"Now, what's that young whipper-snapper going to do?" whispered Herc.
"Hush!" rejoined Ned. "I expect we are going to get an order."
He was right.
Orders were given for the men to board the boats in a quiet, orderly manner.
"Keep close by me," cautioned old Tom, "and never mind the joshing you are going to get."
Ned had noticed for the past few minutes that the sailors assembled on the wharf had been eyeing them curiously, and that some of them had been whispering together.
"Why, what's the trouble?" asked Herc.
"I expect the boys will give you a bit of a hazing," replied old Tom. "But take it all in good part, and you'll soon be shipmates with all of them."
The old sailor's prophecy came true.
The midshipman who had been on duty at the float was relieved by another of his rank, and the first then took his place in the "steamer" which was to tow the boats full of jackies. As he sat in the stern sheets of the power craft, he could not see readily what was going on in the boats, and perhaps made it a point not to be too observant.