Part 4 (1/2)

”I thought rather that it was the fas.h.i.+onable dress worn by young gentlemen in the west of Ireland at wakes or weddings,” remarked the captain; ”but I confess, my dear McMahon, that I do not recognise it as a naval uniform, except in the matter of the b.u.t.tons, which I see are according to the right pattern. The young gentleman will have to dress differently, except when he has a fancy to go to a masquerade on sh.o.r.e.”

The major stepped back with a look of astonishment; then surveying the uniform of the officers standing around, and taking another look at my costume, he exclaimed, laughing, ”Faith, I see there is a difference, but as no regulations or patterns were procurable at Ballinahone, we did the best we could.”

”Of that I have no doubt about, McMahon; you always did your best, and very well done it was,” said the captain; ”but I would advise you to take your nephew on sh.o.r.e, and get him rigged out in a more proper costume as soon as possible.”

I was completely taken aback on hearing this, and finding that instead of making a favourable impression on the captain, my costume had produced a very contrary effect. In a short time, however, somewhat regaining my confidence and remembering Larry, I turned to my uncle and begged that, according to his promise, he would introduce him.

”To be shure I will,” he answered, and then addressing the captain, he said, ”My nephew has a foster-brother, the boy standing there, who has made up his mind to go to sea. Will you receive him on board your s.h.i.+p?

I own, however, that he will require a good deal of licking into shape before he becomes a sailor.”

”He appears to be a stout lad, and I have no doubt but that in course of time we shall succeed in making him one,” answered the captain. ”Do you wish to go to sea, boy?”

Larry, who didn't quite understand, I suspect, what licking into shape meant, answered notwithstanding, ”Shure, yer honour, wherever Maisther Terence goes, I'm desirous of following, and as he's to become a mids.h.i.+pman, I'd wish to go wherever I can be with him.”

”That cannot be so exactly,” answered the captain, laughing; ”but if you become one of the crew, you'll not be far from him, and I hope I may see you some day following your leader on board an enemy's s.h.i.+p, and hauling down her flag.”

”Hurrah! shure that's what I'll be after doing, and anything else your honour plaises,” exclaimed Larry at the top of his voice, flouris.h.i.+ng his hat at the same time above his head. ”I'll be after showing yer honour how the boys in Tipperary fight.”

That matter being settled much to my satisfaction, Larry was taken off to have his name entered on the s.h.i.+p's books, for in those days a fish having been once caught in the net, it was not thought advisable to let him go again. In the meantime, my uncle having gone into the captain's cabin to take luncheon, I was led by a person whom, though I thought he was an officer, I supposed, from his appearance, to be one of very subordinate rank, to be introduced to my new messmates, in the mids.h.i.+pmen's berth.

”And so you think we wear silks and satins on board s.h.i.+p, I see, young gentleman, do you?” he said with a comical grin, eyeing my new coat and waistcoat. ”You'll have to send these back to your grandmother, or the old woman who made them for you.”

”Arrah, sir, d'ye intend to insult me?” I asked. ”Were they not put together by Pat Ca.s.sidy, the family tailor, under the direction of my uncle, Major McMahon, and he shure knows what a young gentleman should wear on board s.h.i.+p.”

”No, my lad, I only intended to laugh at you; but do you know who I am?”

”No, but I'll have you to understand that an O'Finnahan of Castle Ballinahone, County Tipperary, Ireland, is not to be insulted with impunity,” I answered, trying to look as dignified as I could.

”Then I'll give you to understand, young sir, that I'm the first lieutenant of this s.h.i.+p, and that lieutenants don't insult mids.h.i.+pmen, even if they think fit to send them to the masthead. It will be your business to obey, and to ask no questions.”

As I knew no more, at the time, of the rank and position of a first lieutenant on board s.h.i.+p than I did of the man in the moon, this announcement did not make much impression on my mind. I only thought that he was some old fellow who was fond of boasting, and had a fancy to try and make me believe that he was a personage of importance, or perhaps to frighten me. I soon discovered, however, that though he generally wore a shabby uniform, he was not a man to be trifled with. I may as well here say that his name was Saunders, that he was a thorough tar, who had come in at the hawse-hole, and had worked his way up to his present position. Old ”Rough and Ready” I found he was called. His hands were continually in the tar-bucket, and he was never so happy as when, with a marline-spike hung round his neck by a rope-yarn, he was engaged in gammoning the bowsprit, or setting up the rigging. But that I found out afterwards.

”Now come along, youngster, for I don't wish to be hard on you; I'm only laughing at the ridiculous figure you cut,” he said, giving way to a burst of rough merriment. By the time it was over we reached the door of the berth, where the mids.h.i.+pmen were a.s.sembled for dinner.

”Young gentlemen,” said Mr Saunders with perfect gravity, opening the door, ”I have to tell you that this is Mr Terence O'Finnahan, of Castle Ballinahone, County Tipperary, Ireland, who is to become your messmate as soon as he is docked of his fine feathers; and you'll be pleased to receive him as such.”

Saying this he took his departure, and two of my new messmates seized me by the fists, which they gripped with a force intended perhaps to show the ardour of their regard, but which was excessively painful to my feelings. I restrained them, however, and stood looking round at the numerous strange faces turned towards me.

”Make room for Mr Terence O'Finnahan, of Castle Ballinahone, County Tipperary, Ireland,” cried an old master's mate from the further end of the table; ”but let all understand that it's the last time such a designation is to be applied to him. It's much too long a name for any practical purpose, and from henceforth he's to be known on board this s.h.i.+p as Paddy Finn, the Irish mids.h.i.+pman; and so, Paddy Finn, old boy, I'll drink your health. Gentlemen, fill your gla.s.ses; here's to the health of Paddy Finn.”

Every one in the berth filled up their mugs and cups with rum and water, in which they pledged me with mock gravity. Having in the meantime taken my seat, I rose and begged to return my thanks to them for the honour they had done me, a.s.suring them that I should be happy to be known by the new name they had given me, or by any other which might sound as sweet.

”Only, gentlemen, there's one point I must bargain for,” I added; ”let me be called Paddy, whatever other designation you may in your judgment think fit to bestow on me, for let me tell you that I consider it an honour to be an Irishman, and I am as proud of my native land as you can be of yours.”

”Bravo, Paddy!” cried several. ”You're a trump,” observed the president.

”The chief has got pluck in him,” said the Scotch a.s.sistant surgeon, who sat opposite to the president, a man whose grizzled hair showed that he had been long in the service.

”Where did you get those clothes from?” asked a young gentleman, whom I afterwards found to be the purser's clerk.