ughing as if this were a good
joke; and Nan herself could not help smiling.

"I don't believe if the old gentleman can look down at ye he begrudges
the worst of his voyages nor the blackest night he ever spent on deck,
if you're going to have the spending of the money. Not but what Miss
Prince has treated me handsome right straight along," the old sailor
explained, while the inspector, thinking this not a safe subject to
continue, spoke suddenly about some fault of the galley; and after
this was discussed, the eyes of the two practiced men sought the
damaged mizzen mast, the rigging of which was hanging in snarled and
broken lengths. When Nan asked for some account of the accident, she
was told with great confidence that the Highflyer had been fouled, and
that it was the other vessel's fault; at which she was no wiser than
before, having known already that there had been a collision. There
seemed to be room enough on the high seas, she ventured to say, or
might the mischief have been done in port?

"It does seem as if you ought to know the sense of sea talk without
any learning, being Cap'n Jack Prince's grand-darter," said old
Goodsoe; for Captain Parish had removed himself to a little distance,
and was again investigating the condition of the ship's galley, which
one might suppose to have been neglected in some unforgivable way,
judging from his indignant grumble.

"Fouled, we say aboard ship, when two vessels lay near enough so that
they drift alongside. You can see what havick 't would make, for ten
to one they don't part again till they have tore each other all to
shoestrings; the yards will get locked together, and the same wind
that starts one craft starts both, and first one and then t'other
lifts with a wave, don't ye see, and the rigging's spoilt in a little
time. I've sometimes called it to mind when I've known o' married
couples that wasn't getting on. 'T is easy to drift alongside, but no
matter if they was bound to the same port they'd 'a' done best alone;"
and the old fellow shook his head solemnly, and was evidently
selecting one of his numerous stories for Nan's edification, when his
superior officer came bustling toward them.

"You might as well step down here about four o'clock; I shall have the
keys then. I may want you to hold a lantern for me; I'm going into the
lower hold and mean to do my work thoroughly, if I do it at all," to
which Goodsoe responded "ay, ay, sir," in most seamanlike fashion