_In Which Is Told How the Barney Boys Go Ashore_
Of course, the sinking of the Seamew would be reported by the tug
Comet, that had gone out to meet her, and the news would be telegraphed
to Baltimore long before we reached the port. The owners would know all
about the trouble, and I reckon Captain Joe Bowditch had pretty serious
thoughts that night as we were towed up the bay.
It was a lovely evening and Phillis came out on deck and begged me to
sit with her. She had not been so greatly frightened when the two ships
collided, because I had been right with her and the trouble was over so
quickly. I hated to think of what might have happened, however, if it
had been the fate of the Gullwing to sink instead of her sister ship.
Since they have been carried below, unconscious, none of we foremast
hands had seen the two Barney boys. We only knew that they had both
recovered and were none the worse for their ducking.
It was now the captain’s watch, however, and Mr. Jim Barney came up
and paced the larboard side of the deck, aft. It was not long before
I caught sight of a similar figure pacing the starboard side of the
house, and knew that Mr. Alf Barney had come up, too.
Philly and I had been whispering together under her awning and suddenly
she put her finger on my lips to enjoin secrecy, and tripped away to
Mr. Jim Barney’s side.
She tucked her hand in his, I could see, and walked beside him. I am
not sure whether she said anything to him, or not; but I know he did
not send her away from him, although he was on duty.
Then, after a bit, I saw Philly go to the other side of the deck and
join Mr. Alf Barney. She must have got acquainted with him below deck,
for he welcomed her warmly. They talked earnestly for a few moments,
and then the little girl ran back to me.
I had been gazing idly off over the rail, watching the lights ashore,
and thinking of my home-coming. In this land-locked bay I could be
pretty safe in believing that I would soon be with my mother.
Of course, through the machinations of my cousin I had been kept from
coming directly home when I was at Punta Arenas. But Paul Downes would
not be in Baltimore when we landed, to trouble me in the least. Once
I got ashore with Phillis and Thank, I was determined to hike for
Darringford House in short order.
I had enough money to pay two railroad fares home--the little girl’s
and my own. Thank and I were to receive no wages for our work aboard
the Gullwing. But I would leave Thank enough money to keep him until I
could telegraph him more from Darringford.
He proposed to go home himself for a time--back to Georgia. He had a
half sister there that he wanted to see. Then he was to join me for
the balance of the summer on the Massachusetts coast. We had already
planned great fun at Bolderhead, despite the fact that my bonnie sloop,
the Wavecrest, was far, far away--at Buenos Ayres.
The matter of Dao Singh was not so easily adjusted. I knew very
well that Captain Bowditch would insist upon reporting the case of
Phillis to the proper authorities at Baltimore. That would include the
examination of the Hindoo on the details of the wreck of the Galland.
And just as sure as they got the man into court I knew he would convict
himself.
I was not willing to see the examination dragged on for weeks, perhaps
months. And the end was not sure, either. I did not want Dao Singh
punished; and I knew that it would trouble Philly greatly if the man
was not at her beck and call most of the time.
However, if Dao Singh, as a pertinent witness in the case, was not to
be found, I believed I could get any fair-minded court to place Phillis
in the care of my mother until the matter was concluded. That was the
scheme I had in mind.
Therefore, when we landed I proposed that Dao Singh should disappear. I
had already sounded him. I had no money to spare, but he seemed to have
worn a belt about his waist under his clothing, in which he told me he
carried valuables. Money I supposed.
Nor was he ignorant of the port to which we were bound. He had studied
the geography of the world and he had corresponded in some way with
members of his own race located in Baltimore.
“To them will I go, Webb Sahib, directly the ship docks. If there
is hue and cry, they will not find me. When your augustness and the
Memsahib en train for your home, I shall en train likewise. I shall not
be far from you.”
“But you will not know when we go,” I cried.
“Let not the Sahib fear for that. Dao Singh will have means of knowing.
Your movements, Webb Sahib, will be learned, although I be afar. Fear
not.”
And this is all he would tell me. Rather a rare bird, was Singh. He
treated me always with immense deference, waited on me when I would let
him, hand and foot, yet always retained an air of being upon a mental
or spiritual plane immensely removed from my own. And I’m not at all
sure that he was not possessed of intelligence far above the order of
the European or American.
But I have got away from my text. Philly and I were sitting watching
the lights on shore. As we were under towage, the watch on deck had
little to do. Therefore the captain did not mind being aft with the
little lass.
