Chapter 5

________________________________________________
_ CHAPTER FIVE.

"And sarve him jolly well right," growled Hampton, looking at me as I hurried forward to where Captain Berriman was following up one of the sailors, who, with his hand to his bleeding cheek, was gazing fiercely at his officer and backing away toward the forecastle.

"Yes," shouted the captain, "get down below and don't show yourself to me again to-day, you scoundrel. Call yourself a sailor, and haven't learned the first line of a sailor's catechism--obedience to his officer."

The captain's face was flushed and the veins in his brow were knotted, but the aspect of his countenance changed directly, as in backing away from him the man did not allow for the heaving of the ship, and the consequence was that he stumbled, tried to save himself, and then fell heavily and rolled over into the lee-scuppers, but picked himself up and then hurried forward and out of sight.

As I looked back at the captain, it was to see his rugged face twinkling now with mirth, and he turned to Mr Frewen the doctor, who had hurried on deck at the noise.

"There, doctor," he said, "you see the old Burgh Castle wouldn't rest easy, and see her skipper insulted. Pitched the scoundrel off his legs. That comes of having these mongrel sort of fellows aboard. He's half a Frenchman. Shipped in a hurry. An insolent dog. Got my blood up; for as long as I walk this deck, right or wrong, I'll be obeyed. Perhaps I ought to have put him in irons though, instead of being so handy with my fists. You'll have to go and stick half-a-yard of plaster on his cheek: it's cut."

"What was the matter?" said the doctor, as soon as the captain gave him an opportunity.

"Brymer told him and another of the men to go up aloft, and he refused. I heard him, and ordered him to go at once, and he said, loud enough for Miss Denning to hear--never mind what. Here she comes;--and I knocked him down."

"Ah, my dear young lady," he continued, taking off his cap, "I apologise to you for that scene. But a captain must be master of his ship."

"I am very sorry too," she replied sadly. "It seemed so shocking for you to strike the man."

"Now, now, now, my dear, don't you scold me, an old fellow who has to play the part of father to you and your brother on this voyage. It was a pity perhaps, but I was obliged. But there, there, it's all over now."

"Hope it be," grumbled a voice behind me, and I turned sharply to see that Hampton was close alongside. "Yes, sir," he said again, "I hope it be, but chaps who wears earrings has got tempers like spiteful women, and that chap Jarette arn't the sort to forget a blow."

"Did the captain hit him very hard?" I said, after a glance over my shoulder, to see that the officers were walking aft talking to Miss Denning.

"Hard? Did the skipper hit him hard, sir? What says you, Barney, and you, Neb Dumlow?"

This was to the two sailors who were generally pretty close to his heels, all three men being thorough messmates, and having, as I afterwards learned, sailed together for years.

"Did he hit him hard?" said Barney, slowly, and giving his mouth a rub with the back of his hand.

"That's what I said, messmate; don't get chewin' o' my words over five hundred times to show off afore our young orficer. Did he hit him hard?"

"Orfle!" said Barney.

"Then why didn't you say so afore, 'stead o' getting into bad habits, a-saying things for the sake o' talking. Now, Neb Dumlow, just look the young gent straight in the face and say what you thinks."

"Couldn't ha' hit him no harder," growled the great fellow in his deep bass voice.

"Not with one hand," acquiesced Hampton; "but you needn't ha' screwed both your eyes out o' sight to say it, matey. Bad habit o' hisn, sir," he continued, turning to me, "but I'm a-trying to break him on it. Neb's a good sort o' chap if you could straighten his eyes; arn't you Neb?"

"Dunno," growled the man.

"Then it's a good job for you as I do, mate. Ay, the skipper did give Master Jarette a floorer, and I'm sorry for it."

"Why," I said, "if he deserved it?"

"Well, you see, sir, it's like this; if me or Neb or Barney there had scared one of the officers, and the skipper had knocked us down, why, we shouldn't ha' liked it--eh, mates?"

"No," came in a growl.

"Course not; but then we're Englishmen, and knowing as we was in the wrong, why, next day we should have forgot all about it."

"Ay, ay," growled Dumlow, and Barney nodded his acquiescence.

