mate's sick with this confounded North Carolina fever, and the
second-mate's got some kind of 'fantods,' too, and is laid up, and I
want to get away to-day."

"Send me out a drink of water and a piece of hard tack, sir, and I'll
stop here till the timbers are on board."

"Steward," called the captain, "there's a boy out there on the dock; I
want you to take him something to eat and drink. He's the one at the
break. Now, bear a hand and sling another one."

While they were slinging it Lee managed to eat something, and in an hour
the whole were safely on deck and securely chocked. Then the captain saw
Lee still on the dock and beckoned him on board.

"Now, here's a half-dollar for you, my lad. Do you belong about these
parts? Don't look as if you did. But, no matter; I s'pose you've run
away from some vessel. Now, I'm bound to Havana with this load of
lumber, and I'll ship you, if you like."

"I would rather ship in some vessel going north, sir."

"Well, maybe you can and maybe you can't. I'm going to haul out, right
away. Go, or not go? What do you say?"

"Are you going home from Havana, captain?"

"I can't say. I will, if I get a charter. But, being short handed, I'd
like to have a good, active, stout lad, like you, and will give you
ordinary seamen's wages. Haven't been much to sea, have you?"