“We have come to ask that we be allowed to ship on board the America, and do so because of certain words just let fall by Master Josh,” I said, using every effort to speak distinctly, and at the same time rapidly. “My excuse for thus venturing here unbidden is that I dared not wait longer lest I lack the courage to make the request.”
“What has Joshua Seabury been saying to you?” my uncle asked, sharply. “Why should he above all others think that two boys may be allowed to call themselves members of an armed ship’s crew?”
Being thus called upon to defend myself, as it were, I repeated in substance the few words the old man had spoken, laying considerable stress upon the fact that Captain Ropes was three years younger than Simon and me when he first went to sea, and urging that, if Master Josh would take us under his tuition, we should beyond a question pay our footing, even though we might not earn the smallest wages.
Because of the fear—I might almost say the belief, that our request would be treated with disdain, and thinking another opportunity to make our wishes known might not present itself, I succeeded in stating our case fairly well, as I believed.
Before having concluded with all the arguments which presented themselves to my mind, I saw Captain Ropes look at his son in a friendly fashion, and then glance inquiringly at my uncle, whereat the latter, observing the mute question, answered:
“Two lads like those would simply be so much useless lumber aboard the ship, eh, captain?”
My heart sank at what I believed was the beginning of a refusal; but rose very suddenly when Simon’s father replied, with an air which told that he considered our request in a certain degree important:
“Unless we count on setting some of the men to do boy’s duty, we are like to need a few lads, Master Crowninshield.”
“Ay; but you want such as have had some experience.”
“If old Joshua Seabury cares to take these two lads under his wing, I’ll answer for it they will be experienced before we get well settled down to our work,” the captain replied, grimly, and Simon furtively kicked me, as if to say that fortune was smiling upon us.