As day dawned Peter looked out for the boat, earnestly hoping that the
captain and crew had escaped destruction. It was nowhere to be seen.
Here and there he caught sight of a dark sail just rising above the
horizon, while in the west he could just distinguish a line of low
coast.
How solitary and wretched he would have felt, how ready to give way to
despair, had he not known that, all alone as he was, God his Father was
watching over him.
He had thus clung on for some time to the mast, when he became aware
that the wind had greatly moderated; the waves no longer clashed so
savagely over the sand-bank as before. Gradually the sea became calmer
and calmer; the clouds cleared away; the bright sun shone forth and
dried his wet clothes. He felt hungry, but his strength did not desert
him. He descended to the cross-trees, now above water, and seating
himself, searched in his pocket and discovered two biscuits which he had
put into them when in the cabin and had forgotten. He ate one of the
biscuits and felt revived, and then finding that there was no danger of
falling off, he drew forth his beloved Bible and read. How full of
comfort and assurance it was to him who read with an eye of faith!
There was no one to disturb him now. Alas! where were those who had
been wont to interrupt him? What would they now have given to have
trusted to that book, and obeyed its precepts? Peter did not, however,
allow such a thought to enter his mind. He only hoped that they had
escaped, and were making their way to the land; not a particle of bad
feeling was in his heart against those who had so ill-treated him.
He read and read on till, feeling a drowsiness come over him, he
restored the book to its case, and then once more climbed up the mast to
look round in the hopes of seeing some vessel or boat approaching.
The sun had completely dried his clothes, and warmed him. A soft air
blew off the land. He knew well that vessels would generally give the
sands a wide berth. "Still, if God thinks fit to send me help He will
direct some craft this way," he said to himself. "Perhaps some
fishing-boats will be passing, or Captain Hawkes may send out to learn
what has become of the brig."
As he looked northward, he saw afar off a large ship under all sail
standing to the south. Whether or not she was inside or outside the
shoals he could not tell. She came on but slowly, for the wind was
light. He judged, however, that she would not pass at any great
distance from where he was. How beautiful she looked, with her spread
of white canvas shining in the sun. Nearer and nearer she came. He was
convinced at last that she was outside the shoals.
"Those on board will scarcely notice the thin masts of the brig above
the water," he thought; "still God will turn their eyes this way if He
thinks fit."
Let no one suppose, that little Peter placed a presumptuous confidence
in God's protecting care of a young boy like himself. He had read that
not a sparrow falls to the ground but He knows it; that the hairs of our
heads are all numbered, and he well knew that he should be offending his
kind Father if he doubted His words. What strength and fearlessness did
this simple faith give him.
The proud ship glided on, her canvas swelling to the breeze; it seemed
that she would quickly run past him. He could almost distinguish the
people on her deck. He shouted, fancying that his feeble voice would be
borne over the water towards her. Presently he saw the hitherto full
canvas flap against the masts; her courses, and her topsails, and
topgallant sails hung down uselessly; the breeze which had hitherto
fanned his cheeks died away.
The ship was almost abreast of him, but rather to the southward, so that
those on her deck saw the rays of the sun striking directly on the
brig's masts. Without thinking of this, however, he took off his hat
and waved it again and again. The ship appeared to be drifting in
towards the bank. How eagerly he watched her. Presently he saw a boat
lowered from her quarter; several people jumped in, and with rapid
strokes pulled towards him. The tide had again risen, and scarcely a
ripple was observed on the bank. The boat crossed it, and an
encouraging cheer reached his ears; he waved his hat in return, and
descending the rigging stood ready to step into the boat as soon as she
came.
"Glad to rescue you, my lad," said the officer, who was steering. "How
long have you been on the mast? What's become of your shipmates?"
"Since last night," answered Peter; "and I hope they have reached the
shore in the boat."
"I should think if they have deserted you, you would wish rather that
they had gone to the bottom as they deserve," said the officer.
"We should wish harm to no one, and do good to our enemies," answered
Peter.
"Very good," said the officer, "though the other is most natural. But
how were you left behind?"
"I was in the cabin getting up provisions for them, when, as the brig
appeared to be going down, they, I suppose, shoved off in the boat and
forgot me."
"Scoundrels! I can only hope their boat was swamped," exclaimed the
officer. "But give way, lads; the ship is closer in to the bank than is
altogether pleasant, and we shall have to tow her head off if the breeze
does not spring up again."
