"Ordinary Seaman Strong?" asked a sudden voice behind him.
Ned turned swiftly, and saw the captain's orderly facing him.
"Yes, I'm Strong," he said.
"Come with me," directed the orderly.
Ned had been long enough on a battleship now to obey without hesitation or question when an order was addressed to him.
The lounging jackies regarded him with some interest as he passed among them.
"The pal of the red-headed lad is going to get a wigging now."
"Two of them upon the carpet in two days. They won't last long in the service."
These are samples of the comments that were bandied about as the boy passed along behind the orderly, somewhat troubled, in fact, in his own mind as to what could be the reason of the sudden summons to the captain's cabin.