ls to
Seven Bells in the forenoon--that is, in shore time, from half-past nine
to half-past eleven o'clock in the morning--the starboard watch would be
engaged in seamanship or gunnery instruction; while, in the afternoon
their respective avocations would be reversed, the `starbowlines' going
to their books, and the port watch occupying themselves with the other
drills.

This day, as I have said, we went to school after inspection and prayers
by the chaplain on the upper deck, which, I should have mentioned, was
the usual routine every morning when breakfast was finished and the
mess-tables and decks below swept clean and made tidy.

I remember one of the schoolmasters impressed me very much during a
geography lesson, by showing us on the globe how extensive our national
possessions were, and how it became us as British sailors to maintain
our rights on every land and sea where the Union Jack of Old England had
ever once floated.

I declare I can recollect his very words.

"The sun, my boys," he said very impressively, "never sets on Her
Majesty's dominions!"

When school was over, and the bugle, that ever-sounding bugle, rang out
the call for `divisions' presently, we all bustled up, of course, to the
upper deck, and, whether it was from the schoolmaster's observation or
what, I'm sure I can't say, I was struck by the wonderful lot of fine
fellows we had on board the training-ship: all wearing the same smart
bluejacket uniform, men and boys alike, and all ready, I believe, even
us youngsters who had but just joined the service, to go anywhere and do
anything for the sake of the Queen--God bless her!--aye, and to battle
likewise for the old flag and the old country that has had the command
of the seas for a thousand years--so father says!

Why, there were over a hundred and eighty officers and men, besides some
seven hundred odd boys present at muster.

Just fancy!

Yes; and though the men serve all the time of the ordinary three years'
commission of the ship, the boys are ever coming and going, forty-five
or thereabouts, all fresh ones, being entered every month on the books;
while as many, probably, are drafted during the same interim to the
guardship, for service with the fleet in all parts of the world!

Bear in mind, too, that the _Saint Vincent_ is only one of some six or
seven regular training-ships stationed at the principal ports round the
kingdom, for the especial purpose of licking boys into shape