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manners and disposition, well-educated, and was an especially expert
navigator, so that he was well able to assist the captain.

Scoones overawed him, however, by his blustering, dictatorial manners,
so that Grey never ventured to dispute a point with the first mate,
however obviously wrong the latter might be.

Ralph Grey liked Owen, and was always ready to assist him with any
information he required, and was never tired of explaining the why and
the wherefore of everything. The third mate was a young man, a fair
seaman, but without anything particular about him worthy of notice.

The captain was certainly not aware of his first mate's propensity to
drink hard when the opportunity occurred. Scoones generally avoided
doing so when there was any duty to be performed, but he spent most of
his time on shore in a state of intoxication, which had certainly
contributed to weaken his mental faculties.

The "Druid" was a large ship of nearly nine hundred tons, and was
chartered by the British Government to carry out stores to the squadron
then engaged in operations against the Dutch East Indian islands, which
had been taken possession of by the French. She carried sixteen guns
and a numerous crew, in order that she might protect herself, not only
against any French cruisers, but might be able to beat off the piratical
Malay proas which swarmed in those seas. Her duty, however, was not to
fight, but simply to defend herself if attacked. That she might be able
to do so, Captain Aggett, as soon as the ship was fairly at sea,
exercised the men daily at the guns, by which means he gave them plenty
of employment, the best plan for keeping a ship's company in good order.

Owen took a pleasure in learning the gun exercise, as he did in
acquiring a knowledge of all the other duties of a sailor. Every day he
rapidly gained health and strength, while the colour returned to his
cheeks, which were getting well-browned by the hot sun and sea air.

"Your friends at Wapping would not know you again," observed Captain
Aggett, after they had been at sea a few weeks. "When we get back they
will declare I have exchanged you for some one else. I don't know how
you will like returning to your high desk in Mr Fluke's dingy office."

"If it is my duty to go back, I shall be ready to do so, sir," answered
Owen; "but I confess that I should prefer a life at sea, as far as my
experience goes."

"You are right, Owen; as to doing what du