Harry Milvaine Part 17

"Mates," said Mr Wilson, "this is the youngster I was speaking about; I'm going to have him in my watch. He doesn't know much; in fact, I don't think he knows he's born yet."

"What's your name, sonny?"

"Harold Milvaine."

"Well, Harold Milvaine, have some breakfast; you look as white as a churchyard deserter."

"Because--because I've such a dreadful story to tell you."

"Well, eat first."

Harry did so, and felt better.

"Now sit down on the locker, put your toes to the fire. That's right.

Now, heave round with this dreadful yarn of yours. Listen, mates."

Without a moment's hesitation, though looking very serious, Harry told them all his story from the commencement.

"Well," said the mate, "it isn't so very dreadful after all, but I think you ought to see Captain Hardy at once. What say you, mates?"

"That's right," said the carpenter; "I'd go at once."

The captain was in his cabin, and kindly bade them both sit down.

Then, at the instigation of the second mate, Harry told all his story over again.

"A plain, unvarnished tale," said Captain Hardy, when he had finished.

"There is truth in the lad's eyes, Mr Wilson. But tell me, youngster, why did you not explain to the mate the purpose for which you came on board?"

"He would not let me say one single word, sir."

"True enough," said the mate, coming out of his state-room laughing.

"The boy is right, sir; I took him for some hand you had engaged and sent him flying for'ard."

"But look here, lad, when you heard us stamping round and heaving in the anchor, why did you not come up and speak to me? I would have put you on sh.o.r.e again at once."

"Oh, thank you, sir, but I didn't know. I heard music, and I thought you were all dancing, and wouldn't sail till Monday, and then--I fell asleep."

"Ha! ha! ha! there will be little dancing in our heads, boy, till we're full to the hatches with skins and blubber; then we'll dance, won't we, Wilson?"

"That we will, sir."

"Well, well, boy, it is curious. I'm half inclined to be angry, but I daresay you couldn't help it. And I don't know what to do with you."

"Oh, I don't want wages; only just let me remain in the ship."

"Let you remain in the ship? Why, what else can I do? We'll never touch land again, lad, till we go back to Lerwick. Do you think I'd pitch you overboard as they did Jonah?"

"As for wages," he continued, "n.o.body stops in my ship that isn't paid.

But tell me now, I seem to know your face--have I seen you before?"

"I saw you at Miss Mitford's, sir."

"Whew-w-w," whistled the captain, "that accounts for the milk in the cocoanut."

"She gave you some beautiful rib--"

"That'll do, boy, that'll do," cried Captain Hardy, interrupting him.

"Well I'll rate you as second steward, and as you say you want to learn to be a sailor you can join the second mate's watch."

"I'll have him, sir," said Wilson, briskly.

Harry's heart was too full to speak, but from that moment he determined to do his duty and prove his grat.i.tude.

Duty! what a sacred thing it is, and how n.o.ble the man or boy who never shirks it, be that duty what it may!

Duty--though thy lot be lowly, G.o.d's broad arrow though art seen, Making very triflers holy, And exalting what were mean; In this thought the poor may revel, That, obeying Duty's word, Lowliness is on a level With my lady or my lord.

Captain Hardy soon found out Harry's worth. He could trust him implicitly, for the boy was far too manly to tell a falsehood, even to hide a fault.

The worthy captain, however, seemed really astonished when the boy told him he was not twelve years of age.

He had guessed him at nearly sixteen.

"Never mind," he said, with a smile, "you've been growing too fast, you've been growing to the length. The cold will alter that, and you'll grow to the breadth."

Cold? It was indeed cold, and the farther north the good ship went the colder it got, the more fiercely blew the wind, and the higher and wilder were the seas. Harry slept in a bunk in the half-deck, and used to amuse his mates by telling them stories, composed on the spot; he had an excellent imagination, and on these occasions made good use of it.

The fire was kept in all the livelong night, but, notwithstanding, the bunks and the counterpane used to be thickly snowed over long before morning with the frozen breath of the sleepers.

The days were terribly short, and the nights dark and gloomy in the extreme.

About a week after the good ship sailed she fell in with streams, first of wet snow, then of small pieces of ice that cannonaded against the ship's side with a terrific noise.

Now the crow's nest or look-out barrel was hoisted at the main-truck.

Harry astonished the second mate, and every one who saw him, by getting up to this giddy alt.i.tude the very second day.

The captain had been up there for hours and sang down for a cup of coffee.

The steward was too much of a landsman to venture, so Harry volunteered.

"_My_ sonny," said Wilson, "you'll break your neck."

"I've climbed trees as tall as that in Benbuie forest," was Harry's reply.

The warm coffee was put in a tin bottle, and up Harry spun with it.

Hand over hand he went with all the agility of a monkey.