by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER II
A YACHT
Marco, who acted as banker and appeared to Horace to be provided withan unlimited amount of money, was busy all the evening gettingcrockery, cooking-utensils, knives and forks, table-cloths, towels,and other necessaries.
"Why, it is like fitting out a house, Marco."
"Well, it is a little floating house," the Greek said; "it is muchbetter to have your own things, and not to have to borrow from thehouse every time. Now we will get some provisions, two or threebottles of rum for bad weather, or when we have visitors on board, andthen we shall be complete. Mr. Martyn said he would see to the water.Now, we will go to bed soon, for we are to be down at the wharf at sixo'clock; and if we are not there in time you may be sure that you willget a rating."
"There is no fear of my being late, Marco. I don't think I shall sleepall night."
"Ah! we shall see. You have been on your feet since seven thismorning. I shall have to pull you by your ear to wake you in themorning."
This, however, was not necessary. The boy was fast asleep in fiveminutes after he had laid his head on the pillow; he woke soon afterdaylight, dropped off to sleep several times, but turned out at five,opened the door of the Greek's room, and shouted:
"Now, then, Marco, time to get up: if you do not, it is I who will dothe ear-pulling."
They were down at the wharf at a quarter to six. As the clock struckthe hour William Martyn came down.
"Good-morning, youngster! you are before your time, I see. Youwouldn't be so ready to turn out after you had had a year or two onboard ship. Well, it looks as if we are going to have a grand day.There is a nice little breeze, and I fancy it will freshen a good bitlater on. Now, then, tumble into the dinghy, I will take the sculls;the tide is running out strong, and you might run her into the yachtand damage the paint; that would be a nice beginning."
As soon as they were on board, the mate said:
"Now, off with those shoes, youngster. You can go barefoot if youlike, or you can put on those slippers you bought; we have got thedeck fairly white, and we must not spoil it. You should make that arule: everyone who comes on board takes off his boots at once."
The Greek made the dinghy fast, and then took off his shoes andstockings. Horace put on the slippers, and the mate a pair of lightshoes he had brought on board with him.
"Now, then, off with the sail-covers; fold them up and put them downunder the seat of the cockpit. Knot up the tyers loosely together, andput them there also. Never begin to hoist your sails till you have gotthe covers and tyers snugly packed away. Now, Marco, get number twojib out of the sail-locker. I don't think we shall want number oneto-day. Now, hook on the halliards. No; don't hoist yet, run it outfirst by the outhaul to the end of the bowsprit. We won't hoist ittill we have got the mainmast and mizzen up. Now, Marco, you take thepeak halliards, and I will take the main. Now, then, up she goes; easeoff the sheet a bit. Horace, we must top the boom a bit; that is highenough. Marco, make fast; now up with the mizzen; that is right. Now,Horace, before you do anything else always look round, see thateverything is right, the halliards properly coiled up and turned overso as to run freely, in case you want to lower or reef sail, thesheets ready to slacken out, the foresail and jib sheets brought afton their proper sides. There is nothing in our way now; but when thereare craft in the way, you want to have everything in perfect order,and ready to draw the moment the anchor is off the ground. Otherwiseyou might run foul of something before you got fairly off, andnothing can look more lubberly than that. Now you take the helm, andMarco and I will get up the anchor. The wind is nearly dead down theriver; don't touch the tiller till I tell you."
Horace stood by the helm till the mate said:
"The chain is nearly up and down; now put the tiller gently tostarboard."
As he spoke he ran up the jib, and as the boat's head payed off,fastened the sheet to windward.
"Now, Marco, round with the windlass; that is right, the anchor isclear now; up with it."
As he spoke he ran up the foresail. "Slack off the main sheets, lad,handsomely; that is right, let them go free; slack off the mizzensheets."
The wind had caught the jib now, and, aided by the tide, brought theboat's head sharply round. The jib and foresheets were hauled toleeward, and in less than a minute from the time the anchor had leftthe ground the boat was running down the river with her sheets welloff before the wind.
"Helm a-port a little, Horace, so as to give us plenty of room inpassing that brig at anchor. That is enough. Steady! Now keep as youare. Marco, I will help you get the anchor on board, and then we willget up the topsail and set it."
