IN WHICH CAPTAIN WILSON IS REPAID WITH INTEREST FOR JACK'S BORROWING HIS
NAME; PROVING THAT A GOOD NAME IS AS GOOD AS A LEGACY.
"Well, Jack, my boy, have you any long story ready for me?" inquired the
Governor.
"Yes, sir," replied Jack, "I have one or two very good ones."
"Very well, we'll hear them after dinner," replied old Tom. "In the
meantime find out your room and take possession."
"That must not be for very long, Governor," observed Captain Wilson.
"Mr Easy must learn his duty, and there is a good opportunity now."
"If you please, sir," replied Jack, "I'm on the sick-list."
"Sick-list," said Captain Wilson; "you were not in the report that Mr
Wilson gave me this morning."
"No, I'm on Mr Pottyfar's list; and I'm going through a course of the
universal medicine."
"What's all this, Jack--what's all this?--there's some story here--don't
be afraid of the captain--you've me to back you," said the Governor.
Jack was not at all afraid of the captain, so he told him how the
first-lieutenant had refused him leave the evening before, and how he
had now given him permission to remain, and try the universal medicine,
at which the Governor laughed heartily, nor could Captain Wilson refrain
from joining.
"But, Mr Easy," replied the captain, after a pause, "if Mr Pottyfar
will allow you to stay on shore, I cannot--you have your duty to learn.
You must be aware that now is your time, and you must not lose
opportunities that do not occur every day. You must acknowledge the
truth of what I say."
"Yes, sir," replied Jack, "I admit it all, provided I do intend to
follow the profession;" and so saying, our hero bowed, and left the
veranda where they had been talking.
This hint of Jack's, thrown out by him more with the intention of
preventing his being sent on board than with any definite idea, was not
lost upon either the captain or the Governor.
"Does he jib, then?" observed the Governor.
"On the contrary, I never knew him more attentive and so entirely
getting rid of his former notions. He has behaved most nobly in the
gale, and there has not been one complaint against him--I never was more
astonished--he must have meant something."
"I'll tell you what he means, Wilson--that he does not like to be sent
on board, nothing more. He's not to be cooped up--you may lead him, but
not drive him."
"Yes, but the service will not admit of it. I never could allow it--he
must do his duty like the rest, and conform to the rules."
"Exactly, so he must; but look ye, Wilson, you must not lose him: it's
all easily settled--appoint him your orderly midshipman to and from the
ship; that will be employment, and he can always remain here at night.
I will tell him that I have asked, as a favour, what I now do, and leave
me to find out what he is thinking about."
"It may be done that way, certainly," replied Captain Wilson, musing;
"and you are more likely to get his intentions from him than I am. I am
afraid he has too great a command of money ever to be fond of the ship;
it is the ruin of a junior officer to be so lavishly supplied."
"He's a long way from ruin yet, Wilson--he's a very fine fellow, even by
your own acknowledgment. You humoured him out of gratitude to his
father, when he first came into the service; humour him a little now to
keep him in it. Besides, if your first lieutenant is such a fool with
his universal medicine, can you wonder at a midshipman taking advantage
of it?"
"No, but I ought not to allow him to do so with my eyes open."
"He has made it known to you upon honour, and you ought not to take
advantage of his confidence: but still what I proposed would, I think,
be the best, for then he will be at his duty in a way that will suit all
parties. You, because you employ him on service--the first lieutenant,
because Jack can take his medicine--and Jack, because he can dine with
me every day."
"Well, I suppose it must be so," replied Captain Wilson, laughing; "but
still, I trust, you will discover what is working in his mind to induce
him to give me that answer, Governor."
"Never fear, Jack shall confess, and lay his soul as bare as that of a
Catholic bigot before his padre."
The party sat down to dinner, and what with the Governor's aide-de-camp
and those invited, it was pretty numerous. After the cloth had been
removed, the Governor called upon Jack for his stories, whereupon, much
to the surprise of Captain Wilson, who had never heard one word of it,
for the admiral had not mentioned anything about it to him during the
short time the _Aurora_ was with the Toulon fleet, our hero gave the
Governor and the company the narrative of all that happened in the _Mary
Ann_ transport--the loves of Captain Hogg and Miss Hicks--the adventures
of Gascoigne--and his plan, by which he baulked them all. The Governor
was delighted, and Captain Wilson not a little astonished.
"You prevented a very foolish thing, Mr Easy, and behaved very well,"
observed the captain, laughing again at the idea; "but you never told me
of all this."
"No, sir," replied Jack, "I have always reserved my stories for the
Governor's table, where I am sure to meet you, and then telling once
does for all."
Jack received his appointment as orderly midshipman, and everything went
on well; for, of his own accord, he stayed on board the major part of
the day to learn his duty, which very much pleased the captain and Mr
Pottyfar. In this Jack showed a great deal of good sense, and Captain
Wilson did not repent of the indulgence he had shown him. Jack's health
improved daily, much to Mr Pottyfar's satisfaction, who imagined that
he took the universal medicine night and morning. Gascoigne also was a
patient under the first lieutenant's hands, and often on shore with our
hero, who thought no more of quitting the service.
For seven weeks they had now remained in harbour, for even the masts had
to be made, when, one day, Captain Wilson opened a letter he received at
breakfast-time, and having read it, laid it down with the greatest
surprise depicted in his countenance. "Good heavens! what can this
mean?" said he.
"What's the matter, Wilson?" said the Governor.
"Just hear its contents, Sir Thomas."