Peter Trawl Part 21

"We are some way to the westward of Portland, already," he answered.

"It is possible that he may land you at Plymouth or Falmouth, or if not put you on board some pilot or fis.h.i.+ng boat, or any vessel we may fall in with coming up Channel."

"Surely, sir, he would not carry us away from home? I would give anything to be on sh.o.r.e, where my young sister is expecting me, and it would break her heart to fancy I was lost, which she would do if I did not appear," I said.

"As Mr Griffiths and I only joined the s.h.i.+p at Hull, ten days ago, we are not very intimate with the captain: but I hope he would not refuse your request."

The doubtful way in which he spoke made me feel very unhappy. Still, I hoped that when I told the captain the strong reasons I had for wis.h.i.+ng to be put on sh.o.r.e as soon as possible, he would not refuse.

The doctor left me to attend to one of the men who was sick forward, and I joined Jim, who had also come on deck. I had a long talk with him about the matter. He fancied we were only then just abreast of the Downs, and that the captain would put in willingly enough for the sake of getting rid of us. It was a great disappointment to find that we were so far down Channel, and that we should thus, at all events, have a long journey back to Portsmouth. Still we neither of us doubted for a moment that we should be put on sh.o.r.e somewhere to the westward, as I saw by a look I had at the compa.s.s that we were standing for the land.

While we were talking, the captain, whom we had not yet seen, came on deck. He was a fine, tall, sailor-like looking man, with a handsome countenance and large eyes, which seemed to take in everything at a glance--a person of whom the roughest crew would stand in awe.

His bright eyes fell on Jim and me; he beckoned us to come up, and, looking at me, bade me give him the particulars of the loss of the brig, about which Mr Griffiths and the doctor had told him.

I gave him the account as he desired, and then thought that I might venture to ask him to put Jim and me on sh.o.r.e, for that, as may be supposed, was the thing uppermost in my mind.

"We will see about that, my lads," he answered. "If the wind holds as it now does it won't cause us any delay, but I can make no promises.

Boys at your age ought to wish to see the world, and we can find employment for you on board. You are sharp fellows, I can see, or you would not have saved your lives. One of the apprentices isn't worth his salt, and the other will slip his cable before long, I suspect. His friends insisted on my taking him, fancying that the voyage would restore him to health."

The captain spoke in so free-and-easy a way that the awe with which I was at first inclined to regard him vanished.

The wind, I should have said, had s.h.i.+fted to the westward of south. We were standing about north-west, a course which would carry us over to the English coast before long. We were obliged to be content with the sort of promise that the captain had made, and I hoped that when the doctor and Mr Griffiths spoke to him, that he would not refuse to put us on sh.o.r.e.

Though Jim and I were well enough to walk about the deck, we were too weak to venture aloft, or we should have been at the masthead looking out for land. We went forward, however, keeping our eyes over the starboard bow, where we expected every instant to see it.

Several of the men spoke to us good-naturedly, and were as eager as the officers had been to hear what had happened to us. While we were standing there looking out, a lad came up and said, "So I hear you fellows are to be our messmates. What are your names?"

I told him.

"Mine's Ned Horner," he said, "and I hope we shall be friends, for I can't make anything of the fellow who messes with me, George Esdale.

There's no fun in him, and he won't talk or do anything when it's his watch below but read and sing psalms."

"I shall be glad to be friends with you," I answered, "but I don't suppose it will be for long, as I expect we shall leave the s.h.i.+p to-night or to-morrow morning."

"That may or may not be," he remarked, with a laugh. "Have you been long at sea?"

I told him that I had been brought up to it from my boyhood.

"Well, you have the advantage of me, for this is my first voyage; and Esdale didn't know the stem from the stern when he first came on board.

Now come along to the half-deck; he and I are going to dinner; I suppose you'll join us?"

Jim and I were beginning to feel hungry, and willingly accepted Horner's invitation.

The savoury whiffs which came out of the caboose as we pa.s.sed made me feel more eager than ever for something to eat.

Horner took us down to the half-deck, where we found Esdale, of whom he had spoken, seated on a chest reading. He was a pale, sickly-looking youth, taller a good deal than Jim.

He put down his book and held out his hand to shake ours.

"It's your turn to go for the dinner," he said to Horner, "and it must be ready by this time, but I'll go if you wish it."

"Well, you may go," said Horner; "I want to do the honours to these fellows. Take care that you don't capsize with the things as you come along the deck."

Then, without another word, Esdale got up, and putting his book into the chest, went forward.

"I make him do just what I like," said Horner, in a contemptuous tone.

"Take care that you don't treat him in the same way, for if he has too many masters he may be inclined to kick."

Before long Esdale returned with a bowl of pea-soup, and a plate at the top of it containing some potatoes, and a piece of fat boiled pork.

"Now fall to, youngsters," said Horner, in a patronising tone. "I am sorry not to be able to offer you better fare."

While he was speaking he got out of a locker four plates and two metal spoons and two wooden ones.

We did ample justice to the dinner, as we had been accustomed to nothing better while we were on board the _Nancy_. After the meal was finished we returned on deck, though Esdale did not offer to accompany us, as he spent his watch below, as Horner had said, in reading, writing, or singing in a low voice to himself.

We pa.s.sed the afternoon looking out for the land. At length, when night came on, in spite of my anxiety to see the coast, and the long sleep I had had, I felt scarcely able to keep my eyes open. Still, I should probably have remained on deck after dark had not the doctor come to us and said, "I have spoken to the captain, lads, and he promises to put you on sh.o.r.e to-morrow morning; so now go and turn in, for you require sleep."

We went to the half-deck, where we found that the carpenter had knocked up some rough bunks, in which some mattresses and blankets had been placed. We were both glad enough to turn in. I observed that Esdale, before he did so, knelt down and said his prayers. It was Horner's watch on deck, so that he was not present.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

THE VOYAGE OF THE "INTREPID" BEGUN.

I slept right through the night, and was surprised to find when I opened my eyes that it was daylight. Jim and I at once turned out and went on deck.

There was the land, broad on the starboard bow, still at some distance.

When I looked aloft I saw that the yards were square, and studding-sails on either side. A strong north-easterly wind was blowing, and we were running down Channel.

The captain, the first mate, and the doctor were on deck. Jim and I gazed eagerly at the land.

I went up to the doctor.

"Whereabouts are we, sir?" I asked.

"We are off the Start, my lad."

"Off the Start!" I exclaimed. "Oh, sir, won't the captain put into Plymouth to land us as he promised? Do speak to him, sir."

"These lads are very anxious to be landed, Captain Hawkins," he said.

"It is of the greatest importance to young Trawl here, and it would not much delay us."

The mate spoke in the same way, and entreated the captain even in stronger language than Dr c.o.c.kle had used.

"No, no," he answered. "Very likely they do wish to be put on sh.o.r.e, but we cannot lose a moment of this fine breeze. The trip won't do them any harm, and they'll thank me for it by-and-by."