In the middle watch that night Mr. Howard was sitting on the rail leaning against the boat's davit, and he fell asleep. Jake perceived his condition, and vowing to one of the men he would push him overboard, started towards him to do it. The other man sprang after him and held him back, and in the little struggle that ensued the second mate was awakened, and sung out to them to "stop that skylarking." For some time after this Jake was punished by being ordered never to walk on deck, but always to move at a run; and it became a rather ludicrous sight to witness Jake's half-gallop, as he careered around about his duties.
Great efforts were made to have the ship look well. The rigging was set up, rattled down and tarred, the ship was painted, and every morning the crew were exercised at holystoning the deck. To do this the men knelt down, sprinkled sand and water on the deck, and then rubbed the holystones to and fro to wear the deck smooth and white. The stones that were used in this ship were of the shape of a brick, only somewhat larger.
One morning this work was going on, and the second mate found one of his men had disappeared. He picked up his holystone and went in search of him. Just as he got to the forecastle door the man, a young sailor called Dan, was just coming out on deck with a plug of tobacco in his hand.
"What are you doing in there?" said Mr. Howard.
"I've been to get a chew of tobacco, sir," said Dan.
The second mate gave him a few rounds of curses, and then struck him over the forehead with the holystone, which flew into pieces, breaking in the middle from the force of the blow. Dan's head was not much the worse for it though, and he went back to his work apparently unharmed.
The captain came on deck soon after, and while overseeing the work as usual, he spied the broken stone.
"How did that stone get broken?" he asked of Mr. Howard.
"I just broke it over that nigger's head, sir."
"Did you, really? He must have a tough head. What was it for?"
"Because he left his work and went into the forecastle," said Mr. Howard.
"That's right. Keep 'em up to the work; don't take a word from 'em, or if one of 'em dares give you a black look, just pick up the cook's axe and split his skull open!"