tee I'll make a
man of him. The land is no place for a boy, anyhow. He needs a
bit of ocean travel to broaden his views."

"That is a strange proposition," said Mr. Henderson. "We must
think it over."

CHAPTER IV

TALKING IT OVER

Captain Spark was invited to spend a week or more at the Henderson
home. He was up bright and early the next morning--in fact, before
any one else, and Bob, hearing some one moving around downstairs,
and knowing his father and mother were not in the habit of having
such an early breakfast, descended to see who it was.

"Good-morning, my lad," greeted the mariner. "I suppose you are
going to take the morning watch and holystone the decks. Nothing
like being active when you're young. It will keep you from getting
old."

"Yes, sir," replied Bob, for he did not know what else to say.

"Haven't got any more tic-tacs, have you?" and there was a twinkle
in the captain's eyes.

"No, sir."

"That's right. If you've got to play tricks, do it on somebody your
size. Then it's fair. Don't scare lone widows."

"I won't do it again," promised Bob, who felt a little ashamed of
his prank of the previous night.

Soon Mrs. Henderson came downstairs to get breakfast, and when the
meal was over Bob got ready for school, Mr. Henderson leaving for
his work in the woolen mill.

When Bob was safely out of the way Captain Spark once more brought
up before Mrs. Henderson the proposition he had made the night
before.

"Well, Lucy," he said, for he called Mrs. Henderson by her first
name, "have you thought over what I said about taking Bob to sea?"

"Yes, I have."

"And what do you think of it?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I don't like the idea."

"Why not? I'm sure it would be good for him."

"It might. I'm sure you mean it well, but I couldn't bear to have
him go."

"It will make a man of him--cure him of some of his foolish ways,
I'm sure."

"Perhaps it would. Bob is very wild, I know, but I think I have
more influence over him than any one else. He will do anything for
me, or for his father, either, for that matter. I am afraid if Bob
got away from our influence he would be worse than he is now."

"Oh, we have a few good influences aboard the Eagle" said the
captain with a grim smile. "Only we don't call 'em influences. We
call 'em ropes' ends, or cat-o'-nine-tails, or a belaying-pin. I've
known a limber rope's end, applied in the right place, do more good
to