Jack!" said young master, shaking me by the hand."Good-bye!" he added, taking old Dick's rough paw. "We are a curiousset; but I say, do not refuse anything you can get. If you want anyinterest exerted, then boldly ask my mother. She will do that in a waywhich overcomes all difficulties. If she wanted to make me Archbishopof Canterbury, she would work away till she had done it, if she happenedto live long enough."
Old Dick dropped me at my home. There was a tremendous noise going on,created by my stepmother's children. She was crying out and imploringthem to be quiet, and they were squabbling and crying and abusing eachother. The big ones had appropriated the little ones' toys, or otherproperty, and all the poor woman could do they would not restore thearticles, while the young ones were crying to get them back, every nowand then making a rush at their bigger brothers and sisters, and gettinga box on the ear in return. My appearance rather increased than quelledthe commotion. Tommy, the biggest, asked me in a threatening way whereI had been, and of course I was not going to answer him; so he doubledhis fist, and, had I not stood on my guard, he would certainly have hitme, but he thought better of it. Just at that moment my father returnedoff duty, full of my performances, of which old Dick had told him allparticulars. He was very indignant with Tom.
"Is this the way, you young ruffian, you treat a brave lad who has beensaving the life of a fellow-creature, and that fellow-creature the sonof a brigadier? Do you know what a brigadier is, you young jackanapes,eh?" he exclaimed, giving way for once to anger, of which he was veryseldom guilty. His remarks silenced all the party, who, of course, werethen eager enough to learn what I had done and what had happened. Mypoor stepmother embraced me warmly, and tears fell from her eyes as sheglanced round on her own disorderly offspring. For the rest of theevening they behaved better.
My father was well pleased on hearing of the brigadier's gift, for thepurse contained ten sovereigns.
"It's very liberal," he said; "for though I suppose he thinks his son'slife worth more than that, yet, from what you tell me, no doubt it is asmuch as he dared to give; yet I can tell you, from what I have heard,that that shrivelled-up yellow-faced old fellow was as plucky an officeras ever saw service."
My father would not let me go back to the Bungalow.
"You have done your duty, Jack, and you have received a present, whichyou must lay by for a rainy day; and if the brigadier's lady wants toshow her maternal gratitude, it's her business to find you out."
I thought probably that young master would take care to see somethingmore of me. I liked his manner; for although there was a good deal ofseeming bombast and pretension about him, I had an idea he was sterlingat bottom--a plucky little chap, just as his father had been. Thiscircumstance had in no way put aside my wish to go to sea. I kepttalking about it whenever I had an opportunity.
"I see how it is," sighed my father; "you are right, Jack. The way Tomstood up to you just now showed me that your old home is not as pleasantas it should be."
"Then you will let me go, will you not, father?" I said.
The fact was, it was a very different thing for him to talk aboutletting me go, and to ship me off. He hummed and hesitated, and said hethought I had better wait till I was a year older, or till he himselfwas sent to sea.
"Oh, but that may not be for a long time, father; and what should I dowith myself till then?" I exclaimed.
"I am not quite so sure that it will be a long time, Jack," he answered,with a sigh.
"Once upon a time my only wish was to remain on shore, but times arechanged. I don't want to say a word against my present wife. She is agood woman; an excellent woman; but somehow or other she does not manageto keep the house as quiet as it might be; and those children of hersare terribly unlicked cubs."
I agreed with him there. "They want to be under the management of Mrs.Brigadier for a few months," I observed; "I rather think that she wouldnot be long in bringing them into order."
"You are right, Jack. But I have seen her, and with all herperfections, I would not swop my present wife with her on any account."My father gave a shudder. "Well, Jack," he said, "there's an old friendof mine--Sergeant Turbot--whose company has been appointed to the_Roarer_, fitting out for the East India Station, alongside the Topazesheer hulk."
"Well, father," I said, "though I should like to go with you, yet Ifancy that `a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush;' and, if youwill let me, I'll go with Sergeant Turbot. He will look after me andkeep me out of mischief, and stand my friend, if I want one. I shouldnot like to lose the opportunity."
