This is wretched, indeed!' 'Creditable,' muttered Mark, pressing one hand upon his aching head and looking round him with a rueful grin.

'That's the great comfort.

It IS creditable to keep up one's spirits here.

Virtue's its own reward.

So's jollity.' Mark was so far right that unquestionably any man who retained his cheerfulness among the steerage accommodations of that noble and fast-sailing line-of-packet ship, 'THE SCREW,' was solely indebted to his own resources, and shipped his good humour, like his provisions, without any contribution or assistance from the owners.