complete sailor. She can take the wheel; she can sound the well; she has a nerve of steel at a moment that would send a good many who consider themselves stout-hearted to their prayers. It is not the usage of the sea, Abraham, that makes her look poorly, as you say."  

I noticed Jacob leaning forward with his hands upon his knees, staring at her. Suddenly he smacked his leg with the sound of a pistol-shot.  

"Why, yes!" he cried. "now I'm sure of it. Wasn't you once a boy, mum?"  

"What!" cried Abraham, turning indignantly upon him.  

A faint blush entered Helga's face.  

"What I mean is," continued Jacob, "when I last see ye, you was dressed up as a boy!"  

"Yes," said I, "yes. And what then?"  

"Whoy, then," he cried, fetching his leg another violent slap, "Pigsears Hall owes me a gallon o' beer. When we was aboard the Dane," he continued, addressing Abraham and talking with 'longshore vehemence, "I cotched sight of a boy that I says to myself, thinks I, is as sartain surely a female as that the Gull lightship's painted red. I told Pigsears Hall to look. "Gal in your eye!" says he. "Bet ye a gallon of ale, Jacob, she's as much a boy as Barney Parson's Willie!" But we was too busy to argue, and we left the ship without thinking more about it. Now I'm reminded, and I'm right, and I calls ye to witness, Abraham, so that Pigsears mayn't haul off from his wager."To change the subject, I said abruptly, 'You men seem to have some queer names among you. Pigsears Hall! Could any parson be got to christen a man so?'Taint his right name,' said Abraham. 'It's along of his ears that he's got that title. There's Stickenup Adams; that's 'cause he holds his thin nose so high. Then there's Paper-collar Joe; that's 'cause he likes to be genteel about the neck. We've all got nicknames. But in a voyage to Australey we give ourselves the tarms our mothers knew us by.''What is your name?' said I.'Abraham Vise,' said he.'Wise?''_I_ calls it Vise,' said he, looking a little disconcerted. 'It's wrote with a _W_.''And your shipmates?''Him,' he answered, indicating his comrade by jerking his chin at him, 'is Jacob Minnikin. Him that's forrards is Tommy Budd.' He paused, with his eyes fixed upon Helga. 'Jacob,' said he, addressing his mate while he steadfastly regarded the girl, 'I've been a-thinking, if so be as the gentleman and lady aren't going to be put aboard a homeward-bounder in a hurry, how's she to sleep? Tell ye what it is,' said he slowly, looking around at 

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