Chapter II. The Schooner Halbrane

           TheHalbranewasaschoonerofthreehundredtons,andafastsailer.Onboardtherewasacaptain,amate,orlieutenant,aboatswain,acook,andeightsailors;inalltwelvemen,asufficientnumbertoworktheship.Solidlybuilt,copper-bottomed,verymanageable,wellsuitedfornavigationbetweenthefortiethandsixtiethparallelsofsouthlatitude,theHalbranewasacredittotheship-yardsofBirkenhead.

           AllthisIlearnedfromAtkins,whoadornedhisnarrativewithpraiseandadmirationofitstheme.CaptainLenGuy,ofLiverpool,wasthree-fifthsownerofthevessel,whichhehadcommandedfornearlysixyears.HetradedinthesouthernseasofAfricaandAmerica,goingfromonegroupofislandstoanotherandfromcontinenttocontinent.Hisship’scompanywasbutadozenmen,itistrue,butshewasusedforthepurposesoftradeonly;hewouldhaverequiredamorenumerouscrew,andalltheimplements,fortakingsealsandotheramphibia.TheHalbranewasnotdefenceless,however;onthecontrary,shewasheavilyarmed,andthiswaswell,forthosesouthernseaswerenottoosafe;theywerefrequentedatthatperiodbypirates,andonapproachingtheislestheHalbranewasputintoaconditiontoresistattack.Besides,themenalwayssleptwithoneeyeopen.

           Onemorning—itwasthe27thofAugust—Iwasrousedoutofmybedbytheroughvoiceoftheinnkeeperandthetremendousthumpshegavemydoor.“Mr.Jeorling,areyouawake?”

           “OfcourseIam,Atkins.