Here is a delightful story from a correspondent in France:

“A party of British bluejackets were being entertained by their future allies ashore. A middy came off with the leave boat at 10 o’clock. He noticed some of the men were half seas over and all were jolly.

“One of the bluejackets he saw had a bottle concealed beneath his jumper. He directed a petty officer to take it from him and throw it overboard. This was done—and the owner of it promptly jumped in after it. The next moment half the boat’s company had dived overboard; the other half were restrained by the officers. Fortunately every man was saved. Next morning there was a parade on the quarter deck. The captain complimented the men on their exploit of the night before, thanked God they were safe and expressed pleasure that he had such a body of men under him. The men received his praise stolidly. Then one spoke out:

“‘Sorry we were unsuccessful, sir,’ he said, saluting.

“‘But—but!’ said the captain, ‘I understood Seaman Robert Hodge was saved.’

“‘Yes, sir, but we dived after the whiskey, sir. We knew Bob could look after himself.’”