red a
hole in it with a gimlet, and sucked the rum out through a straw. There
was nothing for it but to send up the steward, and Jim, my cabin-boy,
along with the others who were on deck. But poor Jim was but a clumsy
hand at it; and as they were lying out on the yard, the poor fellow lost
his hold, and was gone in a moment. I never caught one look at him
after he fell. Ay, but that wasn't all. About a week after, I was
wanting the steward one morning to fetch me something out of the
lazarette; so I called him over and over again. He came at last, but so
tipsy that I could make nothing of him; and I had to start him off to
the steerage, and take on another man in his place. He'd been helping
himself to the spirits. It was very vexing, you'll allow; for he was
quite a handy chap, and I got on very poorly afterwards without him. I
don't know how you manage, but you seem always to get steady men."

"Yes," said Captain Merryweather; "because I neither take the drink
myself nor have it on board."

"Ay, but I can never get on without my glass of grog," said the other.

"Then I'm afraid you'll never get your men to do without it. There's
nothing like example--`example's better than precept.'"

"I believe you're right. But you haven't heard the end of my
misfortunes, nor the worst either. It was a little foggy as we were
getting into the Channel, and I'd given, of course, strict orders to
keep a good look-out; so two of our sharpest fellows went forward when
it began to get dark, and I had a steady man at the wheel. I'd been on
deck myself a good many hours; so I just turned in to get a wink of
sleep, leaving the first mate in charge. I don't know how long I'd
slept, for I was very weary, when all in a moment there came a dreadful
crash, and I knew we were run into. I was out and on deck like a shot;
but the sea was pouring in like a mill-stream, and I'd only just time to
see the men all safe in the _Condor_--the ship that ran into us--and get
on board myself, before the poor _Elizabeth_ went down head foremost.
It's very strange. I hadn't been off the deck ten minutes, and that was
the first time I'd gone below for the last sixteen hours. It's just
like my luck. The captain of the _Condor_ says we were to blame; and
our first mate says their men were to blame. I can't tell how it was.
It was rather thick at the time; but we ought to have seen one another's
lights. Some one sung out on the other ship; but