CHAPTER XVI THE COMMANDANT’S INSPECTION

The next morning Billy Brown went through “washing clothes” and “scrubbing decks”, “colors”, “bright work”, “quarters”, and “mast” with his eyes and ears wide open; and, all the time, he was looking out for an opportunity to practice the exercise which his “B. M.” had given him as medicine for his “softness.” During morning instruction he had “knots and splices” for one period, “boxing the compass” for another, and “ship’s tackle” with the mate for the third. He came out very well with the first two, but was of course quite ignorant when it came to ship’s tackle. As was always the case, however, the more ignorant he was, the more anxious he seemed to learn, and quite a shower of questions fell about the ears of the mate before the instruction period was over.

While drill was going on among the boys, the Captain and the Chairman were making a regular inspection below to prepare for the visit of the Commandant of the Portsmouth Navy Yard, who was expected on board at 11:30 to inspect the ship and crew.

Several boys’ lockers were found in disorder and reported to their respective “B. M.’s.” But the Chairman was delighted with the excellent condition of the galley and the forecastle.

“Ketchy”, the cook’s assistant, also served as cabin boy on board, and he was particularly careful that morning to see that the officers’ quarters were as well up to the mark, at least, as any other part of the vessel.

At half-past ten Mr. Miller left in the launch to call for the Commandant at the Navy Yard; and Dick Gray, who was one of the regular watch, was detailed to keep a sharp lookout for the return of the launch and report it at once to Mr. Wentworth, who was Officer of the Day.

All the boys were in their “whites” in honor of the impending visit; and they were just about finishing the third instruction period when Dick noticed the launch, flying the “Jack” in her bow, turn the corner of the fort at the entrance of Little Harbor. He immediately reported to Mr. Wentworth, and the “B. M.” on watch blew his call and sounded “Retreat from drill.”

“Side boys--stand by!” was the next command, and two “B. M.’s” with their respective quartermasters took their positions at the starboard side-ladder. Meantime the rest of the crew was ordered to its regular stations as at “quarters”, and only the watch were left to lend a hand as the launch drew up to the side.

The Commandant was rather a stout officer with a pleasant look. A good-humored smile lit up his face as he stepped on deck between the side boys standing at salute and noticed the trill of the boatswain’s call. His hand was first raised to acknowledge the salute, and he then shook hands with the Captain and the Chairman who were waiting to receive him.

They introduced Mr. Jackson as their guest, and all three walked aft to the quarter-deck and sat down under the awning.

The boys were then ordered to “stand at ease” until after the inspection of the ship, and their visitor inspected her carefully from stem to stern, looking into every corner, and asking to have the lid removed from everything that was covered up.

While they were in the galley he examined carefully the back of the range to see whether there was any danger from fire; and then, pointing to a ring in the deck beneath their feet, “What’s that?” asked he.

“A coal bunker,” answered the Captain; and, lifting the corner, which was a little stiff, he showed the place between the deck and the timbers below where the range coal was kept.

The Commandant then asked questions about the storage of gasoline for the launch and where the kerosene for the lamps was kept. It was explained to him that the only supply of gasoline was kept in the bow of the launch itself, and that the kerosene was lashed inside of a crate out on deck. He examined the boatswain’s lockers with a good deal of interest and expressed himself as satisfied with the result.

When they came back to the deck, the boys were drawn up at “Attention” and he walked up and down the lines deliberately and carefully, taking in all there was to be seen.

Then, turning to one of the officers, he said: “How long does it take you to get one of the boats into the water fully manned?”

“Would you like to see them try it, sir?” asked the Chairman.

As the Commandant assented, the Captain spoke to Jack Perkins.

As usual, when lying at anchor, all the boats were in the water, swinging from the boat booms, whereas the Commandant’s question evidently referred to lowering a boat from its davits into the water; so that the long boat--which was the cutter belonging to Jack Perkins’s section--first had to be hauled up on the davits and made secure in the position it occupied when the ship was at sea. Then Mr. Wentworth took out his watch while Jack Perkins gave the command:

“First division, first section, attention! Stand by to lower the long boat!”

The boys jumped to their places at the davits, while Chippie Smith, the coxswain, climbed into the boat at once and began shipping the rudder. Tom had hold of the painter as the boat dipped into the water with Chippie in the stern. Five of the section then climbed over the side, and finally Tom--the last one--took his seat in the bow with the painter in his hand. He quickly seized the boat hook; and, in answer to Chippie’s “shove off”, the boat swung away from the ship and the oars dropped into their rowlocks.

“That was pretty good,” said the Commandant; “how long did it take, Mr. Scout Master?”

“Just one minute and twelve seconds,” replied Mr. Wentworth.

“Well,” continued the Commandant, “lowering a boat properly is no joke,--your boys have the right idea, Captain; but I should say they needed a little practice. It’s a nice little bit of team work, and I suppose you have a competition between your three boats’ crews occasionally. Now, Mr. Chairman,” he went on, “may I have the pleasure of saying a word to the boys before I leave?”

The crew was then ordered into its accustomed position at “mast”, facing aft, while the Commandant stood on the quarter-deck with the other officers beside him.

“I am glad to have seen you and your ship, boys, and to have had the pleasure of talking to your officers.

“I have examined the ship as thoroughly as I could, in the short time at my disposal, and I find her A-1 for cleanliness and order. There is nothing so clean as a clean sailor in a clean vessel, and there is nothing so filthy as a dirty one.

“I don’t know whether all of you boys appreciate your surroundings on board this vessel, both as regards the ship and your officers; but, if you knew as much as I do about the life of seamen, I am sure you would be grateful for the opportunities you are enjoying, and I have no doubt you are.

“But don’t make the mistake of accepting all this without feeling the necessity for making a just return; and this you can do best by attending to your work as thoroughly as possible, and preparing yourselves to serve your country.

“I don’t mean only in a military way, for that is but one of many kinds of service needed; but, if you follow the lines given in your scout law, you cannot fail to be useful wherever you are.”

After a few more words with the Chairman, the Commandant, accompanied by Mr. Miller, entered the launch and waved a good-by to the _Bright Wing_ and its crew.

All stood at attention until the launch had shoved off. They were then dismissed and went below for dinner.