The only thing I am sure of is that--um--it doesn't fall to the chief engineer." "I should say not!" retorted Perry.

"Think of eating food flavoured with engine oil!" "Couldn't be any worse than pudding flavoured with onion extract," chuckled Joe, referring to a viand prepared by Ossie while at Newburyport.

Ossie had meant to put in a spoonful of vanilla, but the two bottles looked so much alike-- The pudding was never eaten, unless the fish consumed it, and the mention of it still caused Ossie great pain and humiliation.
They went into the water every morning before breakfast, lived almost every minute in the open air--for even at night the wide-open ports and doors made the cabins like sleeping porches--ate heartily, got enough exercise to keep them lean and hungry and became tanned with sun and wind to the colour of light mahogany.

Khaki trousers, sleeveless shirts and rubber-soled canvas shoes made up their ordinary attire, although for shore visits they "dolled up" remarkably.

Those early morning baths were fine appetisers, as will be understood by the reader who has had experience of the water along the Maine coast, and the number of eggs and slices of crisp bacon that came off the alcohol stove would sound like a fairy tale if told.