y morning. Father used always
to wind it every Sunday morning directly after breakfast."

"Good!" I remarked. "Then everything will be quite all right. And
now, bosun, what about berthing me? Where can you stow me?"

"No difficulty at all about that, sir," answered Enderby. "The Old
Man's state-room is the place for you, because his instruments and
charts and books are all in there; and, as of course you'll want the
place to yourself, Billy can shift over into the mate's state-room,
which is also vacant."

"An excellent suggestion," I remarked.

"All right," agreed Enderby; "then we'll call that settled. Steward!"

And when that functionary appeared the boatswain continued:

"Joe, this is Mr Blackburn, our new skipper. You'll take your orders
from him in future; and--Joe, see that things are straightened up in
those two state-rooms, the beds made, and so on."

The steward very cheerfully assented, and Enderby and the carpenter then
rose to go on deck, quickly followed by myself. The two men went
for'ard and joined the little crowd assembled on the forecastle, to
whom, as I of course surmised, they forthwith proceeded to relate what
had passed in the cabin. Whatever it may have been, it seemed to afford
the hearers satisfaction, for they smiled and nodded approval from time
to time, as the story was being told; and when at length it was ended
they all came aft and, while one hand hauled down the ensign and stowed
it away, another stationed himself at the wheel, and the remainder
tailed on to the braces, swung the headyards, boarded the foretack, and
trimmed the jib and staysail sheets, getting way upon the ship and
bringing her to her former course; after which, without waiting for any
order from me, they set the port topgallant, topmast, and lower
studding-sails. This done, the boatswain and carpenter came aft to
where I stood and inquired whether what had been done met with my
approval; to which I replied in the affirmative.

"And now, sir, about the watches," remarked Enderby. "Before the night
afore last, the mate took the port watch, and I the starboard; but now
that the mate's gone, how would it be if I was to take the port and
Chips the starboard watch? Would that suit ye, sir?"

"Yes," I said, "that would be an excellent arrangement, I think. By the
way, how many do you muster in a watch?"

"Four in each, includin' me and Chips," answered the boatswain.

"Um! none too many, especially co