“Salute,” ordered the master-at-arms, as the captain and Mr. Graham approached.
“You have quite a mast this morning, Graham,” remarked the captain.
“Yes, sir; the ordinary sailorman can’t stand a privilege without abusing it.”
“I don’t agree to that at all,” replied the captain, rather sharply; “three-fourths of our ship’s company are on the first class conduct grade and many of them are special first class, have not been reported for anything for six months and more; and we have a chief water tender, Hester, who is serving his sixth enlistment and has a record any officer might be proud of; he has never had a report against him in all of this time and has a perfect record in efficiency.”
“Yes, sir; Hester is the best enlisted man I have ever known. He can get anything from me that an executive officer can grant. The first case this morning, sir, is Harper, ordinary seaman, twenty-four hours over liberty.”
“What have you to say, Harper?” asked the captain.
Harper, a tousle-headed, mottle-faced, shambling young man stepped to the front, hat in hand and said:
“Well, captain, it was this way; I’ll tell you all about it, sir. I was comin’ back from liberty, on time, sir, and I stopped in the saloon for a few drinks before my boat shoved off. They must have put some dope in my liquor, sir, for I went to sleep, and——”
“Fourth class,” interrupted Captain Waddell. “Next.”
“Smith, P. B. Two hours late from liberty.”