tory, for he made a note on
`Ugly's' papers; and he was then made to hop across the cabin on each
foot alternately and swing from a hook suspended to the deck above with
either hand; after which his sight was tested, to see whether he could
distinguish colours at a distance, besides being made pick out variously
formed letters placed six feet or so away from him. The ordeal was
completed with an inquiry as to the state of his bowels!

"You'll do all right," said the doctor, signing his papers to show he
had complied with the requirements of the service. "Next boy!"

This, of course, was Mick Donovan, who gave out his name clearly enough;
but, on the order being given him to strip, he seemed somewhat abashed,
as if reluctant to comply with this request.

The doctor, very kindly, I thought, seemed to anticipate the poor lad's
reason for hesitating.

"Never mind, my boy, if your shore toggery is a bit seedy," he said.
"You'll soon be blooming out in a bran-new sailor's rig, and be as good
as anybody!"

At this, Mick slipped off his ragged jacket at once, dragging an even
more tattered shirt over his head. But I noticed though, and so did the
doctor too, who had pretty sharp eyes of his own in spite of his
somewhat indolent demeanour, that, if poor Mick's garment was ragged, as
indeed it was--aye, and `holy' enough to have served his patriot saint,
Saint Patrick, for a vestment--the shirt, or rather the remnant of the
article, was scrupulously clean. The Irish boy's skin also appeared
much more accustomed to soap and water than that of the ugly Reeks, who,
I saw, regarded my new friend with contempt, though he seemed to me a
very dirty fellow, if outwardly better dressed.

However, in spite of his dilapidated raiment, Mick passed all the
medical tests; though he had a narrow squeak in regard to the dimensions
of his chest, failing in the proper measurement for his age by just an
eighth of an inch.

"Faith, sor, I'll fill out soon enough whin I git outside ov a good male
or two," pleaded the defaulter, on the sick-berth steward noting the
deficiency. "An' sure, yer anner, if Oi arn't broad enough in the
chist, I make up for it by being taller for me age--Bedad, Oi'm that,
sor!"

The doctor seemed tickled by this unanswerable piece of logic.

"We'll see about that, Paddy," he said. "Trimmens, measure his height!"

"Five feet five, sir," ejaculated the steward, after adjusting the
sliding roll of the standard