Jack at Sea Part 66

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

TAKEN BY SURPRISE.

It was the next day, when the yacht was just beginning to glide over the water again to pa.s.s through the opening in the reef, that Jack was sitting by Ned's berth.

"Here, I call it foolishness, Mr Jack, sir, I do really. What is the good of my lying here?"

"To get strong and well. Doctor Instow knows best."

"Well, he thinks he knows best, sir; but he can't know so well as I do how I feel."

"You lie still and be patient."

"But I can't, sir. Here's Mr Bob Murray, who's a good enough steward, valeting you and Sir John, and of course he can't do it properly."

"Nonsense. He is very good and attentive."

"Pooh, sir! So could any chap in the ship be good and attentive, but what's the use of that if he don't understand his work?"

"Why, there's nothing to understand."

"Oho! Isn't there, sir! Don't you run away with that idea. There's a lot. It seems nothing to you because things go so easy with you and the guv'nor. You find your clean shirts and fresh socks all ready laid out at the proper time, and you put 'em on just as you do your clothes, and think it's nothing; but all the time there's some one been there thinking it out first. Cold and dull morning; these trousers and that silk shirt won't do, and warmer ones are there. Going to be a scorching hot day, and it's the thinnest things in the bunks. Then don't I manage the b.u.t.tons the same? and when did you ever find a b.u.t.ton off anywhere?"

"No, I never did, Ned."

"There! I suppose you think, sir, that when a b.u.t.ton's knocked off another one comes up like a mushroom in the night; but you take my word for it, sir, b.u.t.tons don't come up so how, and it's never having no troubles like that to a gentleman that means having a good valet. I don't say nothing about holes in socks or stockings, because when it gets to that a gentleman ought to give 'em away. No, sir, it won't do.

Every man to his trade, and I'm fretting to get back to my work, for it wherrits me to have other people meddling with my jobs. I don't believe I shall find a thing in its place."

"Never mind all that, Ned. I've got something to tell you."

"Have you, sir? Let's have it."

"I don't know what you'll say to it."

"More do I, sir. Let's hear what it is."

Ned told him of what had pa.s.sed on deck concerning the stay at the island.

"Glad of it, Mr Jack," said Ned excitedly. "I should have been wild if you'd give it up because of me getting that arrow in my arm. But look here, I ain't a grudger, but if I do get a chance at the chap as shot at me--well, I'm sorry for him, that's all."

"What would you do to him, Ned?" said Jack, smiling.

"What would I do to him, sir? What wouldn't I do to him, sir!"

"You don't mean to say you'd kill him?"

"Kill him, sir?" cried Ned, in a tone full of disgust; "now do I look the sort of chap to go killing any one?"

"Well, no, Ned, you do not."

"Of course not, sir. Murder ain't in my way. I ain't a madman. Of course if one's in a sort o' battle, and there's shooting and some of the enemy's killed, that's another thing. I don't call that murder; that's killing, no murder. But in a case like this: oh no, I wouldn't kill him, I'd civilise him."

"What, and forgive him?" said Jack, who felt amused.

"Not till I'd done with him."

"And what would you do?"

"Do, sir! Why, what I say, sir; I'd civilise him, and show him something different to hitting a man behind his back. There'd be no call for him to strip, he'd be all ready; but I'd just have off my jacket and weskit, and some of the lads to see fair, and I'd show him the way Englishmen fight. I'd give him such a civilising as should make him respect the British nation to the end of his days. That's what I'd do with him. Fists!"

"Very well, Ned, look sharp and get strong so as to do it."

"Strong, sir? Why, I could do it now if you'd let me get up instead of making me bask about like a pig in a sty. I just feel, sir, as we used to say at school, as if I could let him have it, though it would hardly be fair. He'd have the greatest advantage."

"Yes, I should say he would," said Jack, laughing.

"Ah, you mean about muscle, sir. I don't. I mean that if he managed to get home with his fists in my face--not as I think he would--he'd make me look disgraceful, and not fit to appear before the guvnor for a fortnight. And all the time I might pound away for an hour and make no difference in him. Whoever heard of a n.i.g.g.e.r with a black eye?"

"Well, no, Ned, I never did," said Jack, laughing. "Nature ain't been fair over that, sir. Black chaps' eyes ought to go white after a fight; but I suppose it's because they don't fight fair. Hitting a man in the back, and with a poisoned arrow too! It makes me feel wild; it's so cowardly. But there, they don't know any better. I say though, Mr Jack, I am glad we're going to stay, and it makes me feel proud of our crew. I'll shake hands with the lot as soon as I may go on deck."

"That's right enough, Ned, and as soon as you're fit Doctor Instow will let you go."

"Tell you I'm fit as a fiddle now, sir," said the mate testily. "Why, nothing would do me more good than to stretch myself by having a set-to with that n.i.g.g.e.r as shot me."

"With one hand," said Jack dryly.

"Eh? With one hand, sir?" said the man, beginning to feel his closely-bandaged arm.

"Yes; how could you fight with one hand?"

"I forgot all about that," said Ned thoughtfully. "Would be rather awkward, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, I should think it would."

"Like fighting with one hand tied behind you, same as you did at school."

"I never did have a fight at school," said Jack, quietly.

"No, of course not, sir; I remember you said so once before. Seems rum, though. I used to have lots. But you were different, sir. My word though, Mr Jack, how you have altered since we left home!"

"Think so, Ned? Have I?"

"Wonderful, sir. Don't you be offended, sir, at what I say."

"Not I, Ned."

"You would have been then, Mr Jack. Seems to me that you were quite an old gentleman then, and now you've got to be quite a boy."

"Then I'm going backwards, Ned?"