“What do you want with them?” asked the captain.
“They are my friends,” said Harry, “and I wish to see if they require anything.”
“If you go below you shall wait upon them and on me too, youngster. My cabin-boy fell overboard the other day, and I want another.”
“While I remain on board I will do as you wish,” answered Harry, glad to have the means of being of service to his friends.
He found them in a small cabin—poor Mrs Hart still very weak and ill, and Mr Hart seated by her side, though much requiring rest himself.
One of the men who had taken in the captain’s breakfast had brought them some, but they had received no other attention, while they had heard the captain abusing missionaries as a useless, idle set who never did any good.
Harry set about the duty he had undertaken with alacrity, though for some days he had great difficulty in moving about. He said nothing when the captain abused him as an idle young dog, but did his best to do as he was required. He spread the table as he had seen it arranged on board the Steadfast, and tried to keep the cabin in good order. He was constant in his attendance on Mr and Mrs Hart, though he had often a difficulty in obtaining proper food for them from the cook.
Dickey was anxious to assist him, and proposed to ask the captain’s leave.
“I am sure he would not grant it,” said Harry; “he would only say that one boy is more than enough, and that we should be playing tricks together.”
Harry could not help acknowledging that he had an uncomfortable life of it; but he willingly bore all the captain’s abuse for the sake of his friends, and his chief consolation was to remain in their cabin and to listen to Mr Hart’s conversation. The captain, however, who at length one day found he was there, ordered him on deck.