Ned Garth Part 5

"I knew you would serve him, Hanson, if you could, and if you are not successful, I'll take the will for the deed," said the old lieutenant, as he shook the hand of his guest, whom he accompanied to the door.

Two days afterwards a note came from Lieutenant Hanson, enclosing one from the commander of the "Ione," regretting that he had already filled up his nomination, and had just heard that the Admiralty had already promised the only other vacancy.

"It can't be helped, Ned," said Lieutenant Pack, in a tone which showed how disheartened he was, although he did not intend to exhibit his feelings. "Cheer up, we must not be cast down, we'll still hope that something will turn up. In the meantime we'll try and be as happy as we can. Aunt Sally and Mary are not tired of you, nor am I, my boy. It's only because I know that you wish to be doing something, and that you are right in your wishes, that I regret this delay."

Mary, though sympathising with Ned, could not from her heart say that she was sorry. For the last two days she had been expecting to hear that he would have to go off immediately.

Next morning the postman was seen coming up to the door with an official-looking letter in his hand, and another of ordinary appearance; Ned ran out to receive them. The first was addressed to Lieutenant Pack, R.N. He opened it with far more agitation than he was wont to exhibit. His countenance brightened.

"Ned, my boy!" he exclaimed, "this letter has reference to you. My Lords do recognise my services--it is gratifying, very gratifying--and they have nominated you as a volunteer of the first cla.s.s to Her Majesty's ship 'Ione,' Commander Curtis, now fitting out at Portsmouth; the very ship of which Hanson is to be first lieutenant. This is fortunate. If he has not started, I'll get him to take you to Portsmouth, and arrange your outfit. He'll do it, I am sure, and will stand your friend if you do your duty; I know that you will do that, and become an honour to the service, as your father would have been had he lived."

Suddenly a thought seemed to strike the lieutenant. He had forgotten a very important matter--the difficulty of obtaining the required funds.

The balance at his banker's would not meet the expenses to which he himself must be put, even although the commander might not insist on the usual allowance made to midshipmen. He was silent, thinking of what could be done, and overlooking the envelope which lay on the table beneath the official dispatch.

"Surely there was another letter," remarked Aunt Sally. "I wonder who it can come from?"

"Bless me! so there is," said the lieutenant, glad to have for a moment another occupation for his thoughts. He examined the address, and then the coat of arms on the seal, before breaking it open, which he did deliberately, as if he did not expect to find anything of interest within. His countenance had brightened when he saw the letter from the Admiralty, but it lighted up still more as he read the letter.

"Well, I little expected this from a stranger, at least from one on whom we have no possible claim. Most liberal and generous. I said something would turn up. What do you think, Sally? I really can scarcely read it for the satisfaction it gives me, but I'll try. It begins--

"My dear Friend,--A severe illness has prevented me hitherto from communicating with you, and from the same cause I was unable to attempt forwarding your nephew's views; but as soon as I was well enough I applied to the Admiralty, and their lordships, in consideration of your own and brother-in-law's services, promised to nominate his son to the first ship fitting out. I have to-day heard that he has been appointed to the 'Ione.' As I am aware that his outfit and allowance while at sea will entail certain expenses, I have requested Commander Curtis to draw on my bankers for the latter, while I beg to enclose a cheque for a hundred pounds, which will cover the cost of his outfit, and it will afford me great satisfaction to defray any further expenses which unexpectedly may occur." The letter was signed, "Your faithful and deeply-obliged friend, J. Farrance."

The tears started into Aunt Sally's eyes as she heard the letter read.

They were tears which showed how grateful she felt at the thought of her brother's anxieties being relieved, mingled, however, with the feeling that dear Ned was so soon to leave them.

"How very, very kind of Mr Farrance to help you to become a midshipman, and some day you may perhaps be made a lieutenant. I am indeed glad!"

exclaimed Mary, though her faltering voice and the tears which filled her eyes belied her words, as she remembered that Ned must go away, and perhaps not come back for many long years.

"This is indeed far better than I could have hoped for," observed the lieutenant, who had been again glancing over the letter while his sister and Mary had been talking.

Ned himself for a minute or more could not utter a word.

"We must lose no time in setting about doing what is necessary,"

continued the lieutenant. "Sally, you'll get his things ready as fast as you can. He will only require, however, a change or two, to serve him until he can obtain his outfit. I'll write to the Admiralty to say that he will join the 'Ione' forthwith, and to Mr Farrance to thank him for his generous offer, which I will accept for Ned, although I might have thought twice about it had it been made more directly in my favour.

Ned, as soon as you have breakfasted, start away for Longview station.

Give Mr Hanson my regards, and say I shall be grateful to him if he will take you under his wing to Portsmouth, and arrange about your outfit; it will save me the expense of the journey, though I should wonderfully like to see you on board your ship, to introduce you to the captain and your future messmates. Sally, give Ned some slices of bread and b.u.t.ter, while Mary pours me out a cup of tea."

Ned having diligently set to work to swallow the food, in less than a minute declared himself ready to start.

"But you have taken nothing, my poor boy!" exclaimed Aunt Sally.

