At odd times during that day and the next the two rigged a weighted platform into which could be fixed upright lengths of the two-inch pipe they had found.

Rigged to suit them at last, the two boys took their appliance to pieces again and hid the parts away until a to-be-determined time.  They were planning to have a joke upon the whole ship’s company; but they were forced to wait for the appropriate moment in which to spring the surprise.

The third morning out revealed a clearing sky and subsiding waves; and the regular ship’s routine at sea was taken up.

“Officers’ call” was sounded five minutes before the “assembly” bugle call at 9:15.  At the later call men of the various divisions fall in smartly at double time for muster in the respective parts of the ship.  The men are inspected at this time regarding the condition of their clothing, length of hair, personal cleanliness, and whether or not they are carefully shaved.

This last requirement troubled the four friends from Seacove but little, save that Whistler and Torry occasionally wore a little fuzz on their cheeks, which Frenchy declared they lathered surreptitiously with cream, then let the ship’s cat lick it off.

“If they had a real ship’s cat on this iron pot,” retorted Torry, “I know who would most frequently have the attention of that.  You need the cat-o’-nine-tails right now, Frenchy.”

“Gee! ain’t he bloodthirsty and savage?” whispered Michael, who dearly loved to tease.

The petty officers who personally inspected the men at this morning review reported to the division officer, who in turn reported to the executive officer of the ship, who is always the navigating officer.

After the reports the physical drill, or setting-up exercises, is the order.  These calisthenics are similar to that drill in the army.

It was on this third day that the boys were assigned to the watches and to their divisions for the cruise.  The ship’s company is divided into port and starboard watches, each watch being organized into divisions.  Each turret is manned by a division, numbered in rotation, beginning with Number One from forward aft.  To the delight of Philip Morgan and Al Torrance they were both assigned to Number Two division, and would be members of the crew of a big gun in the second turret.

The broadside batteries were partly manned by marines, of whom there were a large number aboard the Kennebunk.  These “soldiers of the sea” had always interested Whistler and his friends.

For convenience in making out station bills and the like, each man of a division has a number assigned him by which he is known.  Whistler and Torry were given respectively Numbers 2111 and 2112.  These numbers showed that they were Numbers 11 and 12 of the first section of the second division—­the first figure for division, the second for section, and the remainder the personal number of the man in his section.