So pleased was he with her address that the word went abroad to all the ships in the harbour:  “Don’t be afraid to let Miss Weston come on board and speak to your ship’s company.  I’ll stand security for her.”

She had some grand audiences on the ships, those she addressed sometimes numbering as many as 500.

One day when she went out to the Vanguard that vessel was getting up steam ready to go away, having received sudden orders to put out to sea.  But, when the captain heard Miss Weston was there to keep an appointment, he put out the accommodation ladder, took her on board, had the notice piped that she had come to give an address; and soon a crowd of sailors was swarming round her in the upper deck battery, standing, sitting, lying, kneeling—­all earnestly listening.

Then the pledge book was brought out and placed on one of the big guns, and about forty signed.

On H.M.S. Topaze the grog tub was used as a table for signing the pledge book, one sailor remarking (to the tub):  “Sixty odd nails in your coffin to-day, old fellow!  If they all hold firm I would not give much for your life.”

At the present day on board every ship in the service there is a branch of the Royal Navy Temperance Society, and thus our sailors are being encouraged to become sober as well as gallant men.

Having seen to Jack’s welfare afloat, the next thing was to look after him on shore; for though the song says:—­

  If love’s the best of all that can a man befall;
  Then Jack’s the king of all—­for they all love Jack;

yet as a matter of fact there are always sharks on the look-out to cheat and rob Jack whenever he has money in his pocket.

Miss Weston took counsel with some officers in the service, and engaged a room for meetings at Devonport.  The first Sunday one boy alone came, and next Sunday not a solitary lad made his appearance; so Miss Wintz, in whose house she was staying, offered a kitchen as more homely, and tea and cake as an attraction.  Soon the audience reached a dozen; then all the chairs were filled, and very soon the meetings became so large that the kitchen would not contain all who came; and then a bigger building was provided.

Of course money was needed to enable Miss Weston to develop her scheme to such an extent.  But she just asked in the right way; and before long, from one source and another, a sum of nearly L6000 was subscribed, which bought and fitted up a Sailors’ Institute and Rest.

Great was the rejoicing of Jack ashore to have a place where he could thoroughly enjoy himself without fear of being plundered or getting drunk.  In fact, so great was the enthusiasm that, the night before the house was to be opened, three sailors presented themselves, and said they had asked for special leave to be ashore that night, that they might be the first to sleep in the building.

It turned out that they were the right sort of jacks; for, when the attendant went round to see if all was safe for the night, he found the three seated together, one of them reading aloud the Bible.