In ten minutes the anchor was stowed, topsail set, and the ropescoiled down. Then a small triangular blue flag with the word "Surf"was run up to the masthead.
"Properly speaking, Horace, flags are not shown till eight o'clock inthe morning; but we will make an exception this time. Gently with thetiller, lad; you are not steering a fishing-boat now; a touch issufficient for this craft. Keep your eye on the flag, and see that itflies out straight ahead. That is the easiest thing to steer by whenyou are dead before the wind. There is more care required for thatthan for steering close-hauled, for a moment's carelessness mightbring the sail across with a jerk that would pretty well take the mastout of her. It is easy enough now in smooth water; but with afollowing sea it needs a careful helmsman to keep a craft from yawingabout."
Marco had disappeared down the forecastle hatch as soon as he hadfinished coiling down the topsail halliard, and a wreath of smoke nowcame up through the stove-pipe.
"That is good," the mate said. "We shall have breakfast before long."
They ran three miles straight out, so as to get well clear of theland; then the sheets were hauled in, and the _Surf's_ head pointedeast, and lying down to her gunwale she sped along parallel with theshore.
"We are going along a good seven knots through the water," the matesaid. "She has got just as much sail as she wants, though she wouldstand a good deal more wind, if there were any occasion to press her;but as a rule, Horace, always err on the right side; there is neverany good in carrying too much sail. You can always make more sail ifthe wind drops, while if it rises it is not always easy to get it in.Give me the helm. Now go down to Marco and tell him to come up a fewminutes before breakfast is ready. We will get the topsail off herbefore we sit down, and eat our breakfast comfortably. There is no funin having your plate in your lap."
By half-past seven the topsail was stowed and breakfast on the table.Marco took the helm, while the mate and Horace went down to breakfast.Horace thought that it was the most delightful meal he had ever taken;and the mate said:
"That Greek of yours is a first-rate cook, Horace. An admiral couldnot want to sit down to a better breakfast than this. There is notmuch here to remind me of a midshipman's mess. You would have had verydifferent food from this, youngster, if you had had your wish and goneto sea. That father of yours must be a trump; I drink his health incoffee. If he ever gets a bigger craft, and wants a captain, I am hisman if he will send your Greek on board as cook. Does he care for thesea himself?"
"I think he used to like it. I have heard him talk about sailing amongthe Greek islands; but as long as I have known him he has never beenaway from home except for short runs up to London. He is always in hislibrary."
"Fancy a man who could afford to keep a big craft and sail about as helikes wasting his life over musty old books. It is a rum taste,youngster. I think I would rather row in a galley."
"There are no such things as galleys now, are there?"
"Oh, yes, there are in Italy; they have them still rowed by convicts,and I fancy the Spanish gun-boats are rowed by prisoners too. It isworse than a dog's life, but for all that I would rather do it than beshut up all my life in a library. You seem to talk Greek well,youngster."
"Yes; Marco has always been with me since I was a child, and we haveanother Greek servant, his brother; and father generally talks Greekto me. His m
other was a Greek lady, and that is what made him so fondof it at first. They say he is the best Greek scholar in England."
"I suppose it differs a lot from the Greek you learn at school?"
"Yes, a lot. Still, of course, my knowing it helps me tremendouslywith my old Greek. I get on first-rate at that, but I am very bad ateverything else."
"Well, now we will go up and give Marco a spell," the mate said. Marcowas relieved and went below. Horace took the helm; the mate lit a pipeand seated himself on the weather bulwark. "We shall be at Seaportbefore eleven if we go on like this," he said.
"Oh, do let us take a run out to sea, Mr. Martyn; it is no use ourgoing in until four or five o'clock."
"Just as you like, lad; I am in no hurry, and it is really a gloriousday for a sail. Put up the helm, I will see to the sheets."
As they got farther from the protection of the land the sea got up abit, but the _Surf_ went over it lightly, and except that anoccasional splash of spray flew over her bow, her decks were perfectlydry.
"Have you heard of a ship yet, Mr. Martyn?"
"Yes, I heard only yesterday of a berth as first-mate in a craft atPlymouth. The first-mate got hurt coming down channel, and a friend ofmy father's, learning there was a vacancy, spoke to the owners. Shebelongs there, and I am to join the day after to-morrow. She is boundup the Mediterranean. I shall be very glad to be off; I have had adull time of it for the last four months except for this little job."
