A DROP OF LEAF.
WHAT is it that No. 1 is whispering into the Pilot's car, and why does No. l's servant, shortly after, break into the Marines' Mess and cause the Mem of the inhabitants thereof to shine ? There's no mystery about it; it's the beginning of a Buzz, and it's just getting a really healthy start on it. A Buzz is a valuable thing to a ship. It's about equal to the last edition of an evening paper with a startling bit of news in the stop- press. It may, and probably will, be contradicted In the morning, but it provides splendid amusement while it lasts. It may be about anything or nothing.
The Major of Marines scowls as he eats his egg and reads his letter at breakfast, owing to the barrage that the egg is putting up, but the Buzz spreads that the Major is in a bad way finan- cially and is being dunned by his creditors. Like a rumour in an Eastern bazaar, it travels with the speed of the telegraph. Anyhow, life would be a dull concern these days without a healthy Buzz. The one that No. 1 is promulgating this morning is the moat popular, the most often-proved-wrong, the most inspiriting of all the genus.
" I tell you it's a dead snip, Pilot, a moral cert. January ! I've written to Gieve for a new monkey jacket. I wonder if that show with Elsie Janis in it will still be on." " Steady, old dear. This is the fifth time in the last three months, to my knowledge, that you've ordered something new for your ward. robe and inquired what's on at the Palace, and all on the strength of some rotten Buzz. Anyhow, what are you going on this time ? " No. l's answer almost convinces the cynical Navigator. "The Boatswain and the Carpenter have been told to get out lists of what they want done in the refit." This is good enough, and off go the amiable friends, not to suggest a rumour to their messmates, but to announce a fact. " What a frowet there is in here. - Do open the scuttles, then you'll be able to bear the good tidings. A drop of leaf iu January." The Paymaster, in the most comfortable armchair per usual, opening one eye, re- marked, with that innate courtesy which distinguishes meas- mates of three years' standing : " You're a liar, No. 1, and the Father of Lies. That Buzz hes got whiskers on it." Thus the Ward-Room and the Lower Deck with but little difference. No. l's servant, on bringing the news to No. 6 Mess, is greeted with the remark, " You're a ruddy liar, Alf." Only one weld different. Still, it must be confessed in common fairness to No. 1 that he was nearer the mark than usual, as we were ordered to our refit within three months of his stated time.
The scene at the station of the God-forsaken spot where we entrain for our leave is a cheery one. A long special is drawn up ready, and this is to be our home for the neat twenty hours or so until the dear West Country is reached. The matelot proceeding on leave does not leave himself unprovided for. Bulky packages of food are placed on the racks, tobacco-pouches resembling suit-owes are got ready for use, and musical in- struments intended for lighter momenta are displayed, and
Wore leaving the station thoroughly tested. Nebuchadnezzar's private orchestra would have looked silly beside our little lot. I counted two comets, three concertinas, a banjo, two gramo- phones (would any one but a Bluejacket take a gramophone a few hundred miles on fourteen days' leave !), a piccolo, two violin~, and"other music," mostly mouth-organs. Noticing that my carriage was in close proximity to the centre of the musical world, 1 anticipated some harmony somewhere south of Perth, and in this I was not disappointed.
At the principal stations on our journey south we indulge in ).lac fat badinage with the local inhabitants. Jumper Collins is sue leading hand at this and has a reputation to keep up. At Perth he entered into an intimate and friendly discussion of railway strikes with a uniformed official, who received his efforts but ill. I only caught the last few words of Jumper's address. " You go 'once and tell your old 'ooman to have you insured, for with is face like that you might go off at any minute." To my mind it seemed a little personal, but the train rocked with laughter, so I suppose it was all right. At Carlisle, pleasantries were exchanged between Juniper and a fair maiden in charge of a refreshment truck. We had been North some time, and had rot yet got accustomed to the fair and just prices charged for things. Jumper, alluding to the lady ns " Sybil dear," asked her for a banana, and on being told that fivepence was a fair price, remarked, in what the Blue thinks is a Piccadilly swell's voice: " No, dearest, you misunderstand me. I wish to buy one banana, not a plantation."
From what I could gather on that trip, my shipmates never slept. The night was made hideous by " Little Grey Reines in the \Vest " on cornets, imitation of church bells on the con- certinas, and, gowning indignity, the Intermezzo from Cacalltria Rnslicana by some sportsman on a banjo. At Bristol we began to lose sonic of our number, and I began to think we should lose snore, as it seemed necessary for the whole train- load to get out and personally conduct the twelve Bristol men to the exit. The Sleet big exodus was at Exeter, where we left a goodly windier to brighten homes at Ottery St. Mary, Budleigh, Exmouth, and other small places that helped to man our Fleet. At last, weary but happy, we strained into North Road Station, end as we rolled in a roar went up which shook the whole roof. The platform was almost as parked ns the train. Women and children swarmed like locusts. Every one seemed to know every one else. I myself saw one P.O., whom I had always thought of as rather a shy man, kiss six different women, and I Lefievc only one belonged to bins. Off they all went., cheery, laughing groups, and it made my heart all warm. I had lived with those men for three years, Id seen them in fair and foul weather, I knew most of their troubles, and, above all, I loved them. Cod.speed, fillip-slates mine, on your crowded days of
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