Annie o' the Banks o' Dee Part 15

Reginald sat in his little cabin--it was only six feet square--with his elbow leaning on his bunk, his hand under his chin, thinking, thinking, thinking. Then an idea struck him. The skipper of the yacht--called "captain" by courtesy--and Reginald were already the best of friends.

Indeed, d.i.c.kson--for that was his name--was but six or seven years older than Reginald.

"Rat-tat-tat!" at the captain's door. His cabin was pretty large, and right astern, on what in a frigate would be called "the fighting deck."

This cabin was of course right abaft the main saloon, and had a private staircase, or companion, that led to the upper deck.

"Hullo, doctor, my boy!"

"Well, just call me Grahame, _mon ami_."

"If you'll call me d.i.c.kson, that'll square it."

"Well, then, d.i.c.kson, I'm terribly anxious to get out and away to sea.

If not soon, I feel I may run off--back to my lady love. When do we sail for sure?"

The captain got up and tapped the gla.s.s.

"Our pa.s.sengers come on board this afternoon, bag and baggage, and to-morrow morning early we loose off, and steam out to sea--if it be a day on which gulls can fly."

"Thanks, a thousand times. And now I won't hinder you."

"Have a drop of rum before you go, and take a cigar with you."

Reginald's heart needed keeping up, so he did both.

"When I am on the sea," he said, "I shall feel more happy. Ay, but Annie, I never can forget you."

More cheerily now, he walked briskly off to the hotel to meet his patients. There were two, Mr and Mrs Hall, wealthy Americans; besides, there were, as before mentioned, Miss Hall and the child Matty.

They were all very glad to see Reginald.

"You are very young," said Mr Hall, offering him a cigar.

"I think," he answered, "I am very fit and fresh, and you will find me very attentive."

"I'm sure of it," said Mrs Hall.

Little Matty took his hand shyly between her own two tiny ones.

"And Matty's su'e too," she said, looking up into his face.

They say that American children are thirteen years of age when born. I know they are precocious, and I like them all the better for it. This child was very winning, very pert and pretty, but less chubby, and more intellectual-looking than most British children. For the life of him Reginald could not help lifting her high above his head and kissing her wee red lips as he lowered her into his arms.

"You and I are going to be good friends always, aren't we?"

"Oh, yes, doc," she answered gaily; "and of torse the dleat (great) big, big dog."

"Yes, and you may ride round the decks on him sometimes."

Matty clapped her hands with joy.

"What a boo'ful moustache you has!" she said.

"You little flatterer!" he replied, as he set her down. "Ah! you have all a woman's wiles."

Everything was on board, and the _Wolverine_ was ready to sail that night. But the captain must go on sh.o.r.e to see his friends and bid them adieu first.

The night closed in early, but the sky was studded with stars, and a three-days'-old moon shone high in the west like a scimitar of gold.

This gave Reginald heart. Still, it might blow big guns before morning, and although he sat up pretty late, to be initiated by Mr Hall into the game of poker, he went often to the gla.s.s and tapped it. The gla.s.s was steadily and moderately high. Reginald turned into his bunk at last, but slept but little, and that little was dream-perturbed.

Early in the morning he was awakened by the roar of steam getting up.

His heart leaped for joy. It is at best a wearisome thing, this being idle in harbour before sailing.

But at earliest dawn there was much shouting and giving of orders; the men running fore and aft on deck; other men on sh.o.r.e casting off hawsers. Then the great screw began slowly to churn up the murky water astern. The captain himself was on the bridge, the man at the wheel standing by to obey his slightest command.

And so the _Wolverine_ departed, with many a cheer from the sh.o.r.e--ay, and many a blessing.

As she went out they pa.s.sed a man-o'-war, in which the captain had many friends. Early as it was, the commander had the band up, and sweetly across the water came the music of that dear old song I myself have often heard, when standing out to sea, "Good-bye, sweetheart, good-bye."

By eventide they were standing well down towards the Bay of Biscay, which they would leave on their port quarter. They would merely skirt it, bearing up for Madeira. But a delightful breeze had sprung up; the white sails were set, and she was running before it, right saucily, too, bobbing and curtseying to each rippling wavelet very prettily, as much as to say: "Ah! you dear old sea, we have been together before now. You will never lose your temper with me, will you?" It is well, indeed, that sailors do not know what is before them.

The dinner-hour was seven. Mr and Mrs Hall were seated on chairs on the quarter-deck. Neither was over-well, but Ilda and Reginald were pacing briskly up and down the quarter-deck, chatting pleasantly. I think, though, that Ilda had more to say than he. American girls are born that way.

Wee Matty was making love to Oscar, the splendid and good-natured Newfoundland. n.o.body more happy than bonnie Matty, bonnie and gay, for her happiness, indeed, was a species of merry madness. Only no one could have heard her childish, gleesome and silvery laugh without laughing with her.

The bell at last! Reginald took Ilda down below, then hurried on deck to help his patients. Matty and Oscar seemed to come tumbling down.

And so the evening pa.s.sed away, the stars once more glittering like crystal gems, the great star Sirius shining in ever-changing rays of crimson and blue.

It was indeed a goodly night, and Reginald slept to-night. The incubus Love had fled away.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

"I SAY, CAP," SAID MR HALL, "I SHOULD MAROON A FELLOW LIKE THAT!"

While the whole countryside--ay, and the Granite City itself--were thrilled with awe and horror at the brutal murder of poor unoffending Craig Nicol, the _Wolverine_ was making her way on the wings of a delightful ten-knot breeze to the Isle of Madeira.

Reginald had ascertained that there was nothing very serious the matter with Mr and Mrs Hall. They were run down, however, very much with the gaieties of Paris and London, to say nothing of New York, and thought rightly that a long sea voyage would be the best thing to restore them.

Madeira at last! The beach, with its boulders or round sea-smoothed stones, was a difficult one to land upon. The waves or breakers hurled these stones forward with a hurtling sound that could be heard miles and miles away, then as quickly sucked them back again. Nevertheless, the boat was safely beached, and there were men with willing hands and broad shoulder to carry Mr and Mrs Hall and daughter safely on to dry land.

Reginald was sure of foot, and lifting Matty in his arms as she crowed with delight, he bore her safe on sh.o.r.e. The great Newfoundland despised a boat, and hardly was she well off the yacht ere he leaped overboard with a splash. And he also landed, shaking himself free of gallons of water, which made rainbows and halos around him. He drenched his master pretty severely. But it was a fine joke to Oscar, so, grinning and laughing as only this breed can, he went tearing along the beach and back again at the rate of fifteen knots an hour. When he did come back, he licked his master's hand and little Matty's face.

"Nothing like a good race," he seemed to say, "to set the blood in motion after a long bath."

While the party sit in the piazza of a beautiful tree-shaded hotel, sipping iced sherbet, let me say a word about the nature of the _Wolverine's_ voyage.