Mr. Duff laughed outright, and the sailors nudged each other as
if highly tickled. Ralph looked from one to another, and his pulse
beat fast.

"If I had you folks up in our mountains," said he, "mebbe I could show
you a thing or two that would puzzle you. I know I'm green, but I'm
not too green to learn."

"You'll do," replied the mate shortly, as the boy turned away.

A little later as he was standing by the after hatch, a hand was laid
on his arm.

"Ralph," said the second mate, for it was he, "let me give you a bit of
advice. No matter what is said or done to you, take it and go along.
Hard words mend no bones. I'm giving you straight goods, my lad. You
seem to have the right kind of stuff in you, and all you need is to be
kept in line."

"Mr. Bludson said something of the sort, I think. All right, sir.
I'll keep my mind on that, and I'm obliged to you."

But after the mate had returned to the binnacle Ralph was conscious of
a fall in his spirits. Ocean life might be glorious after a while, but
at present he was apparently under everybody; he knew less than
anybody, and--suddenly he threw his hand to his head.

The roar of the breakers was close at hand now, and as the Curlew began
to roll and pitch in quite a pronounced manner, the boy would have been
alarmed but for the overmastering wretchedness of his feelings. His
whole internal system seemed to be turning upside down.

"It must be!" he groaned, staggering to the side. "I--I'm--sea--sick.
Oh--oh--oh--Lordy!"

CHAPTER XIII.

A Taste of Ship's Discipline.

For an hour or more passing events were as naught to Ralph. Too ill to
sling his hammock, he finally crawled under one of the small boats on
the main deck, and at last fell asleep.

The next thing he was conscious of was a terrible chill, a sensation of
drowning, and gasping for breath. As he woke he heard a gruff voice
say:

"If that don't fetch him nothin' won't."

As Ralph opened his eyes, several seamen were standing about, laughing,
one of whom held a half emptied bucket of water.

The boy's head ached and he was thoroughly drenched and miserable.

"Up you get!" said Long Tom, pausing in his walk to and fro in the
waist of the schooner, "Time you were gettin' breakfast on the cabin
table. Cap'n always raises thunder when breakfast is late."

Ralph, on rising to his feet, nearly pitched down again, being brought
up with a round turn in the lee scuppers.

"Easy now, a