uarter of the smoke, "it's not a bad berth, and good holdin' ground."

"What'll you take to drink, my boy, supposin' you gits the offer?"
inquired another man, giving him a facetious poke in the ribs.

"Is John Bax here?" inquired Guy.

"Hallo, messmate--here you are, port your helm and heave a-head--steady!
rocks to leeward; starboard hard! ah, I knew you'd never clear these
rocks without touchin'," said Bax, as his young friend tripped over
three or four spittoons, and plunged into the corner from which the
sailor's deep bass voice issued. "There now, sit down; what'll you
have?"

"Nothing, Bax; what a horrible hole to feed in! Couldn't you come out
and talk with me in the fresh air?"

It must indeed have been a wonderfully impure place when Guy could
venture by contrast to speak of the air outside as being fresh.

"Couldn't do it, my lad," replied Bax, with his mouth full. "I haven't
had a bit since six o'clock this morning, and I'm only half through."

The fact was evident, for a large plate of biscuit and cheese stood on
the small table before the seaman, with a tumbler of hot gin and water.
So Guy sat down, and, observing that the waiter stood at his elbow,
ordered half a pint of stout. Guy did not drink spirits, but he had no
objection to beer, so he took occasion to remonstrate with Bax on his
tendency to drink gin, and recommended beer instead, as it would "do him
more good." It did not occur to Guy that a young man in robust health
does not require physical good to be done to him at all, beyond what
food, and rest, and exercise can achieve, and that, therefore,
artificial stimulant of any kind is unnecessary!

"Skipper ahoy!" shouted, a gruff voice in the doorway.

"Ay, ay!" cried several of the party in reply.

"Is John Bax in this here port?"

"Here you are," replied the man in request, "port your helm, old boy!
rocks on the lee bow, look out!"

"Steady, so," said a fat burly seaman, as he steered in obedience to
these sailing directions, and finally "cast anchor" beside our two
friends.

"How are ye, Captain Bluenose?" said Bax, holding out his hand.

"Same to you, lad," replied the Captain, seizing the offered hand in his
own enormous fist, which was knotty and fleshy, seamed with old cuts and
scars, and stained with tar. "Hallo! Guy, is this you?" he added,
turning suddenly to the youth. "Why, who'd 'a thought to see _you_
here? I do b'lieve I han't seen ye since the last time dow