Part 10 (1/2)

Of course, Donald North, who had been ferryman to his father, had no foolishly romantic idea of his experience on that pan of ice; nor had Jimmie Grimm, nor had Billy Topsail Donald North would not have called it an adventure, nor himself a hero; he would have said, without any affectation ofhad come in the course of the day's work: that was all

Soreatly to his elation, he had ”ood” It was no more to him than a hard tackle to a boy of the American towns Any sound Ae and clean heart--would doubtless have taken Job North off the drifting floe; and Donald North, for his part, would no doubt have reenish pallor--had he ever been face to face with the necessity Had he ever survived a football gaht himself a hero, and perhaps have boasted er chance with his life on a pan of ice was so sotten

Newfoundland boys are used to that

It was still spring at Ruddy Cove--teeks orcame back to his real home--when Donald North's friends, Billy Topsail and Jiale of wind off the Chunks Even they--used to such adventures as they were--called it a narrow escape

”No more o' that for _me_,” said Billy Topsail, afterwards

”Nor me,” said Jimmie Grimm

”You'll both o' you take all that comes your way,” Bill o' Burnt Bay put in, tartly

It was aboard the _First Venture_, which Bill o' Burnt Bay had as master-builder built at Ruddy Cove for himself She was to be his--she _was_ his--and he loved her from ste, the great St John's merchant and shi+p-owner, had advanced the eous rescue of Archie Arreat blizzard, on the sealing voyage of the year before[2] At any rate, the _First Venture_ was Bill's; and she was now afloat and finished, rigged to the last strand of rope To say that Skipper Bill was proud of her does not begin to express the way in which he loved her

”Now, look you, Billy Topsail, and you, too, Ji the boys near

The _First Venture_ was lying at anchor in the harbour, ready for her e to St John's

”I'm in need of a man aboard this here craft,” Bill o' Burnt Bay went on; ”an' as there's none t' be had in this harbour I'm thinkin' of addin' you two boys up an' callin' the answer t' the sum a man”

”Wisht you would, Skipper Bill,” said Ji his head in doubt

”Leastwise, so I was teached”

”They teach it in school,” said Jihtedly

”Well,” Bill declared, at last, ”I'll take you, noelse I can do”

It wasn't quite complimentary; but the boys didn't mind

When the _First Venture_of the year for small craft to be at sea When she was ready to depart on the return voyage to Ruddy Cove, the days were days of changeable weather, of wind and snow, of fog and rain, of unseasonable intervals of quiet sunshi+ne The predictions of the wiseacres were not to be trusted; and, at any rate, every forecast was e mental reservation

At sea it was better to proceed with caution To be prepared for eencies--to expect the worst and to be ready for it--was the part of plain common sense And Skipper Bill o' Burnt Bay ell aware of this

The _First Venture_ lay in dock at St John's She was loaded for Ruddy Cove and the ports beyond Skipper Bill had launched himself as a coastwise skipper--ht to the northern settlements at a fair rate for all comers The hold was full to the deck; and the deck itself was cumbered with casks and cases, all lashed fast in anticipation of a rough voyage It was a o: flour, beef, powder and shot, --such necessities, in short, as the various ned could dispose of to the people of the coast, and such simple comforts as the people could afford

She was a trim and stout little fore-and-aft schooner of fifty tons burthen The viewers had awarded the government bounty without a quibble Old John Hulton, the chief of them--a terror to the slipshod master-builders--had frankly said that she was an honest little craft from bowsprit to taffrail The newspapers had complimented Bill o'

Burnt Bay, her builder, in black and white which could not be disputed They had even called Skipper Bill ”one of the honest otten to add the hope that ”in the hands of Skipper William, builder and es” By this praise, of course, Skipper Bill was ratification

All the _First Venture_ wanted was a fair wind out

”She can leg it, sir,” Skipper Bill said to Sir Archibald, running his eyes over the tall, triets t'

sea she's got ballast enough t' stand up to a sousing breeze With any sort o' civil weather she ought t' make Ruddy Cove in five days”