are of the ship and the sails since midnight go below, and a new watch,
that is, a new set of men that have been asleep since midnight, take
their places. Then the next eight bells, which is twelve, is luncheon
time. At this time, too, the captain finds out from the sun whereabouts
we are on the ocean, and also determines the ship's _time_ for the next
twenty-four hours. The next eight bells is at four o'clock, and that is
dinner time. The next eight bells is at eight o'clock, and that is tea
time. At all these times the watches change too; and so they do at the
eight bells, which sound at midnight."

"Yes," said Rollo, "now I understand it. I wished to know very much what
it meant, and I had a great mind to go and ask the helmsman."

"It was well that you did not go and ask him," said the surgeon.

"Why?" asked Rollo.

"Because the officers and seamen on board ships," replied the surgeon,
"don't like to be troubled with questions from landsmen while they are
engaged in their duties. Even the sensible questions of landsmen appear
very foolish to seamen; and then, besides, they commonly ask a great
many that are absolutely very foolish. They ask the captain when he
thinks they will get to the end of the voyage; or, if the wind is ahead,
they ask him when he thinks it will change, and all such foolish
questions; as if the captain or any body else could tell when the wind
would change. Sailors have all sorts of queer answers to give to these
questions, to quiz the passengers who ask them, and amuse themselves.
For instance, if the passengers ask when any thing is going to happen,
the sailors say, 'The first of the month.' That is a sort of proverb
among them, and is meant only in fun. But if it happens to be near the
end of the month, the passenger, supposing the answer is in earnest,
goes away quite satisfied, while the sailors wink at each other and
laugh."

"Yes," said Rollo. "I heard a lady ask the captain, a short time since,
when he thought we should get to Liverpool."

"And what did the captain say?" asked the surgeon.

"He said," replied Rollo, "that she must go and ask Boreas and Neptune,
and some of those fellows, for they could tell a great deal better than
he could."

"The captain does not like to be asked any such questions," continued
the surgeon. "He cannot possibly know how the wind and sea are going to
be during the voyage, and he does not like to be teased with foolish
inquiries on the subject. T