THE CALL TO ARMS 



I've had two ships sunk under me, an' last week I 

 was on a vessel that was brought in in a sinkin' con- 

 dition. It's only just now, after sixteen months, 

 that they've found me out." He gave a joyful 

 laugh. " They did it this way. I had got on finely 

 till one day we were exercisin' and were ordered to 

 double along the deck. 



" I said to the officer, ' I can't, sir.' 



" His answer was, ' Fall in and double!' 



" I said again that I couldn't ; then I was reported 

 for insubordination and was taken before the cap- 

 tain. 



" The captain said he was sorry to hear that I 

 had refused to obey orders. 



" ' No, sir,' I said, ' I never refused. I said I 

 couldn't double, an' I can't.' 



" ' Why can't you?' asked the captain. 



" Then I raised my leg and gave a kick, and my 

 foot came off ! ' That's why I can't do it, sir,' I 

 told him ; and he saw it at once. I had had to have 

 that foot taken off when I was eighteen ; but I'd man- 

 aged very well without it till it came to doublin'. 



" Next mornin' I had to show my stump to the 

 ship's surgeon. When I'd done that he said, ' Walk 

 along the deck.' I did so, and he was fair puzzled. 

 ' Which is the stump?' he said. ' Is it the left?' 



" ' No, sir, it's the right,' I told him, an' pulled 

 off my boot to prove it. An' really you yourself 

 could hardly tell which is which, could you?" he 

 asked, walking about. 



Then the fisherman added, with a joyous laugh 



45 



