gnorant of all the newest methods, such as Sumner's, for
shortening calculation, consequently, he was afraid of his errors being
discovered too easily if his log should be compared every day with mine.

Unaware of all these kindly feelings towards me, Captain Billings filled
up the measure of Mr Macdougall's wrath by inviting me to come into the
cabin to dine with him that day at six bells, instead of waiting until
the termination of Ohlsen's watch, and go in with him to the "second
table," as it was termed, after the skipper and first mate had finished
their repast--such being the etiquette in merchant ships.

Macdougall almost boiled over with anger when he heard the skipper ask
me. His freckled face looked just like a turkey's egg--boiled!

"Vara weel, vara weel, Cap'en Billings," said he, with a mock deference
that little disguised his rage: "but I'd ha'e you to know that I didn't
ship aboard here to mess wi' 'prentice lads."

The skipper fired up in an instant, a light darting from his blue eyes
which one would not have thought their liquid depths capable of.

"And I would have you to know, Mr Macdougall," he retorted, quickly,
uttering every word, however, with distinct emphasis, "that I'm captain
of my own ship, and shall ask whom I please to my table. Steward," he
added, calling out to that worthy, who was just sauntering by into the
cabin from the cook's galley with a covered dish in his hands, "lay a
plate and knife and fork for Mr Leigh; and bear in mind that he dines
with me every day when his duties allow!"

"Aye, aye, sir," replied Owen Williams, proceeding on into his pantry
with his dish, and I followed the skipper into the cabin shortly
afterwards.

This was undoubtedly a blow to the mate, as I thought, sniggering over
the little episode at the time; but, Mr Macdougall did not forget the
fact of my having been the occasion of his getting a "dressing down"
from the skipper, and he debited it carefully in his account against me,
determining to pay me out for it on the first convenient opportunity--a
resolution that was carried out quite soon enough for me, as you will
presently learn!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

IN THE HORSE LATITUDES.

At noon on our second day out, running right before the north-east by
east wind all the while and making but little southing, with our royals
and studding-sails set, and everything that could draw--the _Esmeralda_
averaging nearly ten knots an hour every time we h