All arrived at length, formed an unsteady line on the forecastle deck,
and answered to our names as they were called by the boatswain's mate.
So began another day's work on one of Uncle Sam's ships.

It was Sunday, and after a while the fog lifted and the sun came out
strong and clear. All the men who were off duty came on deck to bask in
the sun, and to get dried and thawed out.

"Steve" poked his uncombed, sleepy head through the "booby" hatch cover.
"Well, this is something like! If the 'old man' will let us take it easy
after inspection, I won't think life in the navy is so bad after all."

"Well, inspection and general muster and the reading of the ship's bible
will take up most of the morning," said gunner's mate "Patt," as he
emerged from the hatch after "Steve," wiping his grimy hands on a wad of
waste, for he had been giving the guns a rub. "And if we don't have to
go chasing an imaginary Spaniard or lug coal from the after hold
forward, we'll be in luck," he continued.

"What about the 'ship's bible'? What is 'general muster'?" queried half
a dozen of us.

"Why," said "Patt," "the ship's bible is the book of rules and
regulations of the United States Navy. It is read once a month to the
officers and crew of every ship in the navy. The officers and crew will
be mustered aft--you'll see--the deck force and engineer force on the
port side, the petty officers on the starboard side forward, the
commissioned officers on the starboard side aft, and the marines
athwartships aft. This forms three sides to a square. See?"