Jack at Sea Part 8

He laid one hand upon the man's chest and thumped it in different places; laid his ear to it and pressed it close.

"Now breathe.--Again.--Now harder.--Hold your breath."

Then he rose and twisted the man round, and listened at his back between the shoulder-blades before making him open his mouth, and ended by looking into his eyes, while the father and son watched him.

"Ha! that will do," said the doctor dryly. "Sleep well, I suppose?"

"Oh yes, sir."

"And you can eat and drink well?"

The man's face expanded in a broad smile.

"Goes without saying. There, put on your coat."

Edward began to put it on.

"Sound as a bell," said the doctor. "Strong as a horse."

"Yes, but we want something besides a healthy man."

"Of course: a good handy, willing fellow, who would not want to come home as soon as he had to rough it and do everything."

"There ain't anything I wouldn't do, gentlemen," cried Edward. "If you take me, Sir John, I'll serve you faithful, and you shan't repent it.

May I tell the doctor, Sir John, what I can do?"

"There is no need. He boasts, Instow."

"Beg pardon, Sir John, it ain't boasting, it's honest truth."

"Yes, Edward, I believe you feel that it is. Well, Instow, he says he has been accustomed to outdoor life with his father from boyhood. His father was a gamekeeper and woodman. That he can shoot, fish, clean guns, manage nets, ride, sail boats, punt and row. Do everything, including building huts and cooking."

"Don't want any cooking. I shall do that myself."

"In addition, he can skin birds and beasts."

"Ha!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the doctor. "Well, if we engage a stranger, we don't know how he'll turn out, and it would be very awkward to have a man who would turn tail at the first bit of discomfort. Look here, sir, it will be a rough life."

"If you only knew, doctor, how hungry I am for a bit of rough outdoor time, you'd put in a word for me," cried the man excitedly.

"And suppose we get in a hot corner, and have to fight for our lives against black fellows?"

There was a grim look in the man's face at once--a regular British bull-dog aspect, as he tightened his lips, and made wrinkles at the corners, as if putting his mouth in a parenthesis, and then he began to tuck up his cuffs and double his fists.

"That will do, Edward," said the doctor quietly. "We know him, Meadows, for a steady, straightforward fellow, sound in wind and limb, who has never given me a job since he tried to cut his hand off with a bit of gla.s.s. What he don't know he'd soon learn; and I should say that we are not likely to get a more suitable fellow if we tried for six months."

Edward's face was a study, as he glanced at Jack, and then turned to gaze imploringly at his master as if he were a judge about to utter words upon which his life depended.

"That will do, Edward, you may leave the room."

A look of despair came across the man's face, as in true servant fashion he turned to obey orders, and went straight to the door.

"Stop," said Sir John. "That way of obeying orders has quite convinced me that you will be our man. You shall see about your outfit at once."

"And go, Sir John?" faltered the man, as if he could not believe his luck.

"Yes."

"Hoo--"

He was going to add "ray!" but he recollected himself, and went quickly and promptly out of the room.

"The very fellow, Meadows," said the doctor.

"Yes," said Sir John. "He'll do."

"Then one knot is solved," cried the doctor. "I had come in to consult you upon that very point."

"A man?"

"Yes; and here he is ready-made and proved."

"Not yet."

"Oh," said the doctor, "I'll answer for that."

CHAPTER FIVE.

THE "SILVER STAR."

A busy fortnight followed, during which Jack Meadows accompanied his father and the doctor up to town pretty well every day, to visit tailors, hatters, hosiers, gunsmiths, fishing-tackle-makers, naturalists, provision dealers, and help to spend money at a liberal rate upon the many necessaries for a long voyage. To do the lad justice, he tried hard to hide his distaste for all that was being done, and a.s.sumed an interest in the various purchases, making Sir John appear pleased, while Doctor Instow patted his shoulder, and told him that he looked brighter already. But when alone at night his depression came back, and there were moments when, tired out, he told himself that he could not bear it all, and that he must tell his father the next morning that it was impossible--he could not go.

But when the morning; came he said nothing, for on rising the matter did not look so black and gloomy by daylight, after a night's rest; and he felt that it would be too cowardly to make such a declaration, when his father was doing everything and going to so great an expense entirely for his sake.

"Because he thinks me weak and ill," he said to himself; "and nothing will persuade him that I am not."

That very morning, after a good sound night's rest, the boy woke with the sun shining brightly into his bedroom, and he got up thinking he had over-slept himself, but on looking round he found that his hot-water can had not been brought in, nor his freshly-brushed boots and clothes, so he rang impatiently.

"Disgraceful!" he said peevishly. "Ned thinks of nothing now but the voyage, and everything is neglected."

But all the same his bell was not neglected, for in a very short time there was a sharp tap at the door, and as the lad stood by his bedside in his dressing-gown, the white top of a pith helmet appeared slowly, followed by the lower part of a grinning face, a dark-brownish coa.r.s.e canvas jacket, or rather a number of pockets stuck one above another, and attached to a pair of canvas sleeves; and next, a pair of leather breeches, ditto leggings, and to support all a very stout pair of lace-up boots.

As soon as all were inside the door, a familiar voice said--

"Morning sir. You are early."

"Early!" cried Jack angrily; "what do you mean by early?"