s from Gibralter, yielded to
its somnolent influence, and lay stretched about the forecastle and
waists, enjoying the voluptuous languor which overcomes men suddenly
emerging from a cold into a tropical climate.

Mr. Langley, myself, and the skipper's dog, reclined upon the
booby-hatch. The first having the responsibility of the deck contrived
to maintain a half upright position, and to keep one eye open, but the
other two, prostrate by each others' side, slumbered outright.

"What's the time, Bill?" I asked, at length, rousing myself, and
shaking off the embrace of Rover, who was loth to lose his bedfellow.

"'We take no note of time,'" spouted the third mate, drawing his watch
from his pocket. "For'ard, there! strike four bells, and relieve the
wheel. Keep your eye peeled, look-out; and mind, no caulking."

"Ay ay, sir," was the lazy response, and in a moment more the
_ting-ting_, _ting-ting_, of the ship's bell rang out on the silent
air, and proclaimed that the middle watch was half over, or, in
landsmen's lingo, that it was two o'clock, A. M.

"Lay along, Rover," I muttered, preparing for another snooze.

"Oh! avast that Frank; come, keep awake, and let's talk."

"Talk!" said I, "about what, pray?"

"Oh! I don't know," replied Bill. "I tell you what, Frank, if it
wasn't for being cock of the roost myself, I should wish that Stewart
headed this watch now. What fine times we used to have, eh?--but he
has altered as well as the times--how odd he has acted by spells ever
since we got that packet at Malta. I'm d--d if I don't believe he got
news of the loss of his sweetheart."

"He never had any that I know of," I rejoined, "but he certainly did
hear something, for he has changed in his manner, and the skipper and
he have long talks by themselves, and I heard Stewart tell him one day
that after all it would have been better to have left the ship at
Gibralter, and not gone the voyage."

"Did he, though!" cried Langley; "in that case I should have been
second mate--however, I'm glad he didn't quit."

"Thank you, Bill," said a voice behind us; and turning in some
confusion we beheld Mr. Stewart standing in the companion. "How is her
head?" he continued, asking the usual question, to allow us to recover
from our embarrassment.

"About west, sir," replied Langley.

"Well, as the wind freshens a little and is getting rather to the
nor'ard, you'd better give your larboard braces a pull or two, and
then put your