Then the conversation was about wages; and the candidate haggled for form's sake, but finally accepted the lay the captain offered.
"By the way, Captain Sullendine, do you happen to have a second mate ?" asked the engineer when the terms were arranged.
"I had one; but he run away with Bird Riley.

He wa'n't good for nothin', and I'm glad he's gone," replied the skipper.
"The man you talked with is Jerry Sandman, and he was the other mate of the Rattler.

He isn't a showy fellow, but he was a first-class second mate," continued Graines.
"Then I ship him as second mate;" and they arranged the wages without much difficulty.
The six seamen were promptly shipped.

The whole party then embarked in the two boats, Captain Sullendine dividing them into two parties for the purpose.

The fog had settled down very densely upon the shore; but the West Wind was easily found, and they went on board, where one boat was hoisted up to the stern davits, and the other on the port quarter.
"Here you be, Mr.Balker," said Captain Sullendine when the party reached the quarter-deck; and he was so lively in his movements, and so glib in his speech, as to provoke the suspicion that he had imbibed again at the conclusion of his oration on shore.