"Well, yer see, the blood all ran out of the yaller mast, and left it hard and dry. So I jist had a set of spars and sails rigged on to the thing, an' we arrove into Southampton with four masts." Bluefish knocked the ashes out of his pipe, from which we judged that his yarn was brought to a close. "Am dat all true, Massa Bluefish?" asked the innocent giant of a snollygoster. "Every word on it," was the solemn rejoinder. "It was a thing as occurred in my actual experience." Singular to relate, some of us had our doubts on this subject. It was now bedtime for those who were not on duty, and we prepared to turn in. I was up to seamen's tricks, and examined the stays of my hammock carefully before getting into it. I found them firm, and was about to turn in for a long snooze, when a crash in another corner of the forecastle told me that _some_ one had had the trick played on him, at least. The dim light of the lantern revealed the state of the case. Dicky Drake's hammock-strings had been all but severed, and he, upon turning in, had come down on the floor with a hard head-bump. "Who did that? Where is he? Show him to me!" exclaimed the verdant youth, in a rage, plucking out his jack-knife and running through the laughing crew like a wild man. "It was a mighty mean thing!" Tony Trybrace opined, roaring with laughter. "Dat's so. I wonder who did it?" Snollygoster asked. Every one else had some suggestion to make, but the doer of the deed was not found; and Dicky Drake swallowed his fury, reslung his hammock and turned in. We were all tired and sleepy. I, at least, was soon in the arms of Morpheus, dreaming of the land I had left, and of the bright eyes that would look so long in vain for my return. CHAPTER IV. A PRIZE AND A JOHN BULL. BUTLER. Footman, why art so happy? Art going to be married? FOOTMAN. No, meester. B. Then thou art married already, and art going to be divorced? F. No, meester. B. What then? F. I've drawn a _prize_. --OLD PLAY. I was awakened about daylight by a tramping on deck, and presently Tony Trybrace's shrill boatswain's whistle pealed out, followed almost immediately by his merry voice with: "Tumble up! tumble up, you lubbers, if you care for prize-money!" Every one heard what he said, and every one was on deck in a twinkling. The morning was just dawning, and, far off, set against the just brightening sky, a sail was visible. I was rather provoked at having been summoned up from my nap, because the vessel was a good five miles off, and, if it was to be a stern chase, a long time would elapse before we could bring her to. Nevertheless, as I was on deck, and as my watch would be on hand in an hour, I thought I might as well stay up and see the thing out.