WHALEMAN ON THE STAGE. 163 



" But the lad's aboard now. Here, John Pierce, 

 come into the cabin, my man, and tell Captain 

 Bobbins the stiffest twister he ever listened to ! 

 Come, make a clean breast of it. Tell us how 

 you proved yourself the fool - hardiest, dare- 

 devilest galley-growler that ever earned a sailor's 

 blessing ! " 



Pierce had already come, unwilling and with 

 much hesitation, through the cabin door. Appar- 

 ently he was gladder to see me than he was to 

 have to talk with me. 



" Give us your flipper, boy ; how are you ? " 

 said I. 



Pierce grinned sheepishly. " Oh, I'm all right," 

 he answered, " right enough anyhow for a fellow 

 that's been a whole good year in the bottom of 

 the sea." 



" Come, come," said the captain, " out with it ! 

 Tell the whole outrageous yarn from beginning 

 to end or I'll log you, haze you, clap the darbies 

 on your wrists, make a spread eagle of you, and 

 invite you to walk the plank; and then if that 

 won't do, I'll shut you up in the run and feed you 

 on bread and water ! " 



We laughed, all three, and the bashful Pierce 

 sat down between the two " old men " and took 

 up his parable. 



