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Johnson stared at him for a moment and then, his better feelings overcoming his first inclination to laugh, he replied, “All right, come aft with me to muster and then I’ll give you a few wrinkles.”

As he spoke, the crew, nine in number, came slouching aft, a very motley gang, and mustered about the after hatch, while the second mate from the poop called out their names, to which each one answered, “Here.” Then when all had responded the second mate said, “Relieve the wheel and look-out, that’ll do the watch.”

The crew dispersed, and Johnson, taking Frank by the arm, said, “Now come along and get your jacket; you won’t have time to change your pants, for you’ll have to take first watch on the poop with the mate.”

So Frank made a bold plunge into the house and succeeded in keeping down his nausea until he had extracted his jacket. Then, at his mentor’s direction, he made his way up the lee poop-ladder and stood holding to the lee mizzen rigging, awaiting what should come next.

In a few minutes the mate, who was prowling about, espied him, and coming up to him said, “Well, boy, you’ve made a start at last, I see.” “Yes, sir,” answered Frank. “All right,” went on the mate, “let’s have no more skulking. All you’ve got to do now is to keep your weather eye liftin’ and learn quick. For the present your duty is to carry my orders if necessary and to keep look-out for the time, the clock is in the companion aft there, an’ every half-hour you must strike that bell there, one bell for each half-hour up till four bells; one, two, three, four; and at four bells Johnson will relieve you. Then you can go down off the poop and have a caulk on the grating before the cabin, but mind, no going forward into the house and going to sleep there, or you’ll drop in for it.” And with this brief warning the mate resumed his prowl up and down the poop.