steps, on the grin all the way, to the door of
the wardroom, which was opened and shut behind me by a marine standing
without.

I was Last of the Mohicans, all the other fellows having taken their
departure and gone ashore long before I got my own happy dismissal.

"By Jove, Jack, I think you may put yourself down as passed!" said my
father when I subsequently detailed the incidents of my examination,
drawing a good augury from my description of what had occurred on board
the gunnery ship. "He was always a knowing hand was Old Tangent; and
such a remark from him to his brother examiners, would be as efficacious
as a whisper in ear of the First Lord's Secretary on your behalf, my
boy!"

"Do you remember him, Frank? I mean the gentleman who spoke to Jack."

"Oh, yes, my dear," replied Dad to this question of my mother's, "I
recollect Old Tangent quite well. He was always a good-natured fellow
and a capital shipmate. Why, he sang the best song of any of us in the
mess on board the old _Pelican_!"

"What!" exclaimed my mother, holding up her hands in pious horror at the
mention of such an unclerical characteristic. "A clergyman sing songs?"

"Yes, why not?" retorted Dad, who was in his jolliest mood at the
prospect of my having passed my examination successfully. "They were
spiritual songs of course, my dear, I assure you!"

"No doubt," said mother, drily. "I think, my dear, you can `tell that
yarn to the marines,' as you say in your favourite sea slang. _I_ know
what sort of spirits you refer to!"

At which observation they both laughed; and, naturally, I laughed too.

CHAPTER FIVE.

IN WHICH I REALLY "JOIN THE SERVICE."

"Letter for yer, sir, yezsir," said my friend the cock-eyed waiter a
week or two later, while we were at luncheon, bringing in a long,
official-looking document on a salver, which he proceeded to hand me
with a smirk and a squint from his cock-eye, that seemed to roam all
over the apartment, taking in everything and everyone present in one
comprehensive glance. "It's jest come in, sir. It were brought by a
messenger, sir, from the commander-in-chief's h'office, sir; and I
thinks as 'ow it's a horder for yer sir, for to jine yer ship, sir,
yezsir!"

"All right my man, that'll do," interposed my father, who from his
service-training had a rooted objection to anything approaching to
familiarity from servants and other subordinates, besides which he
particularly disliked the wait