in him," I heard Bob Tubbs observe.
"What do you call yourself, boy?"

"Happy Jack!" I sang out; "and it's not this sort of thing that's going
to change me."

"You'll prove a tough one, if something else doesn't," observed Bob from
his berth. "But gang to sleep, boy. Ye'll be put into a watch
to-morrow, and it's the last time, may be, that ye'll have to rest
through the night till ye set foot on shore again." I little then
thought how long a time that would prove; but, rolling myself up in my
blanket, I soon forgot where I was.

Next morning I scrambled on deck, and found the brig plunging away into
a heavy sea, with a strong southerly wind, the coast just
distinguishable over our starboard quarter. The captain gave me a grim
smile as I made my way aft.

"Well, leddie, how do you like it?" he inquired.

"Thank you, pretty well," I answered; "but I hope we sha'n't have to
wait long for breakfast."

He smiled again. "And you don't feel queer?"

"No, not a bit of it," I replied. "But I say, captain, I thought I was
to come as a midshipman, and mess with the other young gentlemen on
board."

He now fairly laughed outright; and looking at me for some time,
answered, "We have no young gentlemen on board here. You'll get your
breakfast in good time; but you are of the right sort, leddie, and
little Clem shall show you what you have got to do," pointing as he
spoke to a boy who just then came on deck, and whom I took to be his
son.

"Thank you, captain," I observed; "I shall be glad of Clem's
instruction, as I suppose he knows more about the matter than I do."

"Clem can hand, reef, and steer as well as any one, as far as his
strength goes," said the captain, looking approvingly at him.

"I'll set to work as soon as he likes, then," I observed. "But I wish
those fellows would be sharp about breakfast, for I am desperately
hungry."

"Well, go into the cabin, and Clem will give you a hunch of bread to
stay your appetite."

I followed Clem below. "Here, Brooke, some butter will improve it," he
said, spreading a thick slice of bread. "And so you don't seem to be
seasick, like most fellows. Well, I am glad of that. My father will
like you all the better for it, and soon make a sailor of you, if you
wish to learn."

I told Clem that was just what I wanted, and that I should look to him
to teach me my duties.

"I'll do my best," he said. "Take my advice and dip your hands in the
tar bucket without