Part 8 (1/2)

After dinner the organization of the crew was continued. All hands were ”piped to muster,” and by this time most of those who had been disaffected at the drawing of berths had recovered their natural equanimity, and all were intensely interested in the arrangement of the details. None of the boys knew what was coming, and their curiosity kept them in a continuous state of excitement.

”All who have drawn even numbers will take the starboard side of the s.h.i.+p,” said Mr. Lowington from his perch on the hatch. ”All who have drawn odd numbers will take the port side.”

”This is the starboard side, my lads,” added Mr. Fluxion, the instructor in mathematics--who, like the princ.i.p.al, had been a naval officer,--as he pointed to the right, looking forward.

Some had already forgotten their numbers, and there was considerable confusion before the order could be obeyed.

”Young gentlemen, the books will be opened to-day; and a student who forgets his number again will lose a mark,” said Mr. Lowington. ”Are they all in their places, Mr. Fluxion?”

”They are, sir,” replied the instructor, who had just counted them.

”Young gentlemen, you are thus divided into two equal parts--the starboard and the port watches. Now form a straight line, toe the crack, and call your numbers in order, beginning with the starboard watch.”

The boys eagerly followed this direction, though some a.s.sistance was required from the instructors in repressing their superfluous enthusiasm.

”Very well,” continued Mr. Lowington, when the students were formed in two lines. ”Every boy in the starboard watch whose number is divisible by four, step forward one pace. Number three in the port watch, do the same. Mr. Mapps, oblige me by seeing that every alternate boy in the line steps forward.”

”The line is formed, sir,” replied the instructor, when he had carried out the direction of the princ.i.p.al.

”Each watch is now divided into two parts--the first and second parts, as they will be called. Now, young gentlemen, the clothing will be distributed, and each student will put on his uniform at once.”

The four lines were then marched down into the steerage, each under the charge of an instructor, to a particular locality, where the head steward and his a.s.sistants had deposited the clothing for each watch and quarter watch. The uniform consisted of blue seaman's pants and a heavy flannel s.h.i.+rt or frock, such as is worn in the United States navy. To each student the following articles were served out:--

1 pea-jacket.

1 blue cloth jacket.

1 pair blue cloth pants.

1 pair blue satinet pants.

1 blue cap.

1 straw hat, of coa.r.s.e, sewed straw.

1 Panama hat, bound.

2 knit woollen s.h.i.+rts.

2 pair knit woollen drawers.

2 white frocks.

2 pair white duck pants.

4 pair socks.

2 pair shoes.

2 black silk neck-handkerchiefs.

These articles were given to the boys, and they were required to put on the every-day uniform; after which they were directed to arrange the rest of the clothing in the lockers belonging to them. The contractor who had furnished the goods was present with four tailors, to attend to the fitting of the clothes, which were all numbered according to the size. In a short time the students began to come out of their rooms, clothed in their new rig. They looked intensely ”salt,” and there was no end to the jokes and smart things that were said on this interesting occasion. Even Shuffles hardly knew himself in his new dress.

The frock had a broad rolling collar, in each corner of which was worked an anchor in white. The black silk neck-handkerchief was worn under the collar, and not many of the boys had acquired the art of tying the regular sailor's knot. Boatswain Peaks not only stood up as a model for them, but he adjusted the ”neck gear” for many of them. Bitts, the carpenter, and Leech, the sailmaker, who were also old sailors, cheerfully rendered a valet's a.s.sistance to such as needed help.

Agreeably to the directions of Mr. Lowington, the sh.o.r.e suits of the students were done up in bundles, each marked with the owner's name, and the head steward took them to Mr. Lowington's house for storage.

Rigged out in their ”sea togs,” the students began to feel salt, as well as to look salt. Some of them tried to imitate the rolling gait of the boatswain when they walked, and some of them began to exhibit an alarming tendency to indulge in sea slang.

”There, my hearty, you look like a sailor now,” said Peaks, when he had rolled over the collar and tied the square knot in the handkerchief of Wilton.

”s.h.i.+ver my timbers, but I feel like one,” laughed the embryo seaman.

”What's that, young gentleman?” demanded Mr. Lowington, who happened to be within hearing; ”what did you say?”

”I said I felt like a sailor, sir.”

”What was the expression you used?”

”I only said s.h.i.+ver my timbers, sir.”

”You stole that expression from a yellow-covered novel. Did you ever hear Mr. Peaks, who has been a sailor all his lifetime, use such language?”

”I'll be bound he never did,” added Peaks.

”No, sir. I don't know that I ever did.”

”Some sailors do use such expressions; but it is gross affectation for these young gentlemen, who never saw a blue wave, to indulge in them. If you please, Wilton, you will not use such language. It is simply ridiculous. Mr. Peaks, you will pipe all hands to muster again.”

The shrill whistle of the boatswain sounded through the s.h.i.+p, and the boys tumbled up the ladders, eager to learn what was to be done next. As they formed in lines, they presented a novel and picturesque appearance in their jaunty uniform. Most of them had already learned to wear their caps canted over on one side, and not a few of them, perhaps as much from necessity as because it was a sailor's habit, hitched up their trousers, and thrust their hands deep down into the side pockets.

The students were again formed in watches and quarter watches, each of which cla.s.ses and sub-cla.s.ses was indicated on the uniforms. All the starboard watch wore a small silver star on the right arm, above the elbow, and the port watch the same emblem on the left arm. The first part of each watch had a figure 1, under the star, and the second part a figure 2 in the same position.

The rest of the day was spent in the organization for s.h.i.+p's duty, which was far from completed when the sun went down. The next day every boy was kept so busy that he had no time to grumble. The instructors attended to the lessons in the steerage with one watch, while the other was on deck acquiring seamans.h.i.+p. In the course of the month, as the boys learned their duties, and the capabilities of each were ascertained, they were a.s.signed to their stations in the various evolutions required in working the vessel.