For three or four days things went on much in the same way as at first. We had our food brought us regularly by our friend the black cook, and were allowed to walk the deck as long as we liked, and to creep into our cabin at night.  Nobody interfered with us.  The people who acted as officers passed us by without notice, and the seamen did not take the trouble to exchange a word with us.  At last Jerry and I agreed that it was time to try and make ourselves more at home, or we should not be able to carry into execution the plan we had proposed.  Surley, too, seemed to think it very dull work sitting all day long with his nose resting on our knees.  How to set about ingratiating ourselves with the fellows, was the difficulty.  We generally talked over our plans when the doctor was away, as he was for a considerable time every day attending to the sick.  We determined first to try and win over old Tom Congo, the black cook, as he seemed disposed to be friendly with us.