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We 'heef' in an English Area for about a year, coming into barracks for one month to make up wastage. Then we may 'heef' foreign for another year or eighteen months. Then we do sea-time in the war boats " "What-t?" I said. "Sea-time," Bayley repeated. "Just like Marines, to learn about the big guns and how to embark and disembark quick.
Then that same Labour leader found out, from the same Act, that if at any time more than thirty or forty men of a Militia regiment wished to volunteer to do sea-time and study big guns in the Fleet they were in no wise to be discouraged, but were to be taken on as opportunity offered and paid a bob a day.
"I don't quite understand about this sea-time business," I said. "Is the Fleet open to take any regiment aboard?" "Rather. The I.G. must, the Line can, the Militia may, and the Volunteers do put in sea-time. The Coast Volunteers began it, and the fashion is spreading inland. Under certain circumstances, as Verschoyle told you, a Volunteer or Militia regiment can vote whether it 'heefs' wet or dry.
Moss was also spread on the deck, and above it the snow was allowed to gather, for snow, although so cold itself, keeps things that it covers warm, by not permitting the heat to escape. The brig was banked up all round with snow, and a regular snowy staircase was built from the ice to her bulwarks. They changed their time, now, from what is called sea-time to that which we follow on land.
Frank Harness, the "third mate," as he was euphemistically called a dashing young fellow of nineteen, and just completing his sea-time as midshipman before passing the Trinity House examination for his certificate in seamanship who had been aloft bearing a hand in making the mizzen-topsail snug, the leech of the sail having blown out through the violence of the gale, was just on his way down the rigging again to see where he could be of use elsewhere, when he noticed the boy's peril as quickly as the passenger; and, with one bound, he alighted on the deck.
"I'm very sorry," he said to the crowd, "but C Company's full." "Excuse me, Sir," said a man, "but wouldn't sea-time count in my favour? I've put in three months with the Fleet. Small quick-firers, Sir? Company guns? Any sort of light machinery?" "Come away," said a voice behind. "They've chucked the best farrier between Hull and Dewsbury. Think they'll take you an' your potty quick- firers?"
Then we come back to our territorial headquarters for six months, to educate the Line and Volunteer camps, to go to Hythe, to keep abreast of any new ideas, and then we fill up vacancies. We call those six months 'Schools, Then we begin all over again, thus: Home 'heef, foreign 'heef, sea-time, schools. 'Heefing' isn't precisely luxurious, but it's on 'heef' that we make our head-money."
The repasts on board the steamer were social occasions, and the party often sat quite an hour at the table, as at the present luncheon. But as soon as the company left their places, Louis and Miss Blanche followed the third officer to the promenade deck, to hear the desired explanation of sea-time.
D Company keeps 'em to horse-work mostly. We call D the circus-riders and B the cooks. They call us the Gunners." "An' you've rejected me," said the man who had done sea-time, pushing out before us. "The Army's goin' to the dogs." I stood in the corridor looking for Burgard. "Come up to my room and have a smoke," said Matthews, private of the Imperial Guard.
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