"Stay here a minute," said our new-found friend, "while I find the captain;" and away he went in search of that individual.
Very soon he returned and took us aft to the captain's room. The captain questioned us very sharply, and he did not impress either of us favorably. After a good many questions he seemed satisfied, and said he would take us as green hands. Then he called the mate of the ship to accompany us to the shipping office, where we "signed articles," and then went with the mate to the ship again.
The man who had first accosted us disappeared when he introduced us to the captain, and we did not see him again until he came on board with a sailor who was considerably under the influence of liquor. The man proved to be a runner for the ship, or rather for the shipping office that had undertaken to supply the Washington with a crew. Two likely lads like ourselves were prizes for him, but he did not consider it worth his while to say so.
The mate showed us where we were to sleep, and small as had been the garrets in which we slept at home, they were palatial compared with our new quarters. We were in the forward part of the vessel, and each of us had a narrow bunk that was built up against the sides. There was just room enough in each bunk to lie there comfortably; turning over was a matter of difficulty, and David said that the best way to turn over was to turn out and then get in the other way.
Then the mate went with us to a shop not far away, where we were rigged out with sailors' suits, which he said would be charged against us on the ship's books. "Anything you want," said he, "on the voyage, you will get out of the slop-chest, and be charged with it in the same way."
The clothing we had taken off was made into bundles, and then we started with the mate back to the ship again. On our journey from the ship to the shop we followed him; but on the return he kept us in front, and so near that he could grasp either of our collars at the same time. He had been quite good-natured and pleasant spoken, but now that we had been shipped and were dressed as sailors, he was very gruff, and ordered, rather than requested us. When we got on board the ship he was all right again.