"I can eat the rest on the way," answered Ned, showing a slice of bread which he had doubled up and put into his pocket.

"All right, you'll do well!" said his uncle, nodding approvingly. "When you receive an order, lose no time in executing it."

Ned ran off, sprang up the hill with the agility of a deer, and made his way to the coast-guard station faster than he had ever before performed the distance. Standing at the door he found a stranger, who inquired his errand.

"Mr Hanson started this morning, or he would have been happy to take charge of you, youngster," was the answer he received. "But my son Charley is to join the 'Ione' in a couple of days, and you can accompany him. As he has been to sea before, he will look after you and keep you out of mischief. Tell your uncle, as I don't want to bring him all this way, that I will, with his leave, call upon him in the course of the morning to make the necessary arrangements. I'll make you known, however, to my son before you go back; come in and have some breakfast."

"Thank you, sir, I have already had mine, and my uncle wants me to return as soon as possible; but I shall be glad to be introduced to your son. Who shall I tell my uncle you are, sir?"

"Say Lieutenant Meadows; we were for a short time messmates as midshipmen on board the old 'Goliath,' and I knew his brother-in-law, poor Garth. Was he your father?"

"Yes, sir," answered Ned.

"I'm very glad that his son and mine are to be together. Charley!" he shouted, turning round.

At the summons, a fine-looking lad in a midshipman's uniform, about two years older than Ned, made his appearance, his face well bronzed by a tropical sun and sea air. Ned thought at once, from the look he had at his countenance, that he should like him. Lieutenant Meadows introduced the boys to each other, and they shook hands, Charley saying that he should be very glad to be of any service to his future messmate.

Ned, after exchanging a few words, wished his new friends good-bye, and hurried homewards, well pleased at the thoughts of having a companion on his journey who would put him up to what he would have to do on board ship. This would make amends for his disappointment at not being able to accompany Mr Hanson; Ned had not then learned to hold in any especial awe the first lieutenant of a man-of-war, or he might greatly have preferred the society of the midshipman to that of his superior officer.

"I would rather you had been able to accompany Hanson," observed his uncle, when Ned made his report. "This youngster may be a very steady fellow, and do his best to help you, or he may be much the contrary and try to lead you into all sorts of mischief; we cannot always judge by the outside appearance. No, I won't risk it, I'll go with you and take charge of you both; his father won't object to that. I shall save Hanson the trouble of getting your outfit--he'll have quite enough to do--and I'll introduce you to your commander. Yes, yes, that will be the best plan."

In the course of the forenoon Lieutenant Meadows and his son Charley paid their promised visit to Triton Cottage. The two old shipmates soon recognised each other, and were well pleased with the antic.i.p.ation of having long yarns together about former days. The visitors were introduced to Aunt Sally and Mary.

The arrangements for the journey were soon concluded, for Mr Meadows, knowing what youngsters are made of, was happy to place his son in charge of a brother officer, who would look after him until he had joined his new ship.

While Ned was sent out of the room with a message to Jane and Tom to get luncheon ready, Mary, though somewhat timidly, managed to get near Charley Meadows.

"I want you to be kind to Ned, to take good care of him," she whispered.

"You do not know what a good boy he is; and we are very, very sorry for him to go away, though we try to look cheerful, as he wants to become a sailor, and we do not like to prevent him."

"Of course, young lady, for your sake I'll take as much care of him as I can," answered Charley, looking down at Mary's sweet face, as she raised it with an imploring look to his.

"But I want you to take care of him for his own sake, and be a brother to him, for he has no brother of his own, and, except Lieutenant Hanson, who knows him, he will be among strangers."

"Mr Hanson is first lieutenant of the ship, and will be able to take much better care of him than I can," said Charley, "but I promise you I will look after him and fight for him if necessary; but he seems a young fellow who can stand up for himself, though, as he has not been to sea before, he will be rather green at first."

"Thank you, thank you!" said Mary. "I felt that I must ask you, for you do not know how we all love him."

"He is a fortunate fellow," observed Charley, smiling, "and I daresay he will make friends wherever he goes; at all events, I promise that I will be his friend if he will let me."

"O yes, I am sure he will; I am so glad that I spoke to you."

"All right, little lady, set your mind at rest on that score," said Charley. "Here comes your brother."

Before Mary could explain that Ned was not her brother, (indeed she so completely looked upon him as a brother that she often forgot that he was not so), he entered the room. Mary's heart was greatly relieved at the thoughts that Ned had already found a friend among his future messmates.

CHAPTER FIVE.

Two days afterwards found the one-legged lieutenant and his young companions on their way to Portsmouth. Ned bore the parting manfully, though he did not the less acutely feel having to wish good-bye to Aunt Sally, Mary, and Tom Baraka.

"If you go to my country, Ma.s.sa Ned, an' if you see any ob my people, tell dem where Tom Baraka is," said the black, as he wrung Ned's hand.

"Dare is one ting I long for--to find my wife and boy, and to tell dem dat I Christian, an' want dem to be Christian also."

"You have not told me your son's name, so that even should I meet him, I should not know that he is your son," said Ned.