CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
BEGINNING TO GROW BACKWARD.
"Regular volcanic cinder heap, Jack," was Sir John's not new opinion ofsun-scorched Aden, where, while the coal-bunkers were filled up again,the lad had amused himself by inspecting the place with his glass as hesat contentedly under the awning, preferring to submit to the inflictionof the flying coal-dust to a hot walk through the arid place. Then heleaned over the side and half-contemptuously threw threepenny-bits andsixpences into the clear water in response to the clamouring youngrascals who wanted to scramble for them far below and show theirswimming and diving powers.
"Come on board," cried the doctor, blowing his nose hard and coughing toget rid of the black dust. "Sacks counted, iron stopper put back in thepavement, and the wagon's gone, Jack."
The lad looked up at him as if wondering whether he had gone out of hissenses.
"What are you staring at, sober-sides?" cried the doctor. "I know it'spoor joking, but I'd have done better if I could. Hallo! what's thematter?" he continued, as, in what seemed to be a motiveless way, theboy threw sixpence over the side. "Got too much money?"
"No: look!" said Jack.
The doctor glanced over the rail to where the bright piece of silver wassinking fast and flashing as it turned over, while two merry littleyoung scamps were diving down after it, racing to see which would getfirst to the coin. This soon disappeared in the disturbed water, whilethe figures of the boys grew more and more shadowy and distorted by thevarying refraction.
"My word!" cried the doctor, "how the little niggers can dive! Look:here they come again."
It was curious to see them rising with the water growing more still astheir frantic struggles ceased, and their forms grew plain as they rosequickly, one dark head suddenly shooting up like a cork on a pike lineafter the fish had rejected the bait, and its owner showing abrilliantly white set of teeth as he shouted, "Nurrer! nurrer!"
The next moment a second head shot into the brilliant sunshine, theboy's lips opening into a wide grin of delight as he showed his whiteclenched teeth with the captured sixpence held between them.
"Tell him to put it in his pocket, Jack," cried the doctor. "Puzzlehim, eh? Hold your noise, you chattering young ruffians," he shouted."Come, a dozen of you. Here, Jack, I'm going to waste a shilling, forit won't do the young vagabonds any good. It's only encouraging them torun risks of asphyxiating themselves or getting caught some day by thesharks."
He held up a shilling as he spoke, and quite a dozen boys of all sizessplashed in out of canoes, and left the pieces of wood and one old boatto which they clung. They came swimming about near where the doctor andJack looked over, shouting, splashing each other, and generallyclamouring for the piece of money to be thrown in.
"Ah! we must have a race for this," said the doctor, and he drew himselfup and made a feint of throwing the shilling.
There was a rush like a pack of black water spaniels going after athrown stick, but the boys had been tricked too often by passengersstopping at Aden in the regular steamers, and they did not go far, butturned round, treading water and shouting.
"Come back then," cried the doctor. "Here, close to the yacht."
In all probability the boys did not comprehend a word, but the gesturesmade with the hand containing the shilling brought them all back, andthey ranged themselves in a line close in, and shouted and splashed awaytill the doctor, whose left hand had been in his pocket, threw theshilling shining and twinkling through the sunny air as far as he could.
Away went the boys with a tremendous rush, making the water foam, andnaturally the biggest and strongest took the lead, leaving three littlefellows well behind.
The doctor had anticipated this, and drew their attention with a shout,at the same time holding up another shilling, and as they turned to swimback, he suddenly dropped the coin about six feet away from the yacht'sside, where the water was still.
_Plop_! down went one little fellow, who rose up, turned over, sent hisheels gleaming in the sunshine, and disappeared, as _plop! plop_! downwent the two others.
"Just like a lot of dabchicks," cried the doctor; "now we shall see themrace for it. See the shilling, Jack?"
"Yes; here it goes."
"Yes, and here they come. Look at them. Why, they go down faster thanthe coin. It's wonderful."
