Jack at Sea Part 7

"You are quite right, Edward. In his delicate state he does not quite grasp what it means."

"Oh, father," cried the lad reproachfully; "don't speak like that. Once more, indeed I am not ill."

"Humph!" said Sir John, smiling, "not ill? What do you think, Edward?"

"No, Sir John, not ill, cert'nly," said the man.

"There, father!" cried Jack excitedly, and with a grateful look at their servant, but it faded out directly.

"He ain't no more ill than I am, Sir John, if I may make so bold. It's only that he wants stirring up. He reads and reads over the fire till he can't hardly see for the headache, and it's what I told him just now, he's all mopey like for want of change."

"Humph! You told him that?" said Sir John sharply.

"Yes, Sir John," faltered the man. "I know it was not my place, and I beg pardon. It slipped out quite promiskus like. I know now I oughtn't. It made Master--Mister Jack angry, and he chucked the book at me. Not as I minded the act, for I was glad to see he'd got so much spirit in him."

"And so you would like to go with us?"

"Oh yes, Sir John," cried the man, flushing with excitement. "But you wouldn't want me to go in livery, of course?"

"No," said Sir John quietly. "I should not want you to go in livery. I cannot consent to take you at all."

"Oh, sir!" cried the man appealingly.

"I am not sorry to hear you make the application, for it shows me that you are satisfied with your position as my servant. But the man I should select to take with us must be a strong active fellow."

"That's me, Sir John. I haven't been neither sick nor sorry all the five years I've been with you, 'cept that time when I cut my hand with the broken decanter."

"An outdoor servant," continued Sir John, rather sternly, pa.s.sing over his man's interruption--"a man with something of the gamekeeper about him--a man who can tramp through woods, carry rifles and guns, and clean them; use a fishing-net or line; row, chop wood and make a fire; set up a tent or a hut of boughs; cook, and very likely skin birds and beasts.

In short, make himself generally useful."

"And valet you and Mr Jack, Sir John," interposed the man.

"Certainly not, Edward; we shall leave all those civilised luxuries behind. You see I want a thorough outdoor servant, not such a man as you."

"Beg pardon, Sir John," cried the man promptly; "but it's me you do want, I'm just the sort you said."

"You?" said Sir John, smiling rather contemptuously.

"Yes, Sir John. I was meant for an outdoor man, only one can't get to be what one likes, and so I had to take to indoor."

Sir John shook his head.

"You are a very excellent servant, Edward," he said, "and I shall have great pleasure in giving you a very strong recommendation for cleanliness and thorough attention to your duties. I cannot recall ever having to find fault with you."

"Never did, Sir John, I will say that; and do you think I'm going to leave such a master as you and Mr Jack here, though he does chuck big books at me!" he said with a grin. "Not me."

"I thank you for all this, Edward, but--"

"Don't, don't say no, Sir John--in a hurry," cried the man imploringly.

"You only know what I can do from what you've seen; and you know that having a willing heart and 'and 's half-way to doing anything."

"Yes," said his master with a smile; "I know too that you're a very handy person."

"Hope so, Sir John; but I'm obliged to stick up for myself, as there's no one here to do it for me. There ain't nothing you want done that I can't do. Father was a gamekeeper and bailiff and woodman, and when I was a boy I used to help him, cutting hop-poles with a bill-hook, felling trees with an axe, and I've helped him to make f.a.ggots, hurdles, and stacks, and tents, and thatched. I've helped him many a time use the drag and the cast-net, fishing. I can set night lines, and I had a gun to use for shooting rabbits and varmint, and I learned to skin and stuff 'em. We've got cases and cases at home. I used to wash out the master's guns, and dry and oil them; and as for lighting fires and cooking, why, I beg your pardon for laughing, Sir John, but my mother was ill for years before she died, and I always did all the cooking.

Then I've had a turn at gardening and stable work; and as for the water, I can row, punt, or sail any small boat. I don't say as I could tackle a ship, but if there was no one else to do it, I'd have a try; and--beg pardon, Sir John, there's the front-door bell."

"Go and answer it," said Sir John quietly.

"And if you would think it over, Sir John--"

"Go and answer the bell."

The man darted out, and Sir John turned to his son to gaze at him for a time.

"You're a pretty good scholar for your age, Jack," he said; "but I wish you possessed some of Edward's accomplishments."

"Oh, father!" cried the boy hastily.

"But you have more strength in your arm than I thought for. That is plate gla.s.s."

"Doctor Instow," said Edward; and the doctor entered like a breeze.

"Morning!" he cried boisterously.

"Don't go, Edward," said Sir John; and the man stayed by the door, looking white with excitement.

"I was obliged to run in," said the doctor. "Well, Jack. Why, hulloa!

You've got a bit more colour in your cheeks this morning, and your eyes are brighter. Come, that's good. You're beginning to take then to the idea?"

"No," said Jack firmly.

"Stop a moment, doctor," cried Sir John. "Here is some one of a different opinion. This foolish fellow has been laying before us his pet.i.tion."

"Who? Edward?"

"Yes; he wants to go."

"Well," said the doctor; "we shall want a good smart handy man."

Edward's cheeks began to colour again.

"Yes; but what do you think? We want a strong fellow, not a fireside servant."

"Quite right, but--Here, take off your coat, my man."

Edward's livery coat seemed to fly off, and displayed his white arms with the shirt-sleeves rolled right above the elbows, spotted a little with rouge from plate-cleaning.

"Hum! ha!" said the doctor, taking one arm and doubling it up so that the biceps rose in a big lump. "Hard.--Stand still."