CHAPTER THREE.
IN DOLEFUL DUMP.
"Beg pardon, sir."
Jack raised his head wearily from where it was resting upon his hand bythe fireside, and looked dreamingly at the footman who had entered thewarm library next morning.
"Head ache, sir?" said the man respectfully; and the well-built, fair,freckled-faced, but good-looking fellow gazed commiseratingly at hisyoung master.
"My head ache, Edward? Yes, sadly, sadly."
"Begging your pardon, sir; it's because you sit over the fire too much."
"What!" cried Jack angrily; "have you got that silly idea in your headtoo? How dare you!"
"Beg pardon, sir. Very sorry, sir. Don't be angry with me, sir. Yousee I don't know any better."
"Then it's time you did."
"So it is, Master Jack, so it is; and I want to know better, if you'llhelp me."
"How can I help you?" said Jack, staring at the man.
"Well, you see, sir, it's like this: I don't get no chance to improve mymind. Up at six o'clock--No," cried the man emphatically, "I will speakthe honest truth if I die for it! It ain't much before seven when Ibegin work, sir, for you see I have such a stiff beard, and it does growso, I'm obliged to shave reg'lar. Well, say quarter to seven I begin,and it's boots and shoes. When they're done it's hard work to get myknives done before breakfast. Then there's the breakfast cloth to lay,and the toast to make, and after breakfast master's and yourdress-clothes to brush; and them done, my plate to clean. That bringsme up to laying the cloth for lunch, and--"
"Look here, Edward," cried Jack impatiently, "do you suppose I want tolearn all you do in a day?"
"No, sir, of course not. I only wanted you to understand why it is I'veno time to improve my mind."
"So much the better for you, Ned," cried Jack. "I've improved mine, andSir John and the doctor say that I've been doing wrong."
"Do they, sir, really? Well, they ought to know; but all the same Ifeel as if I want to improve mine."
"Let it alone, Ned," said the boy drearily.
"No, sir, I can't do that, when there's such a chance in one's way."
"Chance! What for?" said Jack, whose interest was awakened by the man'searnestness.
"That's what I'm telling you, sir, a chance to improve myself."
"How?"
"Well, you see, sir, I've got ears on my head."
"Of course you have."
"And can't help hearing, sir, a little of what's said."
"Look here, Ned," cried Jack, "I'm unwell; my head aches, and I'm verymuch worried. Tell me what it is that you want as briefly as you can."
"Well, sir, begging your pardon, sir, I couldn't help hearing that SirJohn and you and the doctor's going abroad."
"Yes, Ned," said Jack moodily; "we're going abroad."
"Well, sir, I'd thank you kindly if you'd speak a word to master forme."
"What, about a character? There is no need, Ned; you will stay heretill we come back--if ever we do," he added bitterly.
"Oh, you'll come back right enough, sir. But don't you see that's justwhat I don't want, unless I can come back too."
"What do you mean, Ned? Can't you see that you are worrying medreadfully?"
"I am sorry, sir, for if there's a thing I can't abear, it's beingtalked to when I've got one o' them stinging 'eadaches. But I keep onexplaining to you, sir. Don't you see? I want you to speak a word toSir John about taking me with you."
"You!" cried Jack. "You want to go with us round the world?"
"Now, Master Jack," cried the man reproachfully, "would you like tospend all your days cleaning knives and boots and shoes, when it wasn'tplate and waiting at table?"
"No, of course not; but you must be mad to want to do such a thing as goupon this dreadful journey."
"Dreadful journey! My word of honour, Master Jack, you talking likethat!" cried the man. "You talking like that!" he repeated. "A younggent like you! Well, I'm about stunned. Do you know it would be aboutthe greatest treat a body could have?"
"No, I don't," said Jack shortly. "It means nothing but misery anddiscomfort. A rough life amongst rough people; no chance to read andstudy. Oh, it would be dreadful."
"Well!" exclaimed the man; and again, "Well! You do cap me, sir, thatyou do. Can't you see it means change?"
"I don't want change," cried Jack petulantly.
"Oh, don't you say that, sir," cried Edward reproachfully; "because,begging your pardon, it ain't true."
"What! Are you going to begin on that silly notion too? I tell you Iam not ill."
"No, sir, you're not ill certainly, because you don't have to take toyour bed, and swaller physic, and be fed with a spoon, but every bit ofyou keeps on shouting that you ain't well."
