he expanded his great arms along the length of the bed to measure it,
"the bunk's about five foot eight inches long. Well, I'm about six foot
two in my socks--six inches short; that's a difficulty no doubt, but
it's get-over-able this way, we'll splice the green box to it."

He grasped the sofa-wardrobe as he spoke, and placed it to the foot of
the bed, then embracing the entire mass of mattresses and bedding at the
lower end, raised it up, thrust the green box under with his foot, and
laid the bedding down on it--thus adding about eighteen inches to the
length.

"There you are, d'ee see--quite long enough, an' a foot to spare."

"But it does not fit," urged Kate, who, becoming desperate, resolved to
throw every possible obstruction in the way.

"That's true, madam," returned the captain with an approving nod. "I
see you've got a mechanical eye--there's a difference of elevation
'tween the box and the bed of three inches or more, but bless you,
that's nothin' to speak of. If you'd ever been in a gale o' wind at sea
you'd know that we seadogs are used to considerable difference of
elevation between our heads an' feet. My top-coat stuffed in'll put
that to rights. But you'll have to furl the flummery tops'ls--to lower
'em altogether would be safer."

He took hold of the muslin curtains with great tenderness as he spoke,
fearing, apparently, to damage them.

"You see," he continued, apologetically, "I'm not used to this sort o'
thing. Moreover, I've a tendency to nightmare. Don't alarm yourselves,
ladies, I never do anything worse to disturb folk than give a shout or a
yell or two, but occasionally I do let fly with a leg or an arm when the
fit's on me, an' if I should get entangled with this flummery, you know
I'd be apt to damage it. Yes, the safest way will be to douse the
tops'ls altogether. As to the chair--well, I'll supply a noo one
that'll stand rough weather. If you'll also clear away the petticoats
from the table it'll do well enough. In regard to the lookin'-glass, I
know pretty well what I'm like, an' don't have any desire to study my
portrait. As for shavin', I've got a bull's-eye sort of glass in the
lid o' my soap-box that serves all my purpose, and I shave wi' cold
water, so I won't be botherin' you in the mornin's for hot. I've got a
paintin' of my last ship--the Daisy--done in water-colours--it's a
pretty big 'un, but by hangin' Samuel on the other bulk-head, an'
stickin' that black th