d call Jones and Maitland. Tell 'em to turn out sharp or
I'll stop their grog," cried Mr Capstan.

"Aye, aye, sir," said the man, proceeding towards the deck-house, which
occupied a middle position in the ship between the poop and fo'c's'le;
and presently, although hidden from the gaze of those aft, he could be
heard rapping at one of the doors, repeating in whispered tones the
order the second-mate had given him.

Ere long, a couple of striplings appeared, dressed in dirty uniforms
which presented a marked difference to that of Teddy; and he noticed
besides that one was considerably taller than he was while the second
was shorter and a little slimmer.

"Here, you, Jones and Maitland, I won't have you caulking away this
bright morning when the sun ought to be scorching the sleep out of your
eyes. What do you mean by it, eh?" began Mr Capstan as if lashing
himself into a passion, but had not quite got enough steam up yet.

"I thought, sir, as this is our first day out and the ship still in
charge of the pilot, we needn't turn out so early," said Jones, the
biggest of the two, acting as spokesman.

"You thought!" snarled the second-mate, catching up a rope's-end with
the apparent intention of laying it across the shoulders of Jones, only
he kept a wary distance away. "I've half a mind to give you something
for answering me like that! No one has any business to think on board
ship."

"Aye, where you're boss!" said the offender speaking aside.

"What is that you're jabbering?" quickly interposed Mr Capstan--"some
impudence, I reckon. Now, just you pull off those patent-leather pumps
of yours and set to work washing decks. It's gone six bells, and it
ought to have been done half an hour ago."

Teddy thought this was a very unkind cut of the mate at poor Jones's
boots, which were a dilapidated pair of bluchers that needed mending
badly; still, he couldn't help smiling, which didn't seem to please Mr
Capstan, who, turning round, now addressed him:

"And you, my fine young shaver, with your dandy rig, you'd better be
doing something to earn your salt, and not be a useless lubber, looking
on like a fine lady! You just put off and go and help Jones."

Teddy, though he didn't relish the job, obeyed willingly; and soon he
was paddling about in bare feet with his trousers rolled up to the knee,
while the crew under Jones's direction rigged the head pump and sluiced
the decks down from end to end of the ship, beginn