"I am afraid you won't get any vehicle to take you back to-night,"Horace said.
"No, I didn't expect that; the coach in the morning will do very well.I have nothing to do but just to pack my kit, and shall go on by coachnext morning. I was thinking of sleeping on board here, if you have noobjection."
"I am sure my father will be very glad to see you up at the house,"Horace said eagerly.
"Thank you, lad, but I shall be much more comfortable on board. Marcosaid he would get dinner at two, and there is sure to be plenty for meto make a cold supper of, and as there is rum in the locker I shall beas happy as a king. I can smoke my pipe as I like. If I were to go upwith you I should be uncomfortable, for I have nothing but mysea-going togs. I should put your father out of his way, and he wouldput me out of mine. So I think, on all accounts, I had much betterremain in good quarters now I have got them. How far is it to theplace where I catch the coach?"
"About four miles. We will send the carriage to take you there."
"Thank you, I would much rather walk. I have nothing to carry butmyself, and a four miles' walk across the hills will be just the thingfor me."
At four o'clock the _Surf_ entered the little harbour of Seaport;Horace was delighted with the surprise of the fishermen at the arrivalof the pretty craft.
"You are sure you won't change your mind and come up with me to thehouse?"
"Quite certain, thank you, lad. Marco has put out everything I canpossibly require. He offered to come down to get breakfast for me, butI prefer to manage that for myself, then I can have it at any time Ifancy. I will lock up the cabin before I land. He will be there totake the key."
"I shall come down with him, of course, Mr. Martyn. I can't tell youhow much I am obliged to you for what you have done for me, and I hopethat some day we may have another sail together."
"If I am at home any time when you may happen to put in at Exmouth Ishall be glad to take a cruise with you, Horace."
As the lad and Marco went up the hill to the house, Horace, to hissurprise, met his father coming down with Zaimes.
"Well, Horace, so you have brought your yacht home. Zaimes routed meout from my work to come and look at her, and she really looks a verypretty little vessel."
"She is not little at all, father."
"Perhaps not in comparison, Horace; but did you and Marco bring herback by yourselves?"
"No, father; William Martyn, the officer who has seen to her fittingup, and who recommended her, you know, said he would come with us. So,of course, he has been in command, and Marco and I have been the crew.He has been teaching me lots of things, just the same, he says, as ifI had been a newly joined midshipman."
"But where is he now, Horace?"
"He is on board. He is going home by the coach to-morrow. I said thatI was sure you would be glad if he would come up to the house; but hesaid he should feel more comfortable on board. Were you coming down tolook at her, father?"
"Yes, Horace, I was. It is quite a wonderful event my being outsidethe grounds, isn't it?"
"It is indeed, father. I am so glad you are coming down. I am sure youwill like her, and then, perhaps, you will come sailing sometimes; Ido think, father, that you would enjoy such a sail as we had to-day,it was splendid."
"Well, we will see about it, Horace. Now I have once come out I may doso again; I am not sure that a good blow might not clear my brainsometimes."
There was quite an excitement in the village when Mr. Beveridge wasseen coming down. Occasionally during his wife's lifetime he had comedown with her to look into questions of repairs or erection of newcottages in lieu of old ones, but since that time he had never enteredthe village. Personally his tenants did not suffer from the cessationof his visits, for his steward had the strictest injunctions to dealin all respects liberally with them, to execute all necessary repairs,to accede to any reasonable request; while in case of illness ormisfortune, such as the loss of a boat or nets, the rent was alwaysremitted. That Mr. Beveridge was to a certain extent mad to shuthimself up as he did the villagers firmly believed, but they admittedthat no better landlord was to be found in all that part of thecountry.
Mrs. Beveridge had been greatly liked, and the people were pleased atHorace being down so much among them; but it was rather a sore subjectthat their landlord himself held so entirely aloof from them. Mentouched their hats, the women curtsied as he came down the street,looking almost with pity at the man who, in their opinion, so terriblywasted his life and cut himself off from the enjoyments of hisposition.
Mr. Beveridge returned their salutes kindly. He was scarce consciousof the time that had passed since he was last in the village; theyears had gone by altogether unmarked save by the growth of Horace,and by the completion of so many works.
