“Oh, you are, are you? Very well, just go into the saloon there and see the captain, he’s waiting for you.”
Frank turned at once and entered, doffing his cap as he did so, and walking up to a keen-looking, clean-shaven man of about forty who sat there writing, he said respectfully, “I’m the third mate, sir, Frank Brown. I’ve just come aboard, and the chief officer has told me you want to see me.”
The skipper, looking up, laid down his pen and stared steadily at his interlocutor without speaking for about a minute. Then he said, “So you are the lad that brought the Woden home, eh? Well, as long as you don’t suffer from swollen head I daresay you’ll do very well, but understand once for all, I’ll have no owner’s favourites in any ship I command. You are nominally third mate, and on the articles as such, but you are really only the senior apprentice, and if you want to be treated properly you must remember that. Another thing, you are in a very different ship to that old tub the Sealark, and will have to learn to do things big-ship fashion. If you behave yourself you’ll find me what they call a decent skipper, but if you put on any frills I shall have to put you in your proper place in two shakes. Now go and do what the mate tells you.”
He turned to his writing, when Frank, stepping a little closer, said, “Beg pardon, sir, but it seems to me that the fact that I have done my best successfully has made me enemies already. I’m sure I don’t want to put on any frills, as you and the chief officer have termed it, but if I am to be the third mate and given any responsible duty to perform, I shan’t be able to get anybody to obey me, if it is seen that my superiors have a dislike to me from the outset. Please give me a fair trial before you make up your mind to dislike me.”
The skipper rose to his feet and thundered, “Get out of my cabin, boy! how dare you bandy words with me? Mr. Vincent” (to the mate), “give this fellow something to do, he wants employment.”
“All right, Captain Forrest,” answered the mate, “I’ll set him goin’. Come along here and get to work stowin’ the stores in the lazaret. You’ll find some of your fellow-apprentices there. It’s aft, not forrard.”
For one wild moment Frank felt impelled to throw up everything and go ashore without considering what his next step would be afterwards. But a sudden fierce determination seized him to show these cowardly bullies, as he thought them, that he was not to be driven out of the ship or out of his chosen profession by any such accidents as they were, and he choked his rage down, merely replying in stereotyped phrase, “Very good, sir,” and walking out of the saloon.
Now of course it will be asked by every one unconnected with the sea, “Whatever could such extraordinary conduct mean?” Alas, although I will admit that this was an extreme case, it is a type of conduct towards subordinates that is, or used to be, exceedingly common on board ship. It is the outcome of one of the lowest and most despicable passions in our nature, “Envy, the eldest born of hell.”
Viewed in its baleful light, Frank’s offence was indeed unpardonable. He had distinguished himself as no boy could be expected to do, and would naturally be exceedingly puffed up in his own estimation, according to their narrow ideas. Besides, he had been very strongly recommended to the captain by the owner, which, to some men, is an almost inexpiable offence in itself, and one that causes more ill-feeling on board ship than enough. And as both the captain and chief officer were men of an exceedingly suspicious and resentful, as well as envious, turn of mind, their treatment of Frank was only to be expected. I could give instances of similar behaviour, which have come under my notice, and which I myself have experienced, but will refrain in order to get on with my yarn.
Frank strode aft to the lazaret hatch and lowered himself down promptly into the midst of four youngsters of about sixteen years of age, who were busily engaged in roasting one of their number, a boy evidently somewhat younger than the rest of them, and obviously about to make his first voyage. Three of them were certainly experienced to the extent of at least one voyage, and it was a great game for them to break Johnny Newcome in. But they all desisted from their sport as Frank dropped among them, and stood half on the defensive, like hens when a strange fowl is introduced to them. Frank just smiled cheerfully upon them and said, “All right, boys, I’m one of yourselves, don’t mind me. But the mate’ll be here in a minute or two, if I don’t mistake, and I don’t know how you stand with him, but I don’t want him to find me one of the unemployed. What are you supposed to be doing?”