by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE.
THE DENOUEMENT.
When I came to my senses again, I saw that I was lying upon the deck. Acrowd was gathered around, and look in what direction I might, my eyesrested upon faces. They were rude faces, but I noticed no unkindlyexpression in any one of them. On the contrary, I perceived looks ofpity, and heard words of sympathy.
They were the sailors--the whole crew was around me. One was bendingover my face, pouring water into my lips, and cooling my temples with awet cloth. I knew this man at the first glance. It was Waters--he whohad carried me ashore, and presented me with my precious knife. Littleknowledge could he have at the time of the great service it was to do--and had since done--me.
"Waters," said I, "do you remember me?"
He started at my words, uttering, as he did so, a sailor's exclamationof surprise.
"Shiver my timbers!" was the phrase. "Shiver my timbers! if 'tain't thelittle marlin-spike as boarded us a-port!"
"Him as wanted to go a seelorin?" cried several in a breath.
"The same, for sartin'."
"Yes," I answered, "it is; I am the same."
Another volley of ejaculations followed, and then there was a momentarysilence.
"Where is the captain?" I asked. "Waters, will you take me to thecaptain?"
"You wish to see the capten? he's here, my lad," answered the bigsailor, in a kind tone; and then, stretching out his arm, he made anopening in the ring that encircled me.
I glanced through this opening. I saw the same well-dressed man whom Ihad before recognised as the captain. He was only a few yards off,standing in front of the door of his cabin. I looked in his face. Theexpression was stern, but yet it did not awe me. I fancied it was alook that would relent.
I hesitated for a moment what course to pursue, and then, summoning allmy energy, I rose to my feet, tottered forward, and knelt down beforehim.
"Oh, sir!" I cried, "you can never forgive me!"
That, or something like it, I said. They were all the words I couldutter.
I no longer looked him in the face. With my eyes fixed upon the deck, Iawaited his reply.
"Come, my lad! rise up!" said a voice, in a tone of kindness; "rise up,and come with me into the cabin."
A hand was placed upon mine, I was raised to my feet, and led away. Hewho walked by my side, and conducted me as I tottered along, was thecaptain himself! This did not look like giving me to the sharks. Wasit possible that the ending should be of this merciful complexion?
As I passed into the cabin, I beheld my shadow in a mirror. I shouldnot have known myself. My whole body was as white as if it had beenlime-washed; but I remembered the flour. My face alone was to be seen,and that was almost as white as the rest--white, and wan, and bony asthat of a skeleton! I saw that suffering and meagre fare had made sadhavoc with my flesh.
The captain seated me on a sofa, and, having summoned his steward,ordered him to fill me out a glass of port wine. He uttered not a wordtill I had drunk it; and then, turning to me, with a look in which Icould read nothing of sternness, he said--
"Now, my lad, tell me all about it!"
It was a long story, but I told it from first to last. I concealednothing--neither of the motives that had led me to run away from myhome, nor yet any item of the vast damage I had done to the cargo.This, however, was already well-known to him, as half the crew had longsince visited my lair behind the water-butt, and ascertained everything.
When I had gone through every circumstance, I wound up with the proposalI had resolved to make to him; and then, with an anxious heart, Iawaited his response. My anxiety was soon at an end.
"Brave lad!" he exclaimed, rising to his feet, and going towards thedoor, "you wish to be a sailor? You _deserve_ to be a sailor; and bythe memory of your noble father, whom I chanced to know, you _shall_ bea sailor!"
"Here, Waters!" he continued, calling to the big tar, who was waitingoutside, "take this youngster, have him fresh rigged; and, as soon as heis strong enough, see that he be properly taught the ropes."
And Waters did see that I was taught the ropes--every one of them, andin the proper manner. For many years afterwards he was my shipmate,under that same kind-hearted captain, until I rose from the condition ofa mere "boy tar," and was rated upon the _Inca's_ books as an "ableseaman."
But my promotion did not end there. "_Excelsior_" was my motto; and,assisted by the generous captain, I soon after became a third mate, andafterwards a second mate, and, still later, a first mate, and, last ofall, a _captain_!
In course of time, too--still better than all--I became _captain of myown ship_.
That was the crowning ambition of my life; for then I was free to go andcome as I pleased, and plough the great ocean in any direction, andtrade with whatever part of the world I might think proper.
One of my very first and most successful voyages--I mean in my ownship--was to Peru; and I remember well that I carried out a box ofbonnets for the English and French ladies resident at Callao and Lima.But these arrived safe, and no doubt disgusted the eyes of the fairCreoles, who were expected to admire them!
The crumpled bonnets had been long ago paid for; so, too, the spiltbrandy and the damage done to the cloth and velvet. After all, it didnot amount to such a vast sum; and the owners, who were all generousmen, taking the circumstances into account, dealt leniently with thecaptain, who, in his turn, made the terms easy for me. In a few years Ihad settled for all, or, as we say in sailor language, "squared theyards."
And now, my young friends! I have only to add, that having sailed theseas for many long years, and by careful mercantile speculations, and afair economy, having acquired sufficient means to keep me for theremainder of my days, I began to grow tired of wave and storm, and tolong for a calmer and quieter life upon land. This feeling grew uponme, every year becoming stronger and stronger; till at last, unable toresist it any longer, I resolved to yield to its influence, and anchormyself somewhere upon shore.
For this purpose, then, I sold off my ship and sea stores, and returnedonce more to this pretty village, where I have already told you I wasborn, and where I have also made known to you, that _it is my intentionto die_!
And now, good-day! and God bless you all!
THE END.