ght a portion was intended
for me, and wishing to act in the politest way possible, I took off my
hat altogether, and made several most polite bows. I had a suspicion,
however, from the expression on the countenances of the midshipmen, with
the suppressed titter among them, together with the grin on the faces of
the men and boys, that I was doing something not altogether according to
custom. Perhaps, I thought to myself, I hadn't bowed low enough, so I
turned, now to my right, now to my left, and, not seeing where I was
going to, should have pitched right down the ladder had not one of the
men standing there caught my arm, bidding me as he did so to keep my hat
on my head.

In my eagerness to get into the boat I made a spring, and should have
leapt right over into the water had not another friendly hand caught me
and forced me down by the side of the major.

The captain, taking the white yoke-lines, gave the order to shove off;
the boat's head swung away from the side of the frigate; the oars fell
with their blades flat on the water; and we began to glide rapidly up
the harbour, propelled by the sturdy arms of the crew. I felt very
proud as I looked at the captain in his cocked hat and laced coat, and
at the midshipman who accompanied him, in a bran new uniform, though, to
be sure, there wasn't much of him to look at, for he was a mere mite of
a fellow.

Had I not discovered that my own costume was not according to rule, I
should have considered it a much more elegant one than his. After some
time, the captain observing, I fancy, that I looked rather dull, having
no one to talk to, said something to the midshipman, who immediately
came and sat by me.

"Well, Paddy, how do you like coming to sea?" he asked in a good-natured
tone.

"I've not yet formed an opinion," I answered.

"True, my boy; Cork harbour is not the Atlantic," he remarked. "We may
chance to see the waves running mountains high when we get there, and
all the things tumbling about like shuttlecocks."

"I'll be content to wait until I see that same to form an opinion," I
answered. "As I've come to sea, I shall be glad to witness whatever
takes place there."

"You're not to be caught, I perceive," he said. "Well, Paddy, and how
do you like your name?"

"Faith, I'm grateful to you and my other messmates for giving it," I
answered. "I'm not ashamed of the name, and I hope to have the
opportunity of making it known far and wide some day or ot