the shears as he had ordered.

When Trunnell came on deck again in the evening, his beard was a sight to
be remembered. It looked as though a rat had nibbled it in spots. His
hair was equally well done by the artist, but Jackwell's last order had
been obeyed. The men were mustered aft, and Trunnell announced that he
was the man they wanted to stand from under. They remained silent until
Johnson suggested that three cheers be given for the new skipper. Then
all hands bawled themselves hoarse. That was all. I was now the first
mate and took my meals at the cabin table, where Jennie and her mother
had been wondering at Trunnell's dexterity with his knife. The little
mate appeared to realize that a certain amount of dignity and dress were
necessary for the maintenance of correct discipline aboard, and he
accordingly changed his shirt once a week and wore a new coat of blue
pilot cloth. He sat at the head of the table, and went through his
knife-juggling each meal, to the never ending amusement of Jennie, and
admiration of Gunning, who swore that, "dey ain't no man afloat cud do
dat no better." He, however, came through the rest of the cruise without
even cutting his lip.

My duties and rating being those of a first mate, I had no longer the
pleasure of being intimate with Chips and the rest forward. The
carpenter, steward, and "doctor" had the quartermaster, Tom, from
Trunnell's watch for a second mate and companion at the second table. Tom
was a Yankee and a good companion, so the change was satisfactory all
around. I sometimes looked in at the carpenter's room in the forward
house, where he and a few chosen spirits would be holding forth upon some
nautical subject, but I had to cut my visits short, for they worried
Trunnell. Being suddenly raised did not quite inspire the necessary
respect in his eyes, unless the person promoted showed unmistakable
dignity and authority by dressing down all who came in contact with him.
For some time it was pretty hard to speak to our little skipper. He
disliked anything he imagined might tend to lessen the discipline aboard
and had a horror of a mate or captain being familiar with the men.

My room was still in the forward cabin, but I now spent much time in the
saloon, and helped Trunnell to shift his belongings aft to Jackwell's
cabin. The truculent knave had left little behind him save a lot of old
clothes, bonds which were not negotiable, and some wrappers used by the
bank of Melb