Captain Thompson seated himself at the head of the table and signed for us to take our places; then it suddenly occurred to me that I was only second mate, and consequently did not rate the captain’s table.  Trunnell noticed my hesitation, but said nothing, and the skipper fell to with such a hearty good will that he appeared to entirely forget my presence.  I hastily made some excuse to get back on deck, and the little, bushy-headed mate smiled and nodded approvingly at me as I went up the alleyway forward.  I was much pleased at this delicate hint on his part, for many mates would have made uncalled-for remarks at such a blunder.  It showed me that the little giant who could keep me from being carved to rat-line stuff could be civil also.

I was much taken with him owing to what had happened, and I looked down at him as he ate, for I could see him very well as I stood near the mizzen on the port side of the cabin skylight.  The glass of the hatch was raised to let the cabin air, and I watched the bushy head beneath, with its aggressive beard bending over the dirty table-cloth.  The large squat nose seemed to sniff the good grub as the steward served the fresh beef, and Trunnell made ready with his knife.

He laid the blade on his plate and heaped several large chunks of the meat and potatoes upon it.  Then he dropped his chin and seemed to shut his eyes as he carefully conveyed the load to his mouth, drawing the steel quickly through his thick lips without spilling more than a commensurate amount of the stuff upon his beard, and injuring himself in no way whatever.  The quick jerk with which he slipped the steel clear so as to have it ready for another load made me a trifle nervous; but it was evident that he was not a novice at eating.  Indeed, the skipper appeared to admire his dexterity, for I saw his small, glinting eyes look sharply from the little fellow to the boyish third officer who sat to starboard.

“Never had no call for a fork, eh?” said he, after watching the mate apparently come within an inch of cutting his head in two.

“Nope,” said Trunnell.

They ate in silence for some minutes.

“I like to see a fellow what can make out with the fewest tools.  Tools are good enough for mechanics; a bit an’ a bar’ll do for a man.  Ever been to New York?”

“Nope,” said Trunnell.

There was a moment’s silence.

“I might ‘a’ knowed that,” said the skipper, as if to himself.

Trunnell appeared to sniff sarcasm.

“Oh, I’ve been to one or two places in my time,” said he.  “There ain’t nothin’ remarkable about New York except the animals, and I don’t keer fer those.”

“Whatchermean?”

“Oh, I was closte into the beach off Sandy Hook onct when we was tryin’ to get to the south’ard, an’ I see an eliphint about a hundred feet high on the island acrost the bay.  There was a feller aboard as said they had cows there just as big what give milk.  I wouldn’t have believed him, but fer the fact that there ware the eliphint before my eyes.”