ug bed it is,
as it swings about with the ship. Davy soon fell asleep, but he was
quickly wakened again by the horrible noises on deck. Ropes were thrown
about, men's feet were stamping, pieces of wood were falling, doors were
banging, masts were creaking, the wind was howling; in short, Davy
thought it must be a terrible storm and that they should all be lost.
But the steward said to him, in passing, "It's only a stiff breeze,
youngster;" so he turned round and went to sleep again. For two days
and two nights did Davy lie there--very sick! On the morning of the
third day he awoke much refreshed, and felt strongly inclined to eat his
blankets! As he lay wondering how he was to get down out of his hammock
without breaking his neck, he heard his friend Ben Block conversing with
a man in another hammock who had never been to sea before and was very,
very sick.

"Oh! dear me," sighed the sick man, "where are we now?"

"Don't know," answered Ben; "we've been drove pretty far out of our
course to the nor'ard, I guess. It's a dead calm."

"A dead what?" said the sick man faintly.

"Why, a dead calm," replied Ben. "When there's no wind it's a calm, and
when there's no motion at all, either in the air or in the water, except
the swell o' the sea, it's a dead calm. D'ye understand?"

"Is it fine weather, Ben?" cried Davy cheerfully.

"Yes, lad, it is," replied the sailor.

On hearing this Davy sprang, or, as the sailors call it, tumbled out of
bed. He tried to get out of it; but not being used to hammocks, he was
awkward and fell plump on the floor! However, he was not hurt; and
throwing on his jacket, he ran up on deck.

Well might Davy's heart leap and his voice shout at the beautiful sight
that met his gaze when he reached the forecastle. The sea was like one
wide beautiful mirror, in which all the clouds were clearly reflected.
The sun shone brightly and glittered on the swell on which the ship
rolled slowly; and the only sound that could be heard was the gentle
flapping of the loose sails, now and then, against the masts.

"Have you had breakfast, youngster?" inquired the captain of the ship,
laying his hand on Davy's head.

"No, sir, not yet," answered the boy.

"Run below, then, and get it, and after you've done come to me. We must
put you to work now, lad, and make a sailor of you."

The steward soon gave Davy as much food as he could eat; then he sprang
up the companion ladder, and, running to t