CHAPTER XII.
In which our hero prefers going down to going up; a choice, it is to be hoped, he will reverse upon a more important occasion.
The next day being Sunday, the hands were turned up to divisions, and the weather not being favourable, instead of the service the articles of war were read with all due respect shown to the same, the captain, officers, and crew, with their hats off in a mizzling rain.

Jack, who had been told by the captain that these articles of war were the rules and regulations of the service, by which the captain, officers, and men, were equally bound, listened to them as they were read by the clerk with the greatest attention.

He little thought that there were about five hundred orders from the Admiralty tacked on to them, which, like the numerous codicils of some wills, contained the most important matter, and to a certain degree make the will nugatory.
Jack listened very attentively, and, as each article was propounded, felt that he was not likely to commit himself in that point, and, although he was rather astonished to find such a positive injunction against swearing considered quite a dead letter in the ship, he thought that, altogether, he saw his way very clear.

But to make certain of it, as soon as the hands had been piped down he begged the clerk to let him have a copy of the articles.
Now the clerk had three, being the allowance of the ship, or at least all that he had in his possession, and made some demur at parting with one; but at last he proposed--"some rascal," as he said, having stolen his tooth-brush--that if Jack would give him one he would give him one of the copies of the articles of war.

Jack replied that the one he had in use was very much worn, and that unfortunately he had but one new one, which he could not spare.