Life on board Ship. 49

“Some of the rats had already made voyages, and these
called themselves ‘Jolly Tars, and other funny names. They
told the sprite what to do in case of shipwreck; nor did their
good services end in mere empty advice, for they brought him
any dainty in the ship’s stores which their sharp noses could
be poked into, and thus he fared very well.

“When tired of the rat company he went to the captain’s
cabin, where a lamp swung all night, and the table had its legs
chained to the floor, to keep it from running away in rough
weather. Here he found a respectable old cat, that told him
there were no rats on board, as it was a new ship, therefore
she need do nothing but doze on a rug all day. The sprite
laughed in his sleeve, for the cat was so old that her whiskers
were gray, and she disliked springing about after the nimble rats.

“The captain was a kind-hearted man, and never inflicted
suffering on his crew. The mate was harsh and stern, using
the rope’s-end or his heavy boot, whenever the captain was
out of sight, to vent his illhumor. The sprite tormented the
wicked mate, and the rats helped him. The sprite stuck pins
into him, pulled his hair, tweaked his nose, tripped him up on
the deck, and tied him in the chair with fine threads, until the
mate feared that he was bewitched.

“The little cabin-boy was homesick. He had run away,
without the consent of his parents, because he fancied that he
should like the sea. Now he discovered how sadly mistaken
he had been. He must work hard and receive many blows
from the surly mate.

“Our sprite pitied the cabin-boy, and when he slept at night
in the close forecastle, the elf took off the top of the little lad’s

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