he poop where the captain was,
touched his cap, saying--

"I'm ready, sir."

"Very good, my lad," said the captain, sitting down on the skylight, or
window on the deck, which gives light to the cabin below. "Do you see
that little thing on top of the mainmast like a button?"

"Do you mean the truck?" said Davy.

"Oh, you know its name, do you? well, do you think you could climb up to
it?"

"I'll try," cried Davy, springing towards the mast.

"Stay!" shouted the captain; "not so fast, boy. You'd tumble down and
break your neck if you tried to climb to the truck the first time you
ever went up the mast. But you may go to the `maintop.' That's where
you see the lower mast joined to the top mast. Climb up by those rope
ladders--the `shrouds,' we call them." Away went Davy, and was soon
halfway up the shrouds; but he went too fast, and had to stop for
breath. Then he came to the mass of woodwork and ropes at the head of
the lower mast. Here he had great difficulty in getting on; but, being
a fearless boy, he soon succeeded. The captain then called to him to go
out to the end of the "yardarm."

Yards are the huge cross beams fastened to the masts to which the sails
are fixed. The "main-yard" is the largest. The mainsail is attached to
it.

Davy soon crept out nearly to the end, but when he got there the yard
became so small and the ropes upon it were so few and slack, that the
poor boy's courage began to fail. He looked down at the water, which
seemed to be terribly far below him. At that moment the ship made a
lurch or plunge, Davy lost his hold, and with a loud cry fell headlong
from the yard into the sea. In a moment Ben Block, who had been
watching him, jumped overboard; a boat was lowered, and in less than ten
minutes Ben was picked up with Davy clinging to him.

Not long after this they drew near the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, and were
beginning to think of the end of their voyage. But one night while Davy
lay sound asleep in his warm hammock, he was startled by a cry on deck,
which was followed by a loud order for "all hands" to tumble up and
shorten sail. The sailors are usually called "hands" at sea. In a
moment Davy was on deck, with only his trousers and shirt on. But he
could not see anything, the night was so dark, and he could scarcely
hear anything except the howling of the wind.

"Take in all sail!" roared the captain. The men rushed to obey, and
Davy was so well accustomed to the