I was confused for the moment by my intense sleepiness, and the blow I had given my head, so that I could hardly make out where I was. Then as I awoke to the fact that my brother middy was half-dressed, and that he had been holding his dripping sponge to my face, I crawled out, or rather lowered my legs down, and began to dress. "Look sharp," said my companion; "don't stop to shave." CHAPTER THREE. "Well, youngsters!" saluted us as soon as we stepped on deck, and the bluff, brown-faced captain gave me a searching look. "Ready for work?" "Yes, sir." "That's right. Well, I don't want you yet. Run about the ship, and keep out of my way. That'll do for the present. Be off!" He was rather rough, but it was in a good-tempered fashion, and I felt as if I should like the captain in spite of a whisper from Walters which sounded like "boor." Then feeling free for the day, I upset my new friend and patron by going amongst the men and passengers as they came on deck. "Here, don't you be so fast," said Walters, as I was hurrying from place to place asking questions of the sailors, and finding interest in everything on board, where, though bearing a certain similarity, all was so different to the arrangements upon a yacht. "Fast!" I said, wonderingly. "Yes," said Walters, shortly. "You'll be getting into trouble. You'd better, now you're so new, let me lead, and I'll tell you all that you want to know." "Mind your eyes, youngsters," sang out a good-looking, youngish man, "Now, my lads, right under, and lash it fast." "Second mate," whispered Walters to me, as about a dozen men dragged a great spar, evidently an extra top-mast, close under the bulwarks, to secure it tight out of the way. "Quite right, youngster," said the officer, who seemed to have exceedingly sharp ears, and then he gave me a nod. "Hang him and his youngsters," grumbled Walters as we went forward. "He has no business to speak like that before the men." "Oh, what does it matter?" I said. "Look there, at that thin gentleman and the young lady who came on board yesterday evening. He must be ill. Oh! mind," I cried, and I sprang forward just in time to catch the gentleman's arm, for as he came out of the cabin entrance, looking very pale, and leaning upon the arm of the lady, he caught his foot in a rope being drawn along the deck, and in spite of the lady clinging to him he would have fallen if I had not run up. "Don't!" he cried angrily, turning upon me. "Why do you leave your ropes about like that?" "John, dear!" Only those two words, spoken in a gentle reproachful tone, and the young lady turned to me and smiled. "Thank you," she said; "my brother has been very ill, and is weak yet." "Lena," he cried, "don't parade it before everybody;" but as he turned his eyes with an irritable look to the lady and encountered hers, a change came over him, and he clung to my arm, which he had thrust away.