"I ain't goin' to have none of that coal tar and grease in mine," said a frightened signal boy. A windsail was made to supply air to the officers' quarters, and the messenger boy of the executive officer came to him and asked him if it was true that the members of the crew were to be shot down that canvas tube.
So the proclamations grew in number and with them increased the power of the yarns. The royal electrician was ordered to test the batteries and the royal boatswain was told to prepare his towlines and co-operate with the royal diver to see that the towing was done properly, and finally came the last message from Neptune on the day before the line was reached. It approved all that had been done. Old Nep. howled with joy because the bears were hungry, the knives and razors were sharpened, the lather had been mixed just right, the electric batteries were sizzling, the drop into the tanks had been put up to thirty-eight feet, and he wound up with this sentiment:
"God help the poor rookies!"
Courtesy of Collier's Weekly
Neptune Ahoy!
Whereupon Fore Top issued this final order:
GENERAL ORDER NO. 23.
All loyal subjects will at once make their final reports to me in detail. Report to me the names of the pollywogs, landlubbers and sea lawyers whose names have been entered on the books for severe punishment.