The boat was quickly alongside, and Peter soon found himself on the deck
of a ship larger than he had ever before seen. He looked round with
astonishment and admiration. Every one was busy in lowering the boats
to tow the ship away from the dangerous proximity to the bank. Peter
was, therefore, for some time left alone. The breeze, however, soon
again returning, filled the sails, and the boats were hoisted in.
The captain, a fine-looking young man, with a frank countenance, then
called Peter aft, and put to him nearly the same questions the mate had
asked.
"How came you to escape, my lad? You don't even look much the worse for
your adventure."
"God took care of me, sir," answered Peter, simply.
The captain smiled. "Well, I suppose it's something to fancy that," he
observed.
"But I know it, sir," said Peter firmly.
The captain cast a somewhat astonished glance at him. "Well, lad, you
must be hungry and sleepy; the steward will give you some food, and find
you a berth forward. If we have an opportunity, we will put you on
shore, that you may return to your friends."
"I have no friends on shore, sir," answered Peter, "and I want to go to
sea."
"Then do you wish to remain on board?" asked the captain.
"Yes, sir, please; I wish to visit foreign lands."
"Very well, you will have the chance with us, and I'll enter you as one
of the ship's boys," said the captain. "Below there!" he shouted, and
the steward, a black man, appeared. "Give this lad some food, and find
him a berth, Emery," said the captain, in a good-natured tone. Turning
aft he said to himself, "There is stuff in that lad, though he has
evidently been brought up among the Methodists."
The black steward took Peter into his pantry, and having given him a
good meal, pressing him to eat as much as he wanted, led him forward.
On the way he told him the ship was the _Primrose_, of 600 tons, bound
out to the Mauritius, and that afterwards she was to visit other places
in the Eastern Seas. Entering the seamen's berth, he pointed to one of
the standing bed-places on the side, and told him he might turn in and
go to sleep as long as he liked. Little Peter, who had never before
seen a black man, and fancied that all such were savages, was much
surprised to hear him speak English and address him in so kind a manner.
"Thank you," said Peter, "I do feel very sleepy, and am glad to go to
bed."
Before Peter took off his clothes, however, he knelt down, and from the
bottom of his heart returned thanks to God for having preserved his life
and brought him on board so fine a ship.
If Peter was surprised at the appearance of a black man, much more
astonished was the latter at seeing the boy in the attitude of prayer.
He stood a moment at the door gazing at him.
"What! the little chap pray and not afraid of being seen!" he muttered
to himself; "that beats anything I ever heard; I can't make it out."
Yet Emery did not feel angry at what he had seen; but as he went aft to
attend to his duties, he kept muttering, "Dat is strange; he not afraid;
can't make it out."
He was soon afterwards sound asleep, when the men, with a fellow-feeling
for what he had gone through, took care not to arouse him, and he slept
till breakfast time the next day.
Peter found a considerable difference between the crew of the _Primrose_
and that of the _Polly_. They were generally a hearty, merry set; but,
alas! he soon heard oaths and curses coming out of the lips of most of
them. Some, too, were morose and ill-tempered and discontented with
their lot, and all seemed utterly indifferent about their souls.
Peter, however, was treated kindly, though of course he had to perform
the usual duties of a ship's-boy, shared by the two other lads somewhat
older than himself, apprentices on board.
The first day he got into the berth when no one was there, and was able
to read his Bible without interruption for nearly an hour. He was
thinking that it was time to go out lest he should be wanted, when a
tall handsome lad entered the berth.
"What! young chap!" exclaimed the latter, "are you a book-worm? I used
to be fond of reading tales and adventures; let us have a look at the
story you have got hold of."
"It's no story, it's all true," answered Peter; "it is God's word."
"Is that your style of reading? I have no fancy for it, though each man
to his taste, I say," observed the youth.
"You would find it a very interesting book, though, Owen Bell," said
Peter, who had heard the youth's name. "I never get tired of it, but I
read it whenever I can; for it's only by reading it that we can know how
to obey Christ, and be prepared to live with Him in heaven."
"Oh, but I have to live down here and knock about at sea," answered Owen
Bell, with a careless laugh. "It will be time enough when I become an
old chap, like Simon Hixon, to think about matters of that sort."
"Who is Simon Hixon?" asked Peter.
"The oldest man on board. You might have heard him growling away and
swearing at the cook, after dinner to-day, because the soup was not
thick enough," answered Bell.
"Does Simon Hixon read the Bible?" asked Peter.
"Not he. You had better just try and persuade him to do so, or to
listen to you, for I doubt if he can spell his own name," said Bell.
