"
MR. WILTON. "You shall be gratified, my boy. Put on your coat and
hat: we will go on board one of Her Majesty's ships before the
gentlemen have dined."
EMMA. "Papa is only joking, George; you may sit still. I can guess
what you are going to say, papa. 'Is not our voyage imaginary, and
should we not be consistent?' Am I right?"
MR. WILTON. "Very nearly, my dear. You are very sharp to-night: the
extra duty has quickened your discernment."
CHARLES. "I enjoy this imaginary travelling very much; but I must
confess, if everything connected with it is to be consistent, I
shall not be at all satisfied with my supper."
"No! no!" exclaimed the other children; "supper is to be real,
because we get really hungry."
"But, papa," added George, "can you tell me any of the ways of a
man-of-war?"
MR. WILTON. "Yes, my dear. I will fulfil my promise, and initiate
you in some of the mysteries which are enacted at dinner-time on
board of one of these wonderful vessels. As the hour of noon
approaches, the cooks of the messes may be seen coming up the fore
and main hatchways with their mess-kids in their hands, the hoops of
which are kept as bright as silver, and the woodwork as neat and as
clean as the pail of the most tidy dairymaid. The grog also is now
mixed in a large tub, under the half-deck, by the quarter-masters of
the watch below, assisted by other leading and responsible men
among the ship's company, closely superintended, of course, by the
mate of the hold, to see that no liquor is abstracted, and also by
the purser's steward, who regulates the exact quantity of spirits
and of water to be measured out.
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