the lad, rather sulkily, "that I'm almost starved to
death."

"Well, it's no odds," cried the other. "I can't quite make you out; but
I see you've hoisted signals of distress: there, sit you down.
Landlord, a glass of grog, hot, and sweet, and strong. Here, take a
pull at that till the grog comes."

He handed to him a pewter-pot as he spoke.

The boy pushed it from him with a look of disgust.

"I can't touch it," he said. "If you'll give me a mouthful of meat
instead, I'll thank you; and with all my heart too."

"Meat!" exclaimed the sailor, in astonishment, "what's the young lubber
dreaming about? Come, don't be a fool; drink the ale, and you shall
have some bread and cheese when you've finished your grog."

"Jack," expostulated one of his companions, "let the poor lad alone; he
hasn't a mind for the drink, perhaps he ain't used to it, and it'll only
make him top heavy. You can see he wants ballast; he'll be over on his
beam-ends the first squall if he takes the ale and grog aboard."

"Avast, avast, Tom," said the other, who was just sufficiently
intoxicated to be obstinate, and determined to have his own way. "If I
take him in tow, he must obey sailing orders. Grog first, and bread and
cheese afterwards; that's what I say."

"And I'd die afore I'd touch a drop of the drink," said the poor boy,
setting his teeth firmly. "I've seen enough, and more nor enough, of
misery from the drink; and I'd starve to skin and bone afore I'd touch a
drop of it."

"Bravo, my lad, bravo!" cried Captain Merryweather, who had listened to
the conversation with the greatest interest. "Come hither, my poor boy;
you shall have a good meal, and something better than the grog to wash
it down with."

"Oh, never heed Jack, captain," cried one of the other sailors; "he's
half-seas over just now, and doesn't know which way he's steering. I'll
see that the poor lad has something to eat."

"Thank you kindly, my man," replied the captain; "but he shall go with
me, if he will."

"Ay, sir," said the boy thankfully, "I'll go with you, for I'm sure you
speak gradely."

The whole party soon reached a temperance hotel, and here the captain
ordered his young companion a substantial breakfast.

"Stay here, my lad," he said, "till I come back; I want to have a word
with you. I am going with these gentlemen to the docks, but I shall be
back again in half an hour. By the way, what's your name, my boy?"

A deep flush came over the o