Captain Nelson laughed. “No Ar’tic in yours, eh? What you want to go to the South Seas for? We don’t lie ’round under palm trees and eat breadfruit and watch the surf breaking on coral sands, like the pictures in your geography books. What ’you been getting hold of?”
I squirmed and got very red, and stammered and said nothing.
Captain Nelson laughed again, and gave me a little shake and let me go.
“Well, Tim, no need to ask about any of your boys. You recommend him, I suppose?”
“I do, Cap’n. I ’m sorry he ’s taken with whaling, and that ’s the truth; and it ’s rather sudden, for he ’s only told me within the last half-hour, and his mother and I will hate to have him go off for three or four years. But if that ’s what he wants I ’d better help than try to hinder him.”
Captain Nelson nodded. “May be five years, Tim. No knowing.” He turned suddenly to me. “What ’s your name?”
“Tim, sir.”
“Well, little Tim, I guess we can find room for you. May not get the crew in time to sail to-night. Probably won’t. But you ’d better be on hand and keep an eye out for us. Bright and early in the morning, anyway.”
He nodded again, got his clearance papers, and stumped out. I stared stupidly after him.
My father sighed. “Well, Timmie, that was soon done. We ’ll be late for dinner. Come along.”