“So you’re anxious to get out on the deep blue sea?” asked his brother.
“Yes. Aren’t you?”
“Well, I should say I am! But still it has been fine here.”
“I guess so!” exclaimed Ned, with emphasis. “Some different from the time we stood in front of the recruiting office, after we were robbed, wondering what in the world we were going to do.”
“That’s right! I wonder if we’ll ever see those two thieves again?”
“It’s hardly possible,” said Ned. But fate plays strange tricks.
Toward the close of the four months of training, the work became more difficult in a way, and yet it was not too hard. It was always interesting to Frank and Ned. They were very different lads from the rather easy-going ones to whom I introduced you in the storm on Great South Bay, when they watched the big gray battleship.
And at last the day came when our heroes were told that their training time was up, and that they, with others, were to be assigned to the Georgetown, which was then in the Brooklyn navy yard. There Frank and Ned were sent, reporting to the proper officer.
“There she is!” Frank exclaimed, as the gray shape of the very latest of the dreadnaughts loomed before them. “There she is, Ned!”
“Oh, what a beauty!” cried Ned, using the word beauty as one does toward a very homely bulldog.