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Our first visit was to a toy-shop: a great many articles were exposed for sale, and many very beautiful carvings; they were, however, far too delicate for a midshipman's chest, and the price did not exactly suit a midshipman's pocket. A silk warehouse next occupied our attention: here we were shown some beautiful embroidery, some of which was purchased.
However, I've no objection to fall in with it, and I quite agree about carrying the Bible home with us, for, to say truth, I don't feel the climbing of the mountain as easy as I used to." Again the faint smile played on the midshipman's lips for a moment or two. "I'm sorry to hear you say that, sir," said Adams, with a look of concern.
Those who are acquainted with what a midshipman's life on shore often is, may easily conceive the description of scenes into which he introduced me. With the wariness of the serpent, however, he took care not too early to shock my moral sense, and therefore only gave me glimpses of the scenes to which I have alluded. We were at Naples for some months.
Captain Murchison took Jack to an outfitter's in Fenchurch Street, and ordered him a complete midshipman's outfit. Then Jack went back to the docks, and for the rest of the day watched the operations of the riggers. With many of the processes he was already familiar, but he observed several differences in the methods pursued on board a large ship.
To free himself of his comrade in order to get to the surface alone and safe was furthest from the young midshipman's mind. They were near enough to the surface to enable Darrin to see his comrade, though not with much clearness. Down under the water all forms looked indistinct. While Darrin struggled cautiously his mind worked fast. Suddenly Dave saw his chance! He made up his mind at once.
"I mean what I say, and I can back it up," muttered Darrin. "Then I'll make you eat your words!" roared Pennington. Clenching his fists and with the boxer's attitude, Pen aimed two swift blows at Darrin. Neither blow reached, however, for Dave dodged out of the way. Then Darrin struck back, a straight, true, forceful blow that landed on the other midshipman's nose, knocking him down.
"Just awful, isn't it?" demanded Midshipman Dalzell. "Awful?" muttered Darrin uneasily. "Why that doesn't begin to describe it. If any upper class man should see that paper " "He won't see this copy," proclaimed Dan, beginning to tear the offending issue of the "Blade" into small bits. In the parlance of Annapolis the newspaper from a midshipman's home town is known as the "Bazoo."
Instead of being laughed at by his messmates, he was played with; for Jolliffe smiled at his absurdities, and attempted to reason him out of them, and the others liked Jack for himself and his generosity, and moreover, because they looked up to him as a protector against Vigors, who had persecuted them all; for Jack had declared, that as might was right in a midshipman's berth, he would so far restore equality, that if he could not put down those who were the strongest, at all events he would protect the weak, and, let who would come into the berth, they must be his master before they should tyrannise over those weaker than he.
And of all men-of-war the general discipline of the American ships is the most arbitrary. In the English navy, the men liberally mess on tables, which, between meals, are triced up out of the way. The American sailors mess on deck, and pick up their broken biscuit, or midshipman's nuts, like fowls in a barn-yard.
"But Danny, do you mean to say that you attempted to pay your call without an appointment?" "What was the need of an appointment?" demanded Dan. "Miss Preston invited me to call at any time -just drop in. Now, she must know that Saturday evening is a midshipman's only chance at this time of the year." "Nevertheless, you were wrong at that point, in the game," Dave went on gravely.
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