ng, of course, as the
smoking was not allowed to interfere with the duty of the ship. Nay,
more; he sometimes allowed himself the luxury of a pipe under similar
circumstances, and he thought he might safely do so on the present
occasion. So, seating himself in the skipper's chair, he drew out his
pipe, tobacco, and knife, and prepared to enjoy his whiff.

Oh! how comfortable a chair that was! How great a relief to sit in it,
even for the minute or two during which he was cutting up his tobacco
and filling his pipe! This work, though performed with great
deliberation, was at length accomplished; his steel and tinder-box
furnished him with a light; and he began to smoke.

Somehow he forgot to get up out of the chair again when his pipe was
lighted, but, leaning back restfully in it instead, watched the little
rings and wreaths of smoke which issued from it and went floating lazily
away until they vanished in the soft cool air of the night. Then, by
association of ideas, Ritson's thoughts strayed away to the little
flaxen, curly-haired urchin at home, his one-year-old son, who used to
be so delighted to watch the wreathing smoke issue from his father's
pipe, that he would crow and jump and kick upon his mother's knee, until
the good woman had hard work to hold him. He fancied he could see the
young rascal still, his fat, dimpled cheeks wreathed with smiles of
delight, his blue eyes sparkling, and his fat chubby arms and legs
flourishing in the air as he made frantic grasps at the little blue
smoke-rings floating toward him. Yes; and he could hear Anna's, his
wife's voice, half-jestingly, half in earnest, scolding the happy father
for keeping the child awake. And, letting his thoughts have free play
on _so_ pleasant a theme, he could recall the same voice crooning a
soothing lullaby to the little fellow as, later on, he nestled into his
mother's breast, tired out with his romp, and softly sank to sleep.
Very soothing was that lullaby--very soothing indeed--yes--it was--
very--a--very--soothing--little--song--and--and--

And Ritson's head sank upon his breast, as he, too, yielded to the
seductive influence of sleep.

A _few_ feet away stood or rather lolled the helmsman, his body drooping
over the wheel, on the upper rim of which he had crossed his arms for
the sake of the welcome support. On taking charge of the wheel he had
been given the course, and, glancing into the binnacle, he found that
the barque was he