There were more potatoes, and some turnips
and apples as well, to be prepared, and it kept the boy busy all the
afternoon, cleaning as hard as he could, and never seeming to get
done. The cook urged him always to hurry, and seemed determined to
have everything ready on time. And Archie began to realise that he was
working under a rather severe master.
He was again successful in getting the vegetables finished in time for
the evening meal, and then he had an idea that he might be allowed to
rest for awhile, but he soon realised his mistake. He was advised to
begin work on the potatoes for breakfast if he didn't want to get up
at two o'clock in the morning and pare them, so once more he took up
the knife and began to clean and scrape. It was ten o'clock before he
had finished, and he found himself too tired to spend any time on the
after-deck with the crew, but went at once down into the small, stuffy
room where he was to sleep with some of the stewards. His back ached
from bending over, and his hands were all sore from being scraped.
Things were not very pleasant in this bedroom, but poor Archie was
glad enough to be able to lie down on the hard straw tick and go to
sleep. He slept soundly until he was awakened at four o'clock in the
morning by the second cook, who ordered him up-stairs to work. There
was no time to wash, and no place where he could wash, so the boy was
obliged to go up just as he was, much as he disliked doing so.
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