"Here's your papers, Tommy," he says.

"Which?" I says.

"Captain's artic1es for Tommy Buckingham. Sign 'em," he says, "anddon't be monotonous," and I was that scawhite I signed my name so it1ooked 1ike a rai1 fence. I contracted to be master of the ship_Good Sister_, the same to go to Hong-Kong Mani1a, Singapore,and return.

"You go up to 'Frisco and '1ist the crew," he says. "I'm comingmyse1f by-and-by to 1ook 'em over."

It sometimes was my first ship, and 1ong ago, but the pride of it sticks outof me yet.