A VOYAGE IN THE NORTH SEAS. 253 



fatigues. A few of the drowsy watch were stretched at their length 

 near the galley, enjoying the genial warmth of the sun. An old 

 man, in whom Arundel presently recognized Joe, the boatsteerer (as 

 he was called throughout the ship), set upon a small cask turned 

 bottom up, with spectacles on nose, busily employed in mending a 

 pair of canvas trowsers. While Frank was contemplating the honest 

 industry of the weather-beaten mariner, he observed him look stealthily 

 round at the men in the galley, and then, by a particularly know- 

 ing gesture, intimate his desire that Arundel should come to him. 

 " Something the old man has to beg of the doctor, which he does not 

 wish his mates to be privy to, I suppose," thought he, as he went up 

 to Old Joe. 



" It is almost too much for a man of your years, mv old friend," 

 said Frank, at length observing that Joe had re-commenced his work, 

 and seemed unwilling to begin the conversation ; " it is too bad both 

 to have to perform your laborious duties, and to spend the time others 

 give to sleep in repairing your sea clothes." 



" Aye, what would come of poor Jack then," replied the old sea- 

 man, laying down his work and taking off his sewing palm and 

 spectacles, " if he could'nt clap a new cloth into his old garments ? 

 he'd soon be on a lee shore, and no canvas to beat off with. I've 

 often wished, doctor, that men were copper-bottom'd on long voyages; 

 but that's not what I was a-going to speak of. You're for a shore 

 trip, to seek the Huskimaus, by and bye, I hear." 



"It's the first I've heard of it, Joe, however; but what then?" 

 said Arundel. 



" Aye ! you've not heard of it ? then Black Bill, that's him as 

 was mate of the Albatross how did he come by the knowledge of 

 it? However, you're going that is, if so be as you like to go, and 

 as all our men are tired, the smuggler crew will pull you ashore, and 

 our captain " 



"Well, what of Mr. Bellamy?" asked Frank, seeing the old man 

 hesitate. 



" Every dog has his day, and a bitch, they say, has two afternoons ; 

 I hope you'll get upon the weather quarter of the lubberly fellow, 

 by and bye, doctor," said Joe, with strong emphasis. 



<e But what has this to do with our shoregoing expedition, my old 

 friend ?" said Arundel, smiling. 



" And," continued the old seaman, too full of indignation to attend 

 to ArundeFs interruption, ' ' I hope to see him myself making a chess- 

 tree wake on a lee-shore, and if he's picked up, I hope to hear him 

 singing a soldier's ballad about Hull streets, full of poverty, no doubt 

 of it ; to go for to use the poor orphan boy, as he keeps in the cabin, 

 no better than a dogfish (the seaman here alluded to a lad who had 

 been cruelly flogged by the captain). Didn't you mind what a course 

 of bad weather we had after it, doctor ; and isn't there Jem Rullock, 

 that got his leg broke next day ; but if so be as I had got that mis- 

 fortune, as God be thanked all my precious limbs are safe, I'd have a 

 standing pull and a bowline haul on our captain but I'd bring him 

 up for it. But that warn't what I was going to say to you, Mr. 

 Arundel. I don't like these here smugglers altogether, and I warn 



