“We were in the wrong when we complained, Master Josh. Surely you have known us long enough to believe that we no more intend to shirk our duties than to play the part of passengers. It was because you had changed so completely that we came to you with the questions in our mouths.”
“Accordin’ to your talk, it seems that you understand the matter without my goin’ into very many explanations,” the old man said, grimly.
“What you have said is the same as an explanation, sir,” Simon meekly replied. “If you will please set us about some task we’ll agree never to raise another question, however changed your manner may be.”
“Well, I allow it’s jest as well if we let it drop at that,” the old gunner said, thoughtfully, “an’ for the sake of your peace of mind in the future, I’d have you youngsters understand that, once we’re under way, you will be expected to do such work as is given to boys, without turnin’ rusty in case one of us don’t happen to handle you with gloves on. Sailorin’ is a serious business, but nothin’ as compared with privateerin’. On a cruise like the one we’re countin’ to make, it’s a matter of jumpin’ to orders from the youngest to the oldest, an’ no back talk. I had the idee that you was to be took under my wing, so to speak.”
“Have you seen Simon’s father or my uncle?” I asked, quickly, now beginning to understand why the old man had turned about so suddenly in his behaviour.
“It may be I had a bit of a chin with one or the other of ’em last night.”
“And you were told to jump down on us the first thing, this morning, so that we might know our stations without being allowed time in which to make fools of ourselves?”
“I can’t rightly say it was exactly as you put it, lad. I was given to understand that it depended on me to make sailormen out of you, if it so be there was stuff enough of the kind inside your young skins, an’ such bein’ the case, from this out there will be no explanations made. When things don’t go to suit you, I’m allowin’ you’d best swallow ’em, or take the chances of knowin’ how heavy the rope’s end is when it’s laid on a lad’s back in proper fashion. Now then, if you’ve had enough of this cacklin’, get to work, an’ see to it you stick at the job, for there’ll be no sodgerin’ aboard this ship either by young or old, that you can depend on.”
It can well be understood that from this moment we held our peace whether affairs were to our liking or not, and, also, that we never again presumed upon the friendliness which the old gunner had previously displayed; but buckled with a will to whatever task we were set at.
Before this day came to an end both of us realised fully that we were no more than any other two boys who might have been allowed to ship aboard the privateer, and that no favours were to be shown because of relationship either to the captain or owner.