board and
introduced him to Mr Capstan, the second officer, as a future messmate,
who showed him the cabins and everything, telling him to "make himself
at home!"

The _Greenock_ was a fine barque-rigged vessel of some two thousand
tons, with auxiliary steam-power; and she gained her living or earned
her freight, whichever way of putting it may please best, by sailing to
and fro in the passenger trade between the ports of London and
Melbourne, but doing more in the goods line on the return journey,
because colonials bent on visiting the mother country generally prefer
the mail steamers as a speedier route. Emigrants, however, are not so
squeamish, contenting themselves in getting out to Australia, that land
of promise to so many hard-up and despairing people at home, by whatever
means they can--so long only as they may hope to arrive there at some
time or other!

Teddy was surprised at the gorgeousness of the _Greenock's_ saloons and
cabins, and the height of her masts, and the multitude of ropes about
running in every conceivable direction, crossing and recrossing each
other with the bewildering ingenuity of a spider's web; but Uncle Jack
took all these wonders as a matter of course, and rather pooh-poohed
them.

"Wait till you see her at Gravesend," he said. "She's all dismantled
now with these shore lumpers and lubbers aboard, and won't be herself
till she's down the river and feels herself in sailors' hands again.
Why, you won't know her! But come along, laddie, we've got to buy a
sea-chest and a lot of things to complete your kit; and then, we'll go
to granny's and try to see something of the sights of London."

So, back they trudged again to the Poplar station and were wafted once
more to Fenchurch Street, where Uncle Jack dived within the shop of a
friendly outfitter, who had a mackintosh and sextant swinging in front
of his establishment to show his marine leanings and dealings.

Here, a white sea-chest, whose top was made like a washing-stand, and
several other useful articles, were purchased by Uncle Jack without
wasting any time, as he had made up his mind what he wanted before going
in and knew what he was about; and these things being ordered to be
forwarded to the cloak-room at the London Bridge station, to be placed
with Teddy's other luggage, Uncle Jack rubbed his hands gleefully.

"Now that business is all settled," he said, "we can enjoy ourselves a
bit, as the ship won't be ready for us til