Boy Tar

by Mayne Reid

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

  NOT BIG ENOUGH.

  My reflections were anything but pleasant, for never had I been somortified in my life. All my fine dreams of reefing topsails, andseeing foreign lands, had been dissipated in a period of less than tenminutes. All my plans completely frustrated.

  My first feeling was that of extreme humiliation and shame. I fanciedthat the passers-by must all be aware of what had transpired, and of theprecise situation in which I stood. I saw, moreover, the heads ofseveral of the sailors as they stood looking at me over the bulwarks,and upon their faces I could perceive a derisive expression. Some ofthem were still laughing loudly.

  I could bear it no longer, and without hesitation I hurried away fromthe spot.

  Near at hand were large boxes, barrels, and bales of merchandise lyingupon the wharf. They were not piled together, but scattered about, withspaces between them. Into one of those spaces I glided, and was soonout of sight of everybody, while everybody was equally hidden from mysight. I felt almost as if I had got clear of some danger; so pleasantis it to escape from ridicule, even though one may feel that he has notdeserved it.

  There was a little box among the others, just big enough for a seat, andupon this I sat down, and gave way to reflection.

  What had I best do? Yield up all thoughts of the sea, and return to thefarm, and my crabbed old uncle?

  You will say that this would have been the wisest course for me to havepursued, as well as the most natural. Perhaps so; but the thought ofdoing so scarcely entered my mind. I did certainly entertain thethought, but as quickly abandoned it.

  "No," said I to myself, "I am not yet conquered; I shall not retreatlike a coward. I have made one step, and I shall follow it up, if Ican. What matters it if they refuse to take me in this big proud ship?There are others in port--scores of others. Some of them may be glad tohave me. I shall try them all before I give up my design."

  "Why did they refuse me?" I asked myself, continuing my soliloquy."Why? They gave no reason; what could it have been? Ha! my size itwas! They compared me to a marlin-spike, and a belaying-pin. I knowwhat a marlin-spike is, and a belaying-pin, too. Of course, they meantby this insulting comparison to insinuate that I am too small to be asailor. But a boy-sailor--surely I am big enough for that? I haveheard of sailor boys not so old as I am. What size am I? How tall, Ishould like to know? Oh! if I only had a carpenter's rule I would soonsettle that point! How thoughtless of me not to have measured myselfbefore leaving home! Can I not do it here? I wonder if there is no wayof finding out how tall I am."

  The current of my reflections was at this moment broken in upon, by myobserving on one of the boxes some figures roughly scratched with chalk,and on closer inspection I made out the cipher to be "4 foot." I saw atonce that it referred to the length of the box, for its height could nothave been so much. Perhaps it had been thus marked by the carpenter whomade the case, or it may have been put on to guide the sailors in ladingthe vessel.

  Be that as it may, it gave me an idea; and in less than three minutes Iknew my stature to an inch.

  I ascertained it in the following manner: I laid myself down alongsidethe box, and close in to its edge. Having placed my heels on a levelwith one end, I stretched myself out to my full length. I then feltwith my hand whether the crown of my head came flush with the other endof the case. It did not, though there was scarce an inch wanting tomake me as long as the box; but wriggle and stretch my joints as Imight, I could not get more than square with it. Of course, it made nodifference--as far as determining my height was concerned: if the boxwas four feet long, I could not be quite four feet; and as I knew a boyof only four feet in height was but a very small boy indeed, I rose tomy legs, considerably mortified by the knowledge I had gained.

  Previous to this measurement, I really had no idea I was of such shortstature. What boy _does_ think himself much less than a man? But now Iwas convinced of my littleness. No wonder Jack Waters had called me asprat, and his comrades had compared me to a marlin-spike and abelaying-pin.

  The knowledge I had gained of my Lilliputian stature put me all out ofheart with myself, and my designs now assumed a more gloomy aspect. Ifelt almost sure that none of the ships would receive me; for Iremembered that I had never heard of boy-sailors so small as I was.Certainly I had never seen any; but, on the contrary, some nearly aslarge as men, who were nevertheless called "boys" on board the brigs andschooners that frequented our little harbour. It would be hopeless,then, for me to offer myself. After all, I should have to go homeagain.

  I once more sat down upon the box, and proceeded to re-consider thesituation. My mind is rather of an inventive turn, and it had a bentthat way even in earliest youth. It was not long before a plan offereditself that promised to relieve me from my dilemma, and enable me tocarry out my original intention to its full extent.

  I was aided by memory in the conception of this plan. I rememberedhaving both heard and read of boys--and men as well--concealingthemselves aboard ships, and being thus carried out to sea; and thencrawling forth from their hiding-places, when the vessels were too farfrom land for them to be sent back.

  The recollection of these daring adventurers had scarcely crossed mymind, before I had formed the resolution to follow their example. Quickalmost as the thought, I had made my resolve. I could hide myself onboard a ship--perhaps that very ship from which I had been soignominiously expelled. She was the only one that appeared to begetting ready to sail; but, to tell the truth, had there been a dozenothers starting at the same time, I should have selected her before themall.

  You may be surprised at my saying so, but it is easily explained. I wasso piqued at the people on board, especially the mate, on account of theuncivil treatment he had shown me, that I felt at the time it would be asort of revenge to play them this trick. I knew that they would notthrow me overboard; and with the exception of the mate himself, I hadnot noted any symptoms of a cruel disposition among the sailors. Ofcourse it was natural they should have enjoyed a joke at my expense; butI remembered, also, that some of them had uttered expressions ofsympathy when they heard from me that I was an orphan.

  In the big ship, then, was I determined to have passage--spite of mate,captain, and crew!