s on the main-deck below, I could only see
Tim Rooney forward, with a couple of sailors helping him to range the
cable in long parallel rows along the deck fore and aft, the trio
lifting the heavy links by the aid of chain-hooks and turning it over
with a good deal of clanking, so as to disentangle the links and make it
all clear for running out without fouling through the hawse-hole when
the anchor was let go.

The boatswain looked quite as busy as Mr Mackay, if not more so, his
work being more noisy at any rate; but he wore so good-humoured an
expression on his face, and had made friends so nicely with me after our
little difficulty when I first came on board, that I thought I really
could do no great harm in speaking to him and asking him to solve some
of the difficulties that were troubling me about everything.

So resolving, I made my way down the poop ladder for the third time,
passing my fellow apprentices, who did not speak, though the lanky one,
Sam Weeks, put out his tongue at me very rudely; and, at last I came to
where Rooney was standing by the windlass bitts below the topgallant
forecastle.

"Hullo, Misther Gray-ham!" he cried on seeing me approach, "I was jist a
wondtherin' how long ye'd be acting skipper on the poop! You looked all
forlorn up there, ma bouchal, loike Pat's pig whin he shaved it,
thinkin' to git a crop o' wool off av its back. Aren't ye sorry now ye
came to say, as I tould ye--hey?"

"Not a bit of it," said I stoutly. "I'm more glad than ever now that I
came; and I wouldn't go back on shore if I could."

"Be jabers, that's more'n you'll say, me bhoy, a fortnight hince!" he
retorted with a grim chuckle, while the other men grinned in
appreciation of the remark. "Sure now, though, there's no good anyhow
in fore-tastin' matthers, as the ould jintleman aid whin he onhitched
the rope from off his nick which he was agoin' to hang himsilf wid. Is
there innythin' I can do in the manetoime to oblige ye, Misther Gray-
ham?"

"I wish you would tell me a lot of things," I replied eagerly.

"Be aisy, me darlint," he rejoined in his funny way; "an' if ye can't be
aisy, be as aisy as ye can! Now, go on ahid wid ye'r foorst
question--`one dog, one bone,' as me ould friend Dan'l sez."

"Well, what have become of all the sailors?" I asked to begin with.

"The sailors? Why, here we are, sure, all aloive an' kickin'! What do
ye take me an' me lazy mates here for, ma bouchal?"

"Oh, but I