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Sail Ho! A Boy at Sea, a novel by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 4 |
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_ CHAPTER FOUR. These were the people I saw most of, on that first day. The next I did not see any of them, for when I awoke next morning, it was to feel that there was a heavy sea on, which somehow, from experience, I took quite as a matter of course; but a deep groan below me, and sounding very startling, taught me that some one else was not taking it in the same fashion. "That you, Dale?" came piteously. "Yes; what's the matter?" "Oh, pray go and fetch the doctor. Some of that meat we had has upset me." I looked at him, and certainly he seemed very ill, as I hurriedly began to dress. "Oh dear, oh dear," he groaned, "I never felt so bad as this before." "I shan't be long," I said; "when did you begins to feel bad?" "Don't, don't ask any questions," he cried, half-angrily; "do you want to see me die?" "Poor fellow!" I muttered, as I fought hard to get buttons through their proper holes, after a desperate struggle with my trousers, into which I got one leg, and had to try again and again to get in the other as I stood; but so sure as I raised the second limb the ship gave a lurch, and I either went against the bulk-head or banged up against our bunks. "You're doing that on purpose," groaned Walters. "Oh, do, do call for help." "No, I'd better run and fetch Mr--Mr--what's the doctor's name?" "We never heard his name," moaned my messmate; "fetch him. I knew how it would be. It's a shame to poison officers with bad preserved meat." "But I ate a lot of it," I said, as I triumphantly finished fastening my second brace. "Ah, you'll have it directly. Oh dear, oh dear! I am so bad--why did I ever come to sea?" Slosh--whish--bang! A wave had struck the ship, and we could hear the water flying over us, as, after a tremendous effort to keep on my legs, I came down, sitting on my sea-chest; and then, instead of springing up again, I sat rolling from side to side, laughing silently and trying hard to master the intense desire to break forth into a tremendous roar. Walters did not see it for a few moments, but kept on bemoaning his condition. "I'll complain to the owners myself, if the captain doesn't take it up. It's too bad. Oh, do make haste--the doctor--the doctor--I'm dying." Then with a good deal of energy he cried, "Why, you're laughing." "Of course I am," I said, giving way now to my mirth. "Why, you're only a bit sea-sick." "I'm not," he snapped out; "I'm poisoned by that bad meat we had. Oh, the doctor, the doctor!" "You're not," I said. "It's only sea-sickness. Why, I should have thought you could stand it." "Oh, help--help!" "Hush, don't make that noise!" I cried. "Then fetch the doctor, oh, pray, pray!" I hesitated no longer, but hurried out, and one of the first I encountered on deck was the bluff-looking sailor, whom my companion had snubbed. "Look here," I cried quickly, "Mr Walters is very ill. Where's the doctor's cabin?" Just then the ship made a lurch, and so did I, but by giving a kind of hop and jump and getting my legs apart, I preserved my balance. "Well done, youngster," cried the man. "You've been at sea before." "Yes, often," I replied, "but where's the doctor?" "I'll show you, sir. Number three's his cabin. Next but two to the skipper's. But your messmate's only got the Channel chump, has he?" "I think he's only sea-sick, but he says it was the meat last night." "Clck!" It was a curious sound that one cannot spell any nearer, partly laugh, partly cry of derision. "That's what they all says, sir," he continued. "Sea-sick, sure as my name's Bob Hampton." As he spoke he had descended with me, and ended by pointing out number three. "There you are, sir; two rollers at night, and a shake the bottle in the morning. That's Mr Frewen's cabin; I must get back on deck." The next minute I was knocking at the doctor's door. "Hullo!" came instantly. "Would you get up, please, sir? Walters is very bad." "So will some more be," I heard him say, "with this sea on." Then, louder, "Wait a minute." I waited a minute and then a bolt was drawn. "Come in." I entered, to find the young doctor hurriedly dressing. "I thought it was your voice," he said, "What is it?" "He thinks the meat we had last night has poisoned him, sir!" "Rubbish! The rough sea. But I'll come and have a look at him directly." I ran back to our cabin, which I reached this time without going first on deck. "How are you now?" I said. "Is he coming soon?" moaned Walters. "Oh dear! He'll be too late. I know I'm dying; and if I do, don't--don't let 'em throw me overboard." "You're not so bad as that," I said, trying to cheer him up. "Oh, you don't know. Go and tell him to make haste before he is too late." To my surprise and delight the door was opened, and the doctor with a very rough head came in. "Now, squire," he cried, "what's the matter?" "Ah, doctor, oh!" "Ah, doctor, oh! Don't make that noise like an old woman of sixty. Pretty sort of a fellow you are to come to sea." "Oh dear, oh dear! I know I'm dying." "Then you are precious clever, my lad. Bah! There's nothing the matter with you but the sea tossing you up and down. Lie still, you'll soon come round." "It--isn't--sea--sick--ick--ickness," moaned Walters. "Then it's uncommonly like it, that's all I can say," cried the doctor, laughing. Then, turning to me--"There, you needn't be alarmed about him, my lad." "I wasn't sir," I replied. "I told him that was what ailed him." "And quite right. I suppose you'll have a turn next if this rough weather keeps on." "But do, do give me something, doctor," groaned Walters. "Your messmate will get you some tea presently," said the doctor, quietly. "There, I must go and finish dressing." And he left the cabin, while a good deal of my first work at sea was attending on poor Walters, who was about as bad as he could be for the next few days, during which the only passenger I saw was Mr Preddle, who came out of his cabin twice a day, looking miserably ill, and having hard work to stand; but Hampton the sailor and I used to help him go right forward to attend to his fish and then help him back again. "It's so good of you," he used to say; "I'm not used to the sea, and if I get worse, do please go and see to my poor fish." "Yes, they shan't be neglected," I said. "But I think the sea's going down, and you'll be all right, sir, then." He shook his head sorrowfully, and when I helped him to lie down again-- no easy task, for he was so big--he shut his eyes and whispered, "How is our sick friend?" he said. "What, Walters, my messmate?" "No, no, the passenger, Mr Denning." "I haven't seen him, but the steward said he seemed pretty well, sir." "Impossible. In such a delicate state of health. Have you seen the lady?" "No, she has not been on deck." "No. It would be too rough," sighed the poor fellow. "What's that?" he cried, excitedly, "something wrong?" "I'll go and see," I said; for there had reached us the sound of an angry voice, and then a noise as of something falling overhead, and as I hurried out and on deck, I could hear the captain storming furiously, evidently at one of the men. _ |
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