unwillingly out of their bunks and proceeded to scramble into their
garments, most of them anathematising the sea life generally, and their
present ship in particular. For forecastle Jack is a curious creature,
and, if you are to believe him, "last voyage" is invariably the supreme
period of his life, wherein has been crowded the utmost comfort and
pleasure and the most remarkable adventures, while the ship on board
which he happens to be at the moment is, as invariably, the slowest,
ugliest, most uncomfortable, and most rotten tub that he ever had the
ill luck to ship in. And all this, mind you, as likely as not before
the much-maligned craft has passed out through the dock gates, or Jack
has done a hand's turn of work on board her. Dick listened with a good-
tempered grin to the chorus of grumbling that was proceeding around him,
interjected a merry jest or two which caused the growlers to stop in
mid-career in amazement at his audacity, and then, having slipped nimbly
into his clothes, he sprang up through the hatchway and presented
himself first on deck of the forecastle hands, to be greeted by the mate
with a cheery:

"Well done, youngster! First to answer the call. That comes of joining
your ship with an unmuddled brain. I think you and I are going to get
on well together."

"I sincerely hope so, sir," answered Dick. "If we don't it shall not be
my fault. And although I am rather an ignoramus at present in respect
of a sailor's work generally, you will find me both willing and eager to
learn."

The mate stared at Dick for a moment with compressed eyebrows, rather
taken aback at the lad's refined tone and manner of speech; then he
nodded, and remarked gruffly:

"That's all right; if you are willing to learn I'll take care that you
have the chance. And, as a starter, you may get a broom and sweep up
all this litter. But don't heave it overboard, or you'll have the dock
people after you. Sweep it all together and put it into that empty
barrel until we get out of dock and can heave it over the side."

The rest of the forecastle hands now came stumbling up on deck, and were
set by the mate to various tasks, pending the opening of the dock gates
and the arrival of the tug which was to tow the _Concordia_ down the
river. At length the order was given to unmoor ship, the dock gates
swung open, the vessel was warped through the opening to where the tug
awaited her, the towrope was passed, and presently th