AN IMAGINARY SHIPWRECK. 7

the use of the forecastle. ‘“There’s no need of their
goin’ below such weather as this, an’ if they’re terribly
played out, I reckon the soft side of a deck plank will be
good enough for any of ’em.”

Ben returned to the shipwrecked party and delivered
the message; but not in exactly the same words as it
had been given to him.

The supposedly weary men could not refuse to lie
down, after having represented themselves as being so
nearly exhausted, and, much to their leader’s chagrin, it
became necessary for them to do what probably they had
no desire for, namely, to follow the mate’s suggestion.

If the commander of the party had been strictly
obeyed, Ben’s loitering around the deck in the immediate
vicinity of the alleged sufferers would have been without
avail; but, as it was, the men were not disposed to remain
together very long at a time, and the young sailor soon
found the desired opportunity.

One of the men being without tobacco, tried to borrow
a pipe-full from the fellow who called himself mate, but
was refused, and, noting this, Ben fancied he knew of a
way to take the successful first step toward winning the
sailor's confidence.

Borrowing a piece of tobacco of the chief officer, he
went near the deck-house at some distance from the new-
comers, and, holding the prize up so the impoverished
smoker might see it, beckoned the latter to his side.

“JT thought from what your mate said you must be on
short allowance. You can have some of this if it will do