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Page 21
"The line is formed, sir," replied the instructor, when he had carried
out the direction of the principal.
"Each watch is now divided into two parts--the first and second parts,
as they will be called. Now, young gentlemen, the clothing will be
distributed, and each student will put on his uniform at once."
The four lines were then marched down into the steerage, each under the
charge of an instructor, to a particular locality, where the head
steward and his assistants had deposited the clothing for each watch and
quarter watch. The uniform consisted of blue seaman's pants and a heavy
flannel shirt or frock, such as is worn in the United States navy. To
each student the following articles were served out:--
1 pea-jacket.
1 blue cloth jacket.
1 pair blue cloth pants.
1 pair blue satinet pants.
1 blue cap.
1 straw hat, of coarse, sewed straw.
1 Panama hat, bound.
2 knit woollen shirts.
2 pair knit woollen drawers.
2 white frocks.
2 pair white duck pants.
4 pair socks.
2 pair shoes.
2 black silk neck-handkerchiefs.
These articles were given to the boys, and they were required to put on
the every-day uniform; after which they were directed to arrange the
rest of the clothing in the lockers belonging to them. The contractor
who had furnished the goods was present with four tailors, to attend to
the fitting of the clothes, which were all numbered according to the
size. In a short time the students began to come out of their rooms,
clothed in their new rig. They looked intensely "salt," and there was no
end to the jokes and smart things that were said on this interesting
occasion. Even Shuffles hardly knew himself in his new dress.
The frock had a broad rolling collar, in each corner of which was worked
an anchor in white. The black silk neck-handkerchief was worn under the
collar, and not many of the boys had acquired the art of tying the
regular sailor's knot. Boatswain Peaks not only stood up as a model for
them, but he adjusted the "neck gear" for many of them. Bitts, the
carpenter, and Leech, the sailmaker, who were also old sailors,
cheerfully rendered a valet's assistance to such as needed help.
Agreeably to the directions of Mr. Lowington, the shore suits of the
students were done up in bundles, each marked with the owner's name, and
the head steward took them to Mr. Lowington's house for storage.
Rigged out in their "sea togs," the students began to feel salt, as well
as to look salt. Some of them tried to imitate the rolling gait of the
boatswain when they walked, and some of them began to exhibit an
alarming tendency to indulge in sea slang.
"There, my hearty, you look like a sailor now," said Peaks, when he had
rolled over the collar and tied the square knot in the handkerchief of
Wilton.
"Shiver my timbers, but I feel like one," laughed the embryo seaman.
"What's that, young gentleman?" demanded Mr. Lowington, who happened to
be within hearing; "what did you say?"
"I said I felt like a sailor, sir."
"What was the expression you used?"
"I only said shiver my timbers, sir."
"You stole that expression from a yellow-covered novel. Did you ever
hear Mr. Peaks, who has been a sailor all his lifetime, use such
language?"
"I'll be bound he never did," added Peaks.
"No, sir. I don't know that I ever did."
"Some sailors do use such expressions; but it is gross affectation for
these young gentlemen, who never saw a blue wave, to indulge in them. If
you please, Wilton, you will not use such language. It is simply
ridiculous. Mr. Peaks, you will pipe all hands to muster again."
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