THE SHARK.
For two days Noddy suffered severely from seasickness, and Mollie was
full of tenderness and sympathy. Captain McClintock still mocked the
poor child's hopes, and still broke the promises which should have been
sacred, for he was intoxicated each day. On the second, while Noddy was
lying in his berth, the captain, rendered brutal by the last dram he had
taken, came out of his state-room, and halted near the sick boy.
"What are you in there for, you young sculpin?" said he. "Why are you
not on deck, attending to your duty?"
"I am sick, sir," replied Noddy, faintly.
"Sick! We don't want any skulking of that sort on board this vessel. You
want to shirk your duty. Turn out lively, and go on deck."
"But he is sick, father," said Mollie.
"Go away, Mollie. You will spoil the boy. Come, tumble out, youngster,
or I shall bring down the rope's end," replied the captain.
The daughter pleaded for her patient; but the father was ugly and
unreasonable, and persisted in his purpose. Noddy did not feel able to
move. He was completely prostrated by the violence of his disagreeable
malady; and five minutes before, he would not have considered it
possible for him to get out of his berth. He must do so now or be
whipped; for there was no more reason in the captain than there was in
the main-mast of the schooner. He was not able to make any resistance,
if he had been so disposed.
It was very hard to be obliged to go on deck when he was sick,
especially as there was no need of his services there. He raised his
head, and sat upright in the berth. The movement seemed completely to
overturn his stomach again. But what a chance this was, thought he, to
show poor Mollie that he was in earnest, and to convince her that he had
really reformed his manners. With a desperate struggle he leaped out of
his berth, and put on his jacket. The Roebuck was still pitching
heavily, and it was almost impossible for him to keep on his feet. He
had hardly tasted food for two days, and was very weak from the effects
of his sickness.
He crawled on deck as well as he was able, followed by Captain
McClintock, who regarded him with a look of malignant triumph. Poor
Noddy felt like a martyr; but for Mollie's sake, he was determined to
bear his sufferings with patience and resignation, and to obey the
captain, even if he told him to jump overboard. He did what was almost
as bad as this, for he ordered the sick boy to swab up the deck--an
entirely useless operation, for the spray was breaking over the bow of
the Roebuck, and the water was rushing in torrents out of the lee
scuppers. But Noddy, true to his resolution, obeyed the order, and
dragged his weary body forward to perform his useless task. For half an
hour he labored against nature and the elements, and of course
accomplished nothing. It was all "work" and no "win."
A boy who had the resolution and courage to face a dozen angry fellows
as large as himself, certainly ought not to lack the power to overcome
the single foe that beset him from within. Noddy was strong enough for
the occasion, even in his present weakly condition. It was hard work,
but the victory he won was a satisfactory reward.
The captain's vision was rather imperfect in his present state, and he
took it into his head that the foretop-gallant sail was straining the
topmast. Mr. Watts respectfully assured him the topmast was strong
enough to stand the strain; but the master was set in his own opinion.
Apparently his view was adopted for the occasion, for he ordered Noddy
to go aloft and furl the sail. Mollie protested when she heard this
order, for she was afraid Noddy was so weak that he would fall from the
yard. The cabin-boy, strong in the victory he had just won, did not even
remonstrate against the order; but, with all the vigor he could command,
he went up the fore-rigging. He was surprised to find how much strength
an earnest spirit lent to his weak body.
The pitching of the Roebuck rendered the execution of the order very
difficult to one unaccustomed to the violent motion of a vessel in a
heavy sea; but in spite of all the trials which lay in his path, he
furled the sail. When he came down to the deck, the captain had gone
below again, and the weary boy was permitted to rest from his severe
labors. Instead of being overcome by them, he actually felt better than
when he had left his berth. The fresh air, and the conquest of the will
over the feeble body, had almost wrought a miracle in his physical
frame. The mate told him that what he had done was the best thing in the
world for seasickness; in fact, earnest exertion was the only remedy for
the troublesome complaint.
