BONNY SEIZED A TRUCK, AND ALARIC A MATTRESS.
So Bonny boldly picked up one of several idle trucks that lay near by, and rattled it down the gang-plank with every appearance of bustling activity. As he trundled it aft along the dimly lighted deck he was greeted by a gruff voice from the darkness with:
"Get that truck out of here. Didn't you hear me say I didn't need any more of 'em?"
"Ay, ay, sir," answered the pretended stevedore, facing promptly about and wheeling his truck away. In a place where there seemed to be no one looking he set it gently down, and walked forward as boldly as though executing some order just received. Away up in the bows of the steamer he found a great coil of rope, in which he snuggled down like a bird in a nest.
Alaric was not quite so fortunate. He watched Bonny disappear with his truck in the dark interior of the boat, and then, taking a mattress from the pile of household goods, marched aboard with it in his arms. Walking aft with his awkward burden, he stumbled across the truck that Bonny had left in the passage and sprawled at full length. As luck would have it, the mattress, loosed from his grasp, struck the mate who was coming that way and nearly knocked him down.
Springing furiously forward, the man aimed a kick at the prostrate lad, called him a clumsy lunkhead, and ordered him to wheel the truck up on to the wharf.
There was nothing for it but to return to the wharf with the truck. Then, to his dismay, Alaric found that there was no freight left to be taken on board. The pile of household goods had disappeared. As he stood for a moment irresolute another gruff voice sang out to him to cast off the breast line and get aboard in a hurry if he didn't want to get left.
Alaric had no more idea than the man in the moon of what a breast line was; but he knew what to cast off a line meant, and, making a blind guess, fortunately did the right thing. By this time the gang-plank was hauled in, and obeying the order "Jump! you chuckle-head!" the lad took a flying leap that landed him on all fours on the deck. As he regained his feet the lad was ordered aft, but he managed to slip away before reaching the stern, and hid among the very household goods he had helped bring aboard.
Here, after lying for a while pondering over the strange fortunes by which every step of his path into the world of active life seemed to be beset, he fell asleep. When he awoke it was broad daylight, and he was being greeted by an angry roar from the gruff voice of the night before.