We "stowaways" had had so much
dirty work to do in all weathers for the past fortnight, that we looked
sailor-like enough, I dare say; and as it had honestly been our
endeavour to learn all we could, and shirk nothing, and as the captain's
paper spoke well of us, I think the mate got a very good bargain--for we
were green enough to take lower wages than the customary rate on the
strength of a long string of special reasons which he made us swallow.
This probably helped towards his giving in about Dennis. The matter
about Dennis was that he looked too much of the fine gentleman still,
though his homespun suit had seen salt water, and was far from innocent
of tar and grease, for he had turned his hand to plenty of rough work
during the voyage, partly out of good-nature, and partly to learn all he
could get the sailors to teach him. However, his coaxing tongue clinched
the bargain at last; indeed the mate seemed a good deal struck by the
idea that he would find it "mighty convenient" to have a man on board
who was a good scholar and could help him to keep the log.
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