to the captain. "How is she doing now?" he asked.

"East and by no'the a half no'the," said Davis. "It's about as good as I
expected."

"What'll the hands think of it?" said Herrick.

"O, they don't think. They ain't paid to," says the captain.

"There was something wrong, was there not? between you and--" Herrick
paused.

"That's a nasty little beast; that's a biter," replied the captain,
shaking his head. "But so long as you and me hang in, it don't matter."

Herrick lay down in the weather alleyway; the night was cloudless, the
movement of the ship cradled him, he was oppressed besides by the first
generous meal after so long a time of famine; and he was recalled from
deep sleep by the voice of Davis singing out: "Eight bells!"

He rose stupidly and staggered aft, where the captain gave him the
wheel.

"By the wind," said the captain. "It comes a little puffy; when you get
a heavy puff, steal all you can to windward, but keep her a good full."

He stepped towards the house, paused and hailed the forecastle.

"Got such a thing as a concertina forward?" said he. "Bully for you,
Uncle Ned. Fetch it aft, will you?"

The schooner steered very easy; and Herrick, watching the moon-whitened
sails, was overpowered by drowsiness. A sharp report from the cabin
startled him; a third bottle had been opened; and Herrick remembered the
_Sea Ranger_ and Fourteen Island Group. Presently the notes of the
accordion sounded, and then the captain's voice:

"O honey, with our pockets full of money,
We will trip, trip, trip, we will trip it on the quay,
And I will dance with Kate, and Tom will dance with Sall,
When we're all back from South Amerikee."

So it went to its quaint air; and the watch below lingered and listened
by the forward door, and Uncle Ned was to be seen in the moonlight
nodding time; and Herrick smiled at the wheel, his anxieties a while
forgotten. Song followed song; another cork exploded; there were voices
raised, as though the pair in the cabin were in disagreement: and
presently it seemed the breach was healed; for it was now the voice of
Huish that struck up, to the captain's accompaniment:--

"Up in a balloon, boys,
Up in a balloon,
All among the little stars
And round about the moon."

A wave of nausea overcame Herrick at the wheel. He wondered why the air,
the words (which were yet written with a certain knack), and the voice
and accent of the singer, should all jar