is singin' out?" said Davy Butts, who was
mending a pair of canvas shoes.

The men roused themselves at once; for the hope of anything new turning
up excited them.

"Hallo! ho!" roared the captain again, in a voice that might have
started a dead walrus. "Tumble up, there!--a fox-chase! I'll give my
second-best fur-coat to the man that catches foxey!"

In one instant the whole crew were scrambling up the ladder. Even Jim
Crofts, who was really ill, rolled out of his bunk and staggered on
deck, saying he would have a "go after foxey if he should die for it!"

The game of fox is simple. One man is chosen to be the fox. He runs
off and the rest follow. They are bound to go wherever the fox leads.
In this case it was arranged that the fox should run round the deck
until he should be caught; then the man who caught him should become
fox, and continue running on with all the rest following, until he, in
turn, should be caught, and so on until the one who could run longest
and fastest should break down all the rest. The warm fur-coat was a
prize worth running for in such a cold climate, so the game began with
spirit. Young Gregory offered to be fox first, and away they went with
a yell. Mr Mansell was a little lame, and soon gave in. Mr Dicey
fell at the second round, and was unable to recover distance. Gregory
would certainly have gained the coat, for he was strong, and had been a
crack racer at school; but he did not want the coat, so allowed Sam
Baker to catch him. Sam held on like a deer for a few minutes, and one
after another the men dropped off as they were blown. Jim Crofts, poor
fellow, made a gallant burst, but his limbs refused to help his spirit.
He fell, and was assisted below by the captain and replaced in his bunk,
where, however, he felt the benefit of his efforts.

The race was now kept up by Sam Baker, Joe Davis, and Butts. These
three were struggling on and panting loudly, while their comrades danced
about, clapped their mittened hands, and shouted, "Now then, Sam!--go in
and win, Joe!--Butts, forever!" and such-like encouraging cries.

To the surprise of everyone Davy Butts came off the winner, and for many
a day after that enjoyed the warm coat which he said his long legs had
gained for him.

This effort of the captain to cheer the men was very successful, so he
resolved to follow it up with an attempt at private theatricals.
Accordingly this thing was proposed and heartily agreed to.