“First division, first section, attention! Stand by to lower the long boat!”
The boys jumped to their places at the davits, while Chippie Smith, the coxswain, climbed into the boat at once and began shipping the rudder. Tom had hold of the painter as the boat dipped into the water with Chippie in the stern. Five of the section then climbed over the side, and finally Tom—the last one—took his seat in the bow with the painter in his hand. He quickly seized the boat hook; and, in answer to Chippie’s “shove off”, the boat swung away from the ship and the oars dropped into their rowlocks.
“That was pretty good,” said the Commandant; “how long did it take, Mr. Scout Master?”
“Just one minute and twelve seconds,” replied Mr. Wentworth.
“Well,” continued the Commandant, “lowering a boat properly is no joke,—your boys have the right idea, Captain; but I should say they needed a little practice. It’s a nice little bit of team work, and I suppose you have a competition between your three boats’ crews occasionally. Now, Mr. Chairman,” he went on, “may I have the pleasure of saying a word to the boys before I leave?”
The crew was then ordered into its accustomed position at “mast”, facing aft, while the Commandant stood on the quarter-deck with the other officers beside him.
“I am glad to have seen you and your ship, boys, and to have had the pleasure of talking to your officers.
“I have examined the ship as thoroughly as I could, in the short time at my disposal, and I find her A-1 for cleanliness and order. There is nothing so clean as a clean sailor in a clean vessel, and there is nothing so filthy as a dirty one.
“I don’t know whether all of you boys appreciate your surroundings on board this vessel, both as regards the ship and your officers; but, if you knew as much as I do about the life of seamen, I am sure you would be grateful for the opportunities you are enjoying, and I have no doubt you are.
“But don’t make the mistake of accepting all this without feeling the necessity for making a just return; and this you can do best by attending to your work as thoroughly as possible, and preparing yourselves to serve your country.