_Captain_: "His Britannic Majesty's Battle-Cruiser _Renown_."
_Captain_ (to Officer of Watch): "Stop both." (To Neptune, shouting). "My engines are stopped. I am sending an officer to conduct Your Majesty to my Bridge."
Rockets went up, and in a falling shower of sparks a procession of strange figures climbed into the ship from over the side. Neptune, Amphitrite, judge, barber, and doctor, with attendant imps, bears, and policemen were there in the most realistic of scales, fins, mermaids' hair and ursine fur. They carried brobdingnagian batons, razors, shaving brushes and trident. Their appearance was terrific.
The party was escorted with much formality to the Bridge, where Neptune and Amphitrite were presented to the Prince and drinks were stood to Their Majesties and the Court party, neither were there any heel-taps. _Pourparlers_ were exchanged in ceremonial verse, Captain Taylor making the following frank explanation:
"Our business is to take a Royal Prince To see a portion of our Empire's land. The Prince of Wales, he is our passenger Who hopes to meet your Bears and clasp your hand."
It seemed impossible for the spirits of the deep to communicate in anything less metrical than this, and Neptune acknowledged his reception and announced his intention to hold an Investiture as well as a few other things, the following day, in the same fashion.
Next morning the circumstance was even more elaborate. Proceedings began upon the quarter-deck, where the "Companionship of the Royal Order of the Equatorial Bath" was solemnly conferred upon the Prince, and a "Knight Commandership of the Ancient Order of the Old Sea Dog" upon Admiral Halsey. H.R.H. responded in lyrical strains which concluded:--
"I know I'm for it, King; so, boys, Don't let me keep the party waiting"--
a touch of _panache_ that was duly applauded. The Court-Martial of two selected prisoners came next to a roar from Neptune:
"And if they drown I do not care a fig. Arrest Mountbatten and the Man called Grigg!"
For the moment these unhappy persons were roped and bound, while the Investiture went forward. Captain Dudley North was made a Knight Commander of the Aged Cod in these terms:
"Dudley dear, I'm pleased to meet you Once again. Now let me treat you To the old established Order of the Very Ancient Cod. Its privilege is this, That you may daily kiss The most beauteous of my mermaids if you catch her on the nod."