Wonderful it was, for the dark little figures glided through the crystalwater like seals, and every motion could be followed till the coin wasreached and ceased to twinkle as it sank. Then once more the darkfigures grew plainer and rose and rose, but somehow more and moreastern, and Jack looked startled.
"Why, there must be a tremendous current here," he cried. "They'rebeing swept away. A boat! a boat!"
The doctor looked as much startled as his companion, but a very gentlevibration enlightened them the next moment, for the engine was once morein motion, the screw revolving slowly, and the _Silver Star's_ prow wasgradually coming round in answer to the helm, till she pointed straightfor the open sea, where the throbbing and quivering of the vesselincreased as she went easily ahead, and then faster still over theperfectly calm water, for there was not a breath of air.
Then away and away through the burning sunshine the yacht glided, withthe sea glistening like damascened steel frosted with silver, till themountains above the coaling port grew distant; and away over the burningAfric sands there was a wondrous orange glow which deepened into fire,vermilion, crimson, purple, and gold of the most refulgent hues, andsoon after it was night. It seemed to Jack as he stood gazing forwardthat they were gliding on between two vast purply black basins studdedwith stars, which were larger and brighter than any he had seen before,while deeper and deeper in the wondrous depths there were more and more,till the farthest off seemed like clusters and patches of frosted gold.
There was not a breath of air when they went on deck after dinner, andwith the exception of the throbbing and humming of the engine andpropeller, and soft whish of the sea as it was divided and swept alongthe sides, all was wonderfully still. But the silence was soon afterbroken by a sharp call from somewhere forward, a clear musical voicerang out, and then, sounding very sweet and melodious on the soft air,the men began glee-singing, showing that they had good voices among themand no little knowledge of singing in parts. They were simple old gleesand madrigals, and no doubt the surroundings helped, but Jack satlistening and thinking he had never heard music so sweet and beautifulbefore.
"Why, captain," said Sir John, "this is a surprise."
"Is it, sir? Hope you don't mind."
"Mind?" echoed Sir John and the doctor in a breath.
"Bartlett's fond of a bit of music, and he has a good voice too, but heis so precious modest you can't get him to sing alone; he's singing withthe men though now. He trains them a bit when we're not busy, and theylike it. Nothing pleases men like them more than singing in chorus; yousee, they're most of them Cornish and Devon lads, and they takenaturally to it. Many's the time I've heard the fishermen going out oncalm evenings to their fishing-ground singing away in parts, so thatyou'd think that they had been well taught, and perhaps not one of themknowing a note of music."
The glee-singing went on for about an hour, and ceased as suddenly as ithad begun. Then the watch was set, and after standing leaning over thebows gazing at the glittering stars reflected in the deep water, andseeing the phosphorescent creatures add to the lustre as they weredisturbed by the yacht's prow, or some large fish darting away, Jackheaved a deep sigh and turned to go aft to the cabin.
"Unhappy, my boy?" said a voice at his elbow, which made the lad startand remain silent for a few moments, utterly unable to give expressionto his feelings, before he said softly--
"No, father, not unhappy, but low-spirited and sad."
"Sad, my boy?" said Sir John.
"No, it isn't sad, because somehow, father, it makes me feel happy,and--and I can't explain it, but I never felt that I cared to stand andlook at the sea and sky like this before.
It seems so grand andbeautiful, and as if--as if--"
"The great book of Nature was being opened to you for the first time, myboy. Yes; this wonderful soft air, this glorious star-lit heaven, andthe silence of the ocean through which we are gliding, impress me too ina way I cannot explain. But tell me now, my boy, are you sorry wecame?"
"Sorry!" cried Jack excitedly, as he caught at his father's arm. "No;glad."
That night the melody of one of the old West-country ditties the men hadsung in parts seemed to lull Jack Meadows to rest, and he slept one ofthose deep healthy slumbers which give us the feeling when we awake on abright sunny morning, that a strange vigour is running through ourveins, and that it is a good thing to live.
Jack at Sea: All Work and No Play Made Him a Dull Boy Page 13
