Though he had never been in the rigging before, Tommy was too proud to refuse to comply with this command.
Accordingly he shinned up the shrouds, but hadn't gone far before he lost his hold and fell in a lump to the deck.
He would have seriously injured himself had not the officer been standing directly under him.
Tommy fell upon the officer's broad back, bringing him with a thud to the deck.
He jumped up unhurt, but the officer was much bruised and shaken.
"Deuce take you for a fool!" he cried.
"Anything else I can do, sir?" asked Tommy.
The officer rose and picked up a belaying pin.
"If you don't make yourself scarce," he replied, "I'll pound you into a jelly."
Tommy disappeared below, but the men had seen the fall and heard Tommy's remark of "anything else I can do, sir?" which became quite a word in the forecastle during the remainder of the voyage.