you've had a little lunch, you'll be as steady as a rock again.'

'Yes,'was the reply, 'I'm steady enough now, but I'm a queer

kind of a first officer.'

'Shucks!' cried the captain. 'You've only got to mind the

ship's course, and keep your slate to half a point. A babby could

do that, let alone a college graduate like you. There ain't

nothing TO sailoring, when you come to look it in the face. And

now we'll go and put her about. Bring the slate; we'll have to

start our dead reckoning right away.'

The distance run since the departure was read off the log by

the binnacle light and entered on the slate.

'Ready about,' said the captain. 'Give me the wheel, White

Man, and you stand by the mainsheet. Boom tackle, Mr Hay,

please, and then you can jump forward and attend head sails.'

'Ay, ay, sir,' responded Herrick.

'All clear forward?' asked Davis.

'All clear, sir.'

'Hard a-lee!' cried the captain. 'Haul in your slack as she

comes,' he called to Huish. 'Haul in your slack, put your back

into it; keep your feet out of the coils.' A sudden blow sent

Huish flat along the deck, and the captain was in his place.

'Pick yourself up and keep the wheel hard over!' he roared. 'You

wooden fool, you wanted to get killed, I guess. Draw the jib,' he

cried a moment later; and then to Huish, 'Give me the wheel

again, and see if you can coil that sheet.'

But Huish stood and looked at Davis with an evil countenance. 'Do

you know you struck me?' said he.

'Do you know I saved your life?' returned the other, not

deigning to look at him, his eyes travelling instead between the

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