They called him "The Cabin Boy," "Paper Jack," and half a dozen other undignified names.

In truth, the men made no secret of the derision in which they held him; and as for the slender gentleman himself, he knew it all very well, and bore himself with becoming meekness.

Holding as little intercourse with them as possible, he left everything to the chief mate, who, as the story went, had been given his captain in charge.

Yet, despite his apparent unobtrusiveness, the silent captain had more to do with the men than they thought.

In short, although one of your sheepish-looking fellows, he had a sort of still, timid cunning, which no one would have suspected, and which, for that very reason, was all the more active.