"Well, well, I see how it is, home is too hot for you," sighed my poorfather. "To-morrow morning, please Heaven! I will take you on board,and see what Turbot has to say to the matter. If he's agreeable, whythere won't be much difficulty in getting you rated as one of the boysaboard."
My father was as good as his word, and at an early hour the next morningwe embarked in a wherry, and pulled alongside the _Roarer_. When I goton board, and while standing with my father waiting for Sergeant Turbot,who was on duty, it seemed to me as if every man and boy in the ship hadgone stark staring mad, rushing and rolling about, tumbling over eachother, shouting and bawling at the top of their voices. Presently Iheard a ferocious-looking hairy monster of a man growl out, in a voiceloud enough to wake a dozen midshipmen, however fast asleep they mighthave been, "Up all steerage hammocks?" the shrill sound of his whistlepiercing through my head. I had been on board men-of-war before whenthere was no duty going on, and all was quiet and in order. If I hadnot had hold of my father's hand, I think I should have gone down theside again into the wherry. In reality, however, it was only NedRawlings performing an ordinary piece of morning duty--as gentle andtender-hearted a fellow as ever stepped, in spite of his gruff voice andhairy face, and the "cat" he had sometimes to wield. I have a notion,that every time he laid on that cat, he felt it as acutely as theculprit on whom it was deservedly inflicted. I still felt somethinglike a fish in a tub, trying to escape the dangers I supposed surroundedme, when Sergeant Turbot came along the main deck. He laughed heartily,till his fat sides shook again, when he saw my affrighted countenance,and my father told him I could not make out the cause of all the uproar.
"Why, the men are pretty quiet," he observed; "they're pretty much likethis at all times, except when they're sleeping, or at mess, or atquarters."
My father told him our object.
"That I will, Junker," he observed at once. "I am sure you would lookafter a boy of mine if I had one, and I will look after yours. I cannotteach him much seamanship, but I'll give a hint to those who can, andI'll look after him, and see that he gets into no mischief, as long as Iam in the ship. We are going out to a somewhat trying climate though,and men of my figure are apt to suffer, I am told."
He cast a momentary glance over himself. It was fortunate for SergeantTurbot that he was a marine, and still more that he had not to go aloft.On board ship he could do his duty admirably, but on shore his figurewas decidedly against him. He was very stout. It was lucky for me thathe was so, for I could always find him when I wanted him. At first, Ithought that I could run away from him, if desirable; but in thatrespect I was mistaken, for he could send after me, and have me backpretty quickly. All being arranged, the sergeant undertook to speak tothe first-lieutenant; and he had me and my father up, and asking him afew questions, told him to fill up different papers, which he didforthwith, and I was regularly entered as a boy on board the _Roarer_.
CHAPTER THREE.
LIFE ON THE ROARER.
I went back with my father, and the remainder of the day was spent by mystepmother in getting my outfit ready. It was an unusually good one, inconsequence of the brigadier's gift.
"I don't expect to hear much more about that," observed my father."There is a good deal of talk about those sort of people; though, to besure, the old man and the young one have some feeling; still I don't seewhat good they could do you, Jack, even if they wished it. I should notwish you put above you
r station; though, to be sure, your poor dearmother was a lady herself, that she was, every inch of her, and too goodfor me. However, Jack, there's one thing I have got to counsel you: doyour duty, tell the truth, and never mind the sneers or laughter ofthose who try to lead you astray. There is One in heaven who will hearyour prayers, and don't you go and forget to tell Him your wants, andask Him to do what is best for you. And now, my boy, you have myblessing; and I am sure, that good mother of yours--she who's gone Imean--will be looking down from wherever she is, and watching over you,and praying for you, if so be she has the power; but of that matter, Imust own, I have no certain knowledge, only I do think it's the
Off to Sea: The Adventures of Jovial Jack Junker on his Road to Fame Page 4
