CHAPTER XIII. ON BOARD THE PRINCETON.
The captain gave Tony another good looking over, after which he took his pipe out of his mouth long enough to say "Humph!" Then he put it back again.
"Oh, he can make up the bunks and sweep the cabin and help the doctor, if he don't know the ropes," exclaimed the sailor, who thought he ought to say a good word for Tony, seeing that the latter did not know enough to say it for himself. "You can do that, can't you, shipmate?"
"No, I can't," answered Tony. "I don't know anything about medicine; I can't help the doctor."
The young sailor stared at the captain, and the captain looked hard at Tony. Then they both looked up at the main top-mast, and broke out into loud peals of laughter. After that the skipper also swore a good-natured oath, and asked Tony where he lived.
"In St. Louis," was the reply.
"Why didn't you stay there?"
"Because I didn't want to. I would like to see something of the world, and earn a living at the same time."