"Yes, an' you he vould not carry at all; you too much chick. Remember
I the captain, and I vill discharge you at first port."
"Oh, you go to h----!"
"No, I vill not go to h----. I'll just stay here, and you can go to
----. You jist a boy."
"All right, Dutchy," replied the refractory mate; "you'll want me
before I want you."
And this was a correct prediction, as, a few days later, Dutchy lost
himself, and was obliged to come to his mate and ask the true position
of the vessel.
"I am not captain," said he. "Do it yourself; you are a very clever
fellow."
"No, no," said Vandertallen; "you know better dan me. Let us be
friends, Jim. I call you Jim; you call me Dutchy, or vat you like."
"All right, then," said James Leigh. "If that is to be the way, I'll
tell you where you are, and if you had run in the same direction other
four hours you would have been ashore on the Island of Mocha."
"Vair is dat?" said Vandertallen, nervously.
"For Heaven's sake don't ask such silly questions," said the mate.
"You are miles out of your reckoning."
"Vell, I'm d----!" said the amazed skipper. "Den you must do de
reckonin' now, Jim."
"That's all very well, Dutchy, but if I have to do the navigation I am
entitled to share the pay."
"Vary vell," replied his captain, "dat agree."
So henceforth they were co-partners in everything--wages,
perquisites, and position; and they never again got out of their
reckoning. It was obvious James was first favourite with the crew,
and after the first voyage the veteran owner showed his marked
approval. Jim was allowed to do just as he pleased. The daughters were
charmed with him, and frequently visited the vessel with their father
when the officers could not get conveniently to their home. A strong
and growing attachment was quite apparent so far as the girls were
concerned. There seemed to be a preference with both of them for the
first mate, who, in turn, fixed his affections on the youngest. His
comrade was not quite satisfied with being so frequently ignored, so
remonstrated with Jim to stick to one, and he would stick to the
other; but the ladies having to be taken into account, it did not work
at all smoothly, as each desired to have Mr. Leigh, and before it was
settled the sisters had a violent tiff, which brought about the climax
and made it possible for negotiations to be carried on in favour of a
settlement. The father selected the elder girl for Vandertallen, and
the younger was fixed on Leigh, who threw himself into the vortex of
flirtation with youthful ardour. He thought at one time of marrying
and settling down in Chili, and undoubtedly the owner and daughter
gave encouragement to this idea.
But letters began to arrive from home, which had an unsettling effect
on him. He was afraid to give his confidence to the captain lest he
might break faith with him, but in truth his mind and heart were
centred on a picturesque spot on the side of a Welsh hill, and in that
little home there was one who longed to have him back. Indeed, she had
written to say that if he did not come soon to her she would come to
him. These communications revived all the old feelings of affection in
his breast, and he resolved to tear himself away from the environment
which had gripped him like a vice. The old Spaniard kept hinting
marriage to him each time he paid a visit to the superb villa, but he
refused to be drawn into anything definite. As he said--
"The place is getting too hot for me. I must face it sooner or later
if I am not to permanently settle in Chili. Once married it is all
over with me. I will have loads of money, but am I sure it will bring
happiness? I think I must say that I lean towards a daughter of my
native land, who may not have wealth, but who has all the attributes
that appeal to me. In a few days I must decide."
These were some of the thoughts occupying Jim's mind as the leaky old
ark lounged her way along the coast. The captain, on the other hand,
talked freely to his mate as to his own thoughts, prompted no doubt by
close companionship and the idea of becoming brothers-in-law. He told
Leigh that both of them would be very wealthy some day, but Jim kept
his counsel. He had resolved that if the subject was mentioned by the
Spaniard again he would make himself scarce.
On their arrival at Iquique, Leigh received more letters from home. He
went to the owner's house, and in the course of the evening the old
gentleman asked him right out to marry his daughter. Mr. Leigh was
confused, and said he would like to save a little more money.
"Never mind the money. You will have plenty of that," said the father.
It was duly arranged that the wedding should take place at the end of
the next trip, and on the strength of that there was much rejoicing at
the villa, in which James Leigh heartily joined. He was pressed to
stay all night with the happy family, but he said that he could not do
so, owing to pressing official duties; so he bade his usual _adieux_,
and slipped out into the balmy night and made his way aboard the
vessel. He packed his belongings in a bag, woke the captain, who was
asleep in his berth, shook hands with him, and said--
"Good-bye, Dutchy. _You_ can do what you blessed well like, but I am
off."
