The next evening Jack cleared the table for his mother after supper and
got the dining room all snug and shipshape. His own room was very small
and at the top of the house; and, as his mother had offered to bring
in some refreshments for the boys later in the evening, Jack asked
permission to hold his meeting in the dining room.
His father had gone out to his Lodge, and Mrs. Perkins was very much
interested in Jack’s interview with the younger boys. Her father
had been a sea captain, and there was a picture of one of his ships
hanging over the mantelpiece in this very room. Some beautiful large
shells which he had brought home from one of his voyages stood over
the fireplace, under the picture of his vessel, the _Sally Smart_--an
old-fashioned clipper ship--famous in her time for her speed and style.
The whole room had a somewhat nautical flavor; and in one corner was a
low long lounge with a broad shelf partially overhanging it, which gave
the general appearance of a ship’s bunk.
When Jack had won the cup for the broad jump, representing the
Northbridge High School, Mrs. Perkins, in her motherly pride, had put
the pewter cup alongside of her father’s shells on the mantelpiece.
It was a warm, spring evening. The scent of the lilacs was wafted in
through the open door, and Jack could hear the boys’ footsteps as they
came through the dooryard up to the porch. He met them at the door and
led them into the dining room.
“You come right in here, kiddies, and make yourselves at home. You
might as well get into the bunk there in the corner, all of you, and be
as comfortable as you can before I begin with you, for I hope to get
you good and tired by the time I get through!”
The small chaps could not help feeling at ease under the influence
of Jack’s cordiality. He was really glad to see them, and they knew
it, and so they took him at his word, and all three--Dick, Tom, and
Chippie--snuggled into the bunk together, half sprawling and half
sitting, like a litter of young pups.
“Fire away now,” cried Dick, “we don’t care whether school keeps or
not; and, whatever you’ve got to say, I guess we can stand it!”
“Well,” replied Jack, “joking apart, I’m feeling pretty well this
evening myself, for I have just had news from Mr. Miller that I am
appointed Chief Boatswain’s Mate of the _Bright Wing_ for the first
cruise. Now, you lazy lubbers, take notice that the Chief Boatswain’s
Mate is the father of the crew, and you’ve got to mind what I tell
you, or you will have to stand on the seam, or walk the plank, or do
anything else that Dad says.”
All this was said so good-naturedly that even Chippie, the youngest,
was encouraged to answer back; so he called up with his small voice out
of the recesses of the bunk:
“Gee, boys, he talks as if he were the Captain and Mate and the Admiral
of the fleet all at once; but I guess he means well enough!”
“Good luck to you, Boatswain’s Mate,” called out Tom, “it’s a good
thing to get some of your ideas ahead of time, and then we’ll know what
to expect.”
“Say,” said Dick, “aren’t there any officers above you, or are you and
the crew the whole show?”
Jack sat listening to these flying remarks with quiet satisfaction. “No
matter what _I am_,--you’ll find that out soon enough; but I’ve been
thinking myself that there is nothing like ‘being prepared’ when you
have a good job ahead of you. I shall have to see that you lubbers are
licked into shape the first or second day on board, and I might as well
begin now, and so have more time for the others later on!--See?
“But, before we begin, I’d like to find out whether you know what
‘standing at attention’ means; for if you get that right from the
start, it will save you and your officers a lot of bother.”
The boys began getting up out of the bunk; and, before they had all
stood up, Jack gave the command “Attention!”
All three were on their feet in an instant, and then Jack formed them
in line and made his inspection.
Dick, in his eagerness, was stiff and leaning over backwards; Tom stood
fairly erect with chest up, but his fists were clenched; and Chippie
stood with one foot about six inches ahead of the other. None of them
looked straight ahead with quiet eyes.
Jack corrected all these mistakes very carefully, impressing upon each
one the necessity of practising by himself until he could stand with
heels together, chest up, back erect, little fingers on the side seam
of trousers, and eyes looking straight ahead, without thinking of the
details, but, as it were, automatically. Then he gave the command “At
Ease!” and explained that they could take any position they chose,
provided that one foot remained in the same place.
“Now tumble into your bunk again, for we’ve lots more to talk about.
When you get home, look up the subject of ‘Etiquette’ in the pamphlet,
‘The Organization of Sea Scouts’, and there you can find out when you
are supposed to stand at attention, and how to salute, with a few
other necessary things.” Jack then drew himself up with an air of
great authority: “Ladies and Gentlemen, I will now proceed with my
instructions to this pirate crew. The subject will be divided into
three parts: The first, Officers and Petty Officers; second, the Plan
of the Deck; third, Etiquette and ‘A Sailors’ Cheer.’
