al
covering in the way of skin and hair, one shirt, and a pair of badly worn
dungaree trousers. The shirt he had worn during the entire cruise, and
perhaps some time before, and as it fitted him tightly, and as his
natural covering of hair on his chest was thick, it had gradually worked
its way through the cloth, curling sharply on the outside, making the
garment and himself as nearly one as possible. This had caused him no
little inconvenience in washing, and it was with great difficulty he had
removed the garment. He had spent half an hour rubbing it with a piece of
salt-water soap, rinsed it thoroughly, and had it spread out on the
hatch-combings. His work being finished, he sat near it, with his knees
drawn up to his breast, his hands locked around his shins, and his face
wearing an expression of deep and very sad thought.

Trunnell came out on the deck and had his things cast into the water with
the rest. Then he peeled off his shirt and stood forth naked to the
waist, a broad belt strapped tightly about him holding his trousers. His
muscles now showed out for the first time, and I stood gazing at the
enormous bunches on his back and shoulders. He was like some monstrous
giant cut off at the waist and stuck upon a pair of absurdly short legs,
which, however, were simply knots of muscle.

When he had finished his shirt, he turned over the rest of his belongings
to Johnson to wash for him. Then his gaze fell upon the unhappy-looking
old fellow on the hatch, who was holding his single shirt now in his
hands, waiting for it to dry sufficiently for him to wear it again. As
the rain fell in torrents every few minutes, this appeared an endless
task, and the old man grew more sorrowful.

"There ain't nothin' in this world fer me," said he, sadly, cc not even a
bloomin' shirt. Here I am shipwrecked and lost on a well-found ship, an'
sink me, I ain't even able to change me clothes, one piece at a time."

"Ye'll soon be ashore agin, old feller," said Trunnell, "an' then ye'll
have licker an' clothes in plenty."

"What's licker to me?" said the old man.

"Why, meat an' drink, when ye has to quit it off sudden like,"
said Trunnell.

"It's clothes I wants, not no rum. Can't ye see I'm nakid as Adam, except
fer this old rag? I wouldn't mind if I ware signed on regular like the
rest, 'cause I could take it out the slop chest in work. But here I is
without no regular work, no chanst to draw on the old man, an' next
month, m