We must be prepared to receive the old gentleman!" After dinner, Mr.Fairfield ordered those of the crew including myself who had never crossed the line, into the forecastle, to remove one of the water casks.

We had no sooner descended the ladder than the fore-scuttle was closed and fastened, and we were caught like rats in a trap.

Preparations of a noisy character were now made on deck for the reception of Old Neptune.
An hour a long and tedious one it appeared to those confined below elapsed before the old gentleman got within hail.

At length we heard a great trampling on the forecastle, and anon a gruff voice, which seemed to come from the end of the flying jib-boom, yelled out, "Brig, ahoy!" "Hallo!" replied the captain.
"Have you any strangers on board ?" "Ay, ay!" "Heave me a rope! I'll come alongside and shave them directly!" A cordial greeting was soon interchanged between captain Page and Old Neptune on deck, to which we prisoners listened with much interest.
The slide of the scuttle was removed, and orders given for one of the "strangers" to come on deck and be shaved.

Anxious to develop the mystery and be qualified to bear a part in the frolic, I pressed forward; but as soon as my head appeared above the rim of the scuttle I was seized, blindfolded, and led to the main deck, where I was urged, by a press of politeness I could not withstand, to be seated on a plank.
The process of shaving commenced, which, owing to the peculiar roughness of the razor and the repulsive qualities of the lather, was more painful and disagreeable than pleasant, but to which I submitted without a murmur.