made it about long, thin,
Abram Borstick, there; only when I makes it about him, I allers puts it
t'other way, and says he'd _starve_ a boat's crew for a fortnit. Don't
you see?"

"Oh, yes, I see!" said the doctor, nodding.

"And it's the only joke he ever does make, sir," says Abram.

"Right," growled Scudds.

"I didn't mean no offence, sir, about your going, neither," said Abram,
respectfully. "Of course it'll be a great advantage to have a doctor on
board. You air a doctor, sir?"

"Yes," said our stout employer, laughing till his cheeks wabbled. "I
can cure anything from a frost-bite to a flea-bite; but I'm not an M.D."

"No; of course not, sir," says Abram, nodding his head sagely.

"I mean, sir, not a doctor of medicine."

"Good job, too," growled Scudds. "Yah! I hates physic!" and he looked
about for somewhere to spit, ending by opening the room door, and
disposing of his tobacco-juice on the mat.

"Well, then, sir," I said, rising, "here are our first and second mates,
and I'll get together a crew of sixteen men in a few days, and meet you
every morning on board."

"My sarvice to you, sir," said Abram, touching his forehead.

"And mine," growled Scudds.

I was close beside the doctor now, and held the chair as he rose,
otherwise he would have lifted it with him. Then we took our leave, and
I walked down Hull Street with my two old shipmates.

"Where did you pick up the skipper?" growled Scudds.

"Well," I said, "he's been dodging me about for a week, and been mighty
civil, so much so, that I thought he wanted to try the confidence dodge
on me, of trusting one another with money; but it's all right, my lads,
we've found a good ship and owner, and the pay's good, so we'll sign the
articles to-morrow, and get to work."

I needn't tell you all that took place during the next mouth; how we got
coal on board, and stores, and casks for oil, or whatever we might get;
had her cabins lined to keep them warm; fitted up stoves; had plenty of
extra canvas and spars, ice-anchors, a couple of sledges; plenty of
ammunition, and provisions enough for two years. Last of all came on
board a whole lot of strange-looking mahogany cases, which the doctor
had brought very carefully under his own superintendence, and then, one
fine morning in June, we steamed out of the Humber, and away we went to
the North, with the doctor going about the deck like an active tub,
rubbing his hands, and smiling at every body.