you've eaten half a pound
apiece every morning, for at least a week."

The fat bacon was brought. Tom tried to lift a piece to his mouth at
the end of his fork, but his hips curled, he could not have done it to
save his life. Gerald essayed to do likewise with the same result.

They were not alone in their misery. The assistant-surgeon, two clerks,
and another midshipman looked equally pale and miserable.

"Come, come, youngsters, munch away," said Hickson; "it's time to finish
breakfast."

"I wish to be a sailor," cried Tom, again manfully lifting the piece of
pork towards his loathing lips, but though his spirit was high his
feelings overcame him, and he bolted out of the berth, followed by
Gerald and several others, amid the laughter of the seasoned hands.

Tom's misfortunes did not end here, for the frigate giving a violent
roll he butted head foremost right between the legs of Mr Jennings, the
tall lieutenant of marines, who not being especially firm on them just
then, was upset in a moment. The rest of the party, including McTavish,
the assistant-surgeon, escaping from the berth now came tumbling over
them, and there the whole lay stretched on the deck, kicking
frantically, as if knocked over by a dose of canister fired into their
midst.

The prostrate officer, utterly unable to rise, shouted for some time in
vain for assistance; at length his cries were heard by the corporal of
marines and two of his men, who hurrying aft to his rescue, hauled off
the superincumbent midshipmen and McTavish, and set Lieutenant Jennings,
foaming with indignation, on his legs.

"Beg pardon, sir, I didn't intend it," cried Tom; "I won't do it again."

But Tom was counting without his host, for at that instant the ship,
giving another roll, threw him once more against the luckless
lieutenant, who grasping at the corporal, over they all went, McTavish
and Gerald, who had been thrown against the other jollies, bringing them
again right over Lieutenant Jennings to the deck.

"This is unbearable," he spluttered out, "I'll have you youngsters put
under arrest. Marines, can't you keep your legs? Help me up. Get off
me, all you, I say."

But as the marines could not help themselves, it could scarcely be
expected that they could assist their officer, still less could the
medico and the midshipmen. The serjeant, however, hearing the uproar,
followed by a couple of his men, with a faint idea that a mutiny of some
sort had b