Seeing them coming up, the midshipman laughed, and told Dick what was in store for him.
The boy had been as awkward as most beginners in climbing the shrouds, the looseness and give of the ratlines puzzling him; but he had, for years, practised climbing ropes in the gymnasium at Shadwell, and was confident in his power to do anything in that way.

The consequence was that, as soon as the sailors gained the top, where he and the midshipman were standing, Dick seized one of the halliards and, with a merry laugh, came down hand over hand.

A minute later, he stood on the deck.
"Well done, youngster," said the boatswain's mate, who happened to be standing by, as Dick's feet touched the deck.

"This may be the first time you have been on board a ship, but it is easy to see that it isn't the first, by a long way, that you have been on a rope.

Could you go up again ?" "Yes, I should think so," Dick said.