s,
busy and idle--but all looking as if they regarded life as a huge joke.

They laughed amiably at our open mouths, and made remarks to us.
These, of course, we were unable to understand, but at least we could
grin, and that seemed to be the answer expected. When our guide took
us to free air again, and we found ourselves far from where we had
entered, we could readily 'take it from Michael' that the underground
passages offered harbour to all the queer fellows of the City. With
the night drawing on, and a reminder in our limbs that we had done a
hard day's work, we would go to Clark's, in Kearney, a coffee-house
famed among brassbounders. There we would refresh and exchange ship
news with 'men' from other ships. Clark himself--a kindly person with
a hint of the Doric amidst his 'Amurricanisms'--was always open to
reason in the middle of the week, and we never heard that he had lost
much by his 'accommodations.'

When we returned to the streets, the exodus from the theatres would be
streaming towards cars and ferry. It was time we were on board again.
Often there would be a crowd of us bound for the wharves. It was a
custom to tramp through 'sailor-town' together. On the way we would
cheer the 'crimps' up by a stave or two of 'Mariners of England.'

X

THE DIFFICULTY WITH THE 'TORREADOR'S'

In the half-deck differences, sometimes leading to fisticuffs, were of
daily occurrence; but, considering that we were boys, drawn from all
parts, each with his town or county's claim to urge, we dwelt very
happily together. Though our barque was Scotch, we were only two
strong, and at times it was very difficult to keep our end up, and
impress our Southron shipmates with a proper sense of our national
importance. The voice of reason was not always pacific, and on these
occasions we could but do our best. Our Jones (of Yorkshire) was of a
quarrelsome nature; most of our bickers were of his seeking, and to him
our strained relations with the 'Torreador's' was mainly due.

The _Torreador_ had berthed next to us at Mission Wharf, and by the
unwritten laws of the sea and the customs of the port of San Francisco,
her crew should have fraternised with us; from the mates (who could
exchange views on the sizes of rope and the chances of promotion) down
to the younger apprentices (who should have visited one another to
'swap' ship's biscuit). With other ships matters might have been
arranged, but the _Torreador_ was a