"'He is very cross sometimes,' said we, 'but don't be at all afraid of him--he doesn't mean any thing. Talk to him as though he was your father.'
"'By gum, I kin do that,' said the Yankee, and off he walked, while we took up a position where we could hear and see all that passed.
"The commodore was seated at his desk, writing, and the countryman at once walked up to him, slapped him familiarly on the shoulder, and shouted:
"'Hullo, ole hoss! how de do? Shake hands with a feller, won't ye?'
"The commodore looked up in surprise, and ejaculated:
"'Eh! What do you want here? Get out of this. Away you go.'
"'O no, ole hoss, not by a long shot,' replied the Yankee, coolly seating himself in the nearest chair. 'Them ar young fellers down stairs told me to come up here and git some dinner; and, by gravy, I ain't goin' till I git it; so fetch it on.'
"Of course, it was as plain as daylight to the commodore that we were at the bottom of the whole affair, for the countryman never would have had the audacity to act in such a manner, unless some one had put him up to it, and he determined to punish us in a manner that we had not thought of.
"'Look here, my man,' said he, 'do you see that soldier out there?' pointing to a marine that was pacing back and forth before the gangway. 'Well, he has got a loaded musket, and unless you get off this ship instantly, he will shoot you. Now, away you go, you land-lubber, and don't stop to talk to any body.'
"We saw our victim moving off, and were convulsed with laughter at what we considered to be the best joke we had ever perpetrated. We supposed, of course, that he would return with our clothes, but you can imagine our astonishment when we saw him walk down the gang-plank and out on to the wharf. We held a hurried consultation, and then I started for the cabin, and, making my best bow, asked permission to step ashore for a moment.
"'No, sir,' replied the commodore; 'no shore liberty is to be granted to-day.'
"In short, we all lost our clothing--every thing that we had loaned the countryman--and a more crest-fallen set of midshipmen one never saw. We endeavored to keep the affair a secret, but the commodore told it to the first lieutenant, and from him it soon spread, until the entire ship's company were acquainted with the particulars. We were very careful after that, and never undertook to play any more jokes on the commodore. There are many things objectionable in this custom--for I can call it nothing else--which is so general among young officers, of playing off tricks upon each other; and your jokes are getting a little too practical. If you must indulge in them, I wish you would endeavor to keep them out of the cabin, for I don't like to be bothered. That will do, sir."