In the Yellow Sea

SCIPLINE AND

told me that I was on board a screw steamer. From the cabin windows I perceived a dim light upon the sea. The steamer rolled and plunged and shook herself with great energy, and at times the lamp hung, apparently, quite sideways across the

G-S

f some kind? It seemed to my still obscured brain "neither fish nor fowl nor good red herring," and

n, and finally adapted themselves to the "Tit-Willow" song in the Mikado. Fêng-Shui

sailor-boy l

Fêng-Shui

tell what was me

êng-Shui,

being almost desperate, I rose, and was in the act of quitting th

you up to? Sleep-walking? Get bac

literally ran me into the swingi

of northern Ireland-a most amusing accent to my mind

immediately, o

s head! D'ye hear me?

ied; "neithe

d I think ye're mad. What made ye ju

king of those queer letters. I am bett

cle ye woke at all; we all thought ye

cept those q

hat's nothing but Fêng-Shui, and

I couldn't make it ou

more, in China. Ye'll see in

o you mean?" I a

ime! By and by,-w

ere? To

my new acquaintance.

not going

Well, we'll agree

ed rudely. "Surely yo

k, round the East.

y that this vessel

e're bound t

Beachmouth. Can't you put me ashore

sked, looking at me

of cours

in the Channel, and France is on the

o. Do you thin

e are. Of course, ye're a bit mad now, but by the mornin'

ry. I am thirsty and chilly,

n the Bay. By that time I expect ye'll want to stay where ye are. Lie quiet now, I'll send the steward to ye with a lemon drink. M

ain?" I asked, wi

as the quaint reply,

wondered. He seemed a nice man. Then I began to wonder what had become of Tim. He had not been

eared with a warm drink, which smelt of lemon juice, and some spirit-I

he steward. "Better this than him. He's a 'nailer' at nastine

ean?" I asked, taking

see. You came up pretty limp from the boat. Now lie do

it a second. What's

, I can tell you. But you must do as you're bid, mind; no

felt warm and comfortable. Then I began to count the distant throbs of

es. It could not be daylight, surely? I had only counted three hundred and odd beats of the engine at supper-time, and already morning had come. My fir

father nor mother, not even Mr. Bentham, had been really severe with me. Most of my troubles had been caused by my own wilfulness and obstinacy; and, I then confessed, my disobedience! Yes, they had advised and guided me, while I, in my conceit, fancied I knew bes

isturbed by the entrance of the

g," he said.

Where are w

shall get a to

the bulwarks. I could see great mountains rising and sinking ou

he wind's rising fast, and we'll have a

e, please? I fe

he morning watch-half-

" I replied. "Can

hatever you l

ou reach port

We're in the Bay now. It's all the Ba

I think I had bette

he west, you see. But it isn't any rougher t

ailed all around Engl

w places in my time. I

!" I exclaimed, sit

in the American trade. I saw a bit, and learned more geography th

gar, and all th

e great first of June. I could tell boys all about them better now.

including marmalade and jam, toast, and hot rolls. What a splendid breakfast I made

ould get up. I received some assistance from the steward, who had d

ght,-you mean the fi

y. I should li

you like. You can walk forward when y

n! The idea of the steamer being so bad was ridiculous. So I stepped out on deck, and was just about to ga

yards within reach. I gasped, turned bl

try to kill yourself, young fellow! You're too venturesome. Her

tair, and placed me in safety by

en only by the commander's cabin, the charthouse, and the skylights, masts, and funnel. Forwa

in' for the slack-wire? Would

d steward laughed. The sailor

replied, "I'll have a sl

in a different key. The captain spoke to him in a low tone. T

with a rope to a belaying pin amidships, beneath the bridg

each the deck, from which I was just

mate. "You'll find your level prese

sneered. I was annoyed

pell 'rope's end' if you're impudent

I retorted. "Le

aptain says. You'll be glad pres

seeing you," I said

see this rope's end, you'll feel it prese

e across my shoulders sharply

forward and leaving me to my reflections. "

rred. However, I suspected he would have said something had he disapproved. I was very savage, though not really hurt-except in my inmost fee

n to one of the hands; "he's ha

which I could not reach; I fel

ou'll be all spry in a few minutes now. Hold up, matey! Why, you're

d been almost brutal! I longed to quit the ship and to return home. Even Granding and Smith's, I believed, would be more pleasant than the steamer. I began to hat

in a different light. No doubt the Royal Navy was different from this "tr