here to dine, Captain and Mrs. Murchison being the only other guests.

After a tearful good-bye Jack started from home. On his arrival on board
he found two other lads, one a year older than himself and one as much
younger. Jim Tucker, the elder, had already made two or three voyages in
Mr. Godstone's ships. Arthur Hill was going to sea for the first time.
Jack knew that two other midshipmen were sailing in the _Wild Wave_, and
found them arranging their things in the little cabin, with three bunks,
allotted to them.

"Hallo! You are Robson, I suppose?" Jim Tucker began as he entered. "You
have got a lot of gear here in the cabin, and you must stow it away in a
smaller space than it takes up at present or we shall never fit in."

"I have not begun to stow it away yet," Jack said. "I was waiting to see
how much you had both got, and which berth you were going to choose,
before I began to settle at all."

"Yes, that is all right enough," Tucker answered. "Well, as I am the
senior, I will take this berth under the port."

"I suppose I am next," Jack said. "I will take the top one opposite."

This being settled the lads proceeded to put things straight and stow
away their portmanteaus.

As soon as they had done this they went on deck. The vessel was already
warping out of the dock, and as soon as she was through the gates a
steam-tug seized her and took her down the river. It was eight o'clock,
and the sun was just setting, when the hawser attached to the tug was
thrown off. Some of the sails had already been hoisted, for the wind was
northerly. The rest were now shaken out and sheeted home, and under a
cloud of white canvas--for the _Wild Wave_ had been fitted with an
entirely new suit of sails--the vessel proceeded on her way. The
officers were divided into two watches. The first and third mates and
Arthur Hill were in one watch, the second mate and the other two lads in
the other.

After the constant work on board the smack Jack found it strange as he
came down the river to be walking up and down the deck with nothing to
do. The _Wild Wave_ passed through a fleet of bawleys trawling off Hole
Haven; he knew every one of them by sight, but the _Bessy_ was not among
them.

Meals had been irregular that day with the officers, for there was much
to be seen after in coiling down ropes, washing the decks, and in
getting everything neatly in ship-shape. As they passed the Middle Sunk
the second mate touched Jack on the