“Oh–h–h!” came in a groan from the men; and Rodd felt for them, for of late they had become more and more attached to their position, and seemed as happy as a pack of school-boys on board the beautiful little schooner.
“But he has been saying something, lads,” continued Rodd, in a low tone.
“Ay, ay, of course,” cried Joe. “Our old man don’t want to lose us, and he knows best what he ought to do. Go on, Mr Rodd, sir; tell us what he means.”
“I think he means to keep on quietly, in the hope of the schooner not being signalled to heave to.”
“Go on, sir, please, quick!” panted one of the men. “You don’t know what it means to us.”
“Before it becomes dark,” continued Rodd.
“Ay, ay, my lad! That’s right, sir. Why, of course,” cried Joe exultingly. “Trust our old man, boys;” and whistling loudly a few bars of the Sailor’s Hornpipe, he snatched off his straw hat, dashed it down upon the deck, and began to cut and shuffle and heave and turn, going through all the steps as if it were cool as an early spring, while his messmates formed in a ring about him, half stooped with bended knees, joined in the whistle, and beat time upon their knees and clapped hands, till the figure was gone through, and Joe Cross brought his terpsichorean bit of frantic mania to an end, by bringing his right foot down upon the deck with a tremendous stamp which was followed by a hearty cheer.
“That’s your sort, Mr Rodd, sir! It’s all right,” cried Joe, panting, and wiping his streaming face. “If anybody had told me that I could do that ten minutes ago, when I felt as if I had hardly stuff enough in me to lift a leg, I should have told him he was going off his head. Didn’t think you could put sperrits into us like that, sir, with just a word, now did you?”
“I am very glad, Joe,” said Rodd.
“Glad, sir? So’s we—every man Jack on us. You see, it means a lot. When you have got a comfortable mess, and a skipper as makes you haul together in a brotherly sort of fashion, it aren’t nice for a King’s ship to come down and take its pick of the men. We as is able seamen don’t want to shirk, and if we are obliged to go in time of war, why, we are ready to go and do our duty like men; but it do nip a bit at first, sir, ’specially at a time like this.”