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Rh dozing before the galley stove, and went inside to warm himself and see how the coffee was getting along.

The cook welcomed him with a friendly grin, and poured out a pannikin of the fragrant decoction; he had only a short time before roasted and ground the beans, so that it was not properly boiled yet, but the doctor said he was grateful for the early cup, and offered to look after the boiler, if Sambo cared to have a nap. He would wake him up in good time.

Sambo wanted a nap badly, for he only got his sleep by odd snatches, so, thanking the doctor for his kindness, he at once rolled himself up like a dog and passed straightway into dreamland.

An instant of time did the accursed deed, only the lifting up of the lid and dropping the powders in. The rest of the half-hour the doctor spent watching, mixing and clearing the decoction. As eight bells once more struck he roused up the negro and went out again on deck.

He was restless, however, and stayed close to the caboose, watching the half-roused men, and those already eager to turn in, cluster together round the doorway and drink their coffee. He saw the second mate take his share with the men, and then, after they were all served, the cook poured out three more pannikins, and placing them with some biscuit on a tray, he marched off to the cabin to wake the captain and first and third mates, for this was his duty each morning.

The doctor followed the negro and saw him open the captain's door, then he heard the usual questions of the captain about the weather as he quaffed off his morning draught thirstily. He saw the mates also come from their cabin with their steaming pannikins in their hands, drinking as they stumbled on with sleep-filled eyes.