“Thar will be considerable stirring round, I’ll allow,” was the reflective answer. “I was thinking of getting Billy Benson to lend a hand, but if you’d like the job of sort of second mate—”
“I would,” said Dan. “What is a second mate’s work?”
“Obeying orders,” answered Captain Jeb, briefly.
“That’s dead easy,” said Dan, with a grin.
“Oh, is it?” was the grim rejoinder. “Jest you wait, younker, till you’ve stood on a toppling deck in the teeth of a nor’easter, with some dunderhead of a captain roaring cuss words at you to cut away the mast that you know is all that’s keeping you out of Davy Jones’ Locker, and then you’ll find what obeying orders means. But if you want the job here, it’s yours. What will you take?”
“My board and keep,” answered Dan.
“That ain’t no sort of pay,” said the other, gruffly.
“Wait till you see me eat,” laughed Dan; “besides, I was never a second mate before. Maybe I won’t make good at it.”
“Mebbe you won’t,” said Captain Jeb, his mouth stretching into its crooked smile. “You’re ruther young for it, I must admit. Still, I like your grit and pluck, younker. Most chaps like you are ready to suck at anything in reach. What’s your name?”
“Dan—Dan Dolan,” was the answer.