NIGHTS IN THE GALLEY. 



I thinks as how it would be better to let it alone, for the skipper is a 

 rum one to deal with ; so Gibbon/ says he, * don't you think no more 

 about it ; for it shan't happen !' t Very well, Sir/ says I, and so I 

 went away, but I thought it w r orn't over yet, for the boatswain was 

 a wengeful feller. But howsomnever all went on very well, we had 

 a spanking breeze till we seed Malta, then the wind headed off us, 

 and the skipper turned the hands up to work ship ; we coon 

 hauled her to the wind, and stood away on the starboard tack, making 

 a good leg that we might run in next tack. I worn't thinking o' 

 nothing, standing by the lee-main-brace, for it worn't my turn at the 

 conn, when up comes Dick Salter (he was a bit o' a chummie of 

 mine, I had spoken to him about the boatswain, and he agreed to 

 stand by the skipper and be on the look out) and says, ' Will,' says he, 

 ' there's the boatswain talking to a party o' faukslemen (forcastle- 

 men) and foretopmen, keep a look out/ says he. ' Aye ! aye !' says 

 I. I thought there would be a row every minute, so I walks for'ed 

 (forwards) to see how things were going on, but as I got on to the 

 gangway there it was hands about ship. ' Stations !' cries the skip- 

 per, so aft I goes to stand by to let go the lee- main-brace. The 

 skipper always carried on himself, so he begins ' Ready oh ! 

 ready ! quarter-master put the helm down.' ' The helm's down, 

 Sir/ reported the master. ' The helm's a lee raise tacks and sheets 

 shorten in the lee-main-tack haul well taut (tight), mainsail haul/ 

 The maintopsail-yard hung. ' There's the maintop-bowline fast/ 

 cries the captain, ' you d d set of lubbers for'ed, what are you about ? 

 send the boatswain aft here.' Aft comes the boastwain, never 

 touched his hat nor nothing to the captain. ' Why didn't you see a 

 hand at the maintop-bowline/ says the captain. ' I forgot it.' (never 

 said Sir) ' You forgot it consider yourself under an arrest, and I'll 

 try you by a court martial when we sees the admiral you might 

 have sprung that yard.' And so he might you know." 



" To be sure he might/ says Jack, " but go on." 



" Well, so the boatswain hesitated a little while and looked for'ed. 

 I thought then the men would have come aft, but they didn't, all 

 remained quiet ; and as we could not fetch Malta we anchored in 

 St. Paul's Bay. And when everybody was in their hammocks, aft 

 goes the old carpenter to the captain's cabin, and tells the sentry he 

 wanted to speak to the captain, but he was in bed, and could not be 

 seen, so he had to wait till the next morning, when " 



" Hurrah, lads/' says Bob Short, " there's three bells, finish your 

 yarn to-morrow night, Will." 



" Aye, aye, bo' ! I must be off now and get my hammock down." 



Away they went and I followed, and the night following I heard 

 the sequel. 



