e, in her turn, imparted to her ignorant and
trembling companion. Thus, between reading herself and explaining the
subject to Marianna, and, at times, approaching the footstool of her
Maker in prayer, Ada passed many hours, which would otherwise have
become insupportable through anxiety and fear, and thus employed, we
must leave her, to return on deck.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

The longer a sensible man lives (for a fool may live and not learn), the
more convinced he will become of the importance of laying a firm
foundation for every undertaking, whether it be a constitution to live
under, or a house to live in, an education for his children, a coat for
his back, shoes for his feet, or a ship to convey himself or his
merchandise from one part of the globe to the other. He learns that it
is wisest and cheapest to have all the materials of the best, to employ
the best workmen, and to pay them the best wages. It is the fashion,
nowadays, to get everything at a price, to which is given the name of
cheap--no matter at what cost or ruin to the consumer as well as the
producer, for both are equally losers--the one from being badly said,
the other from getting a bad article. On every side, one ears the cries
of cheap government, cheap houses, cheap education, and cheap clothing;
and the people are always found ready to offer to supply them. Wiser
than this generation are seamen. They know, from experience, that cheap
clothes and cheap ships do not answer; that both are apt to fail at the
very moment their services are most required; and a good officer,
therefore, spares no expense or trouble in seeing that everything is
good and sound on board his ship, from keelson to truck, below and
aloft. Such a man was our friend Captain Bowse.

The spars and rigging of the _Zodiac_ did full justice to those who
selected the first, and fitted the latter. Not a spar was sprung--not a
strand parted with the tremendous strain put on them. It was almost too
much for the ship, Bowse himself owned. It was taking the wear of years
out of her in a day--as a wild debauch, or any violent exertion, will
injure the human frame, more than years of ordinary toil. Though the
masts stood, the ship, it was very evident, must be strained, from the
way in which she was driven through the water, and made to buffet with
the waves. On rushed the brig.

"That is what I call tearing the marrow out of a body's bones," said
Bill Bullock. "Well, bless t