BEGINNER'S DELIGHT 



never learned a card game in his life ; in fact, I should 

 say he had never played a game of any kind. 



He was dying to learn the " broads," and his first 

 request was made when we had just missed the 

 " trades," and were in the doldrums. It was pleasant 

 then in the morning. I used to go up on the poop 

 before my bath, in my pyjamas and dressing-gown, 

 and have a look round, and then went below to dress 

 and have breakfast. I left the latter till as late as 

 possible, as I knew, if only an hour and a half inter- 

 vened to luncheon-time, I could get out of the card 

 instruction. A little after eleven, of course, there was 

 the function of preparing to take the sun. Armed 

 with an old sextant, which I had borrowed from the 

 bo's'n, who held a mate's certificate, I used to w^ork 

 out the latitude. I never got so far as managing 

 the longitude. After we had " made it so " there was 

 an adjournment for a tot of brandy each. We used 

 to enjoy this little conviviality before our dinner at 

 one o'clock. Directly the meal was over, however, 

 the skipper would ask me to his cabin, and we used 

 to sit down with packs of cards before us. 



I would not play for money, as he had not even an 

 elementary knowledge of games. The great thing at 

 first was to get him to learn the face value of the cards. 

 He was always mixing up the jacks Vv^ith the kings, and 

 he never knew the relative value of the ace. I puzzled 

 my head as to the best way to impress this on him, 

 and decided to go back to childhood and teach him 

 " Beggar my Neighbour." His delight was stupend- 

 ous. He would roar with laughter when he got all the 

 cards from me, and go to the locker and pour out two 

 " second-mate's nips," which we would drink before 

 going on. I thought that the next step should be 

 euchre, but I gave this up in despair after the first 



