Amealwasbeingservedondeckintheshadeofthespanker，andJerry，sittingbetweenthetwomenreceivedhisshare。Alreadyhehadmadethegeneralizationthatofthetwo，thecaptainwasthesuperiorgod，givingmanyordersthatthemateobeyed。Themate，ontheotherhand，gaveorderstotheblacks，butneverdidhegiveorderstothecaptain。Furthermore，Jerrywasdevelopingalikingforthecaptain，sohesnuggledclosetohim。Whenheputhisnoseintothecaptain’splate，hewasgentlyreprimanded。Butonce，whenhemerelysniffedatthemate’ssteamingtea—cup，herreceivedasnubonthenosefromthemate’sgrimyforefinger。Also，thematedidnotofferhimfood。
CaptainVanHorngavehim，firstofall，apannikinofoatmealmush，generouslyfloodedwithcondensedcreamandsweetenedwithaheapingspoonfulofsugar。Afterthat，onoccasion，hegavehimmorselsofbutteredbreadandsliversoffriedfishfromwhichhefirstcarefullypickedthetinybones。
HisbelovedMisterHagginhadneverfedhimfromthetableatmealtime，andJerrywasbesidehimselfwiththejoyofthisdelightfulexperience。And，beingyoung，heallowedhiseagernesstotakepossessionofhim，sothatsoonhewasundulyurgingthecaptainformorepiecesoffishandofbreadandbutter。Once，heevenbarkedhisdemand。Thisputtheideaintothecaptain’shead，whobeganimmediatelytoteachhimto\"speak。\"
Attheendoffiveminuteshehadlearnedtospeaksoftly，andtospeakonlyonce——alow，mellow，bell—likebarkofasinglesyllable。
Also，inthisfirstfiveminutes，hehadlearnedto\"sitdown，\"asdistinctlydifferentfrom\"liedown\"；andthathemustsitdownwheneverhespoke，andthathemustspeakwithoutjumpingormovingfromthesittingposition，andthenmustwaituntilthepieceoffoodwaspassedtohim。