Jack at Sea Part 21

"Bay?" said Jack, feeling that he must say something to keep them from seeing how nervous he was. "Mount's Bay?"

"Mount's Bay?" said the captain, smiling, "No; the Bay of Biscay. We pa.s.sed Mount's Bay three days ago, while you were lying so poorly in your berth. Oh, that's nothing to mind," he added quickly. "I was horribly bad for a week in smoother water than you've had; you've done wonders to get over it so soon."

"Yes, you've done well, Jack," said Sir John, who looked gratified by the way in which his son was behaving. "Mind! keep tight hold of the rail."

For just then the yacht made a dive, rose, shook herself, and then, after seeming to hang poised on the summit of a green hillock, she started again with a leap.

"Yes; better hold tight till you feel more at home. One easily gets a heavy fall and bruises at first. But you'll soon find your sea-legs, and give and swing with the vessel just as if you belonged to her."

"Why didn't you bring the doctor up?" said Sir John; "he is losing a glorious sight."

"I tried hard to wake him," replied the lad, "but he was too sleepy."

"Yes; he likes his morning sleep," said Sir John.

The captain walked forward to speak to the two men of the watch, and an intense longing came over the boy to undeceive his father, who had not grasped the true reason of his appearance on the deck. But try hard as he would, shame kept him silent, and he began to give way again to the nervousness which oppressed him.

"Don't you think," he began; but his father checked him.

"Look--look--Jack!" he said; and he pointed to something about a quarter of a mile away.

For a few moments, as it appeared and disappeared, the lad could not catch sight of it; but at last he did.

"A serpent--a huge serpent," he cried. "Is it coming this way?"

"It, or rather they are not coming in this direction, but going on the same chase, my boy. No, it is not a serpent; serpents do not travel up and down in that fas.h.i.+on, though some people think they do, but undulate their bodies right and left."

"But look, father," cried Jack, forgetting his nervousness in the interest of what he saw. "It must be a great snake, you can make out its folds as it goes along."

"No, you look--take a good long look, and don't come on deck again without your binocular. That is a little shoal of seven or eight porpoises. They follow one another like that, and keep on with that rising and falling manner, coming up to breathe, and curling over as they dive down again. They do strangely resemble a great snake."

"But breathe, father?" said Jack; "fish breathe?"

"Those are not cla.s.sed as fish, my lad. They cannot exist without coming up to get air. A fish finds enough in the water which pa.s.ses over its gills."

"Yes, I've read that," said Jack; "but I had forgotten."

"Well, gentlemen, looking at the porpoises?" said the captain, coming up behind them. "Nice little school of them. They always go along like that. I used to think when I first saw them that they were like a troop of boys running along and leaping posts. They're after a shoal of fish; mackerel perhaps. Well, Sir John, how do you think the yacht runs with this breeze?"

"Splendidly," said Sir John.

"Breeze! Splendidly!" said Jack to himself, as he tried to restrain a shudder, for the breeze had seemed to him a storm.

"Well, sir, she's good on every tack. I can do anything with her; I never felt a boat answer the helm as she does. But I like to hear you talk about it; I feel a sort of vanity about her, seeing she is like a child of mine, and I want to be quite convinced that you are satisfied with your hasty bargain."

"Once for all then, Captain Bradleigh, be satisfied on that point; for I feel myself most fortunate," said Sir John.

"Thank you, sir, thank you!" cried the captain warmly. "That will do then; I will not refer to it again. By the way, Mr Jack, now you are getting your sea-legs, you will have to begin your education."

"My education?" said the lad, staring. "Yes, sir; you must not go on a two or three years' cruise without making a thorough sailor of yourself, so as soon as you feel yourself fit, I'm ready to teach you to box the compa.s.s, and a little navigation."

"Oh, thank you," said Jack coldly, and the tips of his horns, that, snail-like, were beginning to show signs of coming out, disappeared.

The captain gave Sir John a meaning look, and went on.

"You gentlemen will find Bartlett a capital fellow, and very useful.

He's quite at home over all kinds of sea-fis.h.i.+ng, and you had better begin to give him a hint, Mr Jack, that you'll want a good deal of his help. Capital knowledge of sea-fish; not book knowledge, but practical.

It's of no use now with the yacht going at this rate, but when we get into calmer waters."

"Shall we soon get into calmer water?" said Jack anxiously.

"Oh yes. We're going due south now, and shan't be long first. I dare say by the time we have pa.s.sed Cape Finisterre, and are running down the Spanish coast, you will find it smooth enough. Like an early cup of tea, gentlemen?"

"I? No," said Sir John, "I'll wait for breakfast. What do you say, Jack?"

Jack said nothing, but looked disgusted.

"Don't like the idea of taking anything of course, sir," said the captain; "but wait a little, I'm quite a doctor over these troubles, and I'll give you some good news."

"I'm sure he will be grateful for it," said Sir John, for Jack was silent.

"Here it is then," said the captain bluffly; "and you may believe it, for I know. You've had a sharp little spell since we left port; but it's over now, and, as we say, you're quite well, thank you."

"I quite well?" cried the lad indignantly; "I feel wretchedly bad."

"And think me very unfeeling for talking to you like this," said the captain, smiling; "but I'm nothing of the kind. Of course you feel wretchedly ill. Faint and weak, and as if you could never touch food again. That's why I wanted you to let the steward bring you a cup of tea. Human nature can't go without food for three or four days without feeling bad."

"Of course not," said Sir John.

"But now look here, Mr Jack, I talked about good news, and told you that you were well now. Here's the proof. There's a nice stiff breeze on, the water's very lively, and the yacht's dancing about so that we shall have to mind how we handle our breakfast-cups; and look at you!

You are holding on because you haven't learned to give and take with the springs in your legs, but you are taking it all quite calmly. Why, the other day as soon as we began to careen over a bit, the doctor had to take you below. Now do you see the difference?"

"No," said Jack. "You cannot tell how ill I feel."

"My dear lad, I know exactly," said the captain. "Come, pluck up your courage; we're going to have a glorious day, and the wind will drop before noon. Take my advice: go below to have a good tubbing, and dress yourself again, and by breakfast-time you'll be beginning to wonder that you should have felt so queer; and mind this, sea-sickness isn't a disease: it's a--well, it's a--Ah, here's the doctor. Morning, Doctor Instow, you're just in time. What is sea-sickness?"

"A precious nuisance for those who are troubled with it," said the doctor heartily. "Morning. Morning, Meadows. Why, Jack, lad, this is grand. You've quite stolen a march on me. I say, you mean you're over your bit of misery then. My word, what a jolly morning. Hullo! going below?"

"Yes," said Jack quietly, as he began to move toward the cabin hatch.

"Take my arm, Mr Jack," said the captain kindly.

"No, thank you," said the lad. "I want to get to be able to balance."

Sir John said nothing, but stood with the others watching the lad's unsteady steps till he disappeared.

"He'll do now, sir," said the captain.