"I suppose you know most of their names, Horace?"
"All of them, I think, father."
"That is right, boy. A landlord ought to know all his tenants. I wishI could find time to go about among them a little more, but I thinkthey have everything they want as far as I can do for them; still, Iought to come. In your mother's time I did come sometimes. I must tryto do it in future. Zaimes, you must see that I do this once afortnight. I authorize you to bring me my hat and coat after lunch andsay to me firmly, 'This is your afternoon for going out.'"
"Very well, sir," the Greek said. "I will tell you; and I hope youwill not say, as you always do to me when I beg you to go out: 'I mustput it off for another day, Zaimes, I have some work that must bedone.'"
"I will try not to, Zaimes, I will indeed. I think this is a duty. Youremind me of that, will you?"
By this time they had reached the little port, where a number of thefishermen were still lounging discussing the _Surf_, which was lyingthe picture of neatness and good order among the fishing-boats, withevery rope in its place, the sails in their snow-white covers, andpresenting the strongest contrast to the craft around her.
"She is really a very pretty little yacht," Mr. Beveridge said withmore animation than Horace ever remembered to have heard him speakwith. "She does great credit to your choice, Marco, and I should thinkshe is a good sea-boat. Why, Zaimes, this almost seems to take oneback to the old time. She is about the size of the felucca we used tocruise about in; it is a long time back, nearly eighteen years, andyet it seems but yesterday."
"There is no reason why you should not sail again, master; even I longto have my foot on the planks. One never loses one's love of the sea."
"I am getting to be an old man now, Zaimes."
"No one would say
so but yourself, master; you are but forty-three.Sometimes, after being shut up for days, you look old--who would notwhen the sun never shines on them--but now you look young, muchyounger than you are."
A stranger indeed would have had difficulty in guessing Mr.Beveridge's age. His forehead was broad, his skin delicate and almostcolourless, his light-brown hair was already of a silvery shade, hisface clean shaven, his hands white and thin. His eyes were generallysoft and dreamy, but at the present moment they were bright andalert. His figure was scarcely that of a student, for the frame waslarge, and there was at present none of the stoop habitual to thosewho spend their lives over books; and now that he was roused, hecarried himself exceptionally upright, and a close observer might havetaken him for a vigorous man who had but lately recovered from anattack of severe illness.
"We shall see, Zaimes, we shall see," he said; "let us go on board.You had better hail her, Horace."
"_Surf_ ahoy!" Horace shouted, imitating as well as he could WilliamMartyn's usual hail. A minute later the mate's head appeared above thecompanion. "My father is coming on board, Mr. Martyn. Will you pleasebring the dinghy ashore." The mate hauled up the dinghy, got into it,and in a few strokes was alongside the quay.
Mr. Beveridge descended the steps first. "I am glad to meet you, Mr.Martyn, and to thank you for the kindness you have shown my son infinding this craft for him and seeing to its being fitted out."
"It has been an amusement, sir," the mate said. "I was knocking aboutExmouth with nothing to do, and it was pleasant to be at work onsomething."
"Get in, Horace," Mr. Beveridge said, "the dinghy won't carry us all.You can bring it back again for the others."
The party stayed for half an hour on board. Mr. Beveridge was warm inhis approval of the arrangements.
"This is a snug cabin indeed," he said. "I had no idea that such asmall craft could have had such good accommodation. One could wish fornothing better except for a little more head-room, but after all thatis of no great consequence, one does not want to walk about below. Itis a place to eat and to sleep in, or, if it is wet, to read in. Ireally wonder I never thought of having a sailing-boat before. I shallcertainly take a sail with you sometimes, Horace."
"I am very glad of that, father, it would be very jolly having youout. I don't see much of you, you know, and I do think it would do yougood."
William Martyn was not allowed to carry out his intention of stayingon board, nor did he resist very earnestly Mr. Beveridge's pressinginvitation. His host differed widely from his preconceived notions ofhim, and he saw that he need not be afraid of ceremony.
"You can smoke your pipe, you know, in the library after dinner, Mr.Martyn. I have no objection whatever to smoke; indeed, I used to smokemyself when I was in Greece as a young man--everyone did so there, andI got to like it, though I gave it up afterwards. Why did I give itup, Zaimes?"