"Perhaps when he was young he might have said that he would begin to
read the Bible when he was old, and you see he has not begun yet,"
observed Peter.
"No, because he is such a sulky, swearing old ruffian. If he had been a
decent sort of fellow, I dare say he would have begun, if he had
intended to do so, just like my father, who used to read the Bible to
the day of his death," remarked the lad.
"But if Simon had begun to read the Bible when he was young, he would
not have become such as you say he now is," observed Peter. "Jesus
Christ would have changed Simon Hixon's heart, and then he could not
have become a sulky, swearing old ruffian."
"You are too deep for me," said Bell, with a forced laugh. "I never
quarrel with anybody, and don't want to quarrel with you; but let me
advise you not to go on talking in that sort of way to the other chaps
aboard; you won't hear the end of it if you do. The cook was shouting
for you as I came along the deck; just hide away your Bible and go and
see what he wants."
Peter put his Bible into its case.
"You will let me read it to you sometimes, Owen?" he said, as he went
out of the berth.
"Well, I don't mind if I have a spell of it some Sunday," said Bell,
with apparent carelessness. "It would put me in mind of old times at
home; but I should not like to be seen reading it on a week-day. I have
no fancy to be called a Methodist, as you will be if you are found out."
Peter, going to the caboose, asked the cook what he wanted, and was told
to clean the pots and pans. He set to work with right good will.
"You have done it handsomely, boy," observed the cook, when he had
finished. "I have not had my pans so bright for many a day."
The _Primrose_ had a fine run down Channel. On her passage a sudden
squall struck her; the watch on deck flew aloft to shorten sail. Peter,
who was aft, lay out on the mizen top-gallant-sail yard, and taking the
weather earring, succeeded, with Owen Bell and two others, in handling
the fluttering sail. As he reached the deck the captain called to him.
"You did that smartly, youngster; it's not the first time I have
observed you. I'll keep my eye on you. Go on as you have begun, and
you will make a famous seaman."
"I thank you, sir," said Peter, touching his hat as he went forward.
"I didn't expect it from a psalm-singer," observed the captain to the
first-mate with his usual good-natured laugh.
"There is no harm in the lad for all that," was the answer.
Peter, however, had his trials. Being placed in a watch, he had to turn
in and out with his watch-mates. The first night, as usual, he knelt
down to say his prayers. He hadn't been long on his knees, before he
was interrupted by a suppressed titter, which soon broke into a peal of
laughter from all hands, and several shoes came flying about him. He
knelt on, however, trying to keep his thoughts calm, and his heart
lifted up to God.
"Well, that young chap does sleep soundly," cried one; "wake him up,
Bill."
"Hilloa, Peter! are you acting parson?" cried Bill, one of the wildest
of the crew.
Peter made no reply, and endeavoured, though it was a hard task, to
continue his prayers. Similar jeers and questions were now showered on
him from all sides.
"Oh, my Father in heaven," he mentally ejaculated, "help me to continue
to pray and soften the hearts of my shipmates towards me and towards
themselves. May they see what a fearful state they are in when thus
obeying Satan, and strangers to Thee."
The men and boys, who, prompted by them, had been the worst, were silent
for some minutes, and Peter had nearly finished his prayers, when a
fresh volley of all sorts of articles was hove at him. Still he
persevered. Now his tormentors burst forth afresh with ribald jests and
shouts of laughter.
"If he stands all that he will stand anything," growled out old Simon
Hixon, who, though not taking so active a part as the rest, had
encouraged them in their conduct.
Peter at length rose from his knees without saying a word, took off his
clothes, and turned into his berth. Although he never lay down without
commending himself to God, he did not kneel down before turning in after
the middle watch was over, and it was not till the second night he again
went to bed during the first watch. The same conduct as before was
pursued towards him, but although he received two or three severe blows
he persevered.
"Well, for my part, I shall be ashamed to try him any more," he heard
Owen Bell exclaim as he rose from his knees. "Peter, you are a brave
little chap, and if you had followed my advice this would not have come
upon you," said Owen, addressing him.
"You meant it kindly," answered Peter; "but as God gives me everything,
and takes care of me, I am sure it is my duty to thank Him night and
morning for all His benefits, and to ask Him to continue them to me. I
would rather not have the things hove at my head, but you know it would
not be right for me to put God aside for fear of what any of you may
choose to do."
When on another night two or three began the same sort of work, the rest
cried out and told them to let the little psalm-singer alone; even old
Hixon held his tongue, and from that time forward Peter was allowed to
say his prayers in peace.