e takes, and all his indentures contain a clause
that unless the reports by the captains they sail under are favourable,
the owner has the right of returning the premium he received and of
cancelling the indentures. I can tell you, lad, that if every owner took
as much pains for the comfort of his officers and crews as Mr. Hewson
does, Jack would have a deal better life than is now the case."

CHAPTER II.

IN THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO.

The stay at Calcutta was a short one, and as soon as the cargo for that
port was unladen, the _Tiger_ again sailed. The apprentices had a run
ashore, but each had gone with one of the mates, as in so large a city the
boys, if alone, might well have got into trouble. Stephen went with the
first mate, and was glad at the arrangement, as Mr. Staines had frequently
been there before and knew the town well, and Stephen therefore saw a
great deal more of it than he would have done had he been alone. He was
delighted with the native bazaar, and would have laid out much of his
spare cash there, had not Mr. Staines prevented him.

"Time enough when you get back, Stephen. But if you have got any money to
spend you had better go with me to a stall where, the last two voyages I
have been here, I laid in a stock of articles useful for trading with the
Malays--looking-glasses, beads, brass buttons, bright handkerchiefs, and
things of that sort. I don't say but that one might get them cheaper in
London; but in the first place, one always finds plenty of things there to
spend one's money on; and in the second place, the people here know
exactly the sort of goods needed in the islands, and one can get them all
at one stall instead of having to hunt about in a dozen shops for them. We
are each allowed to trade on our own account up to a certain amount; and,
as a rule, I find that when I get back here I can sell the curiosities I
buy down in the islands, for about four times as much as the goods cost
me, so if you do the same you will have more money to buy things with here
than if you bought them now. But for most of the things you pick up you
will find you can get a much better price in London than you can here."

"What sort of things do you buy there, Mr. Staines?"

"The skins of birds, carved wood-work, Malay arms, models of canoes, and
things of that kind. The bird skins are the best, especially if you know
anything about them. I have