Steve Young Part 31

"What nonsense! Well, go on, boy."

"And a big rough-headed Scotch lad, after annoying you in all kinds of ways, hit you in a most insulting manner. What would you do?"

"I'd try and knock his head off!" cried the doctor hotly. "I--that is-- I mean--I don't approve of fighting--I--hang the boy! How stupid of me!

I mean I think I should have complained to the captain, and asked him to have the fellow flogged."

"Captains on board ships like this can't have the boys flogged," said Steve drily.

"Punished, then."

"You said what you would do, sir, at first, and then turned it off. I did the same, and you've been blaming me."

"Well, well; yes, yes, Steve, I did; but let's leave that question alone, my lad. It's one that has never yet been thoroughly settled on account of its difficulty. I don't approve of fighting, but there are times when--that is--you see it's a very awkward question that we had better leave. I spoke hastily, and I'm afraid that I have done more harm than good. Come, you'll shake hands with me?"

Steve eagerly held out his.

"That's right," said the doctor, gripping the extended palm. "And you'll take my advice?"

Steve shook his head.

"I can't yet, sir."

"Steve, my boy, you send quite a chill through me," cried the doctor angrily. "I'm as cold as if the weather had suddenly changed and a biting wind were coming off the ice."

"My head's quite hot, sir; but it does feel as if it were cold."

"Of course. Nerves, Steve, nerves; unwonted excitement. Hah! Here's the captain coming into the cabin. Now's your time."

Steve shook his head.

"You must go now. Here, I'll run and tell him you want to speak to him."

"No, sir; pray don't."

The door opened, and Captain Marsham came in quickly.

"Come on deck, Hands...o...b..," he said, as he stood at the door putting on a pea-jacket. "You had better have a coat, for there is a remarkable change. The wind has turned nearly due north, and I'm afraid we are going to have a heavy snow-blast. Quick! the change is worth seeing."

He did not even glance at Steve, but turned away, and the doctor followed, to stop at the door.

"There, go and wash yourself, my lad. It has turned cold, but let's get this over; we have no time for quarrelling here on board ship."

He hurried out, and left Steve in the cabin alone with his bitter thoughts.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

NATURE IN THE NORTH.

"All this trouble about nothing," muttered Steve, as soon as he was alone; and he mechanically went to the little washing-sink to remove the traces of the fight.

His actions were slow for a few moments, but they soon grew quicker, for he could hear Captain Marsham giving orders in a sharp, peremptory way.

There was an icy wind blowing through the open window and a peculiar whistling sound in the air, and as he hurriedly washed he knew by the rattling noises, faintly as they reached his ears, that the men were getting the furnace going and shovelling on coals.

By the time he was fit to be seen he had heard order after order given, and the men hurrying about, so that when he went on deck he was not surprised to find that they had shortened sail and were reefing those which were left. But the next instant he was startled by the change which had taken place since he went below.

Away to the north beyond the ice cliffs all had been bright and dazzling; now the sky was overcast, the sun had disappeared, and though a little blue sky was visible to the south it was a dingy kind of blue, fast becoming grey.

The whistling he had heard below had gone on increasing till the wind sang through the cordage, and made the canvas tug and strain at the ropes which held it. Then it died away to a faint whisper, like a sigh of weariness at the exertion.

The ice to the north was only dimly seen after a few minutes, for a thick haze appeared to be gathering in that direction, but high up, and not in any way resembling the fog which had come down upon them twice and appeared to be resting on the sea.

Steve had hardly grasped the state of affairs when Captain Marsham caught sight of him.

"Here, Steve, my lad," he cried, quite in his old manner, "you had better get on your fur cap and mackintosh if you are going to stay on deck. Sharp! we shall have the storm upon us in a few minutes."

Those words were quite cheering, and the lad hurried down to make the change suggested, noting, before he went into the cabin, that their course was altered, and the _Hvalross's_ head lay to the south-east.

"He doesn't want to be near the ice in a storm," thought Steve; and, strange enough as it appeared to him, he felt comparatively happy, a big, real trouble making the petty affair over which he had felt so despondent begin to fade away.

When he reappeared Captain Marsham was forward seeing to the extra lashing of the boats, which were drawn on board, and a glance showed him that Johannes and Andrew were at the wheel--that is, one was holding the spokes, while the other had been ordered there ready to render aid if it were required.

"Going to be much of a storm, Johannes?" asked Steve.

"Yes, sir, a fierce, heavy snowstorm, with a great wind from the north."

"Ay, awm thenking she'll have ferry dirty weather for twa or three days, Meester Steve," added Andrew. "Well, lad, ye've got rid of all ta feathers, hey?"

"Yes," said Steve shortly, as if he did not want to hear any allusion to the morning's trouble. "But tell me, Johannes, can't we get into any sheltered bay till the storm has pa.s.sed?"

"Not without running a great deal of risk of being caught in the ice, sir. We couldn't beat back to the west coast with this wind rising; and even if we could, I fear that the ice would be drifting down and stopping us."

"Ay, she'd never get roond the cape this weather," grunted Andrew.

"Look ahint ye, my lad. She's hat some ferry douce weather lately; now she's coing to have some ferry pad weather. But she's a coot poat, and she can ride oot the gale if she ton't go to ta pottom."

"Well, you're a pretty sort of a Job's comforter, Andra," said Steve, trying to be cheerful under depressing circ.u.mstances. "But I say, if we do take to the boats, mind and not forget the pipes."

"Ta pipes, Meester Steve, sir? She needna have anny fear apoot tat.

They shan't pe trooned."

"What do you say, Johannes?" cried Steve, laughing.

"The captain knows his business, sir," said the man gravely, "and he has a good crew. He is having the steam got up so that we can get right away from the ice. With plenty of room the _Hvalross_ will not hurt."

Every one was busy now save the doctor and Steve, who, being the non-combatants in the fight about to take place with the coming storm, felt both of them rather in the way; and as birds of a feather are said to flock together, they, after their fashion, flocked; in other words, they naturally joined company to talk about the outlook.

"Glad you and the captain are all right again, Steve," said the former.