The old salt of a sea captain

“Suppose,” says the old salt of a sea captain, testing his new recruit, “that a sudden storm springs up on your starboard side. What would you do?”

“Throw out an anchor, sir,” says the new sailor.

“And what would you do if another storm sprang up aft?”

“Throw out another anchor, sir,” the raw recruit replies.

“Now,” says the captain, “a storm springs up forward of the ship. What would you do this time?”

“Throw out another anchor, Captain.”

“Hold on, hold on. Where are you getting all these anchors from?”

“From the same place you’re getting your storms, sir,” replied the new recruit.

He got to keep his job.