At supper-time Noddy took some tea and ate a couple of ship biscuits
with a good relish. He began to feel like a new person, and even to be
much obliged to the captain for subjecting him to the tribulations which
had wrought his cure. The next morning he ate a hearty breakfast, and
went to his work with the feeling that "oft from apparent ills our
blessings rise."
The captain kept sober during the next five days, owing, it was believed
by Noddy, to the influence of his daughter, who had the courage to speak
the truth to him. Shortly after the departure of the Roebuck, it had
been ascertained that, from some impurity in the casks, the water on
board was not fit for use; and the captain decided to put into Barbadoes
and procure a fresh supply. When the schooner took a pilot, on the
twelfth day out, it was found that the yellow fever was making terrible
ravages in the island; but the water was so bad on board that the
captain decided to go into port and remain long enough to procure new
casks and a supply of water. If he had been entirely sober, he would
undoubtedly have turned his bow at once from the infected island.
The Roebuck came to anchor, and the captain, regardless of his own
safety, went on shore to transact the business. The casks were
purchased, but it was impossible to get them on board before the next
morning, and the vessel was compelled to remain at anchor over night.
The weather was excessively hot in the afternoon, but towards night a
cool breeze came in from the sea, which was very refreshing; and Noddy
and Mollie were on deck, enjoying its invigorating breath. The boat in
which the captain had just returned lay at the accommodation ladder. The
confinement of twelve days on board the vessel had been rather irksome,
and both of the young people would have been delighted to take a run on
shore; but the terrible sickness there rendered such a luxury
impossible. They observed with interest everything that could be seen
from the deck, especially the verdure-crowned hills, and the valleys
green with the rich vegetation of the country.
If they could not go on shore, they could at least move about a little
in the boat, which would be some relief from the monotony of their
confined home. They got into the boat with a warning from Mr. Watts not
to go far from the schooner, and not to approach any other vessel, which
might have the yellow fever on board. Noddy sculled about on the smooth
water for a time, till it was nearly dark, and Mollie thought it was
time to return on board. As she spoke, she went forward and stood up in
the bow of the boat, ready to step upon the accommodation ladder.
"Noddy, do you see these great fishes in the water?" asked she.
"Yes, I see them."
"Do you know what they are?" continued she, as she turned to receive the
answer.
She was accustomed to boats, and her familiarity with them made her as
fearless as her companion.
"I never saw any like them before," replied Noddy, still sculling the
boat towards the Roebuck.
"What do you think they are?" added she, with one of those smiles which
children wear when they are conscious of being wiser than their
companions.
"I haven't any idea what they are; but they look ugly enough to be
snakes."
"I've seen lots of them before, and I know what they are. I like you
very well, Noddy; and I ask you, as a particular favor, not to fall
overboard," said she, with a smile, at what she regarded as a very
pretty joke.
"What are they, Mollie?"
"They are sharks, Noddy."
"Sharks!" exclaimed the boy, who had heard Ben tell awful stories about
the voracity of these terrible creatures.
"Yes, they are sharks, and big ones, too."
"Sit down, Mollie. I don't like to see you stand up there. You might
fall overboard," said Noddy, who actually shuddered as he recalled the
fearful stories he had heard about these savage fish.
"I'm not afraid. I'm just as safe here as I should be on board the
Roebuck. I've seen sharks before, and got used to them. I like to watch
them."
At that moment the boat struck upon something in the water, which might
have been a log, or one of the ravenous monsters, whose back fins could
be seen above the water, as they lay in wait for their prey. It was some
heavy body, and it instantly checked the progress of the boat, and the
sudden stoppage precipitated the poor girl over the bow into the sea.
Noddy's blood seemed to freeze in his veins as he realized the horrible
situation of Mollie in the water, surrounded by sharks. He expected to
see her fair form severed in twain by the fierce creatures. He could
swim like a duck, and his first impulse was to leap overboard, and save
the poor girl or perish with her in the attempt.