“Number one: I have been asked whether there are officers higher in
rank than myself. It might have occurred to the intelligent inquirer
that--the--Captain--is--in--charge--of--the--vessel. All orders come
from or through him; but, just as on board a man-of-war, the Secretary
of the Navy would be higher in rank than the Captain;--so, on board a
Boy Scout ship, the Chairman of the Sea Scouting Committee outranks
the Captain. Under the Captain are the Mate and Sea Scout Master of
equal rank, the First Mate being the Captain’s assistant in sailing
the vessel, and the Sea Scout Master being in command of the crew of
boys. For the rest of the organization I refer my audience to the
same interesting pamphlet, ‘The Organization of Sea Scouts.’ My own
responsible office, upon which I will permit no reflections, is that of
the first of the four Boatswain’s Mates, or the Chief Boatswain’s Mate,
as I think I have before remarked. I am in command of the first section
of the first (or forward) division in particular, and of all four
sections in general. I am the chief Boy Officer; but, while occupying
this exalted position, I recognize the authority of my superiors and
the authority of the scout law. I am immediately responsible to
the Sea Scout Master and his assistants, but may also receive orders
from the Boatswain, the Mate, the Captain, and the Chairman of the
Committee. If I were to get a ‘swelled head’ and refuse to obey orders
(which is impossible, I trust), it would be the duty of the First
Mate to deal with me in the traditional manner of first mates on all
self-respecting vessels.
[Illustration: Sketch of Deck Plan of the Boy Scout Ship “Bright Wing”
1. Quarter-deck (aft of dotted line, in direction of arrows).
2. Cabin Companionway.
3. Crew’s Day Bunk.
4. Side Ladders.
5. Berth-deck Companionway.
6. Forecastle Companionway.
7. Jib Netting.
8. Mainmast.
9. Foremast.
10. Windlass.
a, b, c, d, regular positions of the four sections at quarters.]
“Number two: I have drawn up a diagram of the ship’s deck, showing the
position of the quarter-deck (Number 1); the cabin companionway (Number
2); the crew’s day bunk (Number 3); the side ladders (Number 4); the
berth deck companionway (Number 5); the fo’castle companionway (Number
6); and the jib netting (Number 7); the latter being an airy place
suspended between sky and sea, where sleepy scouts off duty can take a
nap after dinner.
“Gentlemen will please copy this diagram, so that, if necessary, they
will be able to reproduce it in their sleep and find their way about
the deck in the dark. There are many other things to learn about the
ship, both inside and out, but this is just to give you a start. I
shall be glad to answer any questions at the proper time.”
A confused mixture of voices came out of the bunk. The boys had become
much interested in Jack’s lecture, and three pairs of eyes gazed out
upon him from the dim light, one pair peering from under a shock of red
hair belonging to Chippie Smith; one black pair that belonged to Dick;
and a blue pair that shone out of the freckled face of Tom’s cropped
towhead.
“Say, who’s the chairman?”
“What’s a companionway?”
“What are the side ladders for?” etc., etc., etc., _etc._, and right in
the middle of the uproar, Jack rose and gave the command “_Attention!_”
All sprang from the bunk and stood facing the door from the kitchen
which had just swung open. Mrs. Perkins stood in the doorway with a
tray in her hands, upon which were a pitcher of lemonade and some hot
gingerbread, fresh from the oven.
All the boys stood as quiet as mice until she had deposited the tray on
the table. When Jack had thanked his mother, he gave the command “At
Ease!” and she turned to the boys, almost with anxiety, to find out
whether Jack had made his talk pleasant and interesting.
She had a sailor’s blood in her veins, and she knew that a ship’s
company must be a happy one if it was to do anybody any good. So she
seconded Jack’s efforts with the true sailor’s cheer and the boys felt
nothing but pleasure and enjoyment in connection with their little
taste of drill in nautical knowledge. They all sat down to their
supper, but Jack reminded the boys that he had not reached the third
point of his lecture, namely that of Etiquette, and then asked his
mother’s permission to round up the evening’s instruction, which he did
quite simply and without any more mock heroics.
“Now the next thing I want to tell is about the quarter-deck. You
see, boys,” he said, “in ancient times every ship carried a crucifix
high up aft, and the National Ensign was flown just below it. These
two symbols represented together the idea of God and the King, and
therefore were saluted whenever a man passed over the side, either on
arriving aboard or leaving the ship, and whenever a man came up from
below on to the deck. We preserve the same custom now both in our Navy
and on Boy Scout ships; because, although the crucifix and the King
have disappeared, the ideas of God and our country always remain, and
the custom of saluting the quarter-deck--whether the flag is flying at
the time or not--is an expression of the first words of the scout oath:
‘_On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country._’”
It was interesting to note the change in Jack’s manner as he solemnly
repeated these words. Any one could have seen that he regarded them as
very important and as expressing an idea to be held in reverence. The
younger boys listened attentively and, after a little pause, during
which his words seemed to be sinking into their minds, they thanked
Jack for giving them such a good send-off, and then thanked his mother
with real gratitude for her friendliness and the good little supper
which they had so much enjoyed.
All hands parted in high spirits, full of expectation of the time when
they should actually tread the deck of the _Bright Wing_.
As they were going home, Tom suddenly said: “Gee, I guess I’ll get up
an hour earlier to-morrow morning and work on that diagram!”
“Say,” said Chippie, “he didn’t tell us the positions of the four
sections on the deck; I’d like to mark them on my drawing. I’ve half a
mind to go back and ask him now!”
“Oh! come along,” said Dick, “it’s too late; my Dad says you mustn’t
drive a willing horse too far.”
“All right, Dick!”
And so they separated, each one to his own home and bed, to dream of
bunks, and quarter-decks, and companionways, all mixed up together.