ay that of you, Rogers,
however."

"Really, Cherry, you look to me as well filled out and as blooming as
ever," answered Jack, surveying the rotund figure and rosy cheeks of his
new messmate; "you and I afford proof that hard work seldom does people
harm. Idleness is the greatest foe to health of the two. And who is to
be third of the frigate?"

"No one has as yet been appointed. The master and purser have joined--
very good fellows in their way--with an assistant-surgeon, and three or
four youngsters; among them young Harry Bevan, who was with us in the
_Dugong_."

"I am very glad of that," said Jack; "Bevan is the style of lad I should
wish as a companion for my young brother Tom."

"Your brother, the youngster who came on board with you. I was sure of
it; you are as like as two peas," said Mr Cherry. "I hope that he'll
imitate you in all respects. It's a satisfaction to have steady
youngsters on board who keep out of scrapes and don't give trouble."

Tom--who had already made himself known to Harry Bevan--was called aft,
and introduced by Jack to Mr Cherry, and felt very happy and proud as
he looked along the deck of the fine frigate to which he belonged. It
was no dream; there he was in reality, walking about and talking to
Bevan and other fellows dressed like himself in midshipmen's uniforms;
and then he went into the berth, and took his seat among the others at
dinner. It was just as Jack had described it; not very large, but, till
the rest of the mess had joined, with just sufficient elbow-room. They
had plenty of good things, for the caterer, old Higson, was something of
an epicure; and Tom tasted grog for the first time, which he thought
very nasty stuff, though he did not say so, as he knew that sailors
liked it; and besides it would not be polite to express his opinion to
Higson, who had evidently no objection to its taste. Altogether Tom was
convinced that midshipmen, as he had always supposed, must lead very
jolly lives. That very night, too, he was to sleep in a hammock, which
he thought would be rare fun. He and his new messmates soon returned on
deck, when the men who had been at dinner came tumbling up from below,
and set to swaying up yards and hoisting in stores, the boatswain
sounding his shrill pipe amidst the hubbub of noises--the officers, from
Mr Cherry downwards, shouting at the top of their voices, and the men
bawling and rushing in gangs here and there at headlong speed, hauli