We were all as quiet as lambs in an instant, not a sound being heard above the clatter of the cups and saucers, and the gulps made by `Ugly' in swallowing his tea, that individual being as piggish in his habits as he was in his appearance; and, presently, this clatter was increased by our collecting the mess-traps after finishing our meal, when the same process of cleaning up was effected as before, everything being left as tidy in and around the vicinity of Mess Number 52 as we had found it when first installed there. From Six to Eight Bells, in the second dog-watch, the boys, I found, were allowed to skylark about the upper deck and aloft, playing `follow my leader' up and down the rigging, without any interference or interruption from the officers and instructors, save when it seemed to them the larking might degenerate into horseplay. Then, it was put a slop to, so far as the particular incident was concerned, in a twinkle. Not being in uniform, I kept aloof from these mad pranks, sticking close to Mick Donovan, who I saw was ashamed of his ragged clothes, being afraid of the boys jeering him, like Larrikins. That worthy soon picked us out, though; aye, in spite of our sheltering under the lee of the bridge, and being almost concealed in the evening gloom. "S'pose yer afeerd o' clim'in' riggin'?" "Divvle a bit!" replied Mick in a moment. "Oi'd cloimb in a jiffey; ounly the jintleman downstairs, faith, tould us all we wasn't." This allusion to the `Jaunty' silenced the incorrigible Larrikins for the nonce; though he sniggered at Mick saying `downstairs' instead of below, as most landsmen do when new to board-ship life. The next moment, however, Master Larrikins was at it again, trying to `take a rise out of me,' Mick having thus discouraged his advances in that direction. "You'll be havin' orful times when yer goes aloft," he said, in a sort of awesome tone meant to frighten me. "I've bin up theer on the main crosstrees when yer jist couldn't 'old yer 'air on yer 'ead, let alone 'oldin' on with one 'and fur yerself and t'other for the Navy." "Stow that," said I, laughing in his face. "Why, I've been up to the main truck of a line-o'-battle ship before to-day and am not afraid of climbing! I'm not strange to the sea, my smart chap, let me tell you. My father, though he's a waterman now, is an old sailor, and has taught me pretty well all he learnt." "Aye, aye, that's right enuff; but 'earin of it an' a-seein' it's two different things. You jist wait till yer gets to sea and ain't a-plying bark'ards and forruds in Porchmouth 'arbour. My stars, won't yer be flummuxed then." "Don't you believe it," I retorted. "I've been to sea, I tell you, before to-day." "Oh aye, that's right enuff; but there's goin' to sea, an' goin' to sea. Lor! Yer 'aven't ever bin out in the _Martin_ brig, have yer, now?" "No, of course not," I replied. "I've only just joined the service, I tell you."