ell us our latitude and longitude then, when, by
the aid of this fixed starting-point or `point of departure,' and
calculating our dead reckoning and courses steered, we will be enabled
to know our precise position on the chart."

"I see, sir," said I. "I won't forget what you've told me another time,
and shall know in future what the term means, sir, thank you."

"You're quite welcome, Graham," he replied pleasantly as he resumed his
walk up and down the deck, with an occasional glance to windward and a
look at the compass in the binnacle to see that the helmsman was keeping
the ship on the course the captain had directed before going below a
short time before--west-sou'-west, and as close up to the wind as we
could sail, so as to avoid the French coast and get well across the
mouth of the Bay of Biscay into the open Atlantic. "I hope to make a
good navigator of you in time, my boy."

"I hope so, too, sir," said I, trying to keep pace with his measured
tread, although I always got out of step as he turned regularly at the
end of his walk, which was backwards and forwards between the cabin
skylight and the binnacle. "I will try my best, sir."

While bearing in mind the "departure point," however, I must not forget
to mention, too, that immediately after Captain Gillespie had taken our
bearings off the Lizard, he sang out to Tim Rooney the boatswain to send
the hands aft.

"Aye, aye, sorr," responded Tim, at once sounding his shrill whistle and
hoarse shout. "A-all ha-ands aft!"

"Now for a bit of speechifying," said Tom Jerrold, who was along with me
on the lee-side of the poop, watching the crew as they mustered together
on the main-deck underneath. "The `old man' loves a jaw."

But Tom was mistaken; for the captain's speech was laconic in the
extreme, being "much shorter, indeed, than his nose," as my fellow mid
was forced to acknowledge in a whisper to me!

"My men," said he, leaning over the brass rail at the head of the poop,
and gazing down into the faces of the rough-and-ready fellows looking up
at him expectantly, with all sorts of funny expressions on their
countenances, as they wondered what was to come--"we're now at sea and
entering on a long voyage together. I only wish you to do your duty and
I will do mine. If you have anything to complain of at any time, come
to me singly and I will right it; but if you come in a body, I'll take
no notice of ye. Ye know when I say a thing I mean a thing."