A busy fortnight followed, during which Jack Meadows accompanied his
father and the doctor up to town pretty well every day, to visit
tailors, hatters, hosiers, gunsmiths, fishing-tackle-makers,
naturalists, provision dealers, and help to spend money at a liberal
rate upon the many necessaries for a long voyage. To do the lad
justice, he tried hard to hide his distaste for all that was being done,
and assumed an interest in the various purchases, making Sir John appear
pleased, while Doctor Instow patted his shoulder, and told him that he
looked brighter already. But when alone at night his depression came
back, and there were moments when, tired out, he told himself that he
could not bear it all, and that he must tell his father the next morning
that it was impossible--he could not go.
But when the morning; came he said nothing, for on rising the matter did
not look so black and gloomy by daylight, after a night's rest; and he
felt that it would be too cowardly to make such a declaration, when his
father was doing everything and going to so great an expense entirely
for his sake.
"Because he thinks me weak and ill," he said to himself; "and nothing
will persuade him that I am not."
That very morning, after a good sound night's rest, the boy woke with
the sun shining brightly into his bedroom, and he got up thinking he had
over-slept himself, but on looking round he found that his hot-water can
had not been brought in, nor his freshly-brushed boots and clothes, so
he rang impatiently.
"Disgraceful!" he said peevishly. "Ned thinks of nothing now but the
voyage, and everything is neglected."
But all the same his bell was not neglected, for in a very short time
there was a sharp tap at the door, and as the lad stood by his bedside
in his dressing-gown, the white top of a pith helmet appeared slowly,
followed by the lower part of a grinning face, a dark-brownish coarse
canvas jacket, or rather a number of pockets stuck one above another,
and attached to a pair of canvas sleeves; and next, a pair of leather
breeches, ditto leggings, and to support all a very stout pair of
lace-up boots.