rs, they had the freedom of the ship.

"This would be real jolly," said Tom, "if it wasn't that the folks
at home must be worried," and then he began to sing, for he really
could not be sad:

"A life on the ocean wave,
A home on the rolling deep,
A house in a watery cave--
Where I might rest in sleep!"

"Did you ever hear such a song?" cried Nellie, and Tom went on:

"The boy stood on the burning deck,
Munching apples by the peck;
The captain yelled, he stood stock-still,
For of those apples he wanted his fill!"

"Tom Rover!" burst out Dora. "I believe you would sing at your own
funeral!" And Tom continued gayly:

"Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main,
For many a stormy wind shall blow,
Ere the Rovers get home again!"

"Tom lives on songs," said Sam slyly. "He'd rather sing than eat a pie."

"Pie!" thundered Tom tragically. "Who said pie? I haven't seen a
home-made pie since--since--"

"The time you went down in the pantry at midnight and ate two,"
finished Dick, and then there was a burst of laughter.

"Never mind, Tom, I'll make you half a dozen pies--when we get home,"
came from Nellie.

"Will you really?" said Tom, and then he began once more, as gayly
as ever:

"You can give me pudding
And give me cake,
And anything else
You care to bake;
But if you wish
To charm my eye,
Just hand me over
Some home-made pie!"

"That's all right," said Dick. "But in place of eye you should have
said stomach."

"Stomach doesn't rhyme with pie," snorted 'Tom. "I'm a true poet and
I know what I am doing."

"Talking about pie makes me think of pie-plates," said Sam. "Let us
play spinning the plate on deck. It will be lots of fun trying to
catch the plate while it is spinning and the steamer is rolling."

"Good!" cried Grace, and ran to get a plate from the cook's galley.
Soon they were playing merrily, and the game served to make an hour
pass pleasantly. When the forfeits had to be redeemed, the girls made
the boys do several ridiculous things. Tom had to hop from one end
of the deck to the other on one foot, Sam had to stand on his head,
and recite "Mary had a Little Lamb," and Dick had to go to three of
the sailors and ask each if they would tie the ship to a post during
the night.

"I'll wager you are a merry crowd on land," .said Captain Fairleigh,
as he paused to watch the fun. "Takes me back to the time when I was
a boy," and he laughed heartily. Even the captain's wife was amused.
Sh