"I am dying of hunger," replied Alfred, feebly.
"Come with me, then; I think we can soon cure him. Don't you think so?" turning to his companion. "Here, let me help you;" and placing a strong arm around the emaciated, boy, he led him on to the side of a vessel lying at the harbor. After requesting him to wait a minute, he darted away, and soon returned with a fine fresh cocoa nut, which he gave the famishing youth. He seemed to the poor forsaken boy like an angel of mercy. He had often in his distress fallen asleep to dream that tempting fruit, such as he now held in his hand, was placed within his reach, but he had not strength to take it. Now he feared he should awake and find this also but a dream.
Feeling greatly revived by this seasonable supply of food, he readily consented to accompany his new friend to the captain of the vessel, and endeavor to obtain a berth in the barque, which was named Josephine.
Though he had been so long on board ship; yet here everything seemed new and strange. The youth, who was called Frank, approached the captain with the ease, vivacity, and confidence of a child; while in return the gentleman appeared to feel for him the affection of a father. Leaving Alfred standing near the forecastle, Frank went on to tell his tale, and interest the officer in the distressed youth.
"Bring him here," said the gentleman, with a smile; "I'm afraid your warm heart has led you away, as usual, on some wild-goose chase."
Frank obeyed, and summoned Alfred aft.
Sad to relate, the wicked boy commenced this new acquaintance by a false tale. He said that he had been sick ever since he was in port, so sick that he could not reach the vessel; that the captain sent one of the crew the day before they sailed, to say that they were ready for sea, and that as he was so unwell he had better remain on shore for another ship. Since that time, which he alleged was some months previous to this, he had not been able to work enough to obtain food sufficient to restore him to health, though his fever had long ago left him.
The marks of vice were too visible in the countenance of Alfred for Captain Monroe to mistake his real character; but he saw no reason to doubt the story of the lad, and, after ascertaining from him that he knew something of the business of a sailor, he promoted him from the duties of a boy to those of an ordinary seaman.
This is one who, from want of sufficient age or strength or experience, or all of these, is not competent to perform all the duties of an able seaman, and therefore receives less wages. He is expected to be well acquainted with all the rigging of a ship, to be able to steer under ordinary circumstances, to furl a top-gallant sail, or a royal, which is a light sail next above it. It is commonly expected that he should be able to make spun-yarn, formed by twisting two or three rope yarns together, and sennet, a braid plaited together of ropes or spun-yarn; that he should understand the art of splicing ropes, forming the rigging, and making a great variety of knots commonly termed sailors' knots.
Alfred, as we have seen, had never tried to fit himself for the performance of these duties, though his former captain had recommended him to do so if he wished to be promoted. Indeed, he had determined never to go another voyage, so that he had not been at sea many hours before the mate reported him entirely unfit for a seaman, and, therefore, degraded him to the rank of what is termed a green hand.