ascended the
gangway. Reuben found that only one-third of the number were
allowed on deck at once. Two soldiers paced up and down the deck,
on guard of the hatchway leading below, and two sentries were
posted at other points.

A number of small boxes, bags, coats and cloaks were handed up, and
then the rope was cast off, and the lugger made her way back to
Dover, and the Paramatta again got under sail. While they had been
waiting, the chief mate had told Reuben that, according to the
captain's orders, he would henceforth be in his watch.

"As you are not regularly shipped as a sailor," the mate said, "the
captain does not wish you to go aloft, unless by your own desire;
but there will be plenty of work for you to do on deck, hauling at
the braces, scrubbing, and so on."

"I should be glad to do my work with the rest," Reuben said, "as
soon as I feel I can be useful aloft. I was up two or three times
yesterday, and hope in a few days to be quite accustomed to it."

"I have noticed you, my lad, and you could not be in better hands
than Bill's. He is a capital sailor, and as he has taken to you,
and you are willing to learn, you will be a useful hand before we
get to Sydney; and even if you never go to sea again, all your
life, you will find that you have learned a great deal that is
useful on board the Paramatta."

The fine weather, which the Paramatta had experienced so far,
speedily left her. The sky grew overcast, and the wind freshened
fast, and the next morning the ship was staggering, under
close-reefed canvas, in the teeth of the southwesterly gale.

For the next three days Reuben made no advance in seamanship, being
prostrated with seasickness. At times he crept out from the
forecastle, and tried to lend a hand whenever he saw a party of men
hauling at a rope; but the motion of the ship was so great that he
could scarce keep his feet on the slippery decks, and at last the
mate ordered him to go back to the forecastle, and remain there
until he recovered somewhat from his sickness.

"I see you are no skulker, my lad; but you will do no good on deck
here, and are not unlikely to get a heavy fall, and perhaps a nasty
hurt, so you had best lie off till you get over your sickness."

Reuben was already drenched to the skin by the spray, and felt so
weak that he was not sorry to avail himself of the mate's orders,
and to turn in again to his bunk in the forecastle.

On the morning of the fourth day he felt h