The Young Trawler by Robert Michael Ballantyne (classic novels txt) 📕

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"Ain't it beautiful?" he said, when the lump had disappeared.

"And ain't it curious," answered Ned, "that it should touch on what we was talkin' about afore they began? P'r'aps we shall know John Gunter better `when the mists are rolled away.'"

Billy shook his head dubiously. "I'm not so sure o' that," he said. "Anyhow, there's a deal o' mist to be rolled away before we can know _him_ better."

"There's a breeze comin' up from the south'ard," remarked Ned, who, to say truth, did not seem to care very much about getting to know his surly shipmate better; "we'll have to get your father aboard soon."

"That won't be an easy matter," said Billy, and he was right, for when David Bright was set down with a friend, and a glass, and a pack of cards, it was very difficult to move him. He was, indeed, as fond of gambling as of drinking, and lost much of his hardly earned gains in that way. Billy, therefore, received little but abuse when he tried to induce him to return to his own vessel, but the freshing of the breeze, and a sudden lurch of the smack, which overturned his glass of grog into Gunter's lap, induced him at last to go on deck.

There the appearance of things had changed considerably. Clouds were beginning to obscure the bright sky, the breeze had effectually shattered the clear mirror of the sea, and a swell was beginning to roll the _White Cloud_, so that legs which would have found it difficult to steady their owners on solid land made sad work of their office on the heaving deck.

"Haul up the boat," cried Brock in a drivelling voice as he came on deck; "where are you steerin' to? Let me take the helm."

He staggered toward the tiller as he spoke, but Dick Herring and one of his mates, seeing that he was quite unable to steer, tried to prevent him. Brock, however, had reached that stage of drunkenness in which men are apt to become particularly obstinate, and, being a powerful man, struggled violently to accomplish his purpose.

"Let him have it," said Herring at last. "He can't do much damage."

When set free, the miserable man grasped the tiller and tried to steady himself. A lurch of the vessel, however, rendered his effort abortive. The tiller fell to leeward. Brock went headlong with it, stumbled over the side, and, before any one could stretch out a hand to prevent it, fell into the sea and sank.

His comrades were apparently sobered in an instant. There was no need for the hurried order to jump into the boat alongside. Ned Spivin and Billy were in it with the painter cast off and the oars out in a couple of seconds. The boat of the _White Cloud_ was also launched with a speed, that only North Sea fishermen, perhaps, can accomplish, and both crews rowed about eagerly while the smack lay-to. But all without success. The unfortunate man was never more seen, and the visitors left the vessel in sobered silence, and rowed, without exchanging a word, to their own smack, which lay about a quarter of a mile distant on the port quarter.


CHAPTER ELEVEN.


RUTH AND CAPTAIN BREAM TAKE TO SCHEMING.

Returning to London, we will follow Captain Bream, who, one fine morning, walked up to Mrs Dotropy's mansion at the west end, and applied the knocker vigorously.

"Is Miss Ruth at home?"

Yes, Miss Ruth was at home, and would he walk in.

He was ushered into the library of the mansion; that room in which the Dotropy ancestors, who could not find space among their kindred in the dining-room, held, so to speak, an overflow meeting to themselves. Ruth soon joined him.

"I'm so glad to see you, Captain Bream," she said, shaking with much fervency the hand held out to her. "Sit down. It is so kind of you to come at once to help me in my little schemes--though I have not seen you to explain why I asked you--but there, I was almost off on another subject before I had begun the one I wish to consult you about. And, do you know, captain," added Ruth, with a slightly perplexed look, "I find scheming a very troublesome business!"

"I should think you did, Miss Ruth, and it seems to me that it's always better to go straight at what you've got to do without scheming--all fair an' aboveboard. Excuse me, my dear, but an old man who has sailed your lamented father's ships for over thirty years, and known you since you were a baby, may be allowed to say he's surprised that _you_ should take to scheming."

"An old man who has not only sailed my dear father's ships for over thirty years," said Ruth, "but has brought me toys from all parts of the world, and has, besides, been as true to the family as the needle to the pole--or truer, if all be true that is said of needles--may say to my father's daughter exactly what he pleases without the smallest chance of giving offence. But, let me tell you, sir, that you are a foolish old man, and much too quick in forming your opinions. Scheming is both justifiable and honourable at times--as I shall soon convince you."

A beaming smile overspread the captain's visage as he said--

"Very well, Miss Ruth. Go on."

"But before I go on tell me how are the Miss Seawards?"

"Quite well, I believe. At least I have no reason to think otherwise. Rather thinnish if anything, but filled out wonderfully since I first saw 'em."

