188 Mackerel Trolling. ever had heard of a boy taking the command of a vessel. The lad answered that might be and it was all the same to him ; if they would not buy three cords of birch logs, and obey him, as if he was the captain for one day only, of which he would tell them beforehand, —he would not set his foot on board any more, and still less would he dirty his hands in pitch and tar on board that ship. "The skipper thought it was a very strange idea, and that he was a strange lad altogether, but he agreed at last, because he had set his heart on håving the boy with him, and I suppose he thought he could easily manage him when they got out to sea, The mate was of the same opinion. 'Oh ! never mmd! Let him take the command ! If wc go to leeward we'll have to give him a hand ! ' said the mate. So the birch logs were bought and correctly measured, and no bargaining was made about the price, and then they sailed. "When the day arrived that the boy was to be skipper, the weather was calm and fine, but he called all men to reef sails, so the ship had scarcely any sail on her. It was just about the time when the middle watch was over and the morning watch was called. Both skipper and crew smiled and said : ' It's easy to see who has command of the ship now ; why not furl the sails altogether ? ' " 4 Not yet,' said the boy, ' but very shortly ! ' Suddenly a squall burst on them, so violent that they thought the ship would have capsized. I f they had not reefed the sails there was no doubt they would have foundered when the first squall struck the ship. The lad ordered them to throw out the first cord of birch logs, but piece by piece, only one at a time, never two, and they must not touch the other two cords of wood.
- The crew was very smart in carrying out his orders now, and
they did not laugh any more at him, but threw the birch logs over. board piece by piece. When the last piece went over the side they heard a moaning like from one who is in the last pangs of death, and the next moment the squall was over. u ' The Lord be praised ! ' said the crew.
