Beadle's Dime Novels No. 87: On the Deep — page 16: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

18 - ON THE DEEP. the outline, now disappeared, and believing either that his imagination had deceived him, or that the vision was nothing, more than a large sea-bird, he returned to his seat. At this moment-—perkaps influenced by a bad dream—the slumberer on the knight-heads groaned and rolled over upon his back. Loring, who believed that the sailor was suffering from night- mare, roused him at once. The man rose, and in a confused manner, begun an apology for sleeping at his post; but the second mate quietly assured him that he should not punish him on this occasion, “You will not deprive me of my watch peta! nor eg me extra work ?” sc No.” “Thank you, sir. I will never again close’my eyes while on duty if I die for it.” “That’s right, Tom; I know you'll keep your word,” an- swered Guy, as he moved away. He walked to the binnacle, and, a second time, looked ‘at the compass. The vessel was heading steadily upon her course ; the trusty helmsman, an old sailor, by the sowbriquet_ of Ben ‘Ringbolt, handled the wheel in a mapner which gave perfect satisfaction to the officer of the watch. Having ex- changed a few remarks with the old man, he stepped to the weather-side of the deck, and seated jitiself upon the carpen- ter’s chest, facing the forward part of the craft. Not ten minutes had elapsed, when he fancied that the vessel's head was falling off. He rose and peered eagerly forward to assure himself that such was the case; being slow to believe that a steersman like Ben would ‘allow the bark to swing even a quarter of a point from her proper course. Very soon, how- ever, his doubts were removed ; he turned quickly upon his heel. “ What's the matter there at the wheel? ‘Where are you going to?” he shouted. There came no response. The binnacle, which concealed the face of the steersman, ‘Was about ten yatds from where the second mate stood. He cleared this space with a couple of bounds, and was beginning to address the sailor in an angry Manner, when something peculiar in his attitude arrested the words. The old tar.stood motionless, with his head ‘bowed upon his breast ; with his comicbooks.conm’