ON TRIAL. 331 



We passed the examination, and our not very 

 good friend, the mate, was in consequence very 

 kind to us ever after. 



" And now," said he, one Monday morning, 

 " bring aft your palms and needles, and I'll sei 

 you to work on some sails." 



All day he sat by us, watching us as we plied our 

 needles on the soft canvas, and occasionally hand- 

 ing a more than usually difficult piece of work to 

 one or other of us. 



Frod smiled confidently ; whereas I was annoyed, 

 not knowing what moment some by me before 

 unheard of "job" might be placed in my hands, 

 by failing in which I should lose all the credit 

 gained by ten days hard sailoring. 



So it is in British ships. Let a man, be he never 

 so ready and expert, but fail in one minute par- 

 ticular of seamanship, and he is counted " worse 

 than a dog." 



Toward evening the mate handed me a piece of 

 bolt rope to splice in, where a part on the sail was 

 defective. He stood by me while I performed the 

 task. 



" That's not the way to do that," said he sternly, 

 after watching me for a while. 



Fred looked up with some alarm. But it hap- 

 pened tha 4 in this I was confident of being right. 



" That is the way it is done in American 

 ghips, sir." 



"No matter; I want it done in ship shape 

 None of your Yankee botch-work for me." 