"How? Why? Come now," cried the boy with more animation, as hesnatched at the opportunity for gaining an independent opinion of hisstate. "But stop: has my father or Doctor Instow been saying anythingto you?"
"To me, sir? Not likely."
"Then tell me what you mean."
"Well, sir; you're just like my magpie."
"What!" cried Jack angrily.
"I don't mean no harm, sir; you asked me."
"Well, there, go on," cried Jack pettishly.
"I only meant you were like him in some ways. You know, sir, I give oneof the boys threppuns for him two years ago, when there was the nest atthe top of the big ellum."
"Oh yes, I've seen the bird."
"I wasn't sure, sir, for you never did take much notice of that sort ofthing. Why, some young gents is never happy unless they're keeping allkinds of pets--pigeons and rabbits and hedgehogs and such."
"I wish you wouldn't talk quite so much," cried Jack sharply.
"There, sir, that's what it is. You want stirring up. I like that.You haven't spoke to me so sharp since I don't know when."
"What, do you like me to scold you?"
"I'd like you to bully me, and chuck things at me too, sooner than seeyou sit moping all day as you do, sir. That's what made me say you putme in mind of my magpie. He sits on his perch all day long with hisfeathers, set up, and his tail all broken and dirty, and not a bit o'spirit in him. He takes the raw meat I cut up for him, but he doesn'teat half of it, only goes and pokes the bits into holes and corners, andlooks as miserable and moulty as can be. It's because he's always shutup in a cage, doing just the same things every day, hopping from perchto perch that often--and back again over and over again, till he hasn'tgot a bit of spirit in him. I'm just the same--it's boots and knivesand plate and coal-scuttles and answer the bells, till I get tired of anight and lie abed asking myself whether a strong chap like me was meantto go on all his life cleaning boots and knives; and if I was, what'sthe good of it all? I'm sick of it, Master Jack, and there's been timeswhen I've been ready to go and 'list for a soldier, only I don't believethat would be much better. The toggery's right enough, and you have asword or a gun, but it's mostly standing in a row and being shouted atby sergeants. But now there's a chance of going about and seeing whatthe world's like, and its works, and how it goes round, and you say youdon't want to go. Why, it caps me, it do, sir, really."
"Yes," cried Jack angrily; "and it `caps me,' as you call it, to hear agood servant like you talk about giving up a comfortable place and wantto go on a long and dangerous voyage. Are you not well fed and clothedand paid, and have you not a good bed?"
"Yes, sir; yes sir; yes, sir," cried Edward; "but a man don't want to bealways comfortable, and well fed, and to sleep on a feather bed. He's apoor sort of a chap who does. I don't think much of him. It's likebeing a blind horse in a clay mill, going round and round and round allhis life. Why, he never gets so much change as to be able to go theother way round, because if he did the mill wouldn't grind."
"Pooh!" cried Jack sharply. "It is not true: you can have plenty ofchange. Clean knives first one day, and boots first the next, and thenbegin with the plate."
"Ha--ha! haw
--haw! he--he!" cried the man, boisterously, laughing, andin his enjoyment lifting up one leg and putting it down with a stampover and over again.
"Don't stand there laughing like an idiot!" cried Jack angrily. "Howdare you!"
"Can't help it, sir, really, sir; can't help it. You made me. But goon, sir. Do. Chuck some books at me for being so impudent."
"I will," cried Jack fiercely, "if you don't leave the room."
"That's right, sir; do, sir; it's stirred you up. Why, you have got thestuff in you, Master Jack. I do believe you could fight after all ifyou was put to it. You, sir, actually, sir, making a joke about theknives and boots. Well, I wouldn't have believed it of you."
"Leave the room, sir!"
"Yes, sir, directly, sir; but do please ask the governor to take me,sir."
"Leave the room, sir!" cried Jack, starting to his feet.
"Certainly, sir, but if you would--"
_Whish_!--_Bang_!--_Jingle_!
In a fit of petulant anger Jack had followed the man's suggestion,caught up a heavy Greek lexicon, and thrown it with all his might, orrather with all his weakness, at the servant's head. Edward duckeddown, and the book went through the glass of one of the cases; and atthe same moment Sir John Meadows entered the library.
Jack at Sea: All Work and No Play Made Him a Dull Boy Page 3