k under the break of the poop, and only used
generally by the steward and cook going to and from the galley forward,
the other entrance by the companion way, direct down from the poop,
being reserved for the captain and officers, as a rule. "Perhaps he'll
say he has nothing left, now that the others have all had their dinner?"

I said this rather anxiously; for, now that I came to think of eating at
all, I felt all the hungrier, although until Tim asked me the question I
had not once thought about the matter, nor experienced the slightest
qualm from that neglected little stomach he had pitied!

"Bedad, whatsomedever he may say, me lad, he'll have to git somethin'
for us to ate, an' purty sharp too, if he's forced to fry that oogly
ould mahogany face av his!"

So saying, Tim entered the door of the passage leading into the cuddy,
which seemed very dark coming in from the open deck, and was all the
darker as we proceeded, the skylight in the poop having been covered
over to protect the glass-work while the ship was loading in the dock,
and the tarpaulin not having been yet taken off.

It was like going from the day into the night at one jump; but, after
fumbling after my leader for a step or two, almost feeling my way and
stumbling over the coaming at the entrance, placed there to prevent the
water the ship might take in over the side when at sea from washing in
from the main-deck, I all at once found myself in a wide saloon
stretching the whole length of the after part of the ship, with a series
of small cabins on either side and two larger ones at the end occupying
the stern-sheets. The doors of the latter, however, were closed so that
no light came through the slanting windows that opened out on either
side of the rudder-post, above which is usually fitted what is called
the stern gallery on board of an East Indiaman or man-of-war.

The skylight above being now blocked up and the ports and side scuttles
closed, the cuddy was only dimly illuminated by a couple of glass
bull's-eyes let into the deck above, and one of the swinging lamps that
were suspended at intervals over the long table that occupied the centre
of the saloon, the rest being untrimmed and only this one lit.

The light was certainly dim, but quite enough for me to see how finely
fitted-up the saloon was, with bird's-eye maple panelling to the cabins
and gilt-mouldings; while the butt of the mizzen-mast that ran up
through the deck and divided the t