deacon as
much in the letter you'll write him, when we get in."

"It seems like doing injustice to _your_ owners, as well as to my own,
keeping you here, Captain Daggett," returned Roswell, innocently, for he
had not the smallest suspicion of the true motive of all this apparent
good-fellowship, "and I really wish you would now quit me."

"I couldn't think of it, Gar'ner. 'Twould make an awful talk on the
Vineyard, was I to do anything of the sort. 'Stick by your consort,' is an
eleventh commandment, in our island."

"Which is the reason why there are so many old maids there, I suppose,
Daggett," cried Roswell Gardiner, laughing. "Well, I thank you for your
kindness, and will endeavour to remember it when you may have occasion for
some return. But, the tide must be making, and we ought to lose no time,
unnecessarily. Here's a lucky voyage to us both, Captain Daggett, and a
happy return to sweethearts and wives."

Daggett tossed off his glass to this toast, and the two then went on deck.
Roswell Gardiner thought that a kinder ship's company never sailed
together than this of the Sea Lion of Holmes' Hole; for, notwithstanding
the interest of every man on board depended on the returns of their own
voyage, each and all appeared willing to stick by him and his craft so
long as there was a possibility of being of any service.

Whalers and sealers do not ship their crews for wages in money, as is done
with most vessels. So much depends on the exertions of the people in these
voyages, that it is the practice to give every man a direct interest in
the result. Consequently, all on board engage for a compensation to be
derived from a division of the return cargo. The terms on which a party
engages are called his "lay;" and he gets so many parts of a hundred,
according to station, experience and qualifications. The owner is paid for
his risk and expenses in the same way, the vessel and outfits usually
taking about two-thirds of the whole returns, while the officers and crew
get the other. These conditions vary a little, as the proceeds of whaling
and sealing rise or fall in the market, and also in reference to the cost
of equipments. It follows that Captain Daggett and his crew were actually
putting their hands into their own pockets, when they lost time in
remaining with the crippled craft. This Gardiner knew, and it caused him
to appreciate their kindness at a rate so much higher than he might
otherwise have done.

At first