The officer helped Charley up the side, and Dick was hoisted on deck after him. When placed on his feet he sank down, unable to stand.
“He is almost starved,” said the doctor, who now appeared. “Take him below, and I will attend to him. But the youngster seems in good case.”
“Glad you say so, sir,” murmured Dick. “I could not let him want while there was food to be had, and I hope they’ll be kind to him aboard, for his parents are gentlefolks, and he wasn’t brought up to the hard life he’s had to lead of late.” Dick said this that Charley might be treated with more consideration than might otherwise have been the case. He was not disappointed; indeed, though roughly clad, the boy had the look and air of a young gentleman.
The captain, a stout, burly man, and his wife, Mrs Podgers, a much stouter woman, already mentioned, now appeared from below, followed by a slight, fair, delicate-looking girl, who offered a strong contrast to her parents—if such could possibly be the relationship they bore to her.
“Let me look at the little fellow,” said Mrs Podgers, as she waddled to the gangway, where Charley was still standing near the third mate. “He don’t seem as if he had been starved; yet I was told that he and the man were a whole week in the boat without anything to eat. But bring him into the cabin, Mr Falconer; I want to hear all about it.” Mrs Podgers, as she spoke, gave Charley a kiss, for which he seemed in no way grateful. He showed less objection, however, to the same treatment from the young lady, and willingly followed her into the cabin, keeping close to her, and at a distance from the stout captain and his wife. Finding, however, that Mrs Podgers did not again attempt to kiss him, he became more reconciled to her, and did good justice, while sitting next to Miss Kitty, to the ample supper placed before him.
Mrs Podgers, and more especially the young lady, listened with great interest to his account of his adventures, and he apparently made his way into the good graces of the elder personage. “Well, Kitty,” she said, “as he is too young to go and live among the men forward, and seems well-behaved, if you like to look after him, he may remain in the cabin, and you can teach him to read; which if he’s the son of gentlefolks he ought to know how to do, and it will be an amusement to you, my dear.” Miss Kitty said she should be very happy to take care of the boy, and asked him if he wished to remain.
“Yes, with you,” he answered, looking up in her face, “but you’ll let me go and see Dick whenever he wants me?”
“Oh, yes, as often as you like,” she answered; “and I am glad to find that you are grateful to one who seems to have devoted himself to you; for if we are not grateful to our earthly friends, we are still less likely to be grateful to our heavenly Friend.”
“I know whom you mean,” said Charley, nodding to her. “Dick has told me about Him; He took care of us all the time we were on the island and in the boat, and Dick has taught me to pray to Him every night and morning, and I shouldn’t be happy if I didn’t.”
“I am very, very glad to hear of that,” observed Miss Kitty, pressing the boy’s hand. “We shall be friends, Charley.”