than I do."

"Clem can hand, reef, and steer as well as any one, as far as his
strength goes," said the captain, looking approvingly at him.

"I'll set to work as soon as he likes, then," I observed. "But I wish
those fellows would be sharp about breakfast, for I am desperately
hungry."

"Well, go into the cabin, and Clem will give you a hunch of bread to
stay your appetite."

I followed Clem below. "Here, Brooke, some butter will improve it," he
said, spreading a thick slice of bread. "And so you don't seem to be
seasick, like most fellows. Well, I am glad of that. My father will
like you all the better for it, and soon make a sailor of you, if you
wish to learn."

I told Clem that was just what I wanted, and that I should look to him
to teach me my duties.

"I'll do my best," he said. "Take my advice and dip your hands in the
tar bucket without delay, and don't shirk anything the mate puts you to.
My father is pretty gruff now and then, but old Growl is a regular
rough one. He does not say much to me, but you will have to look out
for squalls. Come, we had better go on deck, or old Growl will think
that I have been putting you up to mischief. He will soon pick a
quarrel with you, to see how you bear it."

"I'll take good care to keep out of his way, then," I said, bolting the
last piece of bread and butter. "Thank you, Clem, you and I shall be
good friends, I see that."

"I hope so," answered my young companion with a sigh. "I have not many
on board, and till you came I had no one to speak to except father, and
he is not always in the mood to talk."

Clem's slice of bread and butter enabled me to hold out till the
forecastle breakfast was ready. I did ample justice to it. Directly I
made my reappearance on deck, old Growl set me to work, and I soon had
not only my hands but my arms up to the elbows in tar. Though the
vessel was pitching her head into the seas, with thick sheets of foam
flying over her, he quickly sent me aloft to black down the main
rigging. Clem showed me how to secure the bucket to the shrouds while I
was at work, and in spite of the violent jerks I received as the vessel
plunged her bluff bows into the sea, I got on very well. Before the
evening was over I had been out on the yards with little Clem to assist
in reefing the topsails, and he had shown me how to steer and box the
compass.

Nothing particular occurred on the voyage, though we were ten days in
reaching the