Jack at Sea Part 10

On two chairs a yard apart lay his clothes: on the left his things he had worn the previous day; on his right, a suit specially made for the life ash.o.r.e that they were to live abroad; and after a little hesitation he began to dress in that, finding everything feel strange, but certainly very comfortable, and at last he stood there in garments very much like those in which the man had come in, and he looked at himself in the gla.s.s.

Nothing could have been more comfortable and suitable, as he was fain to confess; but all the same the inclination was strong to take them off.

He resisted, however, and in due time went down, feeling strange and half ashamed of being seen.

Sir John was in the breakfast-room, and he looked up from his newspaper rather severely, but as soon as he caught sight of his son's altered appearance, the paper dropped from his hands and he rose quickly.

"Thank you, Jack," he said warmly. "You did this to please me, and I am more than pleased. It shows me that you are trying to make the brave fight I expect of you, as my son should. Hah! you will see the truth of it all before long."

He would have said more, but the doctor was heard in the hall, and directly after he entered in his bluff fashion.

"Morning, morning," he cried; "splendid day for our trip. Why, bravo, Jack! The very thing. Your get-up is splendid, my lad, and it makes me impatient to be off. You are going with us of course?"

"I suppose so," said Jack with a sigh.

"I don't mean on our trip, but to see the vessel."

That sounded to the boy like a temporary reprieve, and he looked inquiringly at the doctor.

"I had not said anything about it to him," said Sir John. "We have had particulars from my agent of a large ocean-going steam yacht, my boy, which sounds well. It is really a sailing vessel, but fitted with a screw for occasional use in calm or storm. She is lying at Dartmouth, and we are going down to see her to-day. Will you come?"

"Do you wish me to come, father?" said Jack.

"Of course I do, but what I do wish is to see you take an interest in all our preparations."

"I am trying to, father."

"Yes, and succeeding," said the doctor, "or you would not have come out like you are this morning."

"How soon do you start?" said Jack hurriedly, to escape the doctor's allusions to his dress.

"In half-an-hour. We have to get up to town, and then go across to Paddington."

"I'll hurry through my breakfast then, and go and change my things."

"What for?" cried the doctor. "You couldn't be better."

"But I should look so absurd, sir, dressed like this."

"Absurd?"

"The absurdity is only in your imagination, my boy," said Sir John. "Go as you are."

Jack looked troubled, but he said nothing, for he was making a brave fight to master his antipathy to his father's projects, and without another word he went on with his breakfast, receiving the next time he caught his father's eye a nod of approval which meant a good deal.

But the pith helmet was a severe trial just before the carriage came to the door, and he stood in the hall with the round-topped head-piece standing on the table, for it would recall Edward's extinguisher, and his own remark that morning concerning the Guido-Fawkes-like aspect of their man.

"Don't seem to like your topper, Jack, lad," said the doctor, smiling.

"Well, who could?" cried the boy sharply. "It looks so absurd."

"Because you are not used to it, and will probably not see any one else wearing one. Now for my part, I think it the very reverse of absurd, and a thoroughly sensible head-piece, light, well ventilated, and cool, a good protection from the sun, and thoroughly comfortable."

"What, that thing?"

"Yes, that thing. It is a hot sunny day, and we shall be out of doors a good deal when we get into Devonshire, so it is most suitable. Now between ourselves, what would you have worn if left to yourself?"

"My black frock-coat and bat," said Jack quickly.

"Nice costume for a railway journey. Orchid in your b.u.t.ton-hole of course, and a pair of straw-coloured kid gloves, I suppose? I have observed that those are your favourite colour."

Jack nodded.

"Bah! Try and be a little more manly, my lad," said the doctor kindly.

"A healthy young fellow does not want to be so self-conscious, and to dress himself up so as to look pretty and be admired--or laughed at."

"I'm more likely to be laughed at dressed like this, and with a thing like half an egg-sh.e.l.l on my head."

"Fools will laugh at anything," said the doctor dryly; "but no one whose opinion is worth notice would laugh at a sensible costume. You would have gone down in a tall glossy hat, ironed and brushed up till it shines again. Hard, hot, uncomfortable, roughened at a touch, and perfectly absurd in a shower of rain. But it is the fashion, and you think it's right. Ladies study fashion, lad; look at them after they have been caught in a shower. Now in that rig-out you could go through anything."

"Ready?" said Sir John, taking a soft wide-awake from the hat-stand.

"Yes, and waiting," said the doctor; and they entered the carriage, which was driven off, Jack's last glance on leaving being at Edward on the doorsteps, as he patted his head, evidently in allusion to his young master's pith helmet.

"Oh, if I had only been behind him!" thought the lad indignantly; which, being a.n.a.lysed, meant that a most decided change was taking place, for a month earlier Jack Meadows could not by any possibility have harboured the thought of kicking any one for a mocking gesture.

In good time the terminus was reached, and soon after the fast train was whirling along, leaving the busy town behind, and off and away through the open country with gathering speed. Father and friend chatted away to the lad, but he was listless and dull, refusing to be interested in anything pointed out; and at last a meaning look pa.s.sed between his companions, the doctor's eyes saying plainly enough--"Let him be: he'll come round by and by."

But this did not seem likely to be the case, Jack not even being attracted by the first glimpse of the beautiful estuary of the Dart when it was reached in the evening, and they looked down from the heights as the train glided along, at the town nestling up the slopes upon the other side of the water.

He did turn sharply once when the doctor said suddenly: "There are the two training ships for the naval cadets," and pointed at the old men-of-war with their tiers of ports, moored in midstream; and was feeling a strange sense of pity for the lads "cooped up," as he mentally called it, in the narrow limits of a ship, when the doctor suddenly exclaimed, "Look, look! both of you. I'll be bound to say that's our yacht."

Jack glanced sharply at what seemed in comparison with the huge men-of-war, and seen at a distance, a little three-masted, white-looking vessel with a dwarfed funnel, lying at anchor, but he turned pale and listless again, utterly wearied out with his journey, nor did he revive over the comfortable dinner of which he partook without appet.i.te.

Sir John looked uneasy, but the doctor gave him a meaning nod.

"You won't care about going to look over the yacht this evening, Jack?"

he said.

"I!" said the lad, almost imploringly. "No, not to-night."

"No; we're all tired," said the doctor. "I did not say anything to you, Meadows; but I thought we had done enough, so I sent off word to the captain to say that we had come down, and I shouldn't be surprised if he comes over to the hotel by and by."

It fell out just as the doctor had said, for about half-an-hour later the waiter came into the room to say that Captain Bradleigh would be glad to see Sir John Meadows; and Jack looked up curiously as a ruddy, tan-faced, rather fierce-looking man, with very crisp hair, beard sprinkled with grey, and keen, piercing grey eyes, shaded by rather s.h.a.ggy brows, entered, glanced quickly round as he took off his gold-braided yachting cap, and at once addressed Sir John, as if quite sure that he was the princ.i.p.al.

"Sir John Meadows?" he said courteously, but with a ring of authority in his words.

"Yes; will you sit down. This is my friend, Doctor Instow; my son."