258 THE BOY CAPTAIN.

Bob was on duty at the time, and the young captain said
to him:

“The water we need is coming, my lad, and is well
worth arousing all hands for. While matters hold as they
are we can catch every drop that falls inboard. Call Sam
and his mate, and sling as much spare canvas as you can.
If these clouds fulfil their promise we shall have a full
allowance before morning.”

« And they will, sir; there’s no question about it,” the
old sailor replied, with a sage look at the sky. “I allow the
water part of our trouble has pretty nigh come to an end,
and it’s all owin’ to the luck of gettin’ rid of thirteen. If
it was no more than them yeller villains what have gone
to Davy Jones’s locker, an’ Mr. Bean was all right, I’d say
the mutiny was a precious good job.”

“Do you really believe in such nonsense as that the
number thirteen brings bad luck?”

“Do I believe it? How can I help it? Look at it
yourself, sir. We had a full complement of men on board,
an’ everything in plenty. What was the result? Why
things were going wrong end foremost all the time, with
a mutiny to top it off. Then we get reduced to nine, an’
see how comfortable-like we’re workin’ !”

Ben did not attempt to persuade the man he was wrong
in being thus superstitious, for it suited him well that the
few sailors he had at his command should believe the fates
were with them.

His orders were executed promptly, for the crew were
eager to have a full allowance of water once more, and