capital humour;
still he'll serve you out well; you must expect that."

"Shall I make him the sign, Cross?" replied I, laughing.

"No, no; you've gone far enough, and too far already; mind what I say to
you."

I went down into the gun-room, when a tittering ceased as the sentry
opened the door, and I walked in.

"Did you want me, sir?" said I to the first lieutenant, touching my hat,
and looking very demure.

"So, Mr Keene, I understand it was you who have been practising upon
Mr Green, and teaching him insult and disrespect to his superior
officers on the quarter-deck. Well, sir?"

I made no reply, but appeared very penitent.

"Because a boy has just come to sea, and is ignorant of his profession,
it appears to be a custom--which I shall take care shall not be followed
up--to play him all manner of tricks, and tell him all manner of
falsehoods. Now, sir, what have you to say for yourself?"

"Mr Green and I have both just come to sea, sir, and the midshipmen all
play us so many tricks," replied I, humbly, "that I hardly know whether
what I do is right or wrong."

"But, sir, it was you who played this trick to Mr Green."

"Yes, sir, I told him so for fun, but I didn't think he was such a fool
as to believe me. I only said that you were a freemason, and that
freemasons were kind to each other, and that you gave one another signs
to know one another by; I heard you say you were a freemason, sir, when
I dined in the gun-room."

"Well, sir, I did say so; but that is no reason for your teaching him to
be impudent."

"He asked me for the signs, sir, and I didn't know them exactly; so I
gave him the signs that Mr Dott and I always make between us."

"Mr Dott and you--a pretty pair, as I said before. I've a great mind
to put you in Mr Green's place--at all events, I shall report your
conduct when the captain comes from London. There, sir, you may go."

I put on a penitent face as I went out wiping my eyes with the back of
my hands. After I went out, I waited a few seconds at the gun-room
door, and then the officers, supposing that I was out of hearing, gave
vent to their mirth, the first lieutenant laughing the loudest.

"Cross is right," thought I, as I went up the ladder; a minute
afterwards, Mr Green was set free, and, after a severe reprimand, was
allowed to return to his duty.

"You are well out of that trick, my hearty," said Bob Cross; "the first
lieutenant won't say a word to the captain, never