The History of Little Peter, the Ship Boy Part 4

"Thank you," said Peter, "I do feel very sleepy, and am glad to go to bed."

Before Peter took off his clothes, however, he knelt down, and from the bottom of his heart returned thanks to G.o.d for having preserved his life and brought him on board so fine a s.h.i.+p.

If Peter was surprised at the appearance of a black man, much more astonished was the latter at seeing the boy in the att.i.tude of prayer.

He stood a moment at the door gazing at him.

"What! the little chap pray and not afraid of being seen!" he muttered to himself; "that beats anything I ever heard; I can't make it out."

Yet Emery did not feel angry at what he had seen; but as he went aft to attend to his duties, he kept muttering, "Dat is strange; he not afraid; can't make it out."

He was soon afterwards sound asleep, when the men, with a fellow-feeling for what he had gone through, took care not to arouse him, and he slept till breakfast time the next day.

Peter found a considerable difference between the crew of the _Primrose_ and that of the _Polly_. They were generally a hearty, merry set; but, alas! he soon heard oaths and curses coming out of the lips of most of them. Some, too, were morose and ill-tempered and discontented with their lot, and all seemed utterly indifferent about their souls.

Peter, however, was treated kindly, though of course he had to perform the usual duties of a s.h.i.+p's-boy, shared by the two other lads somewhat older than himself, apprentices on board.

The first day he got into the berth when no one was there, and was able to read his Bible without interruption for nearly an hour. He was thinking that it was time to go out lest he should be wanted, when a tall handsome lad entered the berth.

"What! young chap!" exclaimed the latter, "are you a book-worm? I used to be fond of reading tales and adventures; let us have a look at the story you have got hold of."

"It's no story, it's all true," answered Peter; "it is G.o.d's word."

"Is that your style of reading? I have no fancy for it, though each man to his taste, I say," observed the youth.

"You would find it a very interesting book, though, Owen Bell," said Peter, who had heard the youth's name. "I never get tired of it, but I read it whenever I can; for it's only by reading it that we can know how to obey Christ, and be prepared to live with Him in heaven."

"Oh, but I have to live down here and knock about at sea," answered Owen Bell, with a careless laugh. "It will be time enough when I become an old chap, like Simon Hixon, to think about matters of that sort."

"Who is Simon Hixon?" asked Peter.

"The oldest man on board. You might have heard him growling away and swearing at the cook, after dinner to-day, because the soup was not thick enough," answered Bell.

"Does Simon Hixon read the Bible?" asked Peter.

"Not he. You had better just try and persuade him to do so, or to listen to you, for I doubt if he can spell his own name," said Bell.

"Perhaps when he was young he might have said that he would begin to read the Bible when he was old, and you see he has not begun yet,"

observed Peter.

"No, because he is such a sulky, swearing old ruffian. If he had been a decent sort of fellow, I dare say he would have begun, if he had intended to do so, just like my father, who used to read the Bible to the day of his death," remarked the lad.

"But if Simon had begun to read the Bible when he was young, he would not have become such as you say he now is," observed Peter. "Jesus Christ would have changed Simon Hixon's heart, and then he could not have become a sulky, swearing old ruffian."

"You are too deep for me," said Bell, with a forced laugh. "I never quarrel with anybody, and don't want to quarrel with you; but let me advise you not to go on talking in that sort of way to the other chaps aboard; you won't hear the end of it if you do. The cook was shouting for you as I came along the deck; just hide away your Bible and go and see what he wants."

Peter put his Bible into its case.

"You will let me read it to you sometimes, Owen?" he said, as he went out of the berth.

"Well, I don't mind if I have a spell of it some Sunday," said Bell, with apparent carelessness. "It would put me in mind of old times at home; but I should not like to be seen reading it on a week-day. I have no fancy to be called a Methodist, as you will be if you are found out."

Peter, going to the caboose, asked the cook what he wanted, and was told to clean the pots and pans. He set to work with right good will.