"I think you gave it up, master, because you always let your cigar outafter smoking two or three whiffs, and never thought of it again forthe rest of the day."
"Perhaps that was it; at any rate your smoking will in no wayincommode me, so I will take no denial."
Accordingly the cabins were locked up, and William Martyn went up withthe others to the house and there spent a very pleasant evening. Hehad in the course of his service sailed for some time in Greek waters,and there was consequently much to talk about which interested bothhimself and his host.
"I love Greece," Mr. Beveridge said. "Had it not been that she liesdead under the tyranny of the Turks I doubt if I should not havesettled there altogether."
"I think you would have got tired of it, sir," the mate said. "Thereis nothing to be said against the country or the islands, except thatthere are precious few good harbours among them; but I can't say Itook to the people."
"They have their faults," Mr. Beveridge admitted, "but I think theyare the faults of their position more than of their natural character.Slaves are seldom trustworthy, and I own that they are not as a ruleto be relied upon. Having no honourable career open to them, the upperclasses think of nothing but money; they are selfish, greedy, andcorrupt; but I believe in the bulk of the people."
As William Martyn had no belief whatever in any section of the Greekshe held his tongue.
"Greece will rise one of these days," Mr. Beveridge went on, "and whenshe does she will astonish Europe. The old spirit still lives amongthe descendants of Leonidas and Miltiades."
"I should be sorry to be one of the Turks who fell into their hands,"William Martyn said gravely as he thought of the many instances in hisown experiences of the murders of sailors on leave ashore.
"It is probable that there will be sad scenes of bloodshed," Mr.Beveridge agreed; "that is only to be expected when you have a race ofmen of a naturally impetuous and passionate character enslaved by apeople alien in race and in religion. Yes, I fear it will be so at thecommencement, but that will be all altered when they becomedisciplined soldiers. Do you not think so?" he asked, as the sailorremained silent.
"I have great doubts whether they will ever submit to discipline," hesaid bluntly. "Their idea of fighting for centuries has been simply toshoot down an enemy from behind the shelter of rocks. I would as liefundertake to discipline an army of Malays, who, in a good manyrespects, especially in the handiness with which they use theirknives, are a good deal like the Greeks."
"There is one broad distinction," Mr. Beveridge said: "the Malays haveno past, the Greeks have never lost the remembrance of their ancientglory. They have a high standard to act up to; they reverence thenames of the great men of old as if they had died but yesterday. Withthem it would be a resurrection, accomplished, no doubt, after vastpains and many troubles, the more so since the Greeks are a compositepeople among whom the descendants of the veritable Greek of old are ina great minority. The majority are of Albanian and Suliot blood, raceswhich even the Romans found untamable. When the struggle begins I fearthat this section of the race will display the savagery of theirnature; but the fighting over, the intellectual portion will, I doubtnot, regain their proper ascendency, and Greece will become the Greeceof old."
William Martyn was wise enough not to pursue the subject. He had adeep scar from the shoulder to the elbow of his right arm, and anotheron the left shoulder, both reminiscences of an attack that had beenmade upon him by half a dozen ruffians one night in the streets ofAthens, and in his private opinion the entire extirpation of the Greekrace would be no loss to the world in general.
"I am very sorry you have to leave to-morrow morning," Mr. Beveridgesaid presently. "I should have been very glad if you could have stayedwith us for a few days. It is some years since I had a visitor here,and I can assure you that I am surprised at the pleasure it gives me.However, I hope that whenever you happen to be at Exmouth you will runover and see us, and if at any time I can be of the slightest serviceto you I shall be really pleased."
The next morning William Martyn, still refusing the offer of aconveyance, walked across the hills to meet the coach, and as soon ashe had started Horace went down to the yacht. Marco had gone down intothe village early, had seen Tom Burdett, and in his master's namearranged for him to take charge of the _Surf_, and to engage a lad tosail with him. When Horace reached the wharf Tom was already on boardwith his nephew, Dick, a lad of seventeen or eighteen, who at oncebrought the dinghy ashore at Horace's hail.
"Well, Dick, so you are going with us?"
"Ay, Master Horace, I am shipped as crew. She be a beauty. That cabinis a wonderful lot better than the fo'castle of a fishing-lugger. Sheis something like a craft to go a sailing in."
