I went straight to the captain’s cabin, and there worked out my observation, and fixed the correct position of the barque on the chart. The course she was steering happened to be the true direction she needed to take, and there was nothing to mend in that way. Miss Temple came to the table and watched me as I made my calculations. When I had come to an end, I asked her to remain where she was, and returned with the chart on deck. I beckoned to the carpenter, who was standing at the break of the poop, as though waiting for me to arrive that he might go forward to his dinner. ‘Here’s our situation to-day,’ I exclaimed pointing to the chart—it was a tract-chart of the world—‘and here’s Cape Horn. Our course then is as we’re steering.’ He stared at the chart with the blind and stupid look of a man who cannot read, and after a bit said: ‘Let’s see: here’s south, and here’s west, ain’t it? And here’s Cape Horn, as you say. Ay, our course is about right for it, I allow.’ Whilst I rolled the chart up, I exclaimed: ‘It is inconvenient to be without a stand-by for a third relief. You and I both want to dine at once, and there is nobody to keep a lookout in the place of one of us. The man who had charge this morning whilst we were below appeared to be a very respectable steady sailor. Suppose now, calling me captain, and you chief officer, we appoint him, with the sanction of the crew of course, second mate.’ ‘I dunno as I should do that,’ he answered; ‘best not have too many masters aboard. _I’m_ no chief officer, and there’ll be no convartin’ of Joe Wetherly into a second mate. We’re all jest _men_. But I tell ‘ee what; if the crew’s willing, Joe might be selected to relieve you or me whensoever it comes about as the pair of us wants to be below at the same time, as now.’ ‘Very well,’ I exclaimed, in the sort of peremptory yet half-careless way which I had made up my mind to employ when speaking to this man; ‘work it out in your own fashion. You can send him aft to relieve me when he’s done dinner. I shall feel obliged by your seeing that Wilkins turns to and prepares the table for us at once.’ I was about to leave him, when he exclaimed: ‘One question, Mr. Dugdale. Nothen was said between us men and you as to the share ye expect.’ ‘Never mind about that now,’ I answered. ‘The agreement betwixt you and the captain was for a third, I think,’ said he; ‘you won’t expect that, now there’s a dozen of us in the consarn?’ ‘Oh no, oh no! Send Joe Wetherly aft as soon as he’s done.’ ‘It’s onderstood,’ said he, ‘that the lady won’t take no share?’ ‘Yes, you may understand that,’ I exclaimed. ‘As for my portion,’ I continued, anxious to get rid of him, ‘give me what you think I shall have fairly earned, and you’ll satisfy me.’ ‘Right!’ he exclaimed with alacrity, seeking clumsily to conceal an emotion of sulky exultation. ‘Just another word, Mr. Dugdale. What sort of character might that ha’ been which the captain gave me?’