Suddenly I saw the two Barney boys cross the deck and stand together
under the break of the quarter. It was dark there and I could not see
how they looked at each other, nor could I hear what they said. But
they stood there for some minutes and, when they separated, and Mr. Jim
went back to his duty, I hoped that they had not parted in anger.
It seemed a dreadful thing if either, or both, of the twins should be
accused of losing one ship and all but wrecking the other. As young
merchant officers, just starting out in life, the affair would about
ruin them. And if old Jothan Barney stuck to his word and took Jim
Barney into the firm, and gave him all his money, what would become of
Mr. Alfred?
At midnight I turned in; Philly had sought her cabin long before. She
wished to be up bright and early to see the Gullwing docked. But I
could not sleep for mulling over the case of the Barney boys in my mind.
My watch was called at eight bells to wash down and make the deck as
tidy as possible for the docking, although we were not yet far north
of the mouth of the York river. The best we could do, however, our
beautiful Gullwing looked like a drunken old harridan that had been out
all night!
The day was beautiful. As the shores and islands were more clearly
revealed, Philly’s delight knew no bounds.
“Oh, the land! the beautiful land!” she sighed. “I want to jump for
joy.”
“Have you got enough of the sea for all time?”
“I do not think I am afraid of the sea--not as afraid as I was once,”
she replied. “But think how good it will be to step ashore! I really
don’t feel, Clint, as though I would care to sail again right away.”
And despite the sorry story we had to tell of the Seamew, there was a
briskness in everybody’s movements that told of shore leave, and most
of the men’s faces were agrin. Those forward were making up parties for
certain pleasures and entertainments which had been denied them for so
many months.
Old Stronson was going immediately to the Bethel, there to pay Captain
Sowle the dollar he had owed the good superintendent for five years and
more.
“I do that chob at vonce,” said the old man, “pefore somet’ings happen
to me. Meppe Captain Sowle vill take my moneys for me and find me a
goot berth aboard some gentleman’s yacht. Das berth I like, I t’ank.”
I knew he wanted to get away from the drink and I hoped with all my
heart that the old man would be able to do so.
Tom Thornton had a married sister in Baltimore, over to whom the bulk
of his paycheck was always paid by Barney, Blakesley & Knight. He would
be put up by her, and cared for, and kept straight as long as possible;
then the old man would go to sea again--in the Gullwing if possible.
As for Bob Promise and some other of the younger men, they were all for
“the sporting life.”
“I’m goin’ to tog meself up in decent clothes,” said Bob. “No slops
or sheeny hand-me-downs for me. You watch my smoke, boy, when I get
ashore. I ain’t sure that I won’t go up to some swell hotel and stay
for a week. I reckon my bunch of coin will stand for it.”
Never a word about salting some of the money away for some worthy
object. Jack Tar of the merchant marine has only two states of
existence--slavery aboard ship and license ashore. There seems to be no
happy medium for him.
The Sea Horse towed us into our berth. The hawsers went ashore and we
were warped in beside the dock amid a deal of clatter and confusion.
There was a crowd to receive us. Some of these people were newspaper
men. The story of the wreck of the Seamew had appeared in the Baltimore
morning papers and reporters for the afternoon sheets were here for the
particulars at first hand. Nobody was allowed aboard, however, although
the quarantine officers had given us a clean bill of health down the
bay.
I saw standing upon the dock a tall, withered old man, with a very
sharp face and white hair and mustache. He looked like a hawk, and was
dressed all in shabby black. Without asking, I knew this to be old
Jothan Barney, the head of the firm that owned the Gullwing.
I did not see either of his nephews greet him from the ship. Mr. Jim
had plenty to do while the ship docked, and Mr. Alf was not far from
his brother at any time. Indeed, I was not the only person who noticed
that the Barney boys stuck together.
A section of the rail had been removed amidships. A narrow gangway was
run out from the dock, the ropes were caught by two of the seamen, and
the plank made fast.
“First ashore!” sang out the old man and looked from our Mr. Barney to
his brother.
We all fell back for a moment. It was evident that the Barneys would go
ashore even before Cap’n Joe. They approached the plank and both smiled.
“All right, Alf?” I heard Mr. Jim say.
“I’m with you, Jim,” was the reply.
And with their arms locked, the twin brothers walked ashore together
and went straight to stand before old Jothan Barney!