278 MOOSE-HUNTING, SALMON-FISHING, ETC 



" What is it, Sam ? " replied the captain. 



" There is something ahead, looks like a 

 tub a soak-tub ! " 



"Where away?" 



" About two points on the larboard (left 

 hand as you look forward) bow, a mile or so 

 ahead." 



The captain turned to the helmsman and 

 ordered her to be kept off. As her head 

 pointed to the tub, Sam called down, 

 " Steady ! " and the captain repeated the 

 " Steady!" 



Now all eyes were turned towards the tub, 

 which could just be discerned from the deck. 

 The captain, however, had been looking at it 

 with his glass, and remarked 



" If that is a soak-tub, and it looks much 

 like it, with any remnants of meat in it, there 

 is fun ahead for us." 



A " soak-tub," in nautical parlance, is the 

 bottom portion of a pork-barrel used to freshen 

 salt beef and pork before cooking. It was 

 quite evident this had been washed from some 

 vessel's deck, and more than probable con- 

 tained meat. One of the men asked the 

 captain what kind of fun he meant. 



