CHAPTER IV
MARK MAKES A FRIEND
Mark soon discovered that Bob Billings was a light-hearted chap who took matters as they came, without making much fuss about things.
"I should have been mad if that man had robbed me," said the sailor boy. "But as he didn't get my money I'm going to drop the matter. But if I ever meet him again I'll give him a black eye, or else my name isn't Bob!"
"Hopeville is on the road we want to take," said Jed Dickson. "An' such bein' the case, we may as well travel together for a spell;" and so it was agreed.
As they journeyed along Bob Billings told much about himself. His parents had died while he was young, and he had been turned over to the care of an old sea captain who had taken him on several trips to Cuba and Porto Rico. Then the captain had died and Bob had shipped for the whaling voyage just mentioned. But whaling had not suited him and he said he was now going to stay ashore for some time and perhaps for good.
"Sailoring isn't what it is cracked up to be," said he. "The grub is poor and the hands are sometimes treated like dogs. I'll have to get the fever pretty bad before I go to sea again."
"I never had any desire to go to sea," said Mark. "I'd rather make my fortune on land."
"Where are you bound?"