration: REV. R. M. INSKIP AND MR. K. KNAPP.]