CAPTAIN DUFF, OF THE SLOOP "FANCY"
As the newly engaged crew of the sloop _Fancy_ slowly and awkwardly
descended the slippery ladder leading down to his ship, he experienced
his first regrets at the decisive step he had taken, and doubts as to
its wisdom. The real character of the sloop as shown by a single glance
was so vastly different from his ideal, that for a moment it did not
seem as though he could accept the disreputable old craft as even a
temporary home. Never before had he realized how he loathed dirt and
disorder, and all things that offended his delicately trained senses.
Never before had he appreciated the cleanly and orderly forms of living
to which he had always been accustomed. He could not imagine it possible
to eat, sleep, or even exist on board such a craft as lay just beneath
him, and his impulse was to fly to some remote place where he should
never see nor hear of the _Fancy_ again. But even as he was about to do
this the sound of Bonny's reassuring voice completely changed the
current of his thoughts.
Was not the lad who had brought him to this place a very picture of
cheerful health, and just such a strong, active, self-reliant boy as he
longed to become? Surely what Bonny could endure he could! Perhaps
disagreeable things were necessary to the proper development of a boy.
That thought had never come to him before, but now he remembered how
much his hands had suffered before they were trained to catch a
regulation ball.
Besides all this, had not Bonny hesitated before consenting to give him
a trial, and had he not insisted on coming? Had he not also confidently
asserted that all he wanted was a chance to show what he was good for,
and that nothing save a dismissal should cause him to relinquish
whatever position was given him? After all, no matter how bad things
might prove on the sloop, there would always be plenty of fresh air and
sunshine, besides an unlimited supply of clean water. He could remember
catching glimpses, in foreign cities, of innumerable pestilential places
in which human beings were compelled to spend whole lifetimes, where
none of these things was to be had.
Yes, he would keep on and make the best of whatever presented itself,
for perhaps things would not prove to be as bad as they seemed; and,
after all, he was willing to endure a great deal for the sake of
continuing the friendship just begun between himself and Bonny Brooks.
He remembered now having once heard his father say that a friendship
worth having was worth fighting for. If that were the case, what a
coward he would be to even think of relinquishing his first real
friendship without making an effort to retain it.
By the time all these thoughts had flashed through the boy's mind he had
gained the sloop's deck, where he was startled by an angry voice that
sounded like the bellow of an enraged bull. Turning quickly, he saw his
friend Bonny confronted by a big man with a red face and bristling
beard. This individual, supported by a pair of rudely made crutches, was
standing beside the after companion-way, and glaring at the bag
containing his own effects that had been tossed down from the wharf.
"Ye've got a hand, have ye?" roared this man, whom Alaric instinctively
knew to be the captain. "Is this his dunnage?"
"Yes, sir," replied the first mate. "And I think--"
"Never mind what you think," interrupted the captain, fiercely. "Send
him about his business, and pitch his dunnage back on the wharf or pitch
it overboard, I don't care which. Pitch it! d'ye hear?"
"But Captain Duff, I think--"
"Who asked ye to think? I do the thinking on board this craft. Don't ye
suppose I know what I'm talking about? I tell ye I had this Phil Ryder
with me on one cruise, and I'll never have him on another! An impudent
young puppy as ever lived, and a desarter to boot. Took off two of my
best men with him, too. Oh, I know him, and I'd Phil him full of his own
rifle-bullets ef I had the chance. I'd like to Ryder him on a rail,
too."
"You are certainly mistaken, sir, this time, for--"
"Who, I? You dare say I'm mistaken, you tarry young swab you!" roared
the man, his face turning purple with rage. "Oh, ef I had the proper use
of my feet for one minute I'd show ye! Put him ashore, I tell ye, and do
it in a hurry too, or you'll go with him without one cent of wages--not
one cent, d'ye hear? I'll have no mutiny where I'm cap'n."
Poor Alaric listened to this fierce outbreak with mingled fear and
dismay. Now that the situation he had deemed so surely his either to
accept or reject was denied him, it again seemed very desirable. He was
about to speak up in his own behalf when the angry man's last threat
caused him to change his mind. He could not permit Bonny to suffer on
his account, and lose the position he had so recently attained. No, the
very first law of friendship forbade that; and so, stepping forward to
claim his bag, he said, in a low tone: "Never mind me, Bonny; I'll go."
"No, you won't!" retorted the young mate, stoutly, "or, if you do, I'll
go with you; and I'll have my wages too, Captain Duff, or know the
reason why."
Without paying the slightest attention to this remark, the man was
staring at Alaric, whom he had not noticed until this moment. "Who is
that land-lubber togged out like a sporty salt?" he demanded.
"He's the crew I hired, and the one you have just bounced," replied
Bonny.
"What's his name?"
"Rick Dale."
"What made you say it was Phil Ryder, then?"
"I didn't, sir. You--"
"Don't contradict me, you unlicked cub! Can he shoot?"
"No, sir," replied Alaric, as Bonny looked at him inquiringly.
