the work."

When the riggers had once left the ship Jack had nothing more to do, and
Mr. Timmins told him that it would be no use his coming again until
Monday morning.

"You will be useful then," he said, "helping to check off the cargo as
it comes on board. You had better bring your chest down and take up your
quarters here. I shall get the cook in on Monday, and I expect we shall
all stop on board. Of course when work is over you can always go back
home when you are disposed."

To Mrs. Robson's delight, therefore, Jack was able to spend the next few
days at home, and also to assure her that his first voyage was to be a
short one only.

All was in readiness on Monday morning. The second and third mates came
on board early; the crew were not to join until the evening before
sailing, as the work of loading was done by stevedores. The second and
third mates were both young men. They had spoken to Jack on board the
bawley, and had shaken hands with him when they left Leigh with warm
expressions of gratitude, and they both greeted him most cordially as
soon as they met him on the deck of the _Wild Wave_. Jack therefore
commenced his career as a sailor under altogether exceptionally pleasant
conditions. The captain and two of the mates were under very deep
obligations to him, and Mr. Timmins had already conceived a very
favourable opinion of him from his willingness to turn his hand to
anything, and from his quickness and handiness.

For the next three days work went on from morning until night. Jack was
stationed at one of the hatchways with the second mate checking off
every box, bale, and package as it went down. The boatswain and crew
came on board on the Tuesday, as there was the work of bending the sails
and getting all in readiness for the start to be got through. Jack had
not returned home on Monday or Tuesday night, but on Wednesday he went
home to say good-bye, for the vessel was to go out of dock at noon on
Thursday.

Before leaving home he donned for the first time his neat uniform, which
had only come a few days before. Lily was delighted with his appearance,
and his mother felt no little pride as she looked at him, and, sad as
she was at the prospect of his long absence, was thoroughly convinced
that the choice he had made was a wise one. Mrs. Godstone and her
daughter had been down twice to call upon Mrs. Robson since her arrival
at Dulwich, and on the previous Saturday Jack and his mother had gone
t