Liddell promised him
the post. He had not authority to do this; and when Newall heard
of it, he appointed another man. Fancy poor H-having told all the
men and most of all, his sweetheart. But more remains behind; for
when it came to signing articles, it turned out that O-, the new
first mate, had not a certificate which allowed him to have a
second mate. Then came rather an affecting scene. For H- proposed
to sign as chief (he having the necessary higher certificate) but
to act as second for the lower wages. At first O- would not give
in, but offered to go as second. But our brave little H- said, no:
"The owners wished Mr. O- to be chief mate, and chief mate he
should be." So he carried the day, signed as chief and acts as
second. Shakespeare and Byron are his favourite books. I walked
into Byron a little, but can well understand his stirring up a
rough, young sailor's romance. I lent him WESTWARD HO from the
cabin; but to my astonishment he did not care much for it; he said
it smelt of the shilling railway library; perhaps I had praised it
too highly.
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