Eight pounds for second mate! Five was the rule.

"Aye, aye, sir," I answered.

"Done. Bear a hand, Mr. Trunnell. Jenkinson will have a crew at five in
the morning. Good night." And he turned and left, followed by all except
the "doctor," who remained with me until they were ashore. Mr. Trunnell
came aboard again in a few minutes, and after thanking him for getting me
the job I left the ship and went to attend to my affairs before clearing.

I had my "dunnage" sent aboard and then stopped at the office and signed
on. After that, the night being young, I strolled along the more
frequented streets and said farewell to my few acquaintances.

I arrived at the ship before midnight and found the only man there to be
the watchman. Trunnell and the "doctor" had gone uptown, he said, for a
last look around. I turned in at the bottom of an empty berth in one of
the staterooms and waited for the after guard to turn to.

The mate came aboard about three in the morning, and as there was much to
do, he stuck his head into a bucket of water and tried to get clear of
the effects of the bad liquor he had taken. The "doctor" followed a
little later, and fell asleep on the cabin floor.

"Has the old man turned up?" asked the mate, bawling into my resting
place and rousing me.

"Haven't seen any one come aboard," I answered.

"Well, I reckon he'll be alongside in a few minutes; so you better stand
by for a call."

While he spoke, the watchman on deck hailed some one, and a moment later
a steady tramp sounded along the main deck, and a man came through the
port door and into the alleyway.

He hesitated for an instant, while a young man with rosy cheeks and
light curly hair followed through the door and halted alongside the
first comer.

The stranger was tall and slender, with a long face, and high, sharp
features, his nose curving like a parrot's beak over a heavy dark
mustache. His face was pale and his skin had the clear look of a man who
never is exposed to the sun. But his eyes were the objects that attracted
my gaze. They were bright as steel points and looked out from under
heavy, straight brows with a quick, restless motion I had observed to
belong to men used to sudden and desperate resolves. He advanced into the
cabin and scrutinized the surroundings carefully before speaking.

"I suppose you are Mr. Trunnell," he said to me, for I had now arisen and
stood in the doorway of the stateroom. His voice was low and distinc