pped any of it, to go back and read it all,
and to read it slowly too, and with the utmost attention. And I advise
them, moreover, if they do not perfectly understand it all, to ask some
older person to read it over with them and explain it to them. If they
are not willing to do this, but insist on skipping the first part of the
chapter, I advise them to make complete work of it, and skip the last
half too; for they certainly will not understand it.

When Hilbert went back to the paddle box with his half sovereign, it was
about eleven o'clock. The observation was to be made at twelve; and the
results, both in respect to the observation and the reckoning, were to
be calculated immediately afterward. The lottery which the men were
making related to the number of miles which the ship would have made
during the twenty-four hours. The men were just making up the list of
subscribers to the tickets when Hilbert went up to them. He gave his
half sovereign to the man who had the list. This man whom they called
the Colonel, took the money, saying, "That's right, my lad," and put it
in a little leather purse with the other half sovereigns.

"What's your name, Bob?" said he.

"Livingston," said Hilbert.

"Bobby Livingston," said the Colonel, writing down the name on his list.

"No," said Hilbert, contemptuously, "not Bobby Livingston. Hilbert
Livingston."

"O, never mind," said the Colonel; "it's all the same thing. Bobby means
boy."

The plan of the lottery was this: It was generally supposed that the
ship's run would be about 270 miles; and it was considered quite
certain, as has already been stated, that it would not be more than 280,
nor less than 260. So they made twenty tickets, by cutting five of the
Colonel's visiting cards into quarters, which tickets were to represent
all the numbers from 261 to 280, inclusive. They wrote the numbers upon
these cards, omitting, however, the first figure, namely, the 2, in
order to save time; for as that figure came in all the numbers, it was
considered unnecessary to write it. When the numbers were written thus
upon the cards, the cards themselves were all put into a cap[B] and
shaken up, and then every one who had paid a half sovereign drew out
one, the colonel holding the hat up high all the time, so that no one
could see which number he drew. This operation was performed in the
midst of jokes and gibes and loud shouts of laughter, which made the
whole scene a very merry one. Wh