the mate a look, which that worthy understood and Tom was allowed
to go about his work without further molestation.

But this was a new and hard doctrine that the Captain had laid down that
the boys had to take hard usage and unceasing work and keep cheerful
about it. They soon found that the Skipper meant what he said. It was a
bitter lesson, but perhaps they were the manlier for learning it so
young. For it's something that life hands out to everyone sooner or
later.

Often the boys looked longingly over the rail towards the faint, far
outline of the California coast. The Skipper was keeping his ship far
out from the land for reasons best known to himself. One thing was
favorable in that the sea air had braced up Juarez so that he felt more
like himself though his head was queer at times. And no wonder for that
blow the Mexican dwarf had given him was sufficient to have stunned an
ox.

CHAPTER XVIII

A DAY AT SEA

The Sea Eagle was steaming steadily South to her mysterious harbor. The
day was a brilliant one and as the afternoon wore on the wind from the
Northwest began to blow with fresher force and the white caps began to
jump, here, there and everywhere over the broad surface of the ocean,
and then slide down on the back of the waves.

There was a good deal of motion on the part of the Sea Eagle now, as she
plunged into the waves and threw the spray back over her decks. Both
Juarez and Tom proved themselves good sailors, which was just as well
for if they had been sea sick together with their other miseries they
might have succumbed.

Finally the long afternoon wore away and the time came for supper. The
boys being neither flesh, fish or fowl, were not allowed to eat with the
crew, and they did not mind in the least. When their rations did arrive,
or rather when they went to the ship's galley and got their share, they
found the fare not lacking in quality and abundance. There was a heaping
plate of Mexican beans, a big hunk of bread and a bowl of hot tea. After
the boys had stowed this below in their hatches they felt a hundred per
cent better and more fit to meet any fate that might await them.

An hour before sunset a heavy bank of fog began to roll up from the
West, soon covering the whole sky with its gracious softness, and
decided restfulness, after the glittering blue-diamond beauty of the
day.

It is the fogs alone that make the climate of California, especially in
the Southern part endur