"But strikes me, sir--you needn't tell the skipper I says so, because p'r'aps I'm wrong--strikes me as that chap won't forget it, and I should be sorry for there to be any more rows with ladies on board, 'cause they don't like it. But I say, sir!"

"Yes, Hampton," I replied.

"I thought as Mr Walters as had been to sea afore was going to put you through it all. When's he going to show on deck?"

"Oh, he'll come up as soon as he's well enough," I said.

"If I was skipper, he'd be well enough now," said the sailor, roughly. "More you gives way to being sea-sick, more you may. I don't say as it's nice, far from it; but if a man shows fight, he soon gets too many for it. Here's him been a voyage, and you arn't. He lies below, below, below in his bunk, and you goes about just as if you was at home."

"Because I haven't been ill," I said, laughing.

"No, sir, you arn't; but if I was you, I'd soon go down and cure him."

"How?" I said, expecting to hear of some good old remedy.

"Physic, sir."

"Yes, what physic?" I said.

"Bucket o' water, sir,--take a hair o' the dog as bit you, as the Scotch chaps say,--fresh dipped."

"Rubbish, Bob Hampton; how could he drink a bucket of salt water?"

"Who said anything about drinking it, sir? I meant as lotion, 'Outward application only,' as Mr Frewen puts on his bottles o' stuff sometimes."

"What! bathe him with salt water?"

"Yes, sir, on'y we calls it dowsin'. Sharp and sudden like. Furst dollop fails, give him another, and keep it up till he walks on deck to get dry; then call me to swab up the cabin, and he's all right."

"I'll tell Mr Walters what you say, Hampton."

"No, sir, I wouldn't do that; 'cause if you do, he'll have his knife into me. I on'y meant it as good advice. He on'y wants rousin' up. Why, if you was to set some of us to rattle a chain over his head, and then make a rash, and you went down and telled him the ship was sinking, he'd be quite well, thank ye, and come on deck and look out for a place in the first boat."

"You're too hard upon him," I said, and not liking to hear the man talk in this way, which sounded like an attempt to, what my father used to call, curry favour, I went aft to find that the invalid passenger, Mr John Denning, had been helped out on to the poop-deck by his sister and the steward, and was now having a cane-chair lashed for him close up by the mizzen-mast.

He beckoned as he caught sight of me, just as he was being lowered into his place, and I went up slowly, for the captain and Mr Frewen were by his side, and as I approached I heard him say rather irritably--

"Thank you, doctor. If I feel unwell I will ask you to help me. I'm quite right, only half-suffocated by being down so long."

"Very good, Mr Denning. I only thought you might wish to avail yourself of my services."

"Thank you; yes--of course."

I saw Miss Denning look pained, and press her brother's arm.

He turned upon her impatiently.

"Yes, yes, Lena, I know," he said; "and I have thanked Mr Frewen for his attention. Now I want to be alone."

Mr Frewen raised his cap, and walked forward, descending to the main-deck, and the invalid said something angrily to his sister which made her eyes fill with tears.

I was passing on, but Mr Denning made a sharp gesture.

"No, no, I want you," he cried sharply.

"Then I'll say good-morning," said the captain, smiling at Miss Denning. "I only wanted to say I was glad to see you on deck, sir."

"Thank you, captain; but don't go. I can't help being a bit irritable; I've had so much to do with doctors that I hate them."

"John, dear!"

"Well, so I do, Lena. I was dying for want of some fresh air, and as soon as I get on deck, captain, down swoops the doctor as if he were a vulture and I was so much carrion."

"Oh, come, come, my lad, you won't talk like that when you've been on deck a bit. Nothing like fresh air, sir. Keep yourself warm, though, and we mustn't have you wet."

"Now, captain, don't, pray," cried the invalid.

"All right, then, I won't. Look here, then. If it gets too rough, come into my cabin and have a cigar and a chat. You won't mind a little smoke, my dear?"

"Oh no, Captain Berriman; not at all."

"That's right. You know where my cabin is, and don't you mind me calling you my dear. I've got three girls at home as old or older than you, and a son as big as Mr Denning."

Miss Denning smiled in his face, while I felt as if I wished he would be as fatherly with me.

"Look here," he continued, with a twinkle of the eye. "I've just had a telegram from old Neptune. He says the gale's pretty well over, and he's going to give us some fine weather now. He was obliged to blow up a bit because the waves were getting sulky and idle, and the winds were all gone to sleep."

