They shipped as seamen, and as seamen they lived.

It was a case of "lights out" soon after dusk, and then up again with the sun.

This rule, however, was not followed with comfortable regularity, for sometimes stress of weather would find the little chaps tumbling out of their hammocks in the dead of night, and clambering upon deck with knuckles rubbing the sleep out of their eyes.

All the work usually performed by seamen, with the sole exception of cooking, was done by these little chaps, and under the eagle eye of Warington it was well and truly done.

Not that they showed any disposition to shirk.