“I believe I have seen you before when you were a boy of about ten. My visit to Norfolk Island in one of Her Majesty’s schooners is one of the happiest recollections of my life. Your father’s name, I believe, is Philip Adams?”
C. B.’s face brightened as he gladly answered, “Yes, sir, and did you meet my beautiful mother?”
Captain Silchester smiled at the eager, loving question and replied, “Yes, I had that honour and privilege, and I congratulate you upon your parents, young man. They are, I should say, the very salt of the earth. Well, I must not hinder you, sir,” to the captain; “you’ll have much to set in order, and I shall expect you on board sometime before 4 p.m. Good-bye.” And turning sharply he hastened on deck to avoid being thanked again.
But he was in no hurry, for once on deck he charmed Mr. Winsloe by asking to be shown over the ship and have her strange appliances explained to him, showing so much interest and appreciation that Winsloe was delighted and when he had gone, said to Spurrell, “Well, if all the Britishers was like that one I shouldn’t have no quarrel with them, I’m dead sure of that.”
“Ah,” said Spurrell, “there’s some good Britishers, but there’s an awful lot of shysters. Still, there’s good and bad of all sorts, I s’pose, and Britishers ain’t the worst by any odds.”
Then the whistle blew and Winsloe hurried aft to find the skipper quite excited at the near prospect of beginning his journey home. It took but little time to acquaint the mate with the British captain’s courteous offer, and then, with C. B.’s aid, the preparations for departure were begun. Neatly and methodically everything belonging to the skipper was packed, except his charts and navigational books, all of which he left to Winsloe. And so swiftly was the work done that by the time the skipper was wearied, that is in about an hour, everything was practically ready, and the two men left him to sleep again.
As they went softly on deck Mr. Winsloe said, “Well, Christmas, I needn’t ask you to do your best for the skipper, because I believe that no one could or would do better than you. I’ve never been able to like ye, for yeer too goody goody for me. But I’m free to admit that if I’d a had ten thousand men to pick and choose from, I’d have chosen you; this sort o’ thing’s right in your line. I s’pose your packing won’t take long?”
“No, sir,” cheerily answered C. B., “five minutes ’ll see me through; but I’d like if may to go forrard and say good-bye to the boys. I’m very fond of them all, and I hope none of them has got anything against me. I’d be very sorry to leave any hard thoughts of me behind.”
“Oh, certainly,” said the mate, “go an’ hold a prayer meetin’ if ye like, I’m sure I don’t care now. I can’t say that I saw any signs of yer wantin’ t’ do such a thing before, but if I had I should have stopped it, for I don’t want a crew too tender-hearted t’ kill a whale in this business. There, get along, boy, an’ make the most of yeer time.”