It did not seem like the same man who was so fierce with the sailor a short time before.

"And look here, Mr Denning," he continued, turning back after taking a few steps toward the man at the wheel; "you're quite right, sir; pitch the doctor overboard, and I'll prescribe for you. I've got a bottle or two of prime port wine and burgundy on board,--you understand? And as soon as the weather mends you must try some fishing; I dare say I can fit you up, and young Dale here will lend a hand."

"Oh yes," I said eagerly.

"And don't know anything about it, eh?"

I stared at him in surprise.

"Why, I've fished at sea hundreds of times, sir," I said. "Whiffing, long line, trot, and bulter; and we used to go out to the rocks off Falmouth to set small trammels."

"Why, you're quite a sailor, Dale," said the captain. "All right, my lad, you'll do."

"I like Captain Berriman, Lena," said Mr Denning, thoughtfully; "but I will not have that doctor always hanging about my chair."

I saw Miss Denning look sadly at me and colour a little as she glanced back at her brother, who nodded sharply and turned to me, and changed the conversation. "Were you on deck when there was that disturbance?"

"Yes."

"The captain knocked the man down, didn't he?"

"Yes; sent him sprawling upon the deck."

I saw the young man's eyes flash, and there was a slight flush upon his sallow cheek as he laid a thin hand on my arm, and went on eagerly--

"I wish I had been on deck."

"Oh, there wasn't much to see," I said. "His cheek was cut, and bled."

"So much the better. Let Mr Frewen go and attend him. But the man was insolent, wasn't he?"

"Very, I believe; and Captain Berriman said he would have proper discipline in his ship."

"Yes, of course. I should have liked to see the captain knock him down. Perhaps it will make him spiteful."

I looked at him wonderingly, and he smiled.

"Well, why shouldn't I?" he said. "One likes to see a few exciting scenes now and then. Life is so dull."

He was holding on by the arms of the chair, for the ship rose and fell, and rolled a good deal in the short, choppy sea; but he seemed to like it, and as his sister stood with her hands resting on the back of the chair, balancing herself and yielding to the motion of the ship, her eyes brightened, and she gazed away over the foaming sea, where the sun had come through the clouds, and made the spray sparkle like diamonds as the waves curled over and broke.

They neither of them spoke to me, and I walked slowly away to see that the captain had raised his hand.

"You can spend a little time with the sick passenger, Dale," he said; "I mean when he wants you. Poor fellow, I'm afraid he's in a bad way."

He walked back toward the group by the mizzen as he spoke, and then as we drew near he changed the conversation.

"Look here, Dale," he said; "you'd better go down and pull your messmate out of his bunk by the hind leg. Time he was on deck now. And look here, go and see how that Mr Preddle is. He's keeping below, too, when a touch of this brisk breeze would set him up. Go down, and tell him the fish are fighting--ah, fighting--that will be more like the truth. They're sure to fight. That will bring him on deck."

"Shall I, sir?"

"Yes; off with you."

As I started I saw that Mr Denning was frowning, and that his sister looked troubled. But it was only a momentary glance, and a minute or two later I approached the door of Mr Preddle's cabin and knocked.

There was a groan, and in spite of its pitiful nature I could not help smiling, and I knocked again.

"Come in," I heard in quite a squeak; and then as I opened the door--"Is that Doctor Frewen?"

"No, sir," I replied. "I've come to ask you to get up and come on deck."

"On deck! Is there any danger?"

The speaker raised himself upon his elbow, and looked at me eagerly.

"Oh no," I replied; "the sea's going down, and the captain thinks an hour or two on deck would do you good."

"Too ill, too much prostrated," sighed the great fellow, who lay, as I thought, like a sick elephant, when he had dropped back on to the pillow.

"Captain Berriman said something about seeing to your fish, sir."

"My fish! Ah, yes; you shall look at them for me."

"But it really is nice and fresh on deck, sir."

"Yes, for you."

"And it seems to be doing Mr Denning and his sister ever so much good."

Mr Preddle rose suddenly to his elbow.

"Miss--They are not on deck?" he said eagerly. "What, Mr and Miss Denning?"

