He minds me of a skipper I served under once; and he starved us, and let the second officer haze us till we deserted and lost our wages.

He's about twice too slick.

I'd give him the go-by, Jake." "And now for a boat," I said.
"Wal," said Bill, "I'm sailin' to-morrow mornin' on the schooner _Mahala Peters_, an' we're short-handed.

Go aboard an' ship as an A.B." I protested that I wasn't a sailor; but Bill insisted that beyond being hazed by the mate there was no reason why I shouldn't work my passage.
"If there's a crime," said he, "it's a feller like you payin' his passage.

Let's get a drink or two an' go aboard." I explained to the captain, in order that I might be honest with him, that I was no sailor, but had worked on canal boats for years, and would do my best.