Captain Breezy of H.M.S. Breezy sounded smart. From bowsprit, then, to binnacle the Breezy really was a smart ship.
Surgeon McTavish, M.D., of the great Northern University of Aberdeen, had been the very last officer to join the ship. He came soon after Kep had left on the day of his visit.
Everyone had been wondering what manner of man the surgeon would turn out to be, and small innocent bets were made on the subject.
Mr. Sneyd, the assistant-paymaster, who was small himself, and wore a little nut-cracker of a face that would have done for a door-knocker, betted he was a short chap and red-haired, and couldn't speak intelligible English.
The marine officer said he was blue-faced and bulbous-nosed.
The engineer lieutenant thought that he could not know much, coming from so heathenish a country as Scotland.
"I don't bet," said Bertram Wynn, the first lieutenant, "but let me tell you, gentlemen, that proportionately more clever and scientific men come from the Scottish Universities than from any three English ones put together."
Well, at all events it was evident that his would-be messmates did not expect a very great deal out of the doctor. He would be disappointing.
His traps came on board hours before he himself did.
Little Mr. Sneyd came down below with very big eyes in his head.