oldiers have no time for sorrow.
It is the dead march, Vincent. Then a volley over the grave, and a
march back to quarters to a lively quick-step. Come, brother-officer,
we are abreast of Gravesend: as far as we shall go to-night, and there's
the dinner-bell. Right shoulder forward. March!"

"No," I said to myself. "I am sorry for him, but he is too strange. I
shall never like Captain Brace."

CHAPTER FIVE.

Rough weather as soon as we were out of the mouth of the Thames gave me
something else to think about, and I did not spend much time in
calculating whether I liked Captain Brace or not; but I suppose I
behaved pretty well, for in two days I went on deck feeling a little
faint, and as if the great ship was playing at pretending to sink
beneath my feet.

"Come, that's good," said a familiar voice; and I found Captain Brace
had crossed over to where I was holding on by the bulwark, looking at
the distant shore. "Why, Vincent, you are a better sailor than I am."

I smiled at him in rather a feeble manner.

"Oh, I mean it," he said. "It has been very rough for the past
forty-eight hours, and I have been, as you know, pretty queer, but I
forced myself to get up this morning, and it has done me no end of good.
I have been down to see the men, thinking I would rouse them up, but,
poor fellows, they are all so utterly miserable that I think I'll leave
them alone to-day."

Human nature is curious; for I was so glad that the men were worse than
the officers, that I felt quite cheerful, and after breakfast--to which
I went down feeling as if I could not touch a bit, but did touch a good
many bits and drops--I found myself walking up and down the deck with
Captain Brace, taking an interest in the towering masts with their press
of sail, and the flashing, sparkling water, which came with a bump every
now and then against the side of the great ship, and scattered a fine
shower of spray over the bows.

For the wind was brisk, and the ship heeled over pretty well as she sped
down Channel.

In the course of the day, during which I began to be acquainted with the
officers, a passenger or two slowly made his appearance. I say "his,"
because not a lady showed on deck during the week. Then, as the weather
fell calm, they all came up nearly at once; and when I caught sight of
the stout elderly lady who had been so affectionate to me in the docks,
I felt disposed to go down. But there was no occasion. The week's