Harry Milvaine; Or, The Wanderings of a Wayward Boy
Page 13
to speak, or I'll take a belaying-pin to you."
About a quarter before two another boat was seen coming off.
"More Shetlanders, I suppose," said the mate to the spectioneer.
"I don't think so. There is only the boatman and a lad, and the lad hasan oar. You never see a Shetlander take an oar, if he can help it."
"By gum! though," cried the mate, enthusiastically, "that youngster doespull nimbly. Why he feathers his oar like one of an Oxford eight!"
"He seems a genteel lad," replied the spectioneer; "but it won't do totell him he rows well. Make him too proud, and spoil him."
"Trust _me_," said the mate, with a grim smile. "I'll talk to him inquite a different fashion."
He lowered his brows as he spoke, and tried to look old and fierce.
"Boat there!" he shouted, as she was nearly alongside.
"Ay, ay, sir," sang Harry, standing up and saluting.
Harry believed this was the correct thing to do, and he was not _very_far wrong.
"What do you mean, sir, by coming here at this time of day? The orderswere, Mr Young Griffin, that every one should be on board by teno'clock this forenoon; and look you here, I've a jolly good mind tobundle you on shore again, bag and baggage."
"Don't, sir," began Harry; "I wish to--"
"Don't answer me. Up you tumble. Here, one o' you greenhorns, standingthere with your fingers in your mouths, up with the boy's bag, and sendit below."
"If you please, sir, I want to speak with the captain, I--"
"Oh, you do, do you?" sneered the mate, in a mocking tone. "He wants tospeak to the captain, does he? Perhaps he wants to make a complaint,and say the first mate scolded him. Never been to sea before, poor boy.Has he brought his feather-bed and his night-cap, and a bottle of hotwater to put at his feet? A pretty ticket you'd be to go and speak tothe captain."
"But, sir, I--"
"_Don't_ answer me," cried the mate, talking now in a loud, commandingvoice. "If you say as much as one word more, or half a word, I'llrope's-end you within an inch of your life. Now for'ard you fly. Downbelow till we're clear off. You are no use on deck. Only have yourtoes tramped."
Harry opened his mouth to speak.
The mate made a rush for a rope.
Harry ran, and dived down the fore-hatch.
There was a little old man poking the huge galley fire and stirring soupwith a ladle at one and the same time. He had no more hair on his headthan the lid of a copper kettle, and he did not wear a cap either.
"Are you the cook?" said Harry.
"No, I'm the doctor." [Greenlandmen usually call the cook "doctor."]
"Well, doctor," began Harry, "I want to tell you something. I'm in avery queer position--"
"Don't bother _me_!" roared the grim old man, turning so fiercely roundon him, ladle in hand, that Harry started and quaked with fear. "Don'tbother _me_," he roared, "or I'll pop you into the boiling copper, thenyou'll be in a queerer position."
Harry fell back. He did not know well what to do. So he went and satdown on a locker.
Presently past came a young sailor.
"I say, common sailor!" cried Harry.
The youth turned sharply round.
"I'm in a queer position."
The youth pulled him clean off the locker and threw him straight acrossthe deck, where he lay nearly stunned and doubled up.
"That's a queerer position, ain't it, eh? Well, don't you come for togo to call me a common sailor again, drat ye."
A great mastiff dog came along and licked Harry's face, and then laydown beside him. Harry put an arm round the noble dog's neck and pattedand caressed him.
By and by there arose on deck an immense noise and shouting, rattling ofchains, and trampling of feet, and high above all this din the merrynotes of a fiddle and a fife, playing lively airs. [When heavingwindlass or capstan in Greenland ships the fiddler is nearly alwaysordered to play.]
Said Harry to himself, "It is evident they are having a dance, and nodoubt they will keep it up quite a long time. Well, there is littlechance of the ship sailing to-night. By and by I'll slip quietly up andgo straight to the captain's cabin and tell him all and ask him to takeme."
Then he began to think of home, of his mother and father, of Eily and ofAndrew--and in a few minutes, lo and behold! our hero was fast asleep.
When he awoke it was inky dark where he lay, only at some distance hecould see the glimmer of the galley fire, and see the old, bald cookmoving about at his duties.
The great dog still lay beside him, and some kind hand had thrown a rugover the pair of them.
But the vessel was no longer still, she was slowly pitching and rolling,in a way that told Harry, novice though he was, that they were at sea.
There was no noise on deck now, only occasionally the steady tread ofheavy footsteps was audible, or the flop-flap of canvas, or a quick,sharp word of command, followed by an "Ay, ay, sir," and the rattling ofthe rudder-chains.
"Heaven help me!" said Harry to himself. "I was in a queer positionbefore, I'm in a queerer now. Oh! dear me, dear me, I'll be taken for astowaway."
This thought so overcame him, that he almost burst into tears.
Some time afterwards there came towards him with a lantern a red-hairedand red-bearded little man. He had a kind and smiling face. He bentdown, and Harry sat up on his elbow.
"Don't move, my sonny," he said. "You'll be a bit sick, I suppose?"
"No."
"No? Well, I've brought you a bit of a sandwich, and I don't know whosewatch you're in, but we always give green hands some days' grace. I'mthe second mate, and I advise you not to turn out to-night, but just toeat your supper and lie still till eight bells in the morning watch."
"But oh, sir," cried Harry, "I'm in such a queer position!"
"I'll remedy that," said the second mate.
Away he went, and in a minute back he came again, and in his hand a hugeflock pillow. This he placed under Harry's head and shoulders.
"There," he said, "that's a better position. Keep still and you won'tget sick, and Harold there will keep you warm."
"Is the dog's name Harold?"
"Yes, boy."
"And mine is Harry. How strange!"
"Well, there are two of you. Good-night, sonny." And off went thefiery-whiskered but kindly little second mate.
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Note 1. In Greenland ships, on May-day, there is great rejoicing, and agarland bedecked with ribbons--every one contributing--is hung from thestays high aloft.
Book 2--CHAPTER TWO.
FIRST EXPERIENCES OF LIFE AT SEA.
Harry awoke next morning cold and shivering; his companion, Harold, themastiff, had left him. He started up. It was broad daylight, and themen were having breakfast, and chaffing and laughing, and all as happyas sailors can be.
It was not long before he noticed his friend the second mate comingbelow, so he started up and went to meet him.
"What cheer, my sonny!" said Wilson--for that was his name.
"Come along through to the half-deck," he continued, "and have somecoffee. That'll put you straight."
He led Harry on deck.
The sea seemed mountains high. Great green waves, with combing, curlingtops, that every moment threatened the good ship with destruction, so itseemed to Harry.
"What an awful sea?"
"Awful sea, sonny?" laughed Mr Wilson. "Call that an awful sea? Ha!ha! Wait a bit, my boy."
They went down another ladder into the second officer's quarters. Herealso lived the spectioneer or third mate, the carpenter, and the cooper,and an extra gunner.
A rough kind of a cabin, with a table in the middle a stove with aroaring fire in it, and bunks all round.
"Mates," said Mr Wilson, "this is the youngster I was speaking about;I'm going to have him in my watch. He doesn't know much; in fact, Idon't think he knows he's born yet."
; "What's your name, sonny?"
"Harold Milvaine."
"Well, Harold Milvaine, have some breakfast; you look as white as achurchyard deserter."
"Because--because I've such a dreadful story to tell you."
"Well, eat first."
Harry did so, and felt better.
"Now sit down on the locker, put your toes to the fire. That's right.Now, heave round with this dreadful yarn of yours. Listen, mates."
Without a moment's hesitation, though looking