"I only done my duty, sir," rejoined Tite, modestly, as the color came into his face. "I hope, captain, to merit your praise to the end of the voyage." The young sailor made a bow, and was about returning to his duty.
"Avast, a bit," interrupted the captain. "Your name's Toodlebug, is'nt it, my hearty?"
"Yes, sir," replied Tite. "Titus Bright Toodleburg; usually called Tite. Hope, sir, to improve myself in navigation and seamanship under your command. I shall always feel proud, sir, that I sailed with you. Some one may trust me with a ship some day."
"That's the talk, my hearty; keep a sharp look ahead," rejoined the captain, his face lighting up with a smile. "Cram Bowditch into yer head, and keep a sharp look ahead. Have ye so ye can bring the sun down to dinner and put the north star in yer pocket afore ye get round Cape Horn. You'll be a sailor yet, my hearty." Again Captain Bottom shook Tite by the hand warmly.
"Git yer head full of navigation; and with good judgment to help ye out, ye can look an owner in the eye without winking, and tell him ye want a ship. And if that recommendation don't do, tell him you have killed whales with Captain Bottom, a man what never let a whale git the better of him. And if he has never heard of Captain Price Bottom, of the good old ship Pacific, then he never should own a ship, and don't sail for him. That's my advice, my hearty. So keep a sharp look out ahead." Here he tapped Tite on the shoulder, exultingly.
"It's very kind of you," returned Tite, modestly, "to take this interest in me, a stranger to you. I shall do my best to merit your confidence and respect."
"A stranger, eh? Not a bit of it!" resumed the captain, quickly. "Look ye here, my hearty. Your good old father and me was old friends. That was years ago, you know. Meeting you brings an old love affair of thirty years right back to my heart again. Yes, my hearty, that old feelin's just as good as new this minute. God bless yer father; and God bless yer mother, too! Here's a hand what'll always give a warm welcome to the son of old Hanz Toodlebug—"
"Then you knew my father? I hope, sir, I may never do anything to lessen your respect for him."
"Know'd him?" resumed the captain. "Yes, sir, and yer mother, too. And when Captain Price Bottom says he know'd a man, he means it. Your father and me was rivals!" Here he touched Tite on the elbow, and winked significantly. "That is—well, it's rather a delicate subject—he courted yer mother, and so did I! There, sir, there's just what it is. She was as trim a young craft then as ever spread sails, and as full of goodness and good looks." Captain Bottom again paused for a moment, shook his head despondingly, and placed his hand on his heart. "A number of young bloods like me trimmed their sails, but did'nt overhaul her. Many a heart-flutter she caused me in them days. And just when I thought, says I to myself, 'I'm to wind'rd,' and had got ready to make fast to her—" Here he paused for a moment, and then lowering his voice, continued: "Well, what does she go and do? Blow me, my hearty, if she did'nt go off and marry your father. That's what dismasted me. Never bore him nor her any ill-will. 'God bless ye both,' says I; 'may ye be happy and have a large family!' And it does me good to know that they was prosperous. Your father had a home to take a woman to, and that is what a woman should look to. Price Bottom was poor then, and without a shillin' in his pocket. It was disappointment that made me take to the sea, though. Went from the fo'castle t'where you see me now—Captain Price Bottom, sir, of the good ship Pacific. It's a man's own exertion that lifts him up in the world. There's my poor old woman at home to-night—God bless her and the two little ones! thinking of me, and praying for me, and wondering where we are. Laid her up a nice little fortune; wolf can't bark at her door. That's a gratification, my hearty. Made three successful voyages, you see. This, our fourth one, is to be the last. Keep a sharp look ahead, and there's a future for you, too. Ah, there'll be a heap of happiness a'tween me and my old woman when this voyage is ended. A true wife at home, and a lovin' husband at sea—ah, my hearty, them's jewels!"
Tite listened with surprise to the story of this strange and eccentric man. He had never heard either of his parents mention his name. He, however, regarded it as very fortunate that he should be on board a ship commanded by a captain who held his humble parents in such high regard. The jolly old sailor finished his story by enjoining Tite to keep what he had said a matter of confidence. He also made him third mate, to fill the place of the young man who fell from the fore-mast into the sea during the gale.