"Oh, I'm not going to try it, Jake," said little Sol. "Father'd give it to me, if I did. You know the time I fell overboard?"
Little Jacob nodded. "Well, then," said little Sol. "I guess a boy'd be foolish to try that twice."
Little Jacob nodded again. "Did he thrash you, Sol?" he asked.
Little Sol smiled. "Didn't he, though?" he said. "Ever get a thrashing, Jake?"
Little Jacob hesitated. "Well," he said, slowly, "sometimes—with a slipper."
"Huh!" said little Sol, with much scorn. "That's nothing. My father don't use any slipper."
Little Jacob thought it was time to change the subject. "What makes you think that you could see Java from up there?"
"I don't s'pose I could, really," answered little Sol. "But father said that we ought to sight it within two days."
"To-morrow is Christmas," remarked little Jacob, thoughtfully. "I'd rather like to be at home, on Christmas."
"Well, you can't," said little Sol. "You're thousands of miles from home. I wonder what they'll have for dinner."