He must needs undertake some disagreeable
work, and carry it out with that degree of obstinacy which would amount
to firmness. After mature consideration, he sought and obtained
permission to become one of the two cooks to his mess. Moses Pyne was
the other.

Nothing, he felt, could be more alien to his nature, more disgusting in
every way to his feelings--and he was right. His dislike to the duties
seemed rather to increase than to diminish day by day. Bitterly did he
repent of having undertaken the duty, and earnestly did he consider
whether there might not be some possible and honourable way of drawing
back, but he discovered none; and soon he proved--to himself as well as
to others--that he did indeed possess, at least in some degree, firmness
of character.

The duties that devolved on him were trying. He had to scrub and keep
the mess clean and tidy; to draw all the provisions and prepare them for
cooking; then, to take them to the galley, and fetch them when cooked.
That this last was no simple matter, such as any shore-going tail-coated
waiter might undertake, was brought forcibly out one day during what
seamen style dirty weather.

It was raining at the time. The sea was grey, the sky was greyer, and
as the steamer itself was whitey-grey, it was a grave business
altogether.

"Is the soup ready, Moses?" asked Miles, as he ascended towards the deck
and met his _confrere_ coming down.

"I don't know. Shall I go an' see?"

"No; you can go and look after the table. I will fetch the soup."

"A nasty sea on," remarked a voice, which sounded familiar in Miles's
ears as he stepped on deck.

"Hallo! Jack Molloy!" he exclaimed, catching hold of a stanchion to
steady himself, as a tremendous roll of the vessel caused a sea to flash
over the side and send a shower-bath in his face. "What part of the sky
did you drop from? I thought I had left you snug in the _Sailors'
Welcome_."

"Werry likely you did, John Miles," answered the tar, balancing himself
with perfect ease, and caring no more for spray than if he had been a
dolphin; "but I'm here for all that--one o' the crew o' this here
transport, though I means to wolunteer for active sarvice when I gets
out. An' no wonder we didn't come across each other sooner! In sitch a
enormous tubful o' lobsters, etceterer, it's a wonder we've met at all.
An' p'r'aps you've bin a good deal under hatches since you come
a-boord?"

Molloy said this with a knowing