"You have done it handsomely, boy," observed the cook, when he had finished. "I have not had my pans so bright for many a day."

The _Primrose_ had a fine run down Channel. On her pa.s.sage a sudden squall struck her; the watch on deck flew aloft to shorten sail. Peter, who was aft, lay out on the mizen top-gallant-sail yard, and taking the weather earring, succeeded, with Owen Bell and two others, in handling the fluttering sail. As he reached the deck the captain called to him.

"You did that smartly, youngster; it's not the first time I have observed you. I'll keep my eye on you. Go on as you have begun, and you will make a famous seaman."

"I thank you, sir," said Peter, touching his hat as he went forward.

"I didn't expect it from a psalm-singer," observed the captain to the first-mate with his usual good-natured laugh.

"There is no harm in the lad for all that," was the answer.

Peter, however, had his trials. Being placed in a watch, he had to turn in and out with his watch-mates. The first night, as usual, he knelt down to say his prayers. He hadn't been long on his knees, before he was interrupted by a suppressed t.i.tter, which soon broke into a peal of laughter from all hands, and several shoes came flying about him. He knelt on, however, trying to keep his thoughts calm, and his heart lifted up to G.o.d.

"Well, that young chap does sleep soundly," cried one; "wake him up, Bill."

"Hilloa, Peter! are you acting parson?" cried Bill, one of the wildest of the crew.

Peter made no reply, and endeavoured, though it was a hard task, to continue his prayers. Similar jeers and questions were now showered on him from all sides.

"Oh, my Father in heaven," he mentally e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, "help me to continue to pray and soften the hearts of my s.h.i.+pmates towards me and towards themselves. May they see what a fearful state they are in when thus obeying Satan, and strangers to Thee."

The men and boys, who, prompted by them, had been the worst, were silent for some minutes, and Peter had nearly finished his prayers, when a fresh volley of all sorts of articles was hove at him. Still he persevered. Now his tormentors burst forth afresh with ribald jests and shouts of laughter.

"If he stands all that he will stand anything," growled out old Simon Hixon, who, though not taking so active a part as the rest, had encouraged them in their conduct.

Peter at length rose from his knees without saying a word, took off his clothes, and turned into his berth. Although he never lay down without commending himself to G.o.d, he did not kneel down before turning in after the middle watch was over, and it was not till the second night he again went to bed during the first watch. The same conduct as before was pursued towards him, but although he received two or three severe blows he persevered.

"Well, for my part, I shall be ashamed to try him any more," he heard Owen Bell exclaim as he rose from his knees. "Peter, you are a brave little chap, and if you had followed my advice this would not have come upon you," said Owen, addressing him.

"You meant it kindly," answered Peter; "but as G.o.d gives me everything, and takes care of me, I am sure it is my duty to thank Him night and morning for all His benefits, and to ask Him to continue them to me. I would rather not have the things hove at my head, but you know it would not be right for me to put G.o.d aside for fear of what any of you may choose to do."

When on another night two or three began the same sort of work, the rest cried out and told them to let the little psalm-singer alone; even old Hixon held his tongue, and from that time forward Peter was allowed to say his prayers in peace.

CHAPTER FIVE.

STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS.

When little Peter read his Bible on a Sunday while other men were mending their clothes, or sleeping, or amusing themselves with old newspapers or story books, he was generally allowed to do so in peace, but he wished to study it on week-days, as well, convinced that it was intended to guide him in every affair of life. On each occasion that he was found doing so, however, he was sure to be interrupted. The other boys would play him all sorts of tricks, and the men would send him to perform some work or other, and if they could think of nothing else, would despatch him with a pretended message to the man at the helm.

Simon Hixon was his greatest foe, and frequently as Peter pa.s.sed gave him a blow with a rope's-end.

One day as Peter was quietly reading his Bible in the berth, Hixon swore that if he found him again at it, he would throw the book overboard.

"It would be a great shame to do that," answered Peter, "and I hope you won't try. G.o.d would, I am sure, not allow you to go unpunished."