ning
ship attached to the port, the boys had seen most that was to be seen--
going over the smithery; the building-sheds, in which ponderous
leviathans of iron, that would anon plough the deep, were being welded
together; the mast and rigging houses; the sail-loft; they had gone over
everything in fact! "You see they won't have you yet in the Navy, my
lad; so, what is to be done with you, eh?"

"Dunno, sir," answered Dick, scratching his newly-shorn head
reflectively and staring in the face of the old sailor, who had stopped
abruptly just outside the dockyard-gates to ask him the question. "I'll
leave it to yer for to settle anythink yer likes."

"Humph! I tell you what, we'll wait a bit and then try again for the
training ship three months hence, or so; when, perhaps, you'll have
better luck," decided the Captain, who it need hardly be told had
already made up his mind on the subject. "But, in the meantime, my lad,
you shall stop with me and see if you can make yourself of use."

"Oh, sir," said Dick with tears in his eyes and his voice broken with
emotion. "I can never thank yer, sir, for all as ye've done for me!
I'll work day and night, sir, and do anythink as yer tells me!"

"We'll see, my lad," replied the Captain, walking on again, the watermen
along the Hard touching their hats to him. "I shall probably take you
on board my yacht by and by, when the racing season begins. You will,
thus, learn something of your future profession; and be able to pull a
rope and box the compass before the time comes for you to join the
training ship."

"O-o-oh!" exclaimed Bob, the vista of delight thus presented being
almost too great for words; for the sight of the sea, now that he had
seen it and been actually on board a ship, had made him long for a sail,
his involuntary dip of the previous night not having any deterrent
influence. "Won't that be jolly, Dick?"

Dick grinned a sympathetic grin, his own peculiar way of showing how
pleased he was.

"I only hopes as how I'll suit the Capting," said he earnestly. "I'll
try to--that I will!"

"Suit me, eh?" cried that worthy with a chuckle, and his little black
eyes twinkling away. "That will be `changey for changey, black dog for
white monkey,' as the niggers say. You will have to suit me in return
for my having _suit-ed_ you, my lad, eh? Ho--ho--ho!"

CHAPTER SIX.

ON THE BEACH.

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" cried Bob presently, stopping on their way
homewar