But, even beyond this material point, Captain Dresser was reminded by this courteous veteran of something he had entirely forgotten; namely, that Dick would have to produce a certificate of birth to show his proper age, and also a paper containing the written consent to his going to sea of his parents, or guardians in the case of his being an orphan—which he was nearly if not quite—before Dick would be permitted to join “Her Majesty’s Service.”
These documents, it may be mentioned here, slightly anticipating matters, Captain Dresser subsequently obtained through the clergyman of Dick’s parish at Guildford, to whom he wrote, and who gave the young runaway the best of characters.
This gentleman stated that the lad was not only honest and truthful, but the steadiest scholar he had in his Sunday school; and he added that the good news which he had been able to tell Dick’s mother after hearing from the Captain, of his having fallen into such friendly hands, had made up in some way for her sorrow at being forced to part with her dear son.
“Well, what shall we do with you now?” said the Captain to Dick on their leaving the dockyard, where, in addition to going on board the training ship attached to the port, the boys had seen most that was to be seen—going over the smithery; the building-sheds, in which ponderous leviathans of iron, that would anon plough the deep, were being welded together; the mast and rigging houses; the sail-loft; they had gone over everything in fact! “You see they won’t have you yet in the Navy, my lad; so, what is to be done with you, eh?”
“Dunno, sir,” answered Dick, scratching his newly-shorn head reflectively and staring in the face of the old sailor, who had stopped abruptly just outside the dockyard-gates to ask him the question. “I’ll leave it to yer for to settle anythink yer likes.”
“Humph! I tell you what, we’ll wait a bit and then try again for the training ship three months hence, or so; when, perhaps, you’ll have better luck,” decided the Captain, who it need hardly be told had already made up his mind on the subject. “But, in the meantime, my lad, you shall stop with me and see if you can make yourself of use.”
“Oh, sir,” said Dick with tears in his eyes and his voice broken with emotion. “I can never thank yer, sir, for all as ye’ve done for me! I’ll work day and night, sir, and do anythink as yer tells me!”
“We’ll see, my lad,” replied the Captain, walking on again, the watermen along the Hard touching their hats to him. “I shall probably take you on board my yacht by and by, when the racing season begins. You will, thus, learn something of your future profession; and be able to pull a rope and box the compass before the time comes for you to join the training ship.”
“O-o-oh!” exclaimed Bob, the vista of delight thus presented being almost too great for words; for the sight of the sea, now that he had seen it and been actually on board a ship, had made him long for a sail, his involuntary dip of the previous night not having any deterrent influence. “Won’t that be jolly, Dick?”
Dick grinned a sympathetic grin, his own peculiar way of showing how pleased he was.