"He's a fine-looking youth; and I'm sure that anybody who sails with Captain Dawson can do anything that is wanted. That's what we say in England of all you people on the other side of the Atlantic," he continued, looking at me all the while; "and I think this lad will give a good account of himself." "I'll try, sir," said I. "I don't know what is expected of me, and if I make any blunders I want to be told of 'em at once." "Spoken like a man," said Captain Graham; "I'm sure we'll get along well together." This was my introduction to my duty as cabin-boy; and it is proper to say that I didn't have much difficulty in learning my duties. Captain Graham was a gentleman all over, and his wife was a lady if there ever was one. They had brought up their children to know their duties to their parents and to others; and I'll say this for 'em, that I never saw a better mannered pair of their ages than they were. They always treated me civilly, and had a pleasant "good-morning" for me when they saw me for the first time during the day. It was the same with Captain Graham and his wife. I know the captain was a perfect gentleman because it was so easy to satisfy him. He never gave me an order or sent me for anything unless it was really necessary; and I can say the same of his wife. I know I must have been awkward at times, but he never complained of my awkwardness; and if there was anything I didn't know, and it became necessary to tell me, he gave the instructions in the kindest manner imaginable. I had a very pleasant term of service in the cabin; and when we got to Boston every one of the family thanked me for my attentions to them, and bade me a real hearty good-by. We never expected to see each other again, but Fortune is a funny jade; and later on in this book I'll tell you something about the circumstances of our next seeing each other. As soon as they recovered their strength, Mrs. Graham and her elder daughter set about providing themselves with garments out of the slop-chest. By great good luck, there was in the bottom of the slop-chest a roll of blue cloth, of the same kind and quality as that of which the sailors' jackets and trousers were made. With a little alteration some of the ready-made jackets fitted the women very well, and were not at all bad in appearance. From the roll of cloth they made the lower half of their dresses. Candor compels me to say that the fitting was not quite equal to that of a fashionable dressmaker, but for an impromptu affair made on shipboard it was entirely satisfactory. I hardly had a glimpse of the women and the girl until the dresses were complete; then they came out into the cabin and were quite sociable with everybody. By keeping my ears open I quickly ascertained that the eldest daughter's name was Violet, and the second one, Mary. Both were very refined in their manners, and they could hardly help being so in view of the excellent example which they received from their parents.