Though thy sweet smile be hidden Unto my soul so dear; Though I be then forbidden Thine angel voice to hear; Though stern fate bid me wander Away from thee afar, Yet hope will turn the fonder Unto its one bright star. The bird that on the bough, love, So sweetly sang of late, Hath often been ere now, love, Thus driven from his mate; But still he wakes his song, love, Returning there anew; And thus, oh, thus, ere long, love, Will I return to you. "A sweet little cherub sits up aloft to cheer us with his soothing symphony," said Professor to Toney. "It is Tom Seddon," said Toney, glancing upward. "Just now he climbed up the rigging, inserted his person through the lubber's hole, and seated himself in the foretop." "Where he is laudably exercising his lungs for the entertainment of the company below," said the Professor. "Poor Tom is not thinking of the company below," said Toney. "His thoughts are far away." "With Ida?" said the Professor. "Yet one of the company below seems to be wonderfully excited by his music. Did you ever hear such a clatter of hoofs?" "You refer to the young gentleman on the top of the cook's galley, who is occupied with certain saltatory movements which appear to be an awkward imitation of dancing?" said Toney. "Who is he?" asked the Professor. "Sam Perch," said Toney. "The verdant youth who is sometimes called the Long Green Boy?" said the Professor. "The same," said Toney. "This extraordinary lad seems to possess the chameleon-like faculty of occasionally changing his color," said the Professor. "How so?" said Toney. "He has ceased to be green for the present, and has become exceedingly _blue_." "Is punning allowable?" said Toney. "That depends entirely on circumstances," said the Professor. "If on dry land a man makes a pun in your presence, knock him down if you are able." "And at sea?" said Toney. "Pun away as much as you please. In Neptune's dominions the area of liberty is ample, and freedom of speech is seldom interfered with." "Do you recognize that solemn personage standing at the bow and gazing so intently over the broad waters?" said Toney. "It is Moses," said the Professor. "He hopes soon to get a glimpse of the land of promise." "I heard him tell Hercules just now that he only wanted four bushels of gold-dust,--two for himself and two for his father. He said that he expected to fill his two sacks in about a week after he reached the mines, and should then immediately start for home." "His absence will be of short duration," said the Professor. "But who is Hercules?" "The big fellow to whom Botts has just administered a potation from the black bottle which he now holds in his hand," said Toney. "The giant smacks his lips in approval at the quality of the contents," said the Professor.