“I am glad to see you, Mr. Sentrick; and I shall sleep without the fear of being blown up when the second is the equal of the first engineer in all except the name.” “Thank you, Mr. Belgrave: you are very kind to speak so handsomely of me, but I am still a pupil of Mr. Shafter, for he can teach me a great deal that I don’t know,” replied the second engineer modestly. “Now you know all the officers, Mr. Belgrave; and I have no doubt you will find them all ready and willing to do all in their power in your service,” added the commander; and all the officers touched their caps and bowed to the owner and to the captain, as they walked forward. “Now, Mr. Belgrave, we will look the vessel over.” The house on deck extended from the _boudoir_ to the forecastle; and the captain showed his owner into all the rooms, beginning with the staterooms of the engineers. Then they visited the engine and fire rooms, where Mr. Shafter did the honors. Forward of the smoke-stack was the galley, as Louis had already learned to call the kitchen. It was fitted up appropriately, and was as neat as a pin in every part. “Mr. Belgrave, I have the honor to present to you the chief cook of the Guardian-Mother, Monsieur Odervie; and I am sorry I can’t say it in French,” said the commander, laughing. “I am very glad to see you, Monsieur Odervie,” answered Louis, taking his hand, which the cook wiped diligently on his apron for this part of the ceremony; and the owner spoke his speech in French, which delighted the official of the galley. “Your soup has made a new man of me, after starving for three days on a sandbank; and I know you will be one of my most valued friends.” “Thank you, Monsieur Belgraf. Pardon, _Monsieur le capitaine, mais vous savez bien_”-- “No, I don’t _savez_ a bit!” exclaimed the captain. “You have promised me another man. _C’est trop pour cuire pour tout l’équipage._” “He says it is too much to cook for the whole crew,” interposed Louis. “He is quite right; but I had not time to look up another cook after I learned that one was wanted,” replied the captain. “So much the better!” exclaimed Louis. “There is Baldy; and I promised to find a place for him if I could.” “Baldy?” added the commander interrogatively. “Bickling, the cook of the Maud, who came on board with me.” “All right! Come here, Baldy,” called the captain. “Which I am ’ere, sir,” replied the cook of the Maud. “Can you talk French, Baldy?” asked the commander, apparently to make sport of him. “Which I can a little, sir.” “You can!” exclaimed Louis. “Which I lived two years in Paris with my master, and I had to pick up some of it,” replied Baldy. Louis and the cook spoke to him in French, and the examination was satisfactory, though the candidate had forgotten some of what he had learned; in fact, Louis suggested that he could speak French better than he did English. But the chief cook could speak English when he was so disposed.