one
to send on errands and odd jobs--the slave of the cuddy and fo'c's'le
alike!

Before he had imbibed so much rum, and just prior to his going on the
poop that time when he startled us all so much in the fo'c's'le by his
hail for Tom Bullover and the rest of the starboard hands to come aft
and relieve the port watch, Captain Snaggs, as I afterwards learnt, had
spoken to the steward, telling him that he was to take over poor Sam
Jedfoot's duties for awhile, until the men selected a new cook from
amongst themselves. Jones was told to commence work in the galley the
next evening, with especial injunctions to be up early enough to light
the fire under the coppers, so that the crew could have their hot coffee
at `eight bells,' when the watches were changed--this indulgence being
always allowed now in all decent merchant vessels; for Captain Snaggs,
if he did haze and bully the hands under him, took care to get on their
weather side by looking after their grub, a point they recollected, it
may be remembered, when he appealed to them in reference to his
treatment of poor Sam.

Now, Morris Jones did not relish the job; but, as the first-mate had
been present when the captain gave his orders, albeit Mr Flinders was
rather limp at the time, from the physicking he, like the skipper, had
had from the jalap in the stew, the steward knew that he would recollect
all about it, even if the rum should have made the captain forget. So,
much against his inclination, he turned out of his bunk at daybreak to
see to lighting the galley fire; when, whom should he chance to come
right up against on his way forward but me, just as I had wriggled
myself out of the tarpaulin and sat up on the deck, rubbing my
half-opened eyes.

Jones was delighted at the opportunity for `passing on' the obnoxious
duty.

"Here, you young swab!" he cried, giving me a kick to waken me up more
thoroughly, and then catching hold of me by the scruff of the neck and
pulling me up on my feet, "stir your stumps a bit and just you come
forrud along o' me. I'm blessed if I'm going to do cook an' stooard's
work single-handed, an' you lazy rascallion a caulkin' all over the
ship! First I finds yer snug down snoozin' in the cabin, an' now here,
with the sun ready to scorch yer eyes out. Why, yer ought ter be right
down 'shamed o' yerself. I'm blessed if I ever see sich a b'y for
coilin' hisself away an' caulkin' all hours of the day and night!"

Jones was fond of