BOB TRIES A PRANK
The _Eagle_ was sailing along under a spanking breeze, and already
the motion of Old Briny was beginning to make itself felt. The
vessel rolled to a considerable degree, and as she passed farther
and farther out to sea this became more pronounced.
Bob, who had been active in visiting different parts of the ship,
watching the sailors at their duties, and picking up bits of
information here and there, soon got over his little indignation
against those who had played the joke on him. But he soon became
conscious of another feeling.
This was a decidedly uneasy one, and for the first time since he
had begun to think of the voyage Bob began to fear he was going to
be seasick.
"I certainly do feel queer," said our hero to himself as he leaned
against the railing amidships. "I wonder what I'd better do?
Perhaps I'm moving around too much. I'll keep quiet."
He sat down on a hatch cover and tried to think of other things.
The sea was beginning to turn blue--the blue of deep water--and the
sun was shining brightly. There was a strong wind and a healthful
smell of salt in the air.
Still Bob did not appear to care for any of those things. His own
feelings seemed to increase.
"Sitting still is worse than moving around," he began to think.
Just then Mr. Carr passed the boy.
"What's the matter?" he asked. "You look rather white about the
gills, messmate."
"I--I don't feel very well," replied Bob.
"Better go and lie down then. I guess you're in for a spell of
seasickness. Mr. Tarbill has already got his."
Bob thought it would be best to follow the advice. He went to his
berth, and soon he was a very sick boy. He would have given up all
his chances of rounding the Horn--yes, he would even have
sacrificed his share in the rather mythical treasure of Captain
Obed--if he could only have found some place that was not heaving,
pitching and tossing. But the ship rolled on, and the motion
seemed to increase rather than diminish.
It was a week before Bob was entirely well. During that time he
stayed in his bunk, but Captain Spark saw to it that the boy was
well looked after and doctored with such simple remedies as are
used in that common form of illness, which attacks nearly all who
first venture upon the sea.
At the end of the week Bob found that he could stand up without
feeling his head go buzzing around. He ventured out on deck, and
the salt breeze brought some color into his pale cheeks.
"You sort of look as if you had been drawn through a knothole,"
remarked Tom Manton, one of the sailors.
"Yes, old Father Neptune has been playing tricks on him, I reckon,"
added Sam Bender, the second mate.
"I feel as if I had been drawn through two knot-holes, one right
after the other," spoke Bob, with an attempt at a smile.
"You'll soon be all right again now," comforted Tom. "Get a little
salt horse and sea biscuit down for a foundation, and you can build
up on that the finest thing in the way of a meal you ever saw."
For the first time since his illness Bob could think of food
without a shudder. He really began to feel hungry. The old sailor
proved a good prophet. Bob began to mend steadily, and in a few
days he was as active as ever--more so, in fact.
"Now's the time to look for trouble," remarked Captain Spark to his
mate one day.
"Trouble? How?"
"Bob is himself again. He'll be up to some tricks or I'm a
Dutchman. But we must meet him half way. Give him back some of
his own coin. He's on this voyage to be cured, and I'm going to do
it If I have to keelhaul him."
"I guess the men will be only too anxious to do their share. They
like Bob, but he mustn't play too many pranks on them."
"No. Well, I guess they can look out for themselves."
"I guess so," answered the mate with a smile. Later that day
Captain Spark instructed Bob in some simple duties which would be
his to perform during the voyage. He was to act in the capacity of
cabin boy.
Now that Bob was in his usual spirits he began to feel an
inclination to be at some of his pranks. He thought, with a sigh,
that he had not played a good joke since the affair of the
step-ladder, the cook and the hired man. So he began to look about
and consider the possibilities of indulging in some pranks.
But Bob had about made up his mind not to bother the sailors. He
was a little afraid of them, as they were big, strong men, and he
had a suspicion that they were only waiting for him to begin
operations before they would do something on their own account.
Bob had an idea they might tie him to a rope, throw him overboard
and duck him.
That, he thought, would be pretty harsh treatment.
"I wish Mr. Tarbill would come from his stateroom," Bob mused. "I
guess it would be safe to play a little joke on him. I've simply
got to have some fun."
Mr. Tarbill had suffered very much from seasickness, though he was
now recovered. He came on deck the next day, but he was more
nervous than ever.
"Oh, my!" he exclaimed as a big wave struck the _Eagle_, heeling
her over considerably. "Are we going down?"
"Oh, I guess not," replied Bob confidently. He and Mr. Tarbill
were together on the quarterdeck. The nervous passenger's fears
gave Bob an idea.
"I'll give him a real scare," thought the boy. "Maybe it will cure
him of being nervous."
My reader can easily understand that Bob had one thought for Mr.
Tarbill and two for himself.
The boy considered matters a few minutes, during which time the
nervous passenger seemed to grow more and more frightened of the
big waves, which had been piled up by quite a heavy blow the
previous night.
Presently Bob went to the after-rail and looked intently into the
water. Then he uttered an exclamation.
"Oh! Oh!" he cried. "It's coming right after us! Have you a
revolver, Mr. Tarbill?"
"A revolver? What for? What is coming after us, my dear young
friend?"
"A big whale! He's just under the surface of the water! He's
trying to break off the rudder! Quick, give me your revolver!"
"I haven't any! Oh, dear! I'm so nervous! Do you think he will
damage the ship, my dear young friend?"
"I'm afraid so! Look out! Hold on! Here he comes!"
Bob pretended to grasp the rail to prevent being tossed overboard
by the expected shock. Mr. Tarbill did the same, and with anxious
fears waited for what would happen next. Then the ship seemed to
give a great shiver as a big wave struck under the port bow.
"He's hit us!" cried Bob, trying not to laugh.
"Quick! Get me a life-preserver!" exclaimed Mr. Tarbill. "A
life-preserver! The ship is sinking!"
[Illustration: "A life-preserver! The ship is sinking!"]
"What's all the excitement about?" suddenly asked Captain Spark,
appearing at the head of the ladder that led to the quarterdeck.
"The ship has been struck by a monster whale!" exclaimed the
nervous passenger, "He's rammed us, captain, and I'm going to get a
life-preserver! Then I must save my valuables in my cabin!"
He rushed from the deck, while the captain, with a grim look on his
face, glanced at Bob, who burst into laughter.