Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-04

kE1 WHICH ne naQ dreamed. DuJ ilhc
1S55zaS8l everything else for which one has
strong desire, he found that the an
tcipation was more pleasant than
the reality, and that there were plenty of draw
backs to be overcome.
Strict discipline of necessity was now en-
forced upon the Borden, and it was not par
tlcularly pleasant to be routed out of a sound
sleep at the end of every four hours with
monotonous punctuality in fair weather, or in
1oni weather to go below, wet, tired and sleepy
with the order ringing in his ears:
:, And you needn't mind about taking your
OIL clothes of, Fred. Like as not, you'll be
called out in the watch"
Which prediction generally proved true, for,
as they passed the equator and drew further
south, the weather was very variable, drench-
ing rains alternating with sudden changes of
wind and storms of pelting hail
10 be called from warm bunk anu hur-
RED out to help shorten sail, when, between
the pltchy darkness, the kissing sea, the slip
perry, heaying deck and the hoarse, not to say
irritable commands of Captain Briggs, every
rope and halyard seemed to be in the wrong
place, this was not pleasant either. Nor was
it particularly cheerful to be sent aloft at such
times to stow the fore gafftopsail when stifen-
ed with sleet, it bellied obstinately out to lee
ward, or thrashed savagey against the swaying
mast.
For where one has only two narrow cross
pieces of wood for footing, and must hang
knees so as to have both hands free, he re-
alizes pretty sharply that saving wood or hoe
ing potatoes isn't the hardest kind OF work.
after ALL
Sometimes Fred used to think very longingly
of home, as when, for example, he sat astride
the extreme end of the main boom, clinging to
the ''lift' with his elbows, while his cracked
and bleeding hands were tugging away at a
reef-tackle fall.
One minute, as the schooner sank in the
trough of the boiling seas his heels would al
most touch the water beneath him; in the next
he would be elevated high in the air, looking
angrily down at Captain Briggs, who, standing
at the wheel, would roar out in voice like
bull of Bashan to know why Fred didn't haul
that reef tackle, or whether he was going TO
be all night about it.
And then the pulling and hauling to get the
bling, as one after another slipped or tumbled
these and thousand other discomforts won't
make boy think that the home he has left is
just about the most desirable place in the
whole world, then nothing will
After this cheerful little exercise Fred would.
perhaps, re-enter the forecastle, and lavino
aside his wet oil clothing, tumble into his bunk
boots and all, and In two minutes be sound
asleep.
Now, then, Fred, turn out here and help
make sail!''
Oh, how hard it was to obeyl but there's
no such thing as remarking that you guess
you'll "sleep little longer" on shpboard
On deck he would blunder, and by tie time
the reefs were shaken out and the sails sci.
it would be his lookout, or trick at the wheel
and no more prospect of sleep for four hours
longer.
And it was not only in pad weather that
Fred found that sea-going was anything bnt
f1owery bed of ease.
For he was expected to do all the mani
fold jobs of serving, knotting, splicing, putting
on settings, greasing and tarring, of which there
is no end on shipboard, besides takino tho
wheel, OF standing some ones else lookout at
odd times. But the knowledge thus gained
proved invaluable to him in after life, and the
discipline itself was of great Importance. As
Fred was willing and obliging, he speedily be-
came great fayorite.
After the Borden entered the pleasant lati-
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