Part 11 (1/2)
”As you will,” said Sir Archibald, shortly; ”the craft's yours”
Archie Ar came aboard that afternoon--followed by two porters and two trunks He was Sir Archibald's son; there was no doubt about that: a fine, hardy lad--robust, straight, agile, alert, with his head carried high; h sea His hair was tawny, his eyes blue and wide and clear, his face broad and good-hu of a sht have explained The cut of his coat, the knot in his cravat, the polish on his boots, the set of his knickerbockers, were always matters of deep concern to him But this did not interfere with his friendshi+p with Billy Topsail, the outport boy That friendshi+p had been formed in times of peril and hardshi+p, when a boy was a boy, and clothes had had nothing to say in the plank, crossed the deck in three leaps and stuck his head into the forecastle
”Ahoy, Billy Topsail!” he roared
”Ahoy, yourself!” Billy shouted ”Come below, Archie, an' take a look at Jimmie Grimm”
Jimmie Grimm was at once taken into the coe--the tale of the ti and Billy Topsail and Bill o' Burnt Bay were lost in the snow on the ice-floe--with certain other happenings in which Billy Topsail was involved--is related in ”The Adventures of Billy Topsail”
[Illustration: _Courtesy of ”The Youth's Companion”_ SHE WAS BEATING LABORIOUSLY INTO A VIOLENT HEAD WIND]
CHAPTER X
_In Which the Cook Smells Smoke, and the ”First Venture”
In a Gale of Wind Off the Chunks, Comes Into Still Graver Peril, Which Billy Topsail Discovers_
Skipper Bill o' Burnt Bay got the _First Venture_ under way at dawn of the next day It was blowing a stiff breeze A fine, fresh as ro fair to the northwest, where, far off, Ruddy Cove lay and Mrs
Skipper William waited
”I 'low,” Skipper Bill h the narrows, ”that that there insurance wouldn't o' done e of weather It cay to the skipper of the _First Venture_
When the schooner was still to the s'uth'ard of the dangerous Chunks, but approaching the laboriously into a violent and capricious head wind Bill o' Burnt Bay, giving heed to Sir Archibald's injunction, kept her well off the group of barren islands
They were mere rocks, scattered widely So craft; others were subht theht better lay his course; but he was bound that no lurking rock should ”pick up” his shi+p
”Soht, ”I wisht I _had_ took out that there insurance”
At dusk it began to snow What with this thick, blinding cloud driving past, shrouding the face of the sea, and ith the tuale drowning her lee rail, the _First Venture_ was having a rough time of it Skipper Bill, with his hands on the wheel, had the very satisfactory impression, for which he is not to be blamed, that he was ”a an to howl for mercy in no uncertain way, he did not hesitate to waive the wild joy of ”driving”
for the satisfaction of keeping his spars in the sockets
”Better call the hands, Tom!” he shouted to the first hand ”We'll reef her”
Tom put his head into the forecastle The fire in the little round stove was roaring lustily; and the swinging laht
”Out with you, lads!” Tom cried ”All hands on deck t' reef the mains'l!”
Up they tu, and up tumbled Jimmie Griht Archie ”Great sailin' breeze What's he reefin' for?”