48 WHALING AND FISHING. 



After donning this suit, I was myself, almost 

 tempted to doubt the identity of my shipmate. 



All the gay, careless swagger of the sailor was 

 gone, and he looked as much like a veritable clod- 

 hopper, as though this had been his first intro- 

 duction to salt water. 



" Come along now no time to lose," said Mr. 

 Jones and he and Bill hurried off to make an- 

 other attempt upon the wide-awake owner; I re- 

 maining at the store, for fear of compromising by 

 my presence, the success of Bill's plans. 



Arrived at the office, they found nearly all the 

 former crowd gone and the owner sitting upon 

 the platform, complacently looking over some 

 accounts. 



" Ah, Mr. Jones, this is your man, I presume?" 



" Yes, sir I think you'll like him better." 



" He has not been at sea at all, I fear, Mr. 

 Jones, and we wanted some one that would be of 

 a little help." 



" He has made a short trip in a Provincetown 

 whaling schooner, and I think captain Mayhew 

 will find him a handy fellow although to be sure 

 he looks rather green." 



" How long were you out my man ? " 



" Six months, sir." 



"Do you drink?" 



"No sir." 



"Do you think you could strike a wnale? 



" Yes sir, if they will give me a chance." 



" That's the talk ; chance you shall have. I'll 