"Good morning, Tom Burdett," Horace said as the boat came alongsidethe yacht; "or I ought to say Captain Burdett."
"No, no," the sailor laughed; "I have been too long aboard big craftto go a captaining. I don't so much mind being called a skipper, cos amaster of any sort of craft may be called skipper; but I ain't goingto be called captain. Now, Dick, run that flag up to the mast-head.That is yachting fashion, y
ou know, Master Horace, to run the burgeeup when the owner comes on board. We ain't got a burgee, seeing as wedon't belong to a yacht-club; but the flag with the name does servicefor it at present."
"But I am not the owner, Tom, that is nonsense. My father got it toplease me, and very good of him it was; but it is nonsense to call theboat mine."
"Them's the orders I got from your Greek chap down below, Mr. Horace.Says he, 'Master says as how Mr. Horace is to be regarded as owner ofthis 'ere craft whenever he is aboard;' so there you are, you see.There ain't nothing to be said against that."
"Well, it is very jolly, isn't it, Tom?"
"It suits me first-rate, sir. I feel for all the world as if we hadjust captured a little prize, and they had put a young midshipmite incommand and sent me along with him just to keep him straight; that ishow I feel about it."
"What sort of weather do you think we are going to have to-day, Tom?"
"I think the wind is going to shift, sir, and perhaps there will bemore of it. It has gone round four points to the east since I turnedout before sunrise."
"And where do you think we had better go to-day, Tom?"
"Well, as the wind is now it would be first-rate for a run toDartmouth."
"Yes, but we should have a dead-beat back, Tom; we should never getback before dark."
"No sir, but that Greek chap tells me as your father said as how therewere no occasion to be back to-night, if so be as you liked to make acruise of it."
"Did he say that? That is capital. Then let us go to Dartmouth;to-morrow we can start as early as we like so as to get back here."
"I don't reckon we shall have to beat back. According to my notion thewind will be somewhere round to the south by to-morrow morning; thatwill suit us nicely. Now then, sir, we will see about getting sail onher."
As soon as they began to throw the sail-covers off, Marco came on deckand lent a hand, and in the course of three minutes the sails were up,the mooring slipped, and the _Surf_ was gliding past the end of thejetty.
"That was done in pretty good style, sir," Tom Burdett said as he tookup his station by the side of Horace, who was at the tiller. "I reckonwhen we have had a week's practice together we shall get up sail assmartly as a man-of-war captain would want to see. I do like to seethings done smart if it is only on a little craft like this, and withthree of us we ought to get all her lower sail on her in no time. ThatGreek chap knows what he is about. Of course he has often been outwith you in the fishing-boats, but there has never been any call forhim to lend a hand there, and I was quite surprised just now when heturned to at it. I only reckoned on Dick and myself, and put the Greekdown as steward and cook."
"He used to work in a fishing-boat when he was a boy, Tom."
"Ah, that accounts for it! They are smart sailors, some of themGreeks, in their own craft, though I never reckoned they were any goodin a square-rigged ship; but in those feluccas of theirs they ain'teasy to be beaten in anything like fine weather. But they ain'tdependable, none of those Mediterranean chaps are, whether they areGreeks or Italians or Spaniards, when it comes on to blow really hard,and there is land under your lee, and no port to run to. When it comesto a squeak like that they lose their nerve and begin to pray to thesaints, and wring their hands, and jabber like a lot of children. Theydon't seem to have no sort of backbone about them. But in fine weatherI allow they handle their craft as well as they could be handled. Mindyour helm, sir; you must always keep your attention to that, no matterwhat is being said."
"Are you going to get up the topsail, Tom?"
"Not at present, sir; with this wind there will be more sea on as weget further out, and I don't know the craft yet; I want to see whather ways are afore we try her. She looks to me as if she would bestiff under canvas; but running as we are we can't judge much aboutthat, and you have always got to be careful with these light-draftcraft. When we get to know her we shall be able to calculate what shewill carry in all weathers; but there is no hurry about that. I haveseen spars carried away afore now, from young commanders cracking onsail on craft they knew nothing about. This boat can run, there is nomistake about that. Look at that fishing-boat ahead of us; that isJasper Hill's _Kitty_; she went out ten minutes afore you came down.We are overhauling her hand over hand, and she is reckoned one of thefastest craft in Seaport. But then, this craft is bound to run fastwith her fine lines and shallow draft; we must wait to see how shewill do when there is lots of wind."
