didn't think so."

I always treated Dick in a friendly way, though he was before the mast,
and I was glad to find that he did not presume on this, but willingly
did whatever he was ordered. Tom had had a hammock slung for Dick near
his berth away from the men, whose conversation, he said, was not likely
to do him any good.

Our life on board was very regular; Tom and I kept watch and watch, the
crew being divided between us, while Harry, as captain, was on deck at
all hours whenever he thought it necessary.

CHAPTER TWO.

The calm which I described at the commencement of my narrative had
continued for many hours, and when the sun sank beneath the horizon
there was not the slightest sign of a coming breeze. It was my first
watch, and before Harry went below he charged me to keep a careful
look-out, and to call him should there be any sign of a change of
weather. The schooner still floated motionless on the water; scarcely a
sound was heard, except the cheeping of the main boom, and the low
voices of the men forward, as they passed the watch spinning their
oft-told yarns to each other.

I slowly paced the deck, enjoying the comparative coolness of the night,
after the intense heat of the day. The stars in the southern hemisphere
were shining brilliantly overhead, reflected in the mirror-like ocean.
The watch at length were silent, and had apparently dropped off to
sleep, though I could see the figure of the man on the look-out as he
paced up and down or leaned over the bulwarks. Suddenly, the stillness
was broken by a dull splash. I started; it seemed to me as if some one
had fallen overboard, but it was only one of the monsters of the deep
poking its snout for an instant above the surface, and when I looked
over the side it had disappeared. Occasionally I heard similar sounds
at various distances. I had some difficulty in keeping myself awake,
though by continuing my walk I was able to do so; but I was not sorry
when the old mate turned out, without being called, to relieve me.

"We have not got a breeze yet," I observed as he came on deck.

"No, Master Ned, and we shan't get one during my watch either; and maybe
not when the sun is up again," he answered.

Tom was right. When I came on deck the next morning the sea was as calm
as before. Though it appeared impossible that we could have moved our
position, I was greatly surprised, on looking away to the westward, to
see what I at first took to be