themselves sober. Then the
boat was hoisted on board and, the second hand taking the helm, the
Kitty started fairly on her way.

"Now," the captain said, "let us get her a little tidy."

It took some hours' work before the deck was washed, the ropes
coiled down, and everything ship-shape. By the time all was done,
the low coast of Norfolk had sunk below the horizon, and the smack
was far out at sea. There was more motion now, but the wind was
still light.

The skipper was pleased with the earnestness and alacrity which the
new apprentice showed.

"Now, Jack," he said to the other boy, "take Will below with you,
and show him how to make tea."

The process of tea making, on board a smack, is not a difficult one
to master; the sole operation consisting in putting a few more
spoonfuls of tea into the kettle boiling over the fire, when it
begins to get low, and filling up with fresh water. But, simple as
the thing was, William Gale did not learn it on that occasion. He
had been feeling somewhat shaky, even while on deck; and the heat
of the cabin, and the smell of some grease which Jack had just put
in the frying pan, preparatory to cooking some fish brought off
from shore, completed the effect of the rising sea. Until next
morning he was not in a condition to care, even had the tea
remained unmade to the end of time. He did not go below, but lay
under the shelter of a tarpaulin, on deck.

In the morning, the skipper roused him up.

"Now, lad, just take off your coat and shirt. Here is a bucket of
water. Put your head in that, and give yourself a good sluice; and
then come down and have a cup of tea, and a bit of biscuit, and you
will find yourself all right again."

Will followed the instructions, and found himself wonderfully
better.

"Now, lad, lend a hand in tidying up on deck. There is nothing like
work, for keeping off seasickness. Jack shall cook, for today."

The boy set to work with a will; and felt so refreshed that, by one
o'clock, he was able to go below and take his share of the dinner.
At present, while on their way to the fishing grounds, their meals
were taken at the same time as on shore but, once at work, there
were only two meals a day. Of these the first was taken when the
fishing was over, the fish cleaned, picked, weighed, and
packed--the hour varying between nine and eleven. The second meal
was taken before the trawl was lowered, at six or seven o'clock in
the evening.

After five day