But he had often boasted that he would have no difficulty in getting along in the world while he had a tongue in his head; so he made inquiries of the first man he met, who told him to go up to the captain, who was always ready to send the executive officer to show landlubbers over the ship.

If there was any joke in this, Archie was too angry to notice it, and he was about to make a suitable rejoinder, when a voice close behind him said: "Now, shipmate, what's the use of being so hard on the boy ?" Archie turned, and found Simpson at his side.
"The youngster hain't been to sea as long as you and I have," continued the latter.

"If we were ashore, he would stand a better chance of gettin' along than you nor me." "Then, shiver his tim'ers, why didn't he stay ashore, where he belongs ?" asked the man, gruffly.
"Oh, he's got the right stuff in him, and will soon learn the ropes," answered Simpson.

"Come, now, my little marlinspike," he continued, turning to Archie, "follow in my wake, and I'll show you where our mess-chest is;" and the kind-hearted sailor led the way to the berth-deck, and showed Archie the mess-chest, which had "No.

25" painted on it.