“Well, well, boy, it is curious. I’m half inclined to be angry, but I daresay you couldn’t help it. And I don’t know what to do with you.”
“Oh, I don’t want wages; only just let me remain in the ship.”
“Let you remain in the ship? Why, what else can I do? We’ll never touch land again, lad, till we go back to Lerwick. Do you think I’d pitch you overboard as they did Jonah?”
“As for wages,” he continued, “nobody stops in my ship that isn’t paid. But tell me now, I seem to know your face—have I seen you before?”
“I saw you at Miss Mitford’s, sir.”
“Whew-w-w,” whistled the captain, “that accounts for the milk in the cocoanut.”
“She gave you some beautiful rib—”
“That’ll do, boy, that’ll do,” cried Captain Hardy, interrupting him. “Well I’ll rate you as second steward, and as you say you want to learn to be a sailor you can join the second mate’s watch.”
“I’ll have him, sir,” said Wilson, briskly.
Harry’s heart was too full to speak, but from that moment he determined to do his duty and prove his gratitude.