"Yes," I said, looking at him wonderingly, for he appeared to be so excited. "Oh yes; he's sitting up there, looking at the sea, and his sister's standing by his chair."

"Would--would you mind helping me on with a few of my things, Mr Dale?" he said hurriedly, as he began to creep out of his berth. "It's so awkward dressing when the ship sways about so. It makes me feel giddy."

"Oh yes; I'll help you," I said.

"Thank you; it's very kind of you. The captain is quite right, and I'm not doing what I ought about those fish. I will go and see to them. So much time and expense was devoted to--oh, my gracious!"

I tried to save him, but he was too heavy, and we went down together with him half over me; but I didn't feel it much, for he was very soft. You see he had got one leg half-way into his trousers, when the Burgh Castle gave a lurch, and bang he went up against the bulk-head, and then on to the floor.

"Hurt yourself much, sir?" I said, as we both struggled up.

"Oh, horri--no, no, not much, thank you," he muttered. "I--I--haven't quite got my sea-legs yet, as you sailors call it. That's better. Now if you wouldn't mind, Mr Dale."

I didn't mind, of course, and I helped him all I could, thinking all the while he was like a big fat boy we used to have at school, only Mr Preddle was nearly three times the size. And all the time, though he must have felt very faint and poorly, he kept a good face upon his troubles, trying to laugh and make light of them, till I said, merrily--

"That's the way, Mr Preddle. Now, if you get up on deck and don't think about the ship rolling, you will soon be better."

"Yes," he said; "I believe I should if I only could keep from thinking about the ship rolling. But it won't let me." This was while he was rubbing his big, round, smooth face, which looked as good-natured as possible, though the smile upon it was only forced.

"Oh, but you'll soon get over it," I cried. "I'll stop and help you up."

"Yes, do please stop," he said hurriedly; "but don't try and help me up. I'm going to walk up and balance myself. I shall keep close to the bulwarks, don't you call them, and hold on. Which is the best side?"

"I should go along on the weather side," I replied. "You may get splashed a bit; but you'll soon learn not to mind that. I've often been drenched when out in the yacht with father, but one soon got dry again."

"Didn't you catch a bad cold?" he said, out of the towel.

"Oh no."

Then he looked in his little glass as he steadied himself with one hand, and then in his highly-pitched voice he said, as he looked round at me with a faint laugh, and passed his hand over his chin--

"It's a very good job, isn't it, that I don't have to shave? I'm sure I couldn't use a razor with the ship rising and falling like this."

Thud! Whish!

The little round window was darkened for a few moments, and Mr Preddle held on with both hands.

"What's that?" he cried, excitedly. "Is there any danger?"

"Danger? No," I said with a laugh. "It was only a wave. Good job you hadn't opened your window. Don't you ever shave, then, sir?"

"No," he said with a sigh; "my beard never came."

"Then it never will," I remember thinking to myself as I looked at his smooth cheeks and chin, while he carefully combed and brushed his hair as he stood in his trousers and shirt, and then opened a little box and took out three neckerchiefs, all different in colour.

"Which one would you wear, Mr Dale?" he said, as he looked up at me.

"Oh, I don't know," I cried merrily; "which you like best--the blue one. There's plenty of blue sky and blue sea now."

"Yes, you're right," he said, eagerly. "And--you wouldn't mind, would you?"

"Mind what, sir?"

"Showing me how to tie a sailor's knot. I never could manage it properly."

I showed him, and then he put on a white waistcoat and a blue serge jacket, like that worn by a yachting-man, buttoned up tightly, and looked at me again.

"It's very kind of you to help me," he said; "but do you think it's fine enough for a straw hat?"

I shook my head as I pictured his round, plump, white face under the straight brim, and thought how comic it would look.

"I should wear that," I said, pointing to a yachtsman's blue woollen peaked cap. "There's so much wind, and it will keep on better."

"Of course; you are quite right," he said. "It's because you have had so much experience of the sea. But it isn't quite so becoming as the straw, is it?"

I stared at him wonderingly as I thought how vain he must be; but I said it looked right enough.

"I should keep the straw hat for when we get down into the hot parts, sir," I said.

"To be sure; so I will. Do you know, that wash seems to have done me a lot of good, Mr Dale. I really think I feel better."

