And Sturdy listened attentively, sometimes patting the boy's hand with true sympathy.
"Well, well, well," said the lieutenant at last. "I thought I had roughed it in my young days, but your story has the weather-gauge of mine, Jack—the weather-gauge of mine.
"Ah! well, dear lad, I hope the worst is past. You've just got to do your duty now, keep your weather eye aloft, obey orders, and trust in God. Your life afloat won't be all beer and skittles, I assure you. But a sailor's life isn't a bad one after all. I love it, Jack, oh yes, dearly. You've got to rough it now and then, but then you are here, there, and everywhere, over all the world. You see so much and you learn so much, so that in many ways sailors are far wiser than landsmen.
"Well, as long as you and I are shipmates, Jack, just look upon me as your sea-daddy. Come to me if you have any difficulty, and I'll show you how to steer out of it; and what you want to know about the ship I'll tell you."
"Thank you, sir. You are so good I shall always look upon you as my sea-father."
"Right; and if you want a sea-uncle—and that is handy too at times—why, there's the bos'n. He is a roughish old swab like myself, but his heart is as soft as a girl's. He'll put you up to the ropes, and show you how to splice and reef and steer. Never despise knowledge, no matter where it comes from; and if you keep your place without being uppish, if you are brave and bright, depend upon it, the men will love you and respect you. But I say, Jack, weren't you a bit afraid the other night when it was blowing big guns?"
"Well, you see, sir, at first when all hands were called to shorten sail, I thought I should go upstairs and help."
"Ha, ha, ha!"
"I was just going up, sir, when Dr. Reikie caught me by—by a part of my dress, sir, and pulled me down. He made me a prisoner. But I did escape when I thought we were all going to be drowned."
"Yes?"