Afternoon Aloft, 1st July

"Reelly?" Cob Chase had been a boy like him? That didn't seem possible, somehow.

"Don't fink I'm ever gonna be as good's you," he said after a moment, trying to work out exactly what he'd done wrong, and pulling a figure-of-eight knot out of the twine so he could start over.

"Aye. I were ten, or near 'nuff, when I went for a Tar." Chase shrugged. "Bein' good takes time, an' a lad wantin' to be good. But it's worth it!"

Terry held up the finished knot doubtfully. "Don't look like yourn did," he said with a frown. "You was younger'n me an' volunteered? I fought... I fought alla boys comes from the M'rine S'syty like me an' Jacky Fisher."

It didn't, but Chase wasn't concerned. "That's 'cause you gotta put the end round the standin' part, after it comes up through the loop. Like this." He untied the knot to reach the step he meant, then tied it as he'd described, taking care to keep it slow so Button could watch.

"And aye, I were on'y a nipper when I asked to join Hazard. Best thing I ever done!"

"Oh." He tried it again. "Like this'n?" he said, and gave a shrug. "I's on'y 'ere 'cause I wuz telled I wuz goin' to sea. Fink they put me as a... a volunteer, but nobody axed me if I wanted to, see." He bit his lip. "I mean, I like it an' all, but ain't nobody axed if I wanted to join the Navy or... or anyfin', like."

That was indeed better. Chase nodded. "Better this than the Army," he remarked.

Terry considered that for a moment before nodding. "S'pose so - though bet they ain't got so much t'learn an' all. I dunno I'll ever be's good's you."

"Nope. Other'n marchin', but that's just walkin' to a drum, ain't it?" Chase shrugged. "Takes time learnin' alla this. S'why it's best startin' soon's you can."

Terry nodded and untied the knot so that he could do it again. "What the furvest you've bin from 'ome?" he asked, and had to undo what he'd done so far of the knot because he'd made himself lose his place.

"Gibraltar," was Chase's answer. "Whole other world, there."

Terry made sure to finish his knot before speaking again. "I fought you'd've bin round the Horn though." He shrugged. "I've only bin in Terpsy, me. You fink we'll go anywhere excitin', like?"

Chase shook his head. "Nah. Barrow has, though." He looked over the finished knot and added, "Fine work, that."

"Izzit?" Terry said, pleased, looking down at the bit of spun-yarn. "Betcha you must know 'undreds of knots."

"Dunno 'bout hundreds, but I know a fair few. Need to, really." Chase gestured at the twine. "Quick now, let's see a bowline on a bight."

"Ah, what?" Terry blinked. "Oh. Yeah. Um." He wasn't so quick as Chase, of course, but thought he had it right when he held it up. "'Ow'zat?"

Good lad. It was not a perfect knot but Button was learning. "Jus' make that's pulled tight, so it don't slip. Not bad for bein' new to it."

"Can't get it so tight's you can - an' then I can't undo 'em what's bin pulled tight any'ow," the boy retorted, but gave it a yank anyway. "Better?"

Chase produced a marlinspike with a grin. "Try usin' that."

Terry rolled his eyes and took it, working the point in to loosen the knot. "'Ow many ships you bin in?" he asked, laying the marlinspike aside to work the knot loose. "An' what was they like?"

"Four. I started small, like. Sloops. Hazard first, then Raven. When Raven was wrecked, me an' some of the lads got sent to Vigilant. She was a big girl, Vigilant. A seventy-four."

"I never bin in anyfin' that big," Terry said, as if it wasn't patently obvious. "Must've bin awful confusin' - didja get lost in her at all?" He held the twine up. "What now?"

"Reg'lar bowline," he told the lad. "It were, sure. I was on'y eighteen, or near to it. Just been rated able actually. A fair bit of adjustin' to a proper ship of the line after bein' in a sloop, I'll tell you. Lost happened once or twice!"

"That's easy," he replied, looking up at the sailor with a quick grin. "A seventy-four's gotta be real big, ain't it, though?" he said, and held up a bowline for inspection.

It was never bad to start off with easy tasks, thought Chase. "It is, sure. Sort like bein' in a ship for the first time if you ain't used to 'em. Runnin' bowline, now."

"Runnin'..." Terry said, suddenly drawing a blank as to how to start it, and had to think rapidly as he untied the bowline. Oh, right. "Um." He hoped he'd remembered the right one as he held it up. "'Oo was it teached you all the fings what you know?" he asked. "I mean, the sailorin' stuff."