"Gets fined five dollars and his dinner," finished Dick.
"He ought to have the lash," growled old Jacob. "We can't afford to allow it, nohow."
And it was several days before he could fully forgive Bob for his thoughtless action. My young readers can rest assured that no one on board ever dozed over the steering wheel again, day or night, whether they were close to shore or many miles out to sea.
Since throwing in his fortunes with them, Robert Menden had become quite a seaman, and he was always ready to do any work assigned to him. He liked to steer, and often took one of the boy's places if that individual wished to do something else.
"I was brought up to work," he said; "and this life on the ocean wave just suits me."
"I like it myself," smiled Dick. "Still, I can't say that I would care to tie myself down to a sailor's life."
"Nor me, for the matter of that. But such a trip as this is very nice."
Nearly a week slipped by, and they were well on their journey, when Danny was taken sick. He was not bad enough to be in bed, but still he went about his work listlessly.
"I'm afther thinkin' I want a sight o' land," he said, with a sickly smile. "I wasn't cut out fer no jack tar, not me."
That night old Jacob was left at the wheel, the Yankee tar having slept the greater part of the afternoon and evening. It was a blustery night, yet Dick, who was very tired, went to sleep with scarcely an effort.