The new boys of both watches were told to stand by, by one of the seaman-instructors; and so, instead of racing down below with our older comrades, Mick and I, with the other nine who had lately joined, remained on the fore part of the deck. "These boys, sir," said the instructor, touching respectfully his cap as he advanced towards the officer of the watch, who stood on the quarter- deck, a thin grey-haired old chap, whom I subsequently learnt was the gunner, though I never had the pleasure of seeing him before, "haven't been over the masthead yet, sir." "All right," replied the gentleman addressed, saluting the instructor in his turn; the politeness and courteous deference paid on board all ships belonging to Her Majesty's Service from one officer to another, be his rank high or low, being one of the best lessons in manners that man or boy could have afloat or ashore, especially the latter. "Carry on!" Permission, accordingly, being granted for the ordeal to which we were about to be subjected, the smart seaman-instructor came back to where we were drawn up in single file forwards. "Now, my lads," he said, "you haven't any of you passed through your sea baptism yet, I think. Ever been up aloft, eh?" He had stopped in front of `Ugly,' whose face yet bore traces of our recent combat, although the cuts on his lip and nose had healed up; and, indeed, I couldn't well boast, for one of my eyes had a singularly picturesque greeny-yellowy look still about it. "Hoi?" exclaimed `Ugly,' in his yokel fashion. "I dunno wot yer means, zur." "Well, I'll soon tell you," rejoined the instructor. "I mean, have you ever been over the masthead?" "No-a," said `Ugly,' staring sheepishly at him; and then, as he followed his questioner's eye, on it glancing up aloft, he added, "Doos yer mean oop there, zur?" "Aye." "No-a, zur." "Then, you'll have to go up now," said the instructor, in a tone that showed he intended to be obeyed. "Lads, attention!" We all drew ourselves up, `Ugly' included, as rigid and woodeny as those strange figures that are supposed to represent the patriarchs Shem, Ham, and Japheth seen in the Noah's arks of our childhood. "Boys," cried the instructor in a louder key, pointing as he spoke, "you see the mainmast there?" We signified assent as well as we were able to do without losing our rigidity or speaking, which latter is strictly against rules when an officer is giving any order, except when an answer is specially demanded. Noticing, however, that we all looked in the right direction, the seaman-instructor was satisfied with this reply; but really there was no reason why he should not be so, for if we had not seen the tall spar that he pointed out we must all have been blind! At all events, he was satisfied; and that is all that concerns us at present.