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.  The seamen, whose next turn it is to take the wheel, or heave the lead, or who have to mount the mast-head to look out, as well as the marines who are to be planted as sentries at noon, are allowed to take both their dinner and their grog beforehand.  These persons are called ‘seven-bell-men,’ from the hour at which they have their allowance served to them.

“Long before twelve o’clock all these and various other minor preparations have been so completely made, that there is generally a remarkable stillness over the whole ship just before the important moment of noon arrives.  The boatswain stands near the break of the forecastle, with his bright silver call or whistle in his hand, which ever and anon he places just at the tip of his lips to blow out any crumbs which threaten to interfere with its melody, or to give a faint’ too-weet, too-weet,’ as a preparatory note to fix the attention of the boatswain’s mates, who being, like their chief, provided with calls, station themselves at intervals along the main-deck, ready to give due accompaniment to their leader’s tune.

“The boatswain keeps his eye on the group of observers, and well knows when the ‘sun is up’ by the stir which takes place amongst the astronomers; or by noticing the master working out his latitude with a pencil on the ebony bar of his quadrant or on the edge of the hammock railing,—­though, if he be one of your modern, neat-handed navigators, he carries his look-book for this purpose.  In one way or other the latitude is computed as soon as the master is satisfied the sun has reached his highest altitude in the heavens.  He then walks