A Tall Ship / On Other Naval Occasions

umstance. Time and its artificial divisions it does not acknowledge. It is concerned with preposterous details and with the lu

outfit, and all the things that were his-was precipitated through his cabin door across the aft-deck. The ship heeled violently, and the stunning sou

, shaken and bruised, and was aware that the aft-deck (that spacious vestibule giving admittance on either side to officer

ng the table for breakfast, one or two Warrant-officers in sea boots and monkey jackets-the Watch-below, in short-appeared and vanished from his field of vision like figures on a screen. In no sense of the word, however, did the rush resemble a panic. The aft-deck had seen greate

y of his shattered cabin. "I always said those safety-razors were rotten things," he observed ruefully. "I've just carved my initials on my face. And my

nd the wrecked debris of three cabins, the cruiser's side gaped open to a clear sky and a line of splashing waves. Overhead on deck the twelve-

our arms round my neck. . . . Steady!-hurt you? Heave! Up we go!" A Midshipman, ascending the hatchway, paus

s of the officers calling orders were silent. The only sounds were the lapping of the waves along the

atchway. "Clear lower deck! Every so

nt from the bottom of the ladder. "This way, my son! Fall in's the order!" For a moment the boy glanced back irresolute across the flat, now ankle deep in water. The electric light had been extinguish

was a good friend to that little lad. I suppose the boy's gone to

d it over the injured man's shoulders. "God forgive me for taking it," said the

s and woodwork from their fastenings-anything capable of floating and supporting a swimmer. The officers were encouraging the men with words and exam

as fast as he could snap the breech to and lay the gun. His face was distorted with rage, and his black brows met across his nose in a scowl th

Seven hundred men-bluejackets, stokers, and marines-hurriedly formed up and began to divest themselves of their clothes. They were drawn up regardless of

agingly. "You'll soon 'ave a cha

began to heel slowly over. The Captain, clinging to the bridge

mself!"-he lowered the megaphone and adde

th hour. A muscular Leading Seaman was the first to go-a nude, pink figure, wading reluctantly down the sloping side of the cruiser, for all the world like a child paddling

and cheers, cries for help, valiant, quickly stifled snatch

voice above the hubbub. "Not 'arf she wouldn't! Nah then, 'o

*

till he was clear of the clutching menace of the drowning. The Commander, clad simply in his wrist-watch and uniform cap, was standing on the balsa ra

f waters. Pitiful cries for help sounded on all sides. Two cutters and a few hastily constructed rafts were p

and shouts

found himself in close proximity to two figures clinging to an empty breaker. One he recognised as a Midshi

or b-b-b-breakfast in your m-m-mess?" h

ifteen had to show somehow

g his part and playing up to it manfully. "I'm

eeting. As he did so a sudden spasm of cramp twisted his face lik

minute later empty handed, and

re, I suppose," spluttered J

"That's on their slop ticket all right. . . . 'Kippers,' I

and moved slowly northward. To the south a cluster of smoke spirals appeared above the horiz

e across the grey waste of water. "Here come

*

es (sometime wing three-quarter for the United Services XV.), "but what defeats me is not being able to cross a London street without 'coming over all of a tremble'! An' when I try to light a cigarette"-he exten

Walk. Fresh air. Early hours. Come and see me again in a fortnight, and get this made up. That's all right"-he waved aside Jame

khaki ascending, whom the public (together with his wife and family) had

greeting to the specialist. He jerked his grey, close-cropped