The unwashed gang simply helped themselves, and then retired to any convenient spot where they chose to eat.

I discovered a fairly comfortable seat on a cracker box, and was still busily munching away on the coarse, poorly-cooked food, when Mapes, prowling about, chanced to spy me among the shadows.
"Hullo; is that you, Steve ?" he asked, gruffly.

"Well, when yer git done eatin' I got another job fer yer on deck.

Yer hear me ?" I signified that I did, and indeed was even then quite ready to go, my heart throbbing at this opportunity to survey other sections of the boat.

I followed him eagerly up the ladder, and ten minutes later was busily employed with scrubbing brush, and a bucket of water, in an endeavor to improve the outward appearance of the paint of the upper deck.