"You never heard me do so, did you?"
"Well, no," admitted Sam; "but you're not the whole Navy."
"I'm a very little part of it, but I have my ideas as to what is right and wrong."
The captain was standing on deck watching the work that was going on. The boatswain's mate was seen to come aft on the superstructure.
"Harper," called the captain.
"Aye, aye, sir."
"This will be a good opportunity to get out the racing gig."
"Now, sir?"
"No; not now. This afternoon, after four o'clock. The tide will not be strong then and the weather is fine. Some of these lads are anxious to get their try-out, too," with a glance at Dan Davis and Sam Hickey, which brought a flush to the face of each of the Battleship Boys.
There was a stir among the crew as the captain made the announcement. All their hopes were centered in the trim racing gig. To their way of thinking there was not another boat in the fleet in the same class with the "Long Island's" racing gig. Half a dozen men were instantly told off to rub the boat down under the watchful eyes of Joe Harper. All the rest of the afternoon they busied themselves about the gig, until, at last, the command was given, "Get ready for practice spin."