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Jack Clewlin was born at Trafalgar Place, a substantial residence commanding an excellent view of the seaport town of Stonewell, and its spacious, island-studded harbour.

During his earlier years the boy saw little of his father, who was almost constantly at sea in charge of a ship, and to his mother he owed that sound Christian training, and those God-fearing principles, which subsequently became so deeply impressed on his mind and character.

'You will not always have me with you, Jack,' she would frequently say. 'Therefore, my dear son, I want to give you the best advice that boy or man can receive. Fear God. Lead a simple and a pure life. Be strong to resist those worldly temptations which beset all those who strive to follow in the footsteps of the blessed Saviour. To command others you must first command yourself. By prayer alone can such a victory be obtained, yet rest assured that His ear is ever open to the cry of those needing guidance and support.' In close companionship mother and son continued to live happily at Stonewell.

When Jack had reached his eighth year Captain Clewlin retired from active life, and settled down quietly at Trafalgar Place. Some two years later the boy lost his mother, but on his mind her winsome features were indelibly impressed, and in his heart the seeds of her wisdom and excellent teaching had taken deep root.

At sixteen years of age Jack had developed into a strong and well set-up youngster, keenly alive to the enjoyments of outdoor existence.

About that time he was offered a junior clerkship under the Stonewell Harbour Board, but he felt no inclination for such a life.

'I should like to be a sailor, dad,' he said. Captain Clewlin uttered a short, satisfied laugh.

'It's bred in the bone,' he exclaimed. 'Well, I would not put you to anything unsuitable, my son. At the same time you must clearly understand that the life at first will be rough and arduous. I will give you a month to consider the matter.'

'Thank you, dad,' Jack replied; 'I'm not afraid of roughing it. There is no other calling I should like half so well.'

The captain expressed much satisfaction at the choice which his son had made, and, as the latter remained of the same opinion, the preliminary steps toward his sea apprenticeship were taken.

A few weeks later, on a certain beautiful morning in the month of February, a fine clipper ship, in tow of a tug, entered the harbour, and dropped her anchor nearly opposite the town.

She was named the 'Silver Crown,' was 'flying light' in ballast trim, two streaks of her muntz-metal sheathing being above the water line. She had come round from Liverpool to embark several hundreds of emigrants awaiting conveyance to Queensland, Australia.

She was of nearly eighteen hundred tons measurement, and presented a sufficiently striking appearance, since like a castle she towered above all other ships in port.

The fore, the main, and the mizen masts were lofty and squarely rigged, each of them carried double topsail yards, with single topgallant and royal yards above them.

The 'house' flag of the firm to which she belonged fluttered from the main royal masthead, British colours floated from the spanker gaff-end, and much brasswork shone about the stern.

KEY REFERENCE TO THE SAILS OF A SHIP

1 Flying jib

2 Outer jib

3 Inner jib

4 Fore topmast staysail

5 Foresail, or forecourse

6 Lower fore topsail

7 Upper "

8 Lower fore topgallant-sail

9 Upper "

10 Fore royal

11 Mainsail, or maincourse

12 Lower main topsail

13 Upper "

14 Lower main topgallant-sail

15 Upper "

16 Main royal

17 Main skysail

18 Cross-jack (brailed up)

19 Lower mizen topsail

20 Upper "

21 Mizen topgallant-sail

22 Mizen royal

23 Spanker, or driver

24 Main topmast staysail

25 Main topgallant staysail

26 Main royal staysail

27 Mizen topmast staysail

28 Mizen topgallant staysail

29 Fore topmast studding-sail, weather

30 Fore topmast studding-sail, lee

31 Fore topgallant studding-sail, weather

32 Fore topgallant studding-sail, lee

33 Main topmast studding-sail, lee

34 Main topgallant studding-sail, lee

35 Jib, inner, outer, and flying sheets

36 Fore sheet

37 Fore tack

38 Main sheet

39 Main tack

40 Main topmast staysail sheet

41 Mizen topmast staysail sheet

42 Spanker brails

43 Spanker sheet

44 Leech lines

45 Bunt lines

46 Gaskets

47 Reef-points

A SHIP UNDER FULL SAIL. (Click on image to see larger version)

In short, the 'Silver Crown' was one of the fastest and most famous sailing clipper ships afloat.

