ld man
whose acquaintance I had so unceremoniously formed. "Ye'll find it
there, for'ard, if ye'll grope your way. It's not over airy, but it's
all the warmer in winter."

After supper, I succeeded in finding the berth Bob had pointed out. It
was the lowest berth, directly in the very bows of the vessel--a
shelf-like space, about five feet in length, with height scarcely
sufficient to allow me to sit upright,--Dirty Dick, the ship's boy I
have mentioned, having the berth above me. Mine contained a mattress
and a couple of blankets. My inquiry for sheets produced as much
laughter as when I asked for milk. "Well, to be sure, as I suppose you
have not a washerwoman on board, they would not be of much use," I sang
out; "and so, unless the captain wants me to steer the ship, I will turn
in and go to sleep. Good night, mates."

"The leddie has got some spirit in him," I heard Bob Tubbs observe.
"What do you call yourself, boy?"

"Happy Jack!" I sang out; "and it's not this sort of thing that's going
to change me."

"You'll prove a tough one, if something else doesn't," observed Bob from
his berth. "But gang to sleep, boy. Ye'll be put into a watch
to-morrow, and it's the last time, may be, that ye'll have to rest
through the night till ye set foot on shore again." I little then
thought how long a time that would prove; but, rolling myself up in my
blanket, I soon forgot where I was.

Next morning I scrambled on deck, and found the brig plunging away into
a heavy sea, with a strong southerly wind, the coast just
distinguishable over our starboard quarter. The captain gave me a grim
smile as I made my way aft.

"Well, leddie, how do you like it?" he inquired.

"Thank you, pretty well," I answered; "but I hope we sha'n't have to
wait long for breakfast."

He smiled again. "And you don't feel queer?"

"No, not a bit of it," I replied. "But I say, captain, I thought I was
to come as a midshipman, and mess with the other young gentlemen on
board."

He now fairly laughed outright; and looking at me for some time,
answered, "We have no young gentlemen on board here. You'll get your
breakfast in good time; but you are of the right sort, leddie, and
little Clem shall show you what you have got to do," pointing as he
spoke to a boy who just then came on deck, and whom I took to be his
son.

"Thank you, captain," I observed; "I shall be glad of Clem's
instruction, as I suppose he knows more about the matter