o afford
it.

"That's the way to become a seaman," observed Mr Dawes the boatswain,
to whom he frequently went when he wanted any matter explained. "Come
to me as often as you like, and I shall be glad to tell you what I know;
and I ought to know a thing or two, as I've been at sea, man and boy,
pretty near five-and-twenty years, though I've not got much
book-learning."

Ned thanked him, promising to take advantage of his offer, and, as was
natural, became a great favourite with the boatswain. Ned was well up
in many of the details of seamanship, and having been accustomed to
boats all his life, was as well able to manage one as anybody on board.
He quickly learned to go aloft, and to lay out on the yards to reef or
loose the sails, while he was as active and fearless as many a far older
seaman. His knowledge of navigation too was considerable, his uncle
having taken great pains to instruct him, he, on his part, being always
anxious to learn. Charley, therefore, in a short time, finding that Ned
was not only his equal in most respects, but his superior in several,
dropped his patronising manner, and they became faster friends than
ever.

The first lieutenant, Mr Hanson, did not fail to remark Ned's progress,
and calling him up, expressed his approval. "Go on as you have begun,
Garth, and you will become a good officer. The commander has his eye on
you, and will always, you may depend upon it, prove your friend."

Although with most of his messmates Ned got on very well, two or three,
it was very evident, disliked him on account of his zeal and good
conduct, which reflected, they might have considered, on their
behaviour.

The senior mate in the berth, "Old Rhymer" as he was called, who was
soured by disappointment at not obtaining his commission, as he thought
he ought to have done long ago, took every opportunity of finding fault
with him, and was continually sneering at what he said when at the mess
table. If he attempted to reply, O'Connor, the eldest of the
midshipmen, was sure to come down on him and join Rhymer.

"You'll be after getting a cobbing, Master Garth, if you don't keep your
tongue quiet in presence of your elders," exclaimed the latter.

"I have said nothing to offend any one," said Ned.

"We are the judges of that," replied O'Connor, beginning to knot his
handkerchief in an ominous fashion. "You and Meadows are becoming too
conceited by half, because the first lieutenant and the comma