Such was the state of things on Oyster Pond for quite a week after the nephew had been to look after the effects of the deceased uncle.  The schooner was now quite ready for sea, and her master began to talk of hauling off from the wharf.  It is true, there was no very apparent reason why this step, preliminary to sailing, should be taken in that port, where there were so few opportunities for her people’s running into excesses; but it sounded ship-shape, and captain Gardiner had been heard to express an intention to that effect.  The men arrived but slowly from the main, and something like impatience was manifested by the young commander, who had long before got all his green hands, or youths from the neighbourhood, on board, and was gradually breaking them in to the ways of a vessel.  Indeed, the best reason he could give to himself for ‘hauling off,’ was the practice it might give to these lads with the oars.

“I don’t know what Hazard and Green are about”—­called out Roswell Gardiner to his owner, the first being on the quarter-deck of the Sea Lion, and the last on the wharf, while Watson was busy in the main-rigging; “they’ve been long enough on the main to ship a dozen crews for a craft of this size, and we are still short two hands, even if this man sign the papers, which he has not yet done.  By the way, Watson, it’s time we saw your hand-writing.”

“I’m a poor scholar, captain Gar’ner,” returned the cunning mariner, “and it takes time for me to make out even so small a matter as my name.”

“Ay, ay; you are a prudent fellow, and I like you all the better for it.  But you have had leisure, and a plenty of it too, to make up your mind.  You must know the schooner from her keel up by this time, and ought to be able to say now that you are willing to take luck’s chances in her.”

“Ay, ay, sir; that’s all true enough, so far as the craft is concerned.  If this was a West India v’y’ge, I wouldn’t stand a minute about signing the articles; nor should I make much question if the craft was large enough for a common whalin’ v’y’ge; but, sealin’ is a different business, and one onprofitable hand may make many an onprofitable lay.”

“All this is true enough; but we do not intend to take any unprofitable hands, or to have any unprofitable lays, You know me—­”

“Oh! if all was like you, captain Gar’ner, I wouldn’t stand even to wipe the pen. Your repitation was made in the southward, and no man can dispute your skill.”

“Well, both mates are old hands at the business, and we intend that all the ‘ables’ shall be as good men as you are yourself.”

“It needs good men, sir, to be operatin’ among some of them sea-elephants!  Sea-dogs; for sea-dogs is my sayin’.  They tell of seals getting scurce; but I say, it’s all in knowin’ the business—­’There’s young captain Gar’ner,’ says I, ‘that’s fittin’ out a schooner for some onknown part of the world,’ says I, ’maybe for the South Pole, for-ti-know, or for some sich out-of-the-way hole; now he’ll come back full, or I’m no judge o’ the business,’ says I.”