ack to the
docks, and for the rest of the day watched the operations of the
riggers. With many of the processes he was already familiar, but he
observed several differences in the methods pursued on board a large
ship. As soon as he had come on board he had asked the first mate if
there was any objection to his lending a hand if the riggers would allow
him.

"None at all, my lad. An officer ought to be able to show his men how to
do everything, and he can never do that if he is afraid of dirtying his
hands. Of course you do know a good deal already about the serving and
parcelling of ropes and stays, but likely enough they are done in a
different fashion here to what they are on board a smack. I will speak
to the head-rigger myself, and tell him you want to learn your business,
and are ready to do anything that he likes to set you to; and as you
have been already two years at the work he will not find you a lubber."

The rigger at once placed Jack at work with one of the gangs, and he
worked steadily until four bells sounded, and the men knocked off.

"You need not get here till eight in the morning," Mr. Timmins said to
him as he was about to leave. "The captain said you were living at
Dulwich, and that it would take you an hour to get here; so as at
present you are a sort of volunteer, it will be quite time enough if you
are here by eight. I am glad to see that you are handy at your work; but
that I expected. There is no better training for a sailor than a couple
of years on board a smack. You learn to turn your hand to everything
there very much better than you can on a large craft."

CHAPTER VIII.

ALEXANDRIA.

TEN days' hard work and the _Wild Wave's_ equipment was nearly complete.
The riggers were to put the finishing touch to their work that evening,
and the carpenters to finish all below, and were to begin in the morning
scraping and cleaning the decks, and there then remained only the
painting to be done. The captain's usual hour for coming on board was
eleven o'clock, but the men were just knocking off for dinner when he
arrived.

"Well, Mr. Timmins, when do you think we can be ready to take cargo on
board?"

"Well, sir, it will take them three days to get the decks planed. They
are in a beastly state, you see. She must have had a dirty lot on board
her on her last voyage, and she has picked up six months' dirt in the
docks. Nothing short of planing will get them fit to be seen. Then the
pai