A shout from the schooner laden with the agony of mortal anguish saluted
his ears as Mollie struck the water. It was the voice of Captain
McClintock, who had come on deck, and had witnessed the fearful
catastrophe. The voice went to Noddy's soul. He saw the slight form of
Mollie as she rose to the surface, and began to struggle towards the
boat. The cabin-boy sculled with all his might for an instant, which
brought the boat up to the spot; but he was horrified to see that she
was followed by a monstrous shark. Noddy seized the boat-hook, and
sprang forward just as the greedy fish was turning over upon his side,
with open mouth, to snap up his prey.
Noddy, aware that the decisive moment for action had come, and feeling,
as by instinct, that a miscalculation on his part would be fatal to poor
Mollie, poised his weapon, and made a vigorous lunge at the savage fish.
By accident, rather than by design, the boat-hook struck the shark in
the eye; and with a fearful struggle he disappeared beneath the
surface. Grasping the extended arm of Mollie, he dragged her into the
boat before another of the monsters could attack her.
"O, Noddy!" gasped she, as she sank down upon the bottom of the boat,
overcome by terror, rather than by her exertions,--for she had been
scarcely a moment in the water.
"You are safe now, Mollie. Don't be afraid," said Noddy, in soothing
tones, though his own utterance was choked by the fearful emotions he
had endured.
"Our Father, who art in heaven, I thank thee that thou hast preserved my
life, and saved me from the terrible shark," said Mollie, as she clasped
her hands and looked up to the sky.
It was a prayer from the heart, and the good Father seemed to be nearer
to Noddy than ever before. He felt that some other hand than his own had
directed the weapon which had vanquished the shark.
"O, Noddy, you have saved me," cried Mollie, as she rose from her knees,
upon which she had thrown herself before she uttered her simple but
devout prayer.
"I am so glad you are safe, Mollie! But was it me that saved you?" asked
Noddy, as he pointed up to the sky, with a sincere feeling that he had
had very little to do with her preservation, though he was so deeply
impressed by the event that he could not utter the sacred name of the
Power which in that awful moment seemed to surround him, and to be in
his very heart.
"It was God who preserved me," said she, looking reverently upward
again; "but he did it through you; and I may thank you, too, for what
you have done. O, Noddy, you have been my best earthly friend; for what
would my poor father have done if the shark had killed me?"
Noddy sculled towards the Roebuck, for he knew that Captain McClintock
was anxiously awaiting their return. When the boat touched the
accommodation ladder, the anxious father sprang on board, not knowing
even then that his daughter was entirely safe. He had seen Noddy draw
her into the boat, but he feared she had lost a leg or an arm, for he
was aware that the harbor swarmed with the largest and fiercest of the
merciless "sea-pirates."
"My poor child!" exclaimed he, as he clasped her in his arms, dreading
even then to know the worst.
"Dear father!" replied she.
"Are you hurt?"
"Not at all."
"Were there any sharks out there?"
"I guess there were!" replied she, significantly.
"One of them had just heeled over to snap at her," added Noddy. "I never
was so frightened in my life."
"Good Heaven!" gasped the captain.
"I gave myself up for lost," said Mollie, shuddering, as she recalled
that fearful moment.
"Well, what prevented him from taking hold of you?" asked Captain
McClintock, who had not been near enough to discern precisely what had
taken place in the boat.
"Noddy saved me, father. He jammed the boat-hook right into the shark's
head. In another instant the creature would have had me in his mouth. O,
father, it was such an awful death to think of--to be bitten by a
shark!"
"Horrible!" groaned the father. "Noddy, your hand! You and I shall be
friends to the last day of my life."
"Thank you, sir," replied the heroic boy, as he took the proffered hand.
"I did the best I could; but I was so scared! I was afraid the shark
would catch her in spite of me."
"God bless you, Noddy! But come on board, and we will talk it over."
Captain McClintock handed Mollie, still dripping with water, to Mr.
Watts, who had been an interested spectator of the touching scene in the
boat; and she was borne to the cabin amid the congratulations of the
crew, with whom she was a great favorite.