Frank Oldfield Part 13

"Bravo, my lad, bravo!" cried Captain Merryweather, who had listened to the conversation with the greatest interest. "Come hither, my poor boy; you shall have a good meal, and something better than the grog to wash it down with."

"Oh, never heed Jack, captain," cried one of the other sailors; "he's half-seas over just now, and doesn't know which way he's steering. I'll see that the poor lad has something to eat."

"Thank you kindly, my man," replied the captain; "but he shall go with me, if he will."

"Ay, sir," said the boy thankfully, "I'll go with you, for I'm sure you speak gradely."

The whole party soon reached a temperance hotel, and here the captain ordered his young companion a substantial breakfast.

"Stay here, my lad," he said, "till I come back; I want to have a word with you. I am going with these gentlemen to the docks, but I shall be back again in half an hour. By the way, what's your name, my boy?"

A deep flush came over the other's face at this question. He stared at Captain Merryweather, and did not answer.

"I want to know your name."

"My name? Ah, well--I don't--you see--"

"Why, surely you haven't forgotten your own name? What do they call you?"

"Poor fellow!" said Hubert; "his hunger has confused his brain. He'll be better when he has had his breakfast."

But the boy had now recovered himself, and replied,--

"I ax your pardon, captain; my name's Jacob Poole."

"Well, Jacob, you just wait here half an hour, and I shall have something to say to you when I come back, which may suit us both."

When Captain Merryweather returned he found the boy looking out of the window at the streams of people going to and from the docks. His head was resting on his two hands, and it appeared to the captain that he had been weeping.

"Jacob," he cried, but there was no answer.

"Jacob Poole," again cried the captain, in a louder voice. The other turned round hastily, his face again flushed and troubled.

"Well, Jacob," said the captain, sitting down, "I suppose you're a teetotaller, from what I saw and heard to-day."

"Yes, to the back-bone," was the reply.

"Well, so am I. Now will you mind telling me, Jacob, what has brought you to Liverpool. I am not asking questions just for curiosity, but I've taken a liking to you, and want to be your friend, for you don't seem to have many friends here."

Jacob hesitated; at last he said,--

"Captain, you're just right. I've no friends here, nor am like to have.

I can't tell you all about myself, but there's nothing wrong about me, if you'll take my word for it. I'm not a thief nor a vagabond."

"Well, I do believe you," said the other; "there's truth in your face and on your tongue. I flatter myself I know a rogue when I see one.

Will you tell me, at any rate, what you mean to do in Liverpool?"

"That's easier asked nor answered," replied Jacob. "Captain, I don't mind telling you this much--I've just run away to Liverpool to get out of the reach of the drink. I am ready to do any honest work, if I can get it, but that don't seem to be so easy."

"Exactly so," said Captain Merryweather. "Now, what do you say, then, to going a voyage to Australia with me? I'm in want of a cabin-boy, and I think you'd suit me. I'll feed and clothe you, and I'll find you a situation over in Australia if you conduct yourself well on board s.h.i.+p; or, if you like to keep with me, I'll give you on the return voyage what wages are right."

The boy's eyes sparkled with delight. He sprang from his seat, grasped the captain's hand warmly between his own, and cried,--

"Captain, I'll go with you to the end of the world and back again, wage or no wage."

"I sail to-morrow," said the other; "shall you be ready?"

"Ready this moment," was the answer. "I have nothing of my own but what I stand in."

"Come along then with me," said his kind friend; "I'll see you properly rigged out, and you shall go on board with me at once."

They had not long left the hotel, and were pa.s.sing along a back street on their way to the outfitter's, when a man came hastily out of a low public-house, and ran rather roughly against Captain Merryweather.

"Halloa, my friend," cried the sailor, "have a care; you should keep a brighter look-out. You've run me down, and might have carried away a spar or two."

The man looked round, and muttered something.

"I'm sorry to see you coming out of such a place, my man," added the captain.

"Well, but I'm not drunk," said the other.

"Perhaps not, but you're just on the right tack to get drunk. Come, tell me what you've had."

"I've only had seventeen pints of ale and three pennorth of gin."

"Is it possible?" exclaimed the captain, half out loud, as the man walked off with a tolerably steady step. "He says he's not drunk after taking all that stuff aboard. Jacob, you seem as if you knew something of him."

"Ay, captain," said Jacob, who had slunk behind the captain when he saw the man. "I do, for sure; but you must excuse my telling you who he is, or where he comes from."

"He's not a good friend or companion for any one, I should think," said the captain.

"He's no friend of mine," answered Jacob; "he's too fond of the drink.

And yet he's called to be a sober man by many, 'cos he brings some of his wage home on the pay-night. Yet I've heard him say myself how he's often spent a sovereign in drink between Sat.u.r.day night and Monday morning."

"And what do you suppose has brought him here?"

"I can't tell, unless the mayster he works for has sent him over on count of summat. It's more like, however, as he's come to see his sister as lives somewhere in these parts."

"And you'd rather he didn't know you are here, I suppose?"

"Just so, captain. There's them, perhaps, as'd be arter me if he were to tell 'em as he'd see'd me here; but I don't think as he did see me; he were half fuddled: but he never gets fairly drunk."

"Well, Jacob, I don't wish to pry into your own private concerns. I'll take it for granted that you're dealing honestly by me."

"You may be sure of that, captain. I'll never deceive you. I haven't done anything to disgrace myself; but I wish to get gradely out of the reach of such chaps as yon fellow you've just spoke to. I've had weary work with the drink, and I wishes to make a fresh start, and to forget as I ever had any belonging me. So it's just what'll suit me gradely to go with you over to Australia; and you must excuse me if I make mistakes at first; but I'll do my best, and I can't say anything beyond that."

By this time they had reached the outfitter's, where the captain saw Jacob duly rigged out and furnished with all things needful for the voyage. They had left the shop and were on their way to the docks, when a tall sailor-looking man crossed over to them. His face was bronzed from exposure, but was careworn and sad, and bore unmistakable marks of free indulgence in strong drinks.