During the following days all hands were so busy bending new sails and
reeving running gear for our turn of the Cape that there was little time
for anything else. Much of this work could have been avoided had the ship
been under better command when she cleared, but Trunnell had no authority
to do anything, and the agents were waiting until the skipper took
command and could attend to the necessary overhauling.

At meals I saw little of either Trunnell or Captain Thompson and his
third mate, but in the short hours of the dog-watch in the evening I had
a chance to talk with them upon other subjects than those relating
immediately to the running of the ship.

The dog-watch is the short watch between six and eight o'clock in the
evening. This is made short to keep one watch from turning to at any
regular time and consequently getting all the disagreeable work to be
done during those hours. For instance, if one watch had to be on deck
every night from twelve until four in the morning, it would mean that the
other watch would be on deck from four to eight, and consequently would
have to do all the washing down of decks and other work which occurs upon
every regulated ship before breakfast. So the dog-watch divides a
four-hour watch and is served alternately. As second mate I had access to
the poop and could come aft on the weather side like any officer, all
sailors, of course, being made to go to leeward.

Trunnell grew to be confidential, and we often discoursed upon many
subjects during the hours after supper; for there was little time to turn
in when not on dog-watch, and the skipper allowed me aft with much more
freedom than many second mates get. He seldom ventured to join in the
conversations, except when discussing shore topics, for his ignorance of