"Then you'll be all right now, sir. I should get the steward to give me a basin of soup."

He shuddered, and gave me a look of horror.

"I couldn't touch it," he whispered. "Don't ask me. Not now."

"Wait till you've been on deck a bit, sir."

"Yes, yes," he said, excitedly; and after another look in the glass he told me he was ready, and we went out to go on deck: but he declined to go up the steps to where the captain would be with the other passengers, and said he would go forward to have a look at the fish; but before he had gone many steps, he altered his mind.

"I do feel better, Mr Dale," he said, with a half-laugh, "and I think I will go up and pay my respects to the captain and--and the other passengers," and then, talking eagerly to me about his fish, and carefully preserving his balance, we went up on the poop-deck, with the ship gliding along swiftly and more easily.

The captain saw us, and came to meet him along with Mr Brymer, the first mate, and both shook hands warmly.

"Glad, to see you on deck, sir. There, you've got over your bit of trouble. It was rather a rough beginning."

"Yes, and of course I'm not much used to the sea, Captain Berriman," said Mr Preddle, as he walked on by his side with legs rather widely apart, I following behind with Mr Brymer.

It seemed to me then that Mr Preddle was managing so as to get up to where Mr Denning sat with his sister, and the next minute they were abreast of them, and the captain said in his bluff way--

"There, Mr Denning, another of your fellow-passengers has found out the advantage of coming on deck."

"Yes," said Mr Preddle, hastily, as he took off his cap to Miss Denning, and then bowed to her brother. "So fresh and bright after the clo--clo--clo--Oh dear me!"

I was obliged to laugh, and though Mr Denning looked angry, I saw Miss Denning turn away to hide a smile, for the captain and Mr Brymer laughed as merrily as I did. And no wonder, for just as Mr Preddle was bowing and smiling and talking hurriedly, the ship gave another sudden lurch; he made a wild grasp at the captain, missed him; another at Mr Denning's chair; and then sat down involuntarily on the deck, to look up ruefully at me, his eyes seeming to say, "Oh, how can you laugh!"

"All right, sir, not hurt, I hope?" said the captain, and he and the first mate helped our stout passenger to rise.

"No, not at all, thanks; sadly awkward though at first," he said, rather piteously. "Mr Dale--would you mind?"

I hurriedly offered him my arm, and he gave a quick look round.

"A little weak and giddy," he continued, with his eyes resting on Miss Denning, who held out her hand, and in a quiet sweet way, said--

"Yes, we have been rather unwell too. I turned quite giddy once."

Mr Denning looked at her angrily, and Mr Preddle shook hands very awkwardly before walking away with me, and as I helped him down the ladder, he said in a whisper--

"Are they all laughing at me? Look."

"Oh no," I said, after a hasty glance. "I'm afraid we were all very rude, but every one meets with these accidents at sea."

I fancied he muttered something about "disgraced," but he was very silent, and hardly noticed the men who touched their caps to him as we went forward, where he stayed with the fish for a few minutes, and lifted out a couple which lay floating wrong side up, with a tiny landing-net; and then walked back without me towards his cabin. I let him get nearly to the companion-way, and then ran after him with my face burning.

"I beg your pardon for laughing at you, Mr Preddle," I said.

He turned his piteous face toward me, and smiled in a simple, good-natured way, as he held out his hand.

"You couldn't help it," he said; "I suppose I did look very ridiculous. It's because I'm so stout; p'r'aps being at sea will take it down."

He nodded and went on, leaving me thinking.

It was awkward, just too as he wanted to show how well he was. Then I started and looked round, for some one clapped me on the shoulder.

"You and Mr Preddle seem to be getting capital friends, Dale; how smart he had made himself look!"

"Yes, sir," I said; "but he had quite an accident on deck," and I looked half-smilingly in the young doctor's face, for it was he.

"Accident? Hurt?" he said, eagerly.

"Oh no, sir. He was going up to speak to Miss Denning and her brother, and the ship lurched, and he came down sitting."

"Oh!" said the doctor, and it struck me at the time that he looked rather pleased. _

Read next: Chapter 6

Read previous: Chapter 4

Table of content of Sail Ho! A Boy at Sea


GO TO TOP OF SCREEN

Post your review
Your review will be placed after the table of content of this book