THE CAPTAIN IS ASKED FOR PIE. 51 



so gladly quitted. To one of these came one eve- 

 ning a boatsteerer, and after condoling with him 

 upon hia miserable condition, asked him what he 

 lhoug v '. he would like best to eat just then. 



" The sight and smell of the* food they have OL 

 the ship make me sick," was the answer. "If 1 

 only had some nice milk, and some pie, such as 

 my mother used to make, I should be well very 

 soon." 



" Pie! " exclaimed the boatsteerer, " as I live, I 

 am glad you mentioned the word. There's a 

 whole cask of pies down below, which was sent 

 aboard by the owner, on purpose for the sick 

 ones." 



" Suppose I were to ask the captain to hoist it 

 up, and give me some ? " suggested the sick man, 

 eagerly. 



" You could not do a better thing." 



" I'll go to him immediately he seems to be a 

 kind man and I will tell him how badly I feel." 

 Accordingly he dragged himself slowly aft, and 

 there meeting the captain, stated the case to him, 

 and ended with a request that some of the pie 

 might be given him, as he felt convinced that he 

 would soon recover on such diet. 



The captain, smiling grimly, explained to him 

 that some unfeeling wretch had been trifling 

 with him, and that pie was an impossibilty at 

 sea. 



Heartsick, poor Joe returned to his bunk; but at 

 dinner, the cook brought him a small pie from 