"That's good," said Ruth, laughing. "And now, do you know why I asked you to go and lodge with them?"

"Well, I always thought it was because you knew I wanted a lodgin', though I confess it has puzzled me to make out why you wanted me to come to such an out-o'-the-way part o' the city; and, to tell you the truth, it _is_ rather inconvenient, but your letter was so urgent, Miss Ruth, that I knew you must have some good reason, and as your dear father's daughter has a right to command me, I obeyed, as you know, without question."

"You are a good old man," returned Ruth, laying her hand on the brown fist of the captain and looking up in his face with the same loving girlish look that she had bestowed on him many a time in years past on his frequent visits with foreign toys, "and I shall test your goodness a good deal before I have done with you."

"Test away, Miss Ruth. You'll find I can stand a good deal of testin'. I haven't sailed the salt sea for forty years for nothing."

"Well then," said Ruth, looking slightly perplexed again. "What would you do, Captain Bream, if you knew of two ladies who were unable to work, or to find suitable work, and so poor as to be literally starving--what would you do?"

"Give 'em money, of course."

"But suppose that, owing to some delicacy of feeling, or, perhaps, some sort of mistaken pride, they would not accept money, and flushed very much and felt hurt, if you ventured to offer it to them?"

"Why, then, I'd send 'em victuals."

"But suppose," continued Ruth, "that there were great difficulties in the way of doing that, and they felt as much objection to receive gratuitous victuals as money, what would you do then? you would not let them starve, would you?"

"Of course not," returned the captain, promptly. "If it fairly came to that I'd be apt to treat 'em as nurses do obstinate infants and castor oil. I'd take 'em on my knee, force open their mouths, and shove the victuals down their throats."

Ruth burst into a merry little laugh at this.

"But," said she, "don't you think that before proceeding to such forcible treatment you might scheme a little to get them to take it willingly, as nurses sometimes disguise the taste of the oil with coffee or milk?"

"Well, you _might_ scheme a little on that sort of principle, Miss Ruth; but in ordinary cases I prefer straightforward plans myself."

"Then why, let me ask," said Ruth with some severity in her look, "do you dare to scheme with the wind as you and all sailors do when it is dead against you?"

"You're becomin' too deep for me now, my dear; what d'ee mean?"

"When the wind blows dead against you, say from the north," replied Ruth, "don't you begin your naughty--at least your nautical--scheming at once? Don't you lay your course to the nor'-west and pretend you are going in that direction, and then don't you soon tack about--isn't that what you call it--and steer nor'-east, pretending that you are going _that_ way, when all the time you are wanting to go due north? What do you call that, sir, if it is not scheming to circumvent the wind?"

While she was speaking, Captain Bream's smile expanded and broke forth at last in one of his bass broadsides of laughter, which gave Ruth great delight for she had, as a little girl, enjoyed these thunderous laughs excessively, and her taste for them had not departed.

"Well, my dear," said her visitor, "I admit that there are some sorts o' fair-an'-above-board schemin' which ain't dishonourable, or unworthy of a British sailor."

"Very good," returned Ruth; "then listen while I reveal some of my recent scheming. Some time ago I found out that two very dear friends of mine--who were in delicate health and quite unable to work hard, as well as being unable to find any kind of work whatever--were on the point of starvation. They would not accept money. I schemed a little to get them to earn money, but it was not easy, and the result was not a sufficiently permanent income. At last I thought I would try to get them a boarder--a somewhat rich boarder, whose powerful appetite and large meals might leave some crumbs for--"

"You don't mean to tell me, Miss Ruth," interrupted the captain, in amazement, "that the Miss Seawards were in a state of starvation when I went to 'em!"

"Indeed I do," replied Ruth; "at least as nearly in that state as was compatible with existence."

"Well, well," said the captain, "no wonder they looked so thin; and no wonder they're beginnin' to be a little better in flesh now, wi' the legs o' mutton an' chops an' such like things that I get in to take the edge off my appetite--which, as you justly observe, Miss Ruth, is not a bad one. I'm glad you've told me this, however, for I'll go in for extra heavy feedin' now."

"That's right. But stay, Captain Bream, I have not nearly done with my scheming yet. And I shall still want you to help me."

"Go ahead, my dear. I'm your man, for, to tell 'ee the downright truth, I've taken a great fancy to these two sisters, an' would steer a long way out o' my course to help 'em."

"I knew you would," returned Ruth with a little look of triumph. "Whoever comes in contact with these dear friends of mine thinks exactly as you do. Now, their health is not nearly as