's one of his so-called
'jokes.' There's no danger, Mr. Tarbill. That was only a big wave
that hit us. You are perfectly safe."

"Are you sure?"

"Quite sure."

"Don't you think I had better see the captain and ask him about it
before I take off my life-preserver?"

"Oh, no; there is no need of that. The ship is in no danger," and
the mate tried not to smile at the nervous passenger's fears.

"Then if you say so I'll go and take this life-preserver off. It
is quite heavy."

"Do so by all means. The young rascal," added the mate under his
breath as he thought of Bob. "I'll have to teach him a lesson."

Bob was not a little alarmed at the result of his thoughtless
prank. He did not know what the captain might do to punish him,
and in the future he resolved to restrain his impulses.

"Maybe he'll send me home by some passing ship," the boy thought,
"and I wouldn't like that a bit."

The weather was fine for the next few days. The _Eagle_ continued
on her way south, the climate getting warmer and warmer as they
approached the equator. Bob meanwhile had learned much about the
ship and the manner of sailing it. He got the names of the various
ropes and sails by heart, and it would have taken a pretty
ingenious sailor to have sent him on a foolish errand now after
some part of the ship's gear. Captain Spark was encouraged by
Bob's behavior, and began to think the voyage was doing the lad
good. So it was, but the cure was not complete, as you shall see.

Mr. Tarbill resented Bob's joke, and had not spoken to the boy
since the "whale" incident. But Bob did not mind this. There was
plenty to keep him occupied, with his duties to perform and
sailors' stories to listen to.

When they were out about two weeks there came a day when there was
only the lightest breeze, The _Eagle_ barely had steerageway over
the sea, which was as quiet and still as a small lake. The blue
waters sparkled in the bright sun, and as Bob lounged about on deck
he felt a lazy contentment which was probably caused by the near
approach to the tropical zone.

He looked up at the towering masts, and an idea came to him.

"If I could climb up there," he said, "I could have a fine view. I
ought to be able to see a vessel from that height. Guess I'll do
it. I never tried it, but it looks easy, and there's not enough
motion to pitch me off."

With Bob, usually, to think was to act. Looking around to see that
neither the captain