"I'll make a man of ye, so I will. I'll just wire to yer daddy, and tell him I've got ye safe and sound, and will bring ye back. I'll clothe and feed ye and teach ye something, and maybe ye'll come back a second mate for the Company—the Shanghai and Hong Kong Tea Company."
"Thanks," I said briefly, rising as I spoke.
"Hold on a minute, there's one lesson first. When ye speak to the captain, say sir; d'ye mind?"
"Yes, sir," I replied, blushing furiously as I stood before the master.
"Very well, that's the first thing. Now, what can ye do? Can ye hand, reef, or steer? Speak up!"
"I can't furl a sail, sir. I can reef a fore and aft sail, and can steer a little."
"Very well. Look here, now, I'll keep ye, and put ye under my man; he'll trim ye a bit, and Mr. Rose, the mate, will set yer lessons. By the time we reach the China Sea I expect ye'll know the ropes. Ye must work for your living here,—no skulking, now!"
"No, sir," I answered respectfully.
"That'll do; I'll take the responsibility of ye, and bedad ye'll have to mind me! But I understand ye are a gentleman; so'm I, and ye'll be taken care of. Ye'll be a man before your mother yet."
This I believed highly probable, and nearly said so, but the looks of the captain deterred me. He proceeded—