The First-Lieutenant of a warship I was in, though a first-class
sailor, had no great liking for clerical work, consequently the ship's
store-books were perhaps not quite as they should have been.
[Illustration: "Well, _that_ clears up those blessed accounts anyhow."]
He therefore got an Able Seaman (who had been a London clerk in civil
life) to give him a hand in his "off watches" in putting the books in
order.
Shortly afterwards the ship stopped a torpedo and sank in eight
minutes. Before the First-Lieutenant had very much time to look round
he found himself in the "ditch."
As he was clambering out of the water on to the bottom of an upturned
boat, he saw his "Chief Accountant" climbing up the other side, and
the first thing he did was to reach out and shake hands with the A.B.
across the keel of the boat, at the same time remarking, "Well, _that_
clears up those blessed accounts anyhow."--_John Bowman (Able Seaman,
R.N.V.R.), 19 Handel Mansions, W.C.1._