s ripened into months, and Carlo became
used to his new home, and happy in it, and kept watch over his master,
and took his ease as usual. But the men's appearance changed, and
their clothes began to look shabby. In the first place they were
wearing out, and, secondly, they seemed--as we say--to be 'getting too
large' for them, and to hang loosely and untidily upon their gaunt
frames. The captain's eyes looked larger and sadder, and his voice
grew hollow at sunset, and threads of white began to show among his
dark curls, and increased in number day by day.

"'His plumage will be as white as your own very soon,' said the Mother
Albatross. 'I suppose it's the climate that does it.'

"'He is getting older,' said her mate; 'men, like ourselves, get white
as they get old.'

"'But he has been here so short a time,' said Mother Albatross.

"'He is so much the older, however,' said the father bird, and his
mate said no more; for she knew by the tone of his voice when he had
got to the end of his available information on any subject, and that
beyond this point he did not like to be pressed.

"'It's hard, it's very hard, captain, and I can't submit as you do,'
said one of the men one day. He and the captain were sitting side by
side at the look out, their elbows on their knees, and their chins
upon their hands.

"'And yet it's harder for me than for you,' said the captain. 'One
must die some day. It's not that. And you are a single man, Barker,
without ties.'

"The man stooped down, and taking one of Carlo's long ears in his
hand, played absently with it, as he said--

"'No, sir. I am not married, it's true, and have no children. I feel
for you, sir, from my heart. But in a little house just out of
Plymouth, that, God above knows, I can see this moment as clearly as I
see you, there's a girl that has either forgotten me, or is breaking
as good a heart as ever beat in woman's breast for the man that should
have been her husband, and that's fast bound here upon a rock with
sea-birds. The Lord knows best, captain, but it comes hard. We all
have our troubles, sir.'

"The captain laid his hand upon his shoulder.

"'Forgive me,' he said. 'God comfort you! God bless you!' And, rising
hurriedly, he went forward, the big tears breaking over his cheeks,
and sea and sky dancing together before his eyes.

"'What do you dream of at night, Barker?' said the captain, on
another day.

"'Home, sir,' said Barker.

"'Strange!' sai