stood before the midshipman.

"Well, young Jack tar," he said, with a touch of contempt in his tone.

"Well, young Pipeclay," retorted the middy. "I say, how tightly you've
laced your stays to-day. Mind where you go, or you'll get some pitch on
your lovely uniform. My word, how handsome you look!"

"I tell you what it is, Master Bob, or Robert Roberts," said the young
ensign, flushing, "if I did not feel that I was stooping by so doing, I
should tell you that you were an impudent puppy of a boy, and give you a
good caning."

"No, no! please pray don't do that, Mr Ensign Long, or Tom Long, or
Long Tom, or whatever you call yourself," retorted the middy, assuming
an aspect of mock terror. "You frighten me into fits almost; and if you
did try to cane me you'd split that coatee of yours all up the back, or
break your staylace, or do yourself some mischief, and--"

Just then there was the sound of a bugle, followed by the tramp of feet;
and the young officer, scowling fiercely, turned half-right, and as he
did so let his sword down, so that the end of the scabbard might clatter
against the white deck, as he marched off to where the men were
assembling, while the middy burst into a hearty laugh.

"You two gents is allus a quarrelling," growled a wonderfully
copper-faced old sailor, giving his lower jaw a twist. "You puts me in
mind of the gamecocks as the Malay niggers we're going amongst keeps, to
strut up and shake out their hackles afore they has a set-to."

"Well, he is so cocky, Dick," said the middy, "and struts about, and--"

"That's what I say, sir," said the old sailor, leaning his arms on the
bulwark, "just like a gamecock."

"And assumes such an air of superiority," continued the middy.

"Just like you do, sir, to'rds us common sailors," said the man,
chuckling.

"Don't you tell lies, Dick," said the lad sharply. "I always treat the
sailors as an officer and a gentleman should."

"So you do, sir, so you do! and it was only my gammon. But you do wish
you was a swaddy now, and wore a red coat instead of a blue."

"No I don't, Dick," said the lad colouring; "but I do think we naval
officers ought to wear swords, the same as those boy-soldiers."

"So you ought, sir;" said the sailor, winking to himself; "but never you
mind about that, sir. If so be as it comes to a brush with the niggers,
I'll grind you up a cutlash, with a hedge so sharp as you might shave
yourself with it. Perhaps you'd like