And before the captain had recovered from his sleepy amazement his
mate had slipped over the side into a boat. That was the last Dutchy
ever saw of his prospective brother-in-law.
James Leigh stowed himself away aboard a Yankee full-rigged
packet-ship which had to sail the following morning, and when the
coast was clear he made his appearance. He was subjected for a time to
that brutal treatment which at one time disgraced the American
mercantile marine,[3] but being a smart young fellow who could do the
work of a competent seaman, and handle his "dukes" with aptitude, the
officers began to show partiality towards him, and before many days he
became quite a favourite with them and with the captain. To his
surprise, when the vessel had been at Philadelphia a few days, he was
asked to qualify for the second officer's berth. He received the
compliment with modest reserve, but his inward pride gave him trouble
to control. This was a position of no mean order even to men far
beyond _his_ years, but the thought of serving as an officer under the
magic Stars and Stripes was more fascinating than any pride he had in
the size of the vessel. A life of slash and dash was just the kind of
experience that appealed to a full-blooded rip like Jim Leigh, so that
he needed no persuading to take the offer, and adapt himself with
fervour to the new conditions, which invested him with the
knuckle-duster, the belaying pin, and the six-shooter. The _Betty
Sharp_ was chartered for London instead of the Far East, as was
expected, and twenty days after passing Cape Henry she entered the
Thames; but even in that short time the sprightly officer had made
quite a name for himself, by his methods of training and taming a
heterogeneous team of packet rats.
As the vessel was being hauled into the Millwall Docks, spectators
were attracted by the disfigured condition of many of the crew. A
gentleman came aboard to solicit business, and after a few preliminary
remarks he said--
"Pardon me, captain, but I cannot help noticing that some of your
sailors look as though there had been fighting. Did they mutiny?"
"Well, no; it was not exactly mutiny, but it was getting near to it."
"It must have been an anxious time for you, sir," continued the
visitor.
"Well, no; I guess I was not anxious at all, for my officers went
about their rough work with some muscular vigour. The war-paint was
soon put on and the rebellion squashed out of them. The chief officer,
understand, is an old hand at the game; and that there young fellow,
the second officer, takes to the business kindly. So we'll get along
right away."
When the vessel was moored and the decks cleared up, the second
officer and the boatswain asked the captain's permission to go ashore
for the evening. This was granted, with a strong admonition to keep
straight and return aboard sober. The boatswain was a short, thick-set
man, with no education, but a sailor all over in his habits, manner,
and conversation, and was just the kind of person to have as a
companion if there was any trouble about. The two sailors were like
schoolboys on a holiday. They were well received by their friends,
male and female. In the West of London both were objects of interest,
and told their tales with unfailing exaggeration. The boatswain was
especially attractive, owing to his rugged personality and his
unaffected manner. His sanguinary tales of American packet-ship life
were much canvassed for, and being a good story-teller, he embellished
them with incidents that gave them a fine finishing touch. He was
asked by some young ladies if he had ever done any courting.
"Oh yes," said he; "I have mixed a lot of that up with other things.
The very last time I was stranded in Chili I got on courting a girl
whose mother kept a bit of an hotel, and I was getting on famously,
when one day the old lady told me I wasn't to come about her house
after her daughter; but I kept on going in a sort of secret way, and
one night I was sitting in what you would call the kitchen, and the
old girl sneaked in with a great big stick. I saw the fury in her eye.
She made a go for me. I couldn't get out, so I bobbed under a
four-legged wooden table, picked it up on my shoulders, and tried to
protect my legs as much as I could. The girl screamed, and rushed to
open the door, and then called out for me to run. I didn't need any
telling. I rushed out, the old witch laying on the table with all her
might until I got out of her reach. And that is the way I am here,
because I shipped at once aboard the _Betty Sharp_, for fear I might
be copped and put in choky by the old fiend."
"Have you heard from your sweetheart since?" asked one of the ladies.
"No," said Jack the boatswain; "nor I don't want to. I'll soon get
another where they knows how to treat genuine sweetheartin'."