“Ran away from school, I suppose?”
I tried to reply, and could not. Excitement had kept me up before the captain, but the stress of it was subsiding, and putting my arms up to get my purse had aggravated the intense nausea that was beginning to overpower me. I managed to shake my head instead of speaking, after which I thought I must have died then and there of the agony across my brow. It seemed probable that I should go far to pay for my passage by the amusement I afforded the crew. Even Mr. Johnson laughed, as he said, “He seems pretty bad. Look after him, and then let him
try his hand on those stanchions—they’re disgraceful. Show him how, and see that he lays on ——”
“Aye, aye, sir.”
“And, bo’sun! don’t be too rough on him just yet. We’ve all of us made our first voyage.”
“Very true, sir.”
I could have fallen at the man’s feet for those few kind words, but his alert step had carried him far away; and the boatswain had gripped me by the arm, and landed me on a seat, before I could think of how to express my thanks.
“Stay where ye are, young stowaway,” said he, “and I’ll fetch the oil and things. But don’t fall overboard; for we can’t afford to send a hexpedition on a voyage of discovery harter ye.”
Off went the boatswain, and by the time he came back with a bundle of brass rods under his arm, and an old sardine-tin full of a mixture of oil, vinegar, and sand, and a saturated fragment of a worn-out worsted sock, I had more or less recovered from a violent attack of sickness, and was trying to keep my teeth from being chattered out of my aching head in the fit of shivering that succeeded it.
“Now, my pea-green beauty!” said he, “pull yourself together, and bear a hand with this tackle. I’ll carry the stanchions for you.” I jumped up, thanked him, and took the oil-tin and etceteras, feel