Billy Topsail, M.D.: A Tale of Adventure With Doctor Luke of the Labrador
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CHAPTER XXX
_In Which a Little Song-Maker of Jolly Harbour Enlists the Affection of the Reader_
"My gran'son, Bill," said Jonathan.
Archie pitied the lad--a white, soft-eyed little chap, all taut andwoeful with anxiety.
"He's young for the ice," Bill observed.
"A young dog," Jonathan replied, "masters his tricks with ease."
Again Archie pitied the little fellow.
"Too young," said Bill, "for man's labour like this."
"He'll l'arn all the better for his youth."
"Time enough," Bill insisted, "two years hence."
"Ah, well, Bill," said Jonathan, then, "I wants t' see my gran'son fitan' able for his labour afore I goes my way." And he clapped the lad onthe back. "Eh, Toby?" said he, heartily.
The lad was grave and mannerly.
"Ay, gran'pa," said he; "you're wonderful careful o' me, you is!"
"That I is, Toby!"
"Yes, siree!"
"I bet I is careful o' you!" Jonathan declared. "An' I'll keep on bein'so. Eh, Toby?"
The lad turned to Archie.
"I'm havin' a wonderful bringin' up, sir," said he. "My gran'pa iswonderful careful o' me. With the wonderful bringin' up I'm havin' Iought t' turn out a wonderful clever man."
"You will!" Archie replied.
"That ye will!" said Bill o' Burnt Bay.
"Pray God," said the lad, "I'm worthy!"
Jonathan gave the lad a little clap on the back. Archie thought it wasto thank him for the expression of confidence. And it made the ladsquirm and grin like a patted puppie.
"What you think of un, Bill?" Jonathan inquired.
It was a wistful question. Jonathan seemed to want a word of praise. AndBill gave it with all his heart.
"Big as a whale!" said he.
"He've the hull of a young whale," said Jonathan; "an' afore this v'y'geis out he'll have the heart of a bear."
Toby chuckled.
"Ay--maybe!" said he.
"You will!" Archie declared.
Well, now, you must know that it is not uncommon to fall in with a timidlad on the coast: a lad given a great deal to music and the making ofballads, and to the telling of tales, too. Such folk are timid whenyoung. It is no shame. By and by they harden to their labour, the softeraspiration forgotten. And then they laugh at what they used to do. Ihave sometimes thought it a pity. But that's no matter now.
Bill o' Burnt Bay knew this lad--knew his weird, sad songs, and hadbellowed them in the cabin of the _Cash Down_--
"Oh, the chain 'e parted, An' the schooner drove ashore; An' the wives of the hands Never seed un any more-- No more: Never seed un no mor-or-or-ore!"
It was a song weird and sad enough for a little lad like Toby Farr tomake. Before a bogie-stove in the forecastle of a schooner at anchor,Toby Farr could yarn of foul weather in a way to set the flesh of aman's back creeping with fear; but it was told of him at JollyHarbour, and laid to the sad songs he made, that in a pother ofnortheasterly weather he was no great hand for laughter.
"'Tis Toby's first season at the ice, Bill," said Jonathan. "Eh, Toby?"
"Ay, sir."
"An' gran'pa come along with you, didn't he, Toby? You wanted ol'gran'pa for company, didn't you? Eh, Toby?"
"Ay, sir."
"Isn't got no father, is you, Toby?"
"No, sir."
"Isn't got nobody but gran'pa t' fetch you up--is you? Eh, Toby?"
"I'm content, sir."
"Hear that, Bill! He's content! An' he've been doin' well out here overthe side on the ice. Isn't you, Toby?"
"Is I, gran'pa?" It was a flash of hope.
"_Is_ you!"
"Ay--is I, sir?" It was eager. "Is I been doin' well, sir--as you'd haveme do?"
"That you is!"
"Is you tellin' me the truth, gran'pa? It isn't jus' t' hearten me, isit?"
"'Tis the truth! You is doin' better, Toby, than your father done atyour age. I never knowed a lad t' do so well first time on ice likethis. An' you was all on fire t' come t' the ice, wasn't you, Toby?"
"I wanted t' come, sir."
"An' you've not repented, Toby? Mm-m?"
"No, sir." The lad stared about and sighed. "I'm glad I come, sir."
Jonathan turned to Archie with his face all in a pucker of joy.
"There's spirit, sir!" he declared.
"Ay," said Archie; "that's brave enough, God knows!"
"I been cronies with Toby, Bill," Jonathan went on, to Bill o' BurntBay, "ever since he was born. A ol' man like me plays with children.He've nothin' else t' do. An' I'm enjoyin' it out here at the ice withToby. 'Tis a pleasure for a ol' man like me t' teach the young. An' I'mwonderful fond o' this here gran'son o' mine. Isn't I, Toby? Eh, lad?"
"That you is, gran'pa!" the lad agreed. "You been wonderful good t' meall my life long."
"Hear that, Bill!" Jonathan exclaimed.
The lad was mannerly and grave.
"I wisht, sir," said he, "that my conduct might win your praise."
And then Cap'n Saul called them aboard with a saucy toot of the whistle,as though they had been dawdling the day in pranks and play.
CAP'N SAUL CALLED THEM ABOARD]