In a couple of hours Horace was glad to hand over the tiller to theskipper as the sea had got up a good deal, and the _Surf_ yawed somuch before the following waves that it needed more skill than hepossessed to keep her straight.
"Fetch the compass up, Dick," the skipper said; "we are dropping theland fast. Now get the mizzen off her, she will steer easier withoutit, and it isn't doing her much good. Do you begin to feel queer atall, Mr. Horace?"
"Not a bit," the boy laughed. "Why, you don't suppose, after rollingabout in those fishing-boats when they are hanging to their nets, thatone would feel this easy motion."
"No; you would think not, but it don't always follow. I have seen aman, who had been accustomed to knock about all his life in smallcraft, as sick as a dog on board a frigate, and I have seen the firstlieutenant of a man-of-war knocked right over while lying off a bar onboat service. One gets accustomed to one sort of motion, and when youget another quite different it seems to take your innards all aback."
The run to Dartmouth was quickly made, and to Horace's delight theypassed several large ships on their way.
"Yes, she is going well," Tom Burdett said when he expressed hissatisfaction; "but if the wind was to get up a bit more it would bejust the other way. We have got quite as much as we want, while theycould stand a good bit more. A small craft will generally hold her ownin a light wind, because why, she carries more sail in proportion toher tonnage. When the big ship has got as much as she can do with, thelittle one has to reef down and half her sails are taken off her.Another thing is, the waves knock the way out of a small craft, whilethe weight of a big one takes her through them without feeling it.Still I don't say the boat ain't doing well, for she is first-rate,and we shall make a very quick passage to port."
Running up the pretty river, they rounded to, head to wind, droppedthe anchor a short distance from a ship of war, and lowered and stowedtheir sails smartly. Then Horace went below to dinner. It had beenready for some little time, but he had not liked leaving the deck, forrolling, as she sometimes did, it would have been impossible to eatcomfortably. As soon as he dined, the others took their meal in thefo'castle, Marco having insisted on waiting on him while at hisdinner. When they had finished, Marco and Dick rowed Horace ashore.The lad took the boat back to the yacht, while the other two strolledabout the town for a couple of hours, and then went off again.
The next day the _Surf_ fully satisfied her skipper as to herweatherly qualities. The wind was, as he had predicted, nearlysouth-east, and there was a good deal of sea on. Before getting upanchor, the topmast was lowered, two reefs put in the main-sail andone in the mizzen, and a small jib substituted for that carried on theprevious day. Showers of spray fell on the deck as they put out fromthe mouth of the river; but once fairly away she took the waveseasily, and though sometimes a few buckets of water tumbled over herbows and swashed along the lee channels, nothing like a green sea cameon board. Tom Burdett was delighted with her.
"She is a beauty and no mistake," he said enthusiastically. "There ismany a big ship will be making bad weather of it to-day; she goes overit like a duck. After this, Mr. Horace, I sha'n't mind what weather Iam out in her. I would not have believed a craft her size would havebehaved so well in a tumble like this. You see this is more trying forher than a big sea would be. She would take it easier if the waveswere longer, and she had more time to take them one after the other.That is why you hear of boats living in a sea that has beaten the lifeout of a ship. A long craft does not feel a short choppy sea that asmall one would be putting her head into ev
ery wave: but in a long seathe little one has the advantage. What do you think of her, sir?"
"She seems to me to heel over a long way, Tom."
"Yes, she is well over; but you see, even in the puffs she doesn't goany further. Every vessel has got what you may call her bearing. Itmayn't take much to get her over to that; but when she is there ittakes a wonderful lot to bring her any further. You see there is a lotof sail we could take off her yet, if the wind were to freshen. Wecould get in another reef in the main-sail, and stow her mizzen andforesail altogether. She would stand pretty nigh a hurricane with thatcanvas."
It was four o'clock in the afternoon before the _Surf_ entered theharbour. Horace was drenched with spray, and felt almost worn outafter the struggle with the wind and waves; when he landed his kneeswere strangely weak, but he felt an immense satisfaction with thetrip, and believed implicitly Tom Burdett's assertion that the yachtcould stand any weather.
