"You hope so!"
"Yes; and if he does, we will show those cabin nobs that 'fair play is a jewel,'" answered Scott, significantly.
The conversation continued until the students were piped into the boats.
The next morning exercises in seamanship were in order throughout the squadron, for the principal was aware that this element of the course had received but little attention during the month. Every officer and seaman in each vessel was required to perform his duty in getting under way, in making and furling sail, and coming to anchor. Evolutions in reefing, tacking, wearing, scudding, laying to, bending sails, and sending down topmasts, were performed, and each student marked according to his merit. In addition to this, each student was separately examined in problems in seamanship; and his knowledge of the standing and running rigging of a ship, bark, brig, hermaphrodite brig, schooner, and sloop, was tested. This examination was very carefully conducted, and the same questions were put to every boy. The crew were all sent below at the beginning, and four were called up at a time, so that no one could know in advance what the questions were to be. Only the simpler problems were required to be answered at this trial.
The principal, the boatswain, carpenter, and sail-maker, all of whom were thorough practical seamen, were the examiners.
Mr. Lowington and Peaks, the boatswain, were on each side of the mainmast, the carpenter at the foremast, and the sail-maker at the mizzenmast, though each was obliged to take his pupil to the different parts of the ship in the course of the examination. The questions were such as these:—
"Point out the main-topmast stay, the main-topmast back-stay, the weather main clew-garnet, the fore-sheet and fore-tack, with the wind on the port beam.
"What is a pendant, a lift, a horse, a gasket, a jewel-block?
"How would you take in a topsail, wind fresh?