( 162 )








 CHAPTER XVI.

 WHO STOLE THE MUTTON ?

 Loss upon loss the thief gone with so much, and so much to find the thief."
 -Shakespeare.

 E do not purpose following Jack through
 all the trials and hardships of his daily life
 on board the "Egeria."
 Nothing either exciting or interesting happened
to him during the first fortnight that he was at sea.
In fact, one day was exactly the same as another,
and his desire for a sea life was completely cured
by the monotony he now experienced. The duties
of a cabin-boy he found to be often both irksome
and repulsive. He was, in fact, the servant of every
one; and cleaning pots and pans for the cook was
not always even the most disagreeable part of his
duties.
 Fortunately for him, the cook, though a hot-
tempered man, and one who was determined to
take as much work out of his subordinate, Jack,
as possible, was yet neither cruel nor tyrannical.
 ,4-