"I hope so. This lying at dock doesn't suit me. By the way, let me
introduce a friend of mine. This is Bob Henderson. His mother is a
relative of mine, and Bob is taking a voyage for his health. Bob,
this is my first mate, Mr. Carr."

"He looks healthy enough," remarked the first mate as he cordially
shook hands with Bob.

"Things are not always what they look like," replied the captain
with a smile. "Bob found matters rather too lively for him ashore,
and his folks think it will quiet him down to go with me."

"I see," replied Mr. Carr in answer to his commander's sly wink. He
now understood something of the situation.

"I'll leave you here a while," went on the commander to the boy.
"You can look about a bit while I go below and work on my manifest.
Mr. Carr will tell you anything you want to know."

But Bob was so interested in watching the sailors at work stowing
away the cargo, while others were cleaning various parts of the
ship, that he did not ask many questions.

All the rest of that day the loading went on. Bob and the captain
went ashore for their meals, as the commander had some business to
attend to in the port, but Bob spent that night in his bunk. It was
the first time he had ever slept in a ship's berth, and he rather
liked the novelty.