This was the vessel in which Jack Clewlin was about to begin a long and honourable career on the sea, to experience some dangers, adventures, and privations, and no boy ever felt prouder as he listened to the many expressions of admiration passed on her by competent experts ashore.

Her commander, Captain Robert Thorne, was a finely proportioned, pleasant-looking man of middle age, heavily bearded, and of thorough sailor-like appearance, always anxious for the comfort and the safety of those placed in his charge, and prompt and decisive in action.

His first and second officers were also highly experienced and capable men. William Sennit, the first mate, was a tall and powerful-looking man of thirty years, sun-tanned and weather-beaten features denoting constant exposure to the heat and the storms of every portion of the world; while a slight nasal accent, with dark brown hair that fell almost to his shoulders, indicated an American nationality. His clear, ringing voice was always distinct in the midst of any gale.

Stephen Statten, the second mate, was a native of Devonshire, and of medium height, but the breadth of shoulders was particularly striking, and his muscular limbs denoted great strength.

He was about twenty-five years of age, keen-eyed, alert, and of a kindly disposition, and with Jack Clewlin he became as friendly as discipline permitted.

In addition to these the 'Silver Crown' carried a surgeon, a purser and his assistant, one carpenter, a sailmaker, a boatswain and his two mates, four quarter-masters for steering, with several cooks and stewards, while thirty able-bodied and ordinary seamen occupied a comfortable topgallant forecastle.

The saloon was already filled with first cabin passengers, and the forward deck-house, or second cabin, was also occupied by ladies and gentlemen, but one room there had been allotted to the use of four apprentices, all of whom were 'first voyagers.'

Accompanied by his father, Jack presently joined his ship, and they were received by the chief mate at the gangway.

'This lad is my son, sir,' Captain Clewlin explained. 'He is bent on making a voyage with you, and in due course may, perhaps, become a good sailor.'

'I hope so, sir,' the officer replied. 'If he obeys orders we shall get on together all right.'

'There is little fear of his not doing so,' the captain said. 'He's had a good education, and careful home training by one of the best and truest women that ever breathed.'

By that time Jack's clothes chest and bed gear had been placed in the deck-house, and as father and son stood together in the room the former earnestly addressed the boy—

'Jack,' he said, and pressed the lad's hand, 'you are now on the eve of your real life. I took to it before your age, and know what difficulties and temptations surround the life of those who "go down to the sea in ships." Three truths I would earnestly impress on your mind. Never forget to read your Bible, no matter what sneers, or even rough usage, may be brought to bear by those who do not love God, and would endeavour to lead you from that straight and narrow course which your dear mother trod, but from which it is so easy to stray. You promise, Jack?'

'Yes, dad,' Jack replied; 'I shall always do so, no matter what may happen.'

'Good boy!' the captain exclaimed. 'Remember God has said that "them that honour Me I will honour," and that assurance is as true as every other contained in the Bible. And there are two things I want you to avoid. Shun all intoxicating liquors, and do not smoke before you have reached the years of manhood. I am most anxious that you should remember these matters. I hope you will return home as pure and good a lad as I leave you now; but, in case I should not live to see you again, I shall die believing that you have kept your word.'

Tears filled the boy's eyes, and flinging his arms about the neck of his father, he kissed him, and again vowed to stand by the promises he had made.

With a close embrace father and son parted.

That afternoon the windlass was manned, and across the harbour floated the sea chanty:

'Sing ho, for a gay and gallant bark,

A brisk and a lively breeze,

A bully crew, and skipper, too,

To carry us over the seas.

To carry us over the seas, brave boys,

Where dancing dolphins play,

And whales and sharks are up to larks,

Ten thousand miles away.'

With a merry rattle of the pawls the heavy chain cable came in over the barrel of the windlass, and with his young shipmates Jack Clewlin hauled at the tackle which kept the iron links taut, and prevented them from slipping forward through the 'hawse-pipe.'

