ng out of the sight of Mr Grimes to avoid more of his annoyance.
As I watched the scenes which were taking place, and the look of the
crew, and the way they went about their work, I began to be sorry that
Herbert had accompanied me on board to witness them, as I knew the
unfavourable impression they would create in his mind--which was of an
especially refined order--and that either he would fear that I might
become vitiated by them, or that I should be made very unhappy by the
sort of people with whom I should have to associate. I tried,
therefore, to relieve his mind on that point.

"You know, Herbert, that I shall have to associate chiefly with Mr
Henley and the third mate, Mr Waller, who seems a quiet sort of young
man, while there appears to be no harm in my two fellow-midshipmen,
Sills and Broom, though they certainly do not look very bright geniuses.
I like the look, too, of Dr Cuff, the surgeon; so, depend on it,
people will soon shake into their proper places, and everything will
turn out right in the end."

We brought up at Gravesend, and had to remain there another twenty-four
hours, that certain officers from the Government Emigration Board might
visit the ship. That night Herbert would have had to go on shore, but
Mr Henley very kindly told him that he should have his cabin, and thus
we were able to remain longer together.

The next morning the passengers were all employed in arranging their
berths, and the crew were busy in stowing away casks and bales, and so
no one attended to me--which was an advantage, as I was thus able to be
much more with Herbert. As the time for sailing approached, it was
whispered about that Captain Seaford was very ill, and would be unable
to take charge of the ship. Still, nothing certain was known. At
length the hour arrived when it was necessary for Herbert to take his
leave.

After Herbert had gone, it became known positively that Captain Seaford
was unable to make the voyage; and after waiting a whole day longer,
another master came on board with one of the owners, who formally put
him in charge of the ship. I did not at all like his looks; nor did
Solon, I suspect, for he snarled loudly at him, and in consequence, when
getting in his way, received a severe kick in his ribs. It seemed as if
there was at once an open declaration of war between the two. I was
very sorry for it; for I was afraid that poor Solon, being the less
powerful of the belligerents, would come