careful and not use so many, for
they're expensive, and you do seem to like to drive in as many as you
can."

"Now, you lookye here, Master Aleck," said the sailor, solemnly; "a
copper nail may mean a man's life. You put in a hiron one and after a
bit the sea water eats it all away. Soon as the nail's eat away up
starts a plank, in goes the water, and before you knows where you are
down goes your boat and a man's drowned. Copper nail costs a ha'penny,
p'raps, and if it's a big 'un, a penny. Well, arn't a man's life worth
more'n that?"

"Of course; but how long shall you be before you've done?"

"Finish this week, sir; and then she'll last for years. You know how it
was; soon as I ripped off that patch we found that a lot of her streaks
under the pitch was rotten, and there was nothing for it but to cut a
lot away and make a good job of it. Well, sir, we're making a good job
of it, and she'll be like a noo boat when I've done."

"Of course," said Aleck; "and uncle said you were to do it thoroughly."

"And thorough it is," said Tom. "I've took a lot o' time, but there's
been every bit to make good. Let's see; this makes a week and three
days I've been coming over reg'lar."

"Yes, Tom," said Aleck, laughing; "and what do you think Ness says?"

"Dunno, Master Aleck," said the sailor, passing his hand, as if
lovingly, over the well-smoothed sweet-smelling wood he was putting into
the boat. "Wants some beer?"

"Oh, of course," said Aleck; "but he said he could have mended the boat
up in half the time."

"Ah, he would," said Tom, drily. "Done it in two days, maybe, and first
time she was out in bad weather the sea would undo all his work in
quarter the time. Won't do, Master Aleck; boat-building's
boat-building, and it's all the same as ship-building--it means men's
lives, and them who scamps work like this ought to be flogged. Our old
chips aboard the Hajax, as I worked with as mate, used to say precious
ugly things about bad boat-building, and he'd say what he'd do to him as
risked men's lives by bad work. He taught me, Master Aleck, and I feel
like him. I'd rather be paid a score o' shillings for doing a
fortnight's good work than have it for doing a week's; and I'm going to
drive in as many o' these here best copper nails as I thinks'll be good
for the boat, and you're going to hold my big hammer agen their heads
while I clinch 'em. Then I shall feel as the boat's as safe as hands
can make it. A