Part 1 (2/2)
”Glorious!” exclai the enthusiasm of his companion ”It's a pity the war is over I'm afraid there's no chance of any fun of that sort”
”Oh, you don't know--so may come out of this roeen the Greeks and the Turks; and we, at all events, shall have so up the Archipelago--where I hear we are to be sent, as soon as we are ready for sea”
Jack Raby was the speaker
”How soon will that be?” asked his coht”
”Why, you see, there areready,”
observed Jack ”And I suspect the skipper hio and talk about it now, but the fact is, he has been and fallen desperately in love with a sweetly pretty girl, who, from what I can observe, likes hiet out of sight of her smiles; at least, I know that I should be loath to be beyond hailing distance if I were in his place
Let o and fall in love It is a very inconvenient condition for a midshi+pman to be in, let me tell you”
”Not if I can help it,” said Duff ”At least, till I am a lieutenant
However, I felt rather queer about the region of the brisket the other night, when I was dancing with that pretty little Maltese girl, with the black eyes, and cherry lips, though we neither of us could understand a word the other said, and I didn't knoas to coone off again, and I got out of the scrape But the fact is, since I grew up (the rogue was scarcely fifteen), I have been so little on shore, that I have had no time to lose my heart”
Jack Raby, as a year older, and therefore considered hihter, in which his companion joined hih they had spoken in earnest, they were both somewhat conscious ”But I say, old felloithout anyabout love and such like bosh, just look at the dear old craft! how beautifully she sits on the water-- what a graceful sheer she has--and hoell her sixteen guns look run out, like dogs from their kennels, all ready to bite You should see her under weigh though, and how beautiful she looks with her canvas spread! You'd know her for a man-of-enty miles off by the cut of her royals See, what square yards she's got! and hoell herthat is required-- not a block too large--and yet everything works as easy as possible On deck, too, you'll find there's no ji is for service, and intended to last; and yet, where there is any brass or varnished wood, it's kept as bright and clean as can be
There isn't a shi+p on the station can co; and, let them say what they like in other shi+ps, there isn't a happier berth, or a better set of fellows to be found, on board any of them--take my word for it, Duff”
”Well, from all you say, I haven't a doubt but that I shall like the little _Ione_ very much,” observed the other ”And, at all events, I wouldn'twith you But, I say, who is the young lady your skipper--I h, call him our skipper--has fallen in love with?”
”A Miss Garden She is very young, and very fair, and very bright and lively I' her! it's much more wonderful that everybody doesn't fall in love with her over head and ears: for h I've only seen her two or three tiht and die for her, too, if it were necessary”
”Oh, of course! that we should all be ready to do, as in duty bound, for our skipper's wife, and much more for the lady of his love,” observed Duff; ”but I want to knoho she is?”
”I was going to tell you She has no father norrelation, that I know of, is an old colonel Gauntlett, on whose protection she is entirely thrown He is rather a grumpy old chap, they say--but she has no help for it; and he takes her about wherever he goes He has got some money--but he hates the navy, and swears she shall never marry a sailor, or if she does he'll cut her off with a farthing He cao, and has never let any one with a blue jacket coot introduced to her, and as he was in mufti, the old chap didn't knoas in the navy, and told him he should be happy to make his acquaintance He did not find out his e he was in! He did notaway in a few days, and thought the captain and his niece were not likely to ain; but the skipper, you see, is not thelove, ed to co with Miss Garden Hoill end I can't say--I only know that our captain is the last man in the world to yield up a lady if he loves her, and believes she loves hi to an eneot a shot in the locker; so, I suppose, he'll either win over the old cove, or run off with her, and snap his fingers at him--he doesn't care for his money;--and, to my idea, that would be the best way to settle it”
”So I think,” observed the other youngster ”I've et the old one's consent, to take French leave, and settle the ru to; for the captainher away soet at her”
”No fear of that; the old dragon has too great an opinion of his own soldiershi+p not to fancy that he can keep guard over his ward,” observed Raby ”But we'll see if a sailor can't weather on hi I should like so much as to help the skipper, and I only hope he may ask me He hasn't much time to lose, either; for we heard that the colonel and his niece were bound shortly for Cephalonia, or one of the Ionian Islands, where he has got an appointht find an opportunity; but, you see, the captain won't have the chances ofobserved, which he has here, and a hundred to one the uncle claps half a dozen lobsters as sentries over her, if he sees the _Ione_ co her off at once, if I were the captain, and letting the old lion groithout her,” exclaimed Duff; and the twothemselves into the hope, that they should be called upon to assist their captain in running aith Miss Garden
There were few people abroad to interrupt their conversation; for the heat of the sun kept most of the Maltese within doors As the Italians, or Spaniards, I forget which, observe, none but dogs and Englishmen walk the streets when the sun shi+nes in summer There were, however, sentries on duty, and a few sea to men of war; or merchantmen of various nations would pass by; and here and there a cowled priest, a woentle on a donkey, with a big red cotton uhbouring streets, as necessity called him forth
On the two happy youths went, careless of the heat, till they reached that part of the ramparts called the lower Barraca It is a broad open space directly above the water, where stands a conspicuous object from the sea, in the form of a Grecian temple, a monument to the memory of that excellent man, and brave officer, Sir Alexander Ball, one of Lord Nelson's most steemed captains As they reached the spot, they encountered a person, as apparently about to descend the way they had come; he was a htly weather-beaten, and hands which showed that they were no strangers to ropes and tar, and there was an undeniable roll in his gait, which betrayed the seah his costu, s-tailed, black coat, a round beaver hat, and a coloured waistcoat; but the wide duck trousers, and low shoes were those of a thorough salt Jack Raby looked at him earnestly, and then held out his hand, which was shaken warmly by the other
”What, Bowse, as I live,” he exclaiht you were snugly housed at hoether”
”Well, sir, so did I think too, and for a tian to wish to have a look at the blue water again; and I grew sick, and then sicker, till I felt that nothing but a sniff of the salt air would do ood You know, sir, when I was bo'sun of the jolly little _Dart_, your first shi+p, I took to learning navigation, and was no bad hand at it Ah! I loved that craft, and nothing but having that windfall of a fortune would have o to sea again, I turned in my mind that I could not do better with o master of her No sooner said than done Up I went to London, where I knew a respectable shi+powner He was glad enough to favour my wishes, for he knew he could trust me; and I soon beca, of a hundred and sixty tons I have es in her, and am now bound to the eastward to Cephalonia and Zante I sail to- to circumstances If you'll step up here, sir, I think you'll see her, for we've hauled out ready for a start, as soon as ers come on board”
As the master of the merchantman spoke, he advanced to a part of the rareat harbour, where, so, laden and ready for sea
”She's as fine a sea boat as ever floated, I can assure you, sir It's a pleasure to be her master,” he continued, as he pointed with pride to her Every good seaman is fond of his vessel, and overlooks her faults, whatever they ood husband does those of his wife
”I alad of your success, Bowse, I can assure you,” said the ave et them You must come and dine with us to-morrow, and I shall introduce you as my friend, Captain Bowse”
”No, sir--no, pray don't do so,” answered the mariner; ”I've served on board a man-of-war, and I know 's shi+ps, if you please, sir,--but masters of merchantmen I know the difference between a collier and a seventy-four, I think But I'll dine with your o to sea to-morrow”