He looked puzzled, eyed me all over, then approaching me by a step he exclaimed with an earnest, confidential face: ‘Jokin’ apart, young man, who are you and what’s your object in cutting this here caper?’ Finding I did not reply, he continued: ‘You’re to have all the money you want when you arrive? And you haven’t money enough to pay your passage to get what’s awaiting for you?’ He paused. ‘Well, now, see here. You’ve got no business aboard, and you stood to be whipped, and you stood to be hanged for hiding in a Government transport. You’ve got to be fed, and gent or no gent, you must work.’ ‘I’m willing and anxious to work.’ ‘The captain’s handed you over to me. There’s plenty of hands for’ard, most of them about as sarviceable at a pinch as you’d be likely to prove. We’re short of a man aft, and you’ll do for the post. Can you wait at table?’ ‘I’ll try.’ ‘Well, you may rise to it. We’ll see. You’ll be wanted to carry the dirty dishes for’ard for the cook’s mate to wash, to help bring the dishes along from the galley, and to hang about here whilst the officers are eating, ready to run to the galley on arrands.’ ‘I’ll do all that willingly,’ said I. He then told me that the second steward slung his hammock next door to the pantry in the steerage, but as there were two or three empty cabins down there I was welcome to use a bunk in the one in which I had been locked up. ‘As for a bed,’ said he--‘you’d better ask the sailmaker to give you a piece of old canvas, and the butcher to give you a bundle of straw; you’ll get all the mattress you’ll want out of that. If I can meet with a stray blanket you shall have it. That pilot jacket, though a good coat, ain’t quite up to the knocker for table work. Pity you haven’t got a little loose cash upon you. I’ve got a spare jacket which,’ said he, taking a view of my shoulders, ‘would fit you for breadth to a hair. But not to button across; why, I never see such a chest on a young fellow. And now you can turn to,’ said he; ‘the table’s to be got ready for dinner and you can help.’ I requested him to lend me some soap and a towel. He grinned and asked me if there was any perfumery he could oblige me with. ‘But you’re right,’ said he. ‘You’re in want of a wash-down.’ He left me, and presently returned with a piece of marine soap and a coarse towel. He then told me where I should find a bucket, and recommended me to draw some water at the head pump on the forecastle, and to be careful not to spill any on the deck as I brought it along if I did not want to be sworn at by the officer of the watch.