m. He was making game of you. That's the first
luff."

"What a shame!" thought Syd, and then he fell a thinking about the
orders he gave him--not to quarrel with his messmates. "And I'm sure to
quarrel as soon as I go down. No, I will not. He may say what he
likes."

"You speak, sir?" said the bo'sun.

"No, Strake, I was thinking."

"Here, you're wanted below, I think," said one of the warrant officers,
coming up and speaking to the ex-gardener.

"Who wants me?"

"That's your boy, isn't it, that you brought aboard?"

"Ay, it is."

"Well, I think he has got into a bit of a row with some of the young
monkeys below. Go and stop it at once."

"That's Pan-y-mar gone and showed his teeth, Master Syd," whispered the
bo'sun, and he trotted forward, while feeling now that he ought to go
and see about his chest, and at the same time wishing that he could go
forward and see what was wrong about Pan--but fearing to make some
breach of discipline--Sydney once more went below.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

It was impossible to help thinking about the handsome old dining-room at
the Heronry as Sydney sat down to his first meal at the midshipman's
mess, and however willing he might have been to consider that polished
mahogany tables and plate were not necessaries, he could not help
comparing the food with that to which he had been accustomed.

As luck had it, he found himself seated next to Roylance, who laughed
good-humouredly, and said--

"Don't take any notice of the rough joking, youngster."

He was not above a year older than Sydney, but he had been two years at
sea, and seemed to look down from a height of experience at his
companion.

"I am not going to," said Sydney, looking up frankly to the other's
handsome face.

"That's right. Terry's cock of the walk here, and shows off a good
deal. We all give in to him, so be civil too, and it will save a row.
The luff doesn't like us to quarrel."

"He told me not to," said Syd.

"Then I wouldn't. If Terry gives you a punch on the head, take it, and
never mind."

Syd was silent.

"Got your chest, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Everything's new, awkward, and fresh to you now, but you'll soon get
used to it. You'll put on your undress uniform to-morrow, of course.
I'll tell you anything you want to know. Nobody told me when I came on
board, and I had a hard time of it."

"Did the others tease you much?"

"They did and no mistake, and I got it worse because