'Anchor's away, sir!' the mate sang out.

With fastened hawser the attending tug swung the ship toward the harbour entrance.

Several local steamers, filled with the friends of the emigrants, accompanied the vessel for some distance, and amidst much cheering, and the waving of handkerchiefs, the 'Silver Crown' passed out between the forts protecting the harbour.

'Hands aloft and loose canvas,' the captain sang out. Men ran up the rigging like monkeys. The lower topsails were sheeted home, the others were speedily mastheaded, and with all plain sail set the beautiful clipper began her long voyage of 20,000 miles across the ocean.

The tug-boat and the accompanying vessels returned to port. The last notes of 'Auld Lang Syne' were lost on the breeze, while careening gracefully the splendid vessel speedily sank all trace of the land under the horizon astern.

The afternoon was beautifully fine, and the sea almost smooth. The slight movements of the ship, however; presently sent most of the passengers below; but, thanks to his many boating expeditions about Stonewell harbour, Jack felt no inconvenience, and kept to the deck and his duties as closely as his more seasoned messmates, who, on their passage from Liverpool, had got rid of their sea-sickness.

Indeed, so many things required looking after and securing in their places, that none of the hands had one moment's leisure, and all the boys found plenty of work to occupy their attention. Mr. Sennit, the chief mate, had most of the men engaged on the topgallant forecastle securing the anchors, and lashing the cables on deck until the ship had reached blue water.

Shortly before supper all hands mustered about the main capstan, and from them each officer alternately selected a man until the whole had been equally divided into the port and the starboard watches.

Jack was, of course, also chosen, and found himself under the orders of Mr. Statten, the second mate, with Charley Wilton, a lad of his own age, as companion.

Of the other two boys who belonged to the port or chief mate's watch, he saw but little, since while he kept the deck they were 'below,' but the elder of them, George Archer, was a bright, cheery-mannered lad of sixteen, while his companion, Edward Sorter, was rough-looking, ill-tempered, and worse-mannered, and he was mostly left to his own reflections.

With that youth Jack experienced his first difficulty in keeping faith with his father.

As night closed in Jack prepared to 'turn out for duty at eight bells.' Shortly before that time he determined to read a few words from the Bible, and on his knees ask the protection of God during the hours of darkness.

While he read, Sorter entered the room. 'Hullo!' he cried, 'what sort of yarn are you reading?'

'It is the Bible,' Jack replied.

'The what! you Psalm-singing booby, we don't want that kind of thing here! Put it away at once!'

Jack went on reading until the book was suddenly snatched from his hand, and thrown to the end of the room.

In an instant the insulted lad was on his feet, his eyes flashing, and his fists clenched ready to strike out in defence of the volume which his beloved and dead mother had so treasured.

'See here, Sorter,' he said, 'I don't want to fight with you. I mean to read my Bible in spite of whatever you may think or do; but if ever you attempt to check me again I think I know how to defend myself.'

As Jack attempted to recover his property, the bully, evidently bent on injuring the book, dashed toward it, and at the same time dealt his opponent a sharp blow.

To his astonishment, however, he received another of such weight as knocked him into a lower bunk. Then, seizing his treasure, Jack rapidly locked it within his clothes chest, and stood on the defensive. But although eyeing him threateningly, Sorter did not resume the contest, and presently he sneaked away.

'God gave me the strength to do that,' Jack mused; 'and while I live I'll fight His enemies.'

At eight bells, eight o'clock, he and Wilton went aft to 'keep the bells going,' since time at sea is reckoned in that manner. A brisk breeze off the starboard beam sent the clipper along in good style, while for several miles on every hand a vast expanse of night-darkened sea stretched to the horizon where sky and water seemed to meet.

The silence was intense, and to the boy it seemed as though God was indeed very close to him, and that He was listening to the prayers of those who had intrusted their lives to His fatherly care.

Beside the wheel the helmsman stood erect, the lookout forward paced to and fro, most of the emigrants seemed to be abed, and Mr. Statten, the second mate, peered through his glasses at some imaginary object far aweather.