"All right. I wouldn't have him aboard if he could. Why don't he take
his thundering dunnage and go for'ard, where he belongs, and cook me
some grub when he knows I haven't had anything to eat sence sunup? Why
don't he, I say?"
With this Captain Duff turned and clumped heavily to the other side of
the deck; while Bonny, hastily picking up the bag that had been the
innocent cause of all this uproar, said, in a low voice: "Come on, Rick;
it's all right."
As they went forward together he dropped the bag down a tiny forecastle
hatch. Then, after asking Alaric to cut some kindlings and start a fire
in the galley stove, which was housed on deck, he dove into the cabin to
see what he could find that could be cooked for dinner.
When he reappeared a minute later he found his crew struggling with an
axe and a chunk of hard wood, from which he was vainly attempting to
detach some slivers. He had already cut two deep gashes in the deck, and
in another moment would probably have needed crutches as badly as the
captain himself.
"Hold on, Rick!" cried the young mate, catching the axe-helve just as
the weapon was making another erratic descent. "I find those grocery
chaps haven't sent down any stores. So do you just run up there. It's
two doors this side of Uncle Isaac's, you know, and hurry them along.
I'll 'tend to the fire while you are gone."
Gladly exchanging his unaccustomed, and what he considered to be very
dangerous, task of wood-chopping for one that he felt sure he could
accomplish creditably, Alaric hastened away. He found the grocer's
easily enough, and demanded of the first clerk he met why the stores for
the sloop _Fancy_ had not been sent down.
"Must have been the other clerk, sir, and I suppose he forgot all about
'em; but I'll attend to the order at once, sir," replied the man, who
took in at a glance Alaric's gentlemanly bearing and the newness of his
nautical garb. "Have 'em right down, sir. Hard bread, salt junk, rice,
and coffee, I believe. Anything else, sir?"
"I'm sure I don't know," replied Alaric.
"Going to take a run on the _Fancy_ yourself, sir?"
"Yes."
"Then of course you'll want some soft bread, a few tins of milk, half a
dozen jars of marmalade, and a dozen or so of potted meats?"
"I suppose so," assented the boy.
"Step this way, sir, and let me show you some of our fine goods,"
suggested the clerk, insinuatingly.
In another part of the building he prattled glibly of pate-de-foie-gras,
and Neufchatel cheese, truffles, canned mushrooms, Albert biscuit,
anchovy paste, stuffed olives, Wiesbaden prunes, and a variety of
things--all of which were so familiar to the millionaire's son, and had
appeared so naturally on all the tables at which he had ever sat, that
he never for a moment doubted but what they must be necessities on the
_Fancy_ as well. Of ten million boys he was perhaps the only one
absolutely ignorant that these luxuries were not daily articles of food
with all persons above the grade of paupers; and as he was equally
without a knowledge of their cost, he allowed the clerk to add a dozen
jars of this, and as many pots of that, to his list, until even that
wily individual could think of nothing else with which to tempt this
easy-going customer. So, promising that the supplies just ordered should
be sent down directly, he bowed Alaric out of the door, at the same time
trusting that they should be honored with his future patronage.
Bethinking himself that he must have a toothbrush, and that it would
also be just as well to have his own comb, in spite of Bonny's assurance
that the ship's comb would be at his service, the lad went in search of
these articles. When he found them he was also tempted to invest in what
he regarded as two other indispensables--namely, a cake of fine soap and
a bottle of eau-de-Cologne.
He had gone quite a distance for these things, and occupied a full
half-hour in getting them. As he retraced his steps towards the wharves
he passed the slop-shop in which his first purchases of the day had been
made, and was greeted by the proprietor with an inquiry as to whether
old Duff had taken aboard his cargo of "chinks and dope" yet. Not
understanding the question, Alaric did not answer it; but as he passed
on he wondered what sort of a cargo that could be.
By the time he regained the wharf to which the _Fancy_ was moored the
flooding tide had raised her to a level with it, and on her deck Alaric
beheld a scene that filled him with amazement. The stores that he had
ordered had arrived. The wagon in which they had come stood at one side,
and they had all been taken aboard. One of the two men who had brought
them was exchanging high words and even a shaking of fists with the
young first mate of the sloop, while the other was presenting a bill to
the captain and insisting upon its payment.
Captain Duff, foaming at the mouth and purple in the face, was
speechless with rage, and could only make futile passes with one of his
crutches at the man with the bill, who dodged each blow with great
agility. As Alaric appeared this individual cried out:
"Here's the young gent as ordered the goods now!"
"Certainly," said Alaric, advancing to the sloop's side. "I was told to
order some stores, and I did so."
"Oh, you did, did ye! you thundering young blunderbuss?" roared Captain
Duff, finding his voice at last. "Then suppose you pay for 'em."
"Very well," replied the lad, quietly, thinking this an official command
that must be obeyed.
A minute later peace was restored, Captain Duff was gasping, and his
first mate was staring with amazement. The bill had been paid, the wagon
driven away, and Alaric was again without a single cent in his pockets.