the unhappy Mr Smythe found himself, with his "final e," in the midst
of a seething mass of men racing along the deck to put their rifles and
cutlasses back in the racks, being finally compelled to beat a retreat
himself to the wardroom, while the boatswain and his mates were piping
and shouting all over the ship for the hands to clean themselves and
dress for "Divisions."

A quarter-of-an-hour later, both watches were mustered, all decently
dressed, like "Sally in our Alley," in their Sunday best, according to
their respective stations; the first and second divisions on the upper
deck and forecastle, under the first lieutenant and Mr Jellaby; the
third and fourth divisions on the main deck, with Mr Gilham and Mr
Bitpin at the head of the men; and the fifth and sixth on the lower
deck, in charge of "Gunnery Jack," in lieu of one of the regular
lieutenants, and the second mate, the fat Plumper, bursting out of his
buttons as usual, who was at the head of the after-guard, among whom I
recognised the ex-gravedigger, "Downy."

This worthy, I noticed, looked quite smart and seaman-like in the
dungaree suit he had purchased from Mrs Poll Nash, the bumboat woman,
which his messmates had taught him to rig up in proper man-o'-war
fashion, the good-hearted chaps also supplying whatever other
necessaries were required for his wardrobe, such as the black silk
handkerchief, tied in a loose knot round his neck, and the knife and
lanyard without which no bluejacket's toilet is complete.

The men were drawn up in line, two deep, in open order, ready for
inspection, and the captain and commander were just about descending
from the poop to go round the ranks; when, up came the Reverend Mr
Smythe on the quarter-deck in his complete clerical regalia, only now
with his college cap on, which, when I had seen him before by the main
hatchway, he had carried in his hand.

He now raised this in salute to the captain and then immediately
replaced it, seeing that none of us were uncovered, all of us having our
caps on of course, being in uniform.

Captain Farmer only gave the regulation touch to the peak of his in
return for the chaplain's courtesy.

"Well, sir," said Captain Farmer in his direct way, as Mr Smythe
struggled to speak, feeling that the eyes of all hands were upon him,
blushing a rosy red up to the roots of his sandy hair, "what is it?"

"Am I--ah--to begin now, sir," he stammered; "or, wa--wa--wait till the
bell rings again