I had not seen the model for some time, and had not expected that it would be so faithful; but I should have known Peter better. He was smiling with gratification. “It ’s not likely that it ’ll give you the pleasure it has me,” he said. “I ’ve been slow at it, but I ’ve been doing a thing or two along with it, and what ’s a little time? Take it along, Timmie. I ’ll make you a case for it, so ’s you can pack it in your chest.” “Thank you, Peter,” I began. “I ’ll keep it always.” So I have kept it. The ivory is now much yellowed by time, but it is the same delicate, fairy-like thing, and as perfect as ever. I should have said more, and was smiling and hesitating, not knowing what to say, when the watch was sent aloft to shorten sail. “What ’s that for, Peter?” I asked in surprise. We {262} were not cruising, and normally we should not have shortened sail. “I don’t know, lad. It ’s breezing up a bit, and it ’s like enough the old man ’s afraid he ’ll overrun whatever he ’s aiming for. He did n’t say anything to me about it. You might ask him what he means by it.” I laughed. Captain Nelson was on deck, standing just forward of the after house, where he had a clear view of all that went on aloft. In view of what happened, I think he had a definite purpose in being there. When the men were sent aloft to handle sail it was the established custom for the boatsteerers to take the yardarms. The other men would lay out along the yard in accordance with their speed and activity, the fattest and the laziest getting the bunt of the sail; but however good a man might be, it was his duty to give way to the boatsteerers. The yardarms were the places of honor, as the duties there called for the greatest skill and quickness. Joe Miller was good, but he was neither as skilful nor as quick as Smith. Smith knew it, as we all did. He may have craved the chance to show off before the men, or it may have been only a part of his scheme to exalt Smith and to bring into disrepute all in authority; but he reached the crosstrees two jumps ahead of Miller, and was on the footropes before him. Miller stopped for a moment and ordered Smith to come in and let him pass. Smith paid no attention to the order. Miller repeated it, but Smith was already at the lee yardarm, and he looked back at Miller and snarled silently—like a cat—fixing him with those opaque china-blue eyes of his. A fight on a yard with Smith was not to Miller’s liking, and he looked down on deck, where Mr. Snow stood. Mr. Snow bravely bellowed out the order once more, but Smith paid no attention, affecting not to hear. Mr. Snow had turned away immediately, and after a moment’s hesitation, Miller went to work next {263} to Smith. The other men on the yard had hard work to suppress their snickers. Captain Nelson had observed it, as he observed almost everything. He told Mr. Snow to send Smith aft.