As the calm weather continued in the afternoon, Joe Davidson tried to
persuade Captain Bream to pay the _Evening Star_ a visit, but the latter
felt that the excitement and exertion of preaching to such earnest and
thirsting men had been more severe than he had expected. He therefore
excused himself, saying that he would lie down in his bunk for a short
time, so as to be ready for the evening service.
It was arranged that the skipper of the mission smack should conduct
that service, and he was to call the captain when they were ready to
begin. When the time came, however, it was found that the exhausted
invalid was so sound asleep that they did not like to disturb him.
But although Captain Bream was a heavy sleeper and addicted to sonorous
snoring, there were some things in nature through which even he could
not slumber; and one of these things proved to be a hymn as sung by the
fishermen of the North Sea!
When, therefore, the Lifeboat hymn burst forth in tones that no
cathedral organ ever equalled, and shook the timbers of the mission-ship
from stem to stern, the captain turned round, yawned, and opened his
eyes wide, and when the singers came to--
"Leave the poor old stranded wreck, and pull for the shore,"
he leaped out of his bunk with tremendous energy.
Pulling his garments into order, running his fingers through his hair,
and trying to look as if he had not been asleep, he slipped quietly into
the hold and sat down on a box behind the speaker, where he could see
the earnest faces of the rugged congregation brought into strong relief
by the light that streamed down the open hatchway.
What the preacher said, or what his subject was, Captain Bream never
knew, for, before he could bring his mind to bear on it, his eyes fell
on an object which seemed to stop the very pulsations of his heart,
while his face grew pale. Fortunately he was himself in the deep shadow
of the deck, and could not be easily observed.
Yet the object which created such a powerful sensation in the captain's
breast was not in itself calculated to cause amazement or alarm, for it
was nothing more than a pretty-faced, curly-haired fisher-boy, who, with
lips parted and his bright eyes gazing intently, was listening to the
preacher with all his powers. Need we say that it was our friend Billy
Bright, and that in his fair face Captain Bream thought, or rather felt,
that he recognised the features of his long-lost sister?
With a strong effort the captain restrained his feelings and tried to
listen, but in vain. Not only were his eyes riveted on the young face
before him, but his whole being seemed to be absorbed by it. The
necessity of keeping still, however, gave him time to make up his mind
as to how he should act, so that when the service was brought to a
close, he appeared on deck without a trace of his late excitement
visible.
"What lad is this?" he asked, going up to Joe, who was standing close to
Billy.
"This," said Joe, laying his hand kindly on the boy's shoulder, "is
Billy Bright, son of the late owner of the old _Evenin' Star_."
"What!" exclaimed the captain, unable to repress his surprise, "son of
the widow who owns the new _Evening Star_? then that proves that your
mother _must_ be alive?"
"In _course_ she is!" returned Billy, with a look of astonishment.
"Come down to the cabin with me, Billy," said the captain, with
increasing excitement. "I want to have a chat with you about your
mother."
Our little hero, although surprised, at once complied with the
invitation, taking the opportunity, however, to wink at Zulu in passing,
and whisper his belief that the old gen'l'man was mad.
Setting Billy on a locker in front of him, Captain Bream began at once.
"Is your mother alive, Billy,--tut, of course she's alive; I mean, is
she well--in good health?"
Billy became still more convinced that Captain Bream was mad, but
answered that his mother was well, and that she had never been ill in
her life to the best of his knowledge.
While speaking, Billy glanced round the cabin in some anxiety as to how
he should escape if the madman should proceed to violence. He made up
his mind that if the worst should come to the worst, he would dive under
the table, get between the old gentleman's legs, trip him up, and bolt
up the companion before he could regain his feet. Relieved by the
feeling that his mind was made up, he waited for more.
"Billy," resumed the captain, after a long gaze at the boy's features,
"is your mother like you?"
"I should think not," replied Billy with some indignation. "She's a
woman, you know, an' I'm a--a--man."
"Yes--of course," murmured the captain to himself, "there can be no
doubt about it--none whatever--every gesture--every look!"