delay, and don't shirk anything the mate puts you to.
My father is pretty gruff now and then, but old Growl is a regular
rough one. He does not say much to me, but you will have to look out
for squalls. Come, we had better go on deck, or old Growl will think
that I have been putting you up to mischief. He will soon pick a
quarrel with you, to see how you bear it."

"I'll take good care to keep out of his way, then," I said, bolting the
last piece of bread and butter. "Thank you, Clem, you and I shall be
good friends, I see that."

"I hope so," answered my young companion with a sigh. "I have not many
on board, and till you came I had no one to speak to except father, and
he is not always in the mood to talk."

Clem's slice of bread and butter enabled me to hold out till the
forecastle breakfast was ready. I did ample justice to it. Directly I
made my re-appearance on deck, old Growl set me to work, and I soon had
not only my hands but my arms up to the elbows in tar. Though the
vessel was pitching her head into the seas, with thick sheets of foam
flying over her, he quickly sent me aloft to black down the main
rigging. Clem showed me how to secure the bucket to the shrouds while I
was at work, and in spite of the violent jerks I received as the vessel
plunged her bluff bows into the sea, I got on very well. Before the
evening was over I had been out on the yards with little Clem to assist
in reefing the topsails, and he had shown me how to steer and box the
compass.

Nothing particular occurred on the voyage, though we were ten days in
reaching the mouth of the Thames. Clem and I became great friends. The
more I saw of him the more I liked him, and wondered how so
well-mannered a lad could be the son of such a man as Captain Grimes.

I saw nothing of London. I should, indeed, have been ashamed to go on
shore in my now thoroughly begrimed condition. We were but a short time
in the Thames, for as soon as we had discharged our cargo we again made
sail for the Tyne.

Before this time old Growl, the mate, had taught me what starting meant.
He had generally a rope's end in his fist, and if not, one was always
near at hand. If I happened not to do a thing well enough or fast
enough to please him, he was immediately after me, laying the rope
across my shoulders, or anywhere he could most conveniently reach. I
generally managed to spring out of his way, and turn round and laugh at
him. If he followed me,