day, and it would
have been difficult for anything under sail passing within the circle
seen from our main-truck to have escaped notice. Captain Collyer also
did his best to prepare his crew for an encounter whenever it might
come, and the men were kept constantly exercising at the great guns and
small-arms, and, for a change, at shortening and making sail, till they
had all learned to work well together. I was all this time rapidly
picking up a fair amount of miscellaneous nautical knowledge, partly by
observation, but chiefly from my messmates, and from Sam Edkins, the
captain's coxswain, who had, as he said, taken a liking to me.

Mr Johnson, the boatswain, at times condescended to give me
instruction. "At present, Mr Merry, you'll observe, and I say it with
perfect respect," remarked my friend, "you're like a sucking babe, an
unfledged sparrow, a squid on dry ground--you're of no use to nobody,
and rather want somebody to look after you, and keep you out of harm.
When you've been to sea as many years as I have, if you keep your eyes
open, you'll begin to find out what's what."

I confess that these observations of the boatswain were calculated to
make me feel rather small. However, I was not offended, and I often
managed to pay Mr Jonathan back in his own coin, which made him like me
all the more. A great contrast to him in character was the captain's
steward, Billy Wise. Billy had been to sea all his life, but no
training could make a sailor of him. He was devoted to the captain,
whom he had followed from ship to ship, and who took him, I truly
believe, from pure compassion, because no one else would have had him.
He was, however, a faithful fellow, and I am certain would have done
anything to serve his captain.

Captain Collyer used to have some of the youngsters into his cabin to
learn navigation. I liked this very much, and studied hard; for, as I
had come to sea to be a sailor, I wished to be a good one. Several of
us were seated round the table one day, when the steward made his
appearance.

"How is the wind, Wise?" asked the captain.

"Some says it's east, and some says it's west, Captain Collyer," was the
satisfactory answer.

"And which way do you say it is?" inquired his master.

"Whichever way you please, sir," replied the steward, pulling a lock of
his hair.

Even the presence of our captain could scarcely prevent us youngsters
from bursting into a roar of laughter. This was surpassed