SOME JOKES ON BOB
Seeing that he was now indeed afloat, and that the ship was some
distance from land, the man became more nervous than ever. He
paced up and down the deck, looking anxiously at the fast-receding
shore.
Suddenly he ran toward the bow of the ship and leaned far over the
rail.
"Hey there!" yelled Bob, thinking the man was going to Jump
overboard and swim ashore. "What are you doing?"
"I was trying to see the name of the vessel," answered the man,
whose face was now red instead of pale, caused by his exertion in
bending over the rail.
"You can't see it by leaning over," replied Bob. "It's painted
away up by the figurehead."
"I know I can't see it," answered the nervous passenger. "Oh, I
wish I was sure."
"I tell you you're on the _Eagle_," declared Bob. "Can't you take
my word?"
"When you get as old as I am, and have been through as much
trouble, you'll never take anybody's word for anything," was the
answer. "I must be sure. I'm off for a long voyage, and I don't
want to make a mistake."
"You're not making any mistake if you want to be aboard the
_Eagle_. Here comes Captain Spark now. You can ask him."
At that moment the commander, having seen his vessel well under
way, came to where Bob and the nervous passenger were standing.
"Is this Mr. Hiram Tarbill?" asked the mariner, holding out his
hand.
"Yes, sir. Are you Captain Jeremiah Spark?"
"That's who I am."
"Is this the schooner _Eagle_, bound around Cape Horn?"
"Yes, sir, with a mixed cargo consigned to various firms in Lima,
Peru. Would you like to look at my papers?"
"No, I guess it's all right," and Mr. Tarbill seemed much relieved.
"You see, my train was late," he went on, "and I came aboard in
such a hurry that I was not sure I was on the right ship. I
dislike to make mistakes, especially as my health is not very good."
"Yes, you're on the right ship," Captain Spark assured Mr. Tarbill.
"Now if you'll come with me I'll show you to your stateroom. But
first let me introduce to you a relative of mine," and he presented
Bob.
"Yes, I have been talking with him," said Mr. Tarbill. "He assured
me I was on the right vessel, but I did not know whether he knew or
not."
"Oh, yes, Bob knows that much about the ship. But he's going to
learn more soon."
The captain conducted the nervous passenger to the stateroom set
apart for him and then came back on deck.
"What do you think of him?" he asked Bob.
"He seems all right, but very nervous."
"That's the trouble. He's too nervous. His doctor recommended him
to take a long sea voyage to see if it would cure him. I think it
will. I never knew a sailor who was nervous, and it's all because
of the salt water. Now, Bob, amuse yourself as best you can until
the tug drops us. I have several matters to attend to. After a
bit I'll give you some regular duties to perform every day. They
will not be hard, but I shall expect you to perform them as well as
you are able. While in the main this is a pleasure trip for you,
undertaken for a purpose with which you are familiar, I want you to
derive some benefit from it. Don't you think that wise?"
"Yes, sir," answered Bob, who had formed several good resolutions
regarding his future conduct.
"Very well, then. You can roam about the ship at your pleasure
until I am ready for you."
Now a ship is one of the best places in the world for the
circulation of news. It is a little village in itself, and what
happens in the captain's cabin, though there may be a desire to
keep it secret, is soon known in the forecastle, or "fo'kesel," as
the sailors pronounce it. Consequently it was not long before it
was known that Bob was being sent on the voyage to reform him for
certain roguish tricks to which he was addicted. This was known to
the majority of the crew before the ship sailed.
Consequently they were not only on their guard against any pranks
which the boy might try to perpetrate, but several of the younger
men resolved to give Bob a taste of his own medicine.
There was some whispering among members of the crew as they
observed Bob strolling about the deck, and one of the men said
something to Mr. Carr. The first mate nodded and smiled. A little
later, as Bob was watching the men coil up the big hawser which the
tug had cast off, the _Eagle_ now proceeding along under her own
sails, one of the sailors stepped up to him.
"Would you mind doing us a favor?" he asked respectfully.
"Of course not. I'll do anything I can for you," answered Bob,
glad to make the closer acquaintance of the men.
"Then would you kindly go to Captain Spark and ask him for a
left-handed marlinspike? We need it to splice this hawser with.
He keeps it in his cabin because there's only one on board and it's
quite a valuable instrument."
The man spoke as gravely as a judge.
"A left-handed marlinspike?" repeated Bob. "I suppose one of the
sailors must be left-handed," he thought.
He knew what a marlinspike was from having seen the men use the
sharp-pointed irons to pick apart the strands of rope preparatory
to splicing, so, anxious to be of service, he hurried to Captain
Spark's cabin.
"The men sent me for a left-handed marlinspike," he said,
interrupting the commander, who was busy over his accounts.
"A left-handed marlinspike," repeated the commander, at once
understanding the joke.
"Yes, sir."
"I'm sorry," was the answer, gravely given, "but I lost it
overboard a while ago. You'd better go to Mr. Carr and ask him for
the scuttle-butt. That will do as well."
"Yes, sir," replied Bob, who, not suspecting anything, hunted up
the first mate and made his request.
"You'll find it right over there," said Mr. Carr, pointing to a big
water barrel on deck. It was one from which the sailors drank.
"If it's too heavy for you, you'd better get help," said Mr. Carr,
trying not to smile. But Bob was aware now that he had been made
the butt of a joke, and though he felt a little embarrassed, he had
to laugh in spite of himself.
"That's pretty good," he said. "A left-handed marlinspike turns
into a scuttle-butt, and that turns into a water barrel. I've got
lots to learn yet."
He could hear the sailors laughing at the trick they had played,
with the consent of the first mate, and with a grim smile Bob
resolved to get even.