At the close of the last chapter we had got our hero fairly on board the Bouncing Betsey, on what he supposed to be a brief visit, but[81] which his companion had resolved should be far otherwise.
Randall did not at first undeceive his youthful attendant. He felt that it would hardly be polite, as the ship was lying at the wharf surrounded by other vessels, and the disturbance and vigorous resistance which Charlie would be apt to make when told what was in store for him might attract a degree of attention which might prove fatal to his plans.
They had scarcely set their feet upon deck, when they encountered Captain Brace.
The mate glanced significantly at the boy by his side, and carelessly put his finger to his lips in token of silence, at the same time saying, "A lad whom I have promised to initiate into some of the mysteries of seamanship."
"He may find the knowledge useful to him some time," said the captain, with a grim smile. "Do you think you should like going to sea, my lad?"
"No, sir," returned Charlie, promptly, "I don't think I should."
"Why not?"
[82]
"I should get tired of seeing the sea all the time."
"You would get used to it."
"I never should like it so well as the land. Besides, I should not like to leave my mother."
"Well, my lad, if you should ever change your mind," said the captain, with a wicked glance at Randall, "I hope you'll give me the first offer of your services."
"Yes, sir," said our hero, thinking the captain very affable and polite, though, to be sure, his appearance was hardly as prepossessing as it might have been.
"The captain seems to be a very nice man," said he to Randall, after that officer had left them.
"Oh, yes," answered Randall, dryly, "a very fine man the captain is. I'm glad you like him."
"Have you been to sea a long time?" inquired Charlie.
"Yes, I have been ever since I was a boy."
"Do you like it?"
"Very much. It seems like home to me[83] now. I shouldn't be willing to live on land for any length of time."
"Did you begin very young?"
"I was about sixteen. How old are you?"
"Almost fourteen. I shall be fourteen next month."
"You are a very good size for your age."
"Yes," said Charlie, with boyish pride, drawing himself up to his full height. Like most boys, he liked to be told he was large of his age.
"My father was quite a large man," added our young hero.
"I know it," muttered Randall to himself, as the handsome face and manly form of the father rose before him. They were imprinted more vividly upon his memory, because he felt that it was these very advantages which had enabled his rival to succeed in winning the prize for which he had vainly contended.
"Did you speak?" said Charlie, hearing indistinctly the words which his companion muttered.
"No," said Randall, shortly. "But I promised to show you something about the[84] vessel. I suppose you know the names of the masts."
"Yes, sir."
"What do they call this?"
"This is the main-mast," answered Charlie, promptly, "and the others are called the fore-mast and mizzen-mast."
"That is right; I suppose the masts seem high to you."
"Yes, very high," said Charlie, stretching his neck to enable him to see the top.
"Then you don't think you should like to go aloft?" said Randall, playing with him as a cat plays with a mouse.
"I don't believe I could. It would make me dizzy."
"You could do better than you think for, if you were obliged to."
"Perhaps I might," said Charlie, doubtfully. "Do the boys on board ship have to go up there?"
"I had to when I was a boy."
"Wer'n't you afraid?"
"I suppose I was, but that didn't do any good,—I had to go."
[85]
"Wer'n't you afraid of losing your hold?"
"Yes, but it isn't often a boy loses his hold going up the first time. He is so frightened that he clings to the ropes with a pretty tight grip. But after he gets used to it—and it doesn't seem any worse than going up stairs—he is apt to grow careless, and then there is sometimes an accident."
"Then I suppose they fall on deck and are instantly killed," said Charlie, shuddering.
"Not always, for when the ship is in progress it leans a good deal, so that they are more likely to fall overboard."
"And get drowned!"
"Sometimes. They can't always keep up till assistance comes, especially if they can't swim. Sometimes their fall is broken by the rigging, and they manage to save themselves by catching hold."
They visited other parts of the ship, and Randall continued his explanations. The sailors were all on board, at work in various ways. They did not appear to notice the mate and his young companion when they passed, but Charlie, chancing to look behind[86] him, observed one making a significant gesture to another, which evidently referred to them.
Our young hero mentally thought this not very polite, but did not pay much attention to it.
About this time a porter arrived from the clothing-store already referred to, bringing a small blue chest.
"This is the ship Bouncing Betsey, isn't it?" he inquired.
"Yes," answered one of the sailors.
"I was told to bring this chest here, then."
"Who is it for?"
"Jack Randall."
"That's the mate, you lubber. Why don't you put a handle to his name?"
"No, it's for a boy."
"We haven't got any such boy aboard as I knows on."
"There ain't two ships of this name, are there?"
"Not as I ever heerd tell."
"Then this must be the ship. Where[87] shall I stow this chest? I've got tired of bringing it on my back."
"You'd better go and speak to the mate about it. There he stands. Mayhap that's the boy the kit belongs to."
The porter walked forward.
"Does this belong to you?" he asked, laying down the chest.
"Yes."
"Then it wasn't for a boy?"
"Yes," answered the mate, carelessly. "It is for a nephew of mine who is going with us this voyage."
"Is that the young gentleman?" asked the porter, pointing to Charlie.
"He thinks you're my nephew," said Randall, smiling. "A good joke, isn't it?"
"This young gentleman is only looking about the ship a little," he answered. "He don't think he should fancy going to sea."
"Beg pardon, I didn't know but he might be the one."
"Oh, no, certainly not."
"Shall I leave the chest here?"
"Yes, anywhere. No, you may carry it[88] below. Here," summoning one of the sailors, "Show this man where to put this chest."
"So your nephew is going to sea," said Charlie, with some curiosity.
"Yes."
"Does he think he shall like to go?"
"I don't believe he thinks much about it."
"How large a boy is he?"
"I should think he was about as large as you. Yes, come to think of it, I don't believe there can be any difference between you."
The joke was a cruel one, as Charlie found to his cost, before long.
"Is he on board now?"
"I don't see him," said the mate, looking in the opposite direction from where Charlie was standing. "But I think he will be on board very soon. Were you ever dressed in sailor's clothes?"
"Never," said our hero.
"I wonder how you would look. You are just about my nephew's size. Have you any objection to trying on his clothes?"
Charlie had not. In fact he was rather[89] curious to learn how he should look in this unusual attire. Accordingly he went below, and was soon dressed in full sailor rig. It was a very good fit, and very becoming to our hero, who was a remarkably handsome boy.
"A good fit, is it not?" asked the mate.
"Excellent," said Charlie.
"One would almost think the clothes were meant for you," said Randall, with a smile, which Charlie did not understand.