Part 5 (1/2)

”Yes, with you,” he answered, looking up in her face, ”but you'll let me go and see d.i.c.k whenever he wants me?”

”Oh, yes, as often as you like,” she answered; ”and I am glad to find that you are grateful to one who seems to have devoted himself to you; for if we are not grateful to our earthly friends, we are still less likely to be grateful to our heavenly Friend.”

”I know whom you mean,” said Charley, nodding to her. ”d.i.c.k has told me about Him; He took care of us all the time we were on the island and in the boat, and d.i.c.k has taught me to pray to Him every night and morning, and I shouldn't be happy if I didn't.”

”I am very, very glad to hear of that,” observed Miss Kitty, pressing the boy's hand. ”We shall be friends, Charley.”

Honest d.i.c.k, who had meantime been placed in a hammock, hearing that Charley was in good hands, felt satisfied about him, though still he begged the doctor to let him have a look at the boy as soon as possible, to a.s.sure himself that he was all right.

CHAPTER SIX.

CAPTAIN PODGERS.

The _Dolphin_ under all sail was making rapid progress to the southward.

I have not hitherto mentioned the fact that I was the little Charley I have been speaking of; indeed, so indistinct is my recollection of the earlier events I have described, that had it not been for d.i.c.k, I could have known very little about them. d.i.c.k soon recovered, and I was delighted when, on having made my way forward, I found myself again with him. He scanned me all over, as if to ascertain whether any harm had come to me during our long separation. I a.s.sured him that I was all right, and was loud in my praise of Miss Kitty, though I was less complimentary to Mrs Podgers and the captain.

”They are not nice people,” I observed; ”drink nasty rum, quarrel and fight, and then kiss and hug; then quarrel and fight again.”

My description was a correct one. Mrs Podgers, indeed, had come to sea sorely against her husband's will, simply because she would, and had brought Miss Kitty, who had just come from school, with her--to save the expense of keeping her at home. Miss Kitty was evidently very unhappy, and did not at all like the life she had to lead. She was as refined in appearance, manners, and feelings, as Mrs Podgers was coa.r.s.e in all three; but the captain, though fat and addicted to rum-drinking in large quant.i.ties, and somewhat sulky in his cups, was not nearly as bad as his wife. He was, moreover, greatly tried, both in the cabin by her, and on deck by his unruly crew: the latter was, indeed, about as rough a set of fellows as ever collected on board s.h.i.+p. The first and second mates were not unfitted, by the ready use they made of their fists, to manage them, but the third mate, Edward Falconer, who had brought d.i.c.k and me on board, differed from them greatly. He was refined in his appearance and manners, and gentle in his behaviour, though there was, at times, a look in his eye which showed that he was not lacking in spirit and daring.

The _Dolphin_, besides being bound on a whaling cruise, was a ”Letter of Marque,” by which she had the right, without being considered a pirate, to take and plunder any of the enemy's s.h.i.+ps she might fall in with; but when Mrs Podgers, with Miss Kitty, came on board, the crew, suspecting that the captain intended to confine himself to the more pacific of the two occupations, were very indignant, and a mutinous and discontented spirit arose among them.

The captain never from the first took to me.

”I am bothered enough with women, and don't want a brat in the cabin into the bargain,” he growled out one day when angry with his wife.

”Oh, but the little boy loves me so much,” said Mrs Podgers, drawing me towards her. ”Don't you, Charley?”

”No, I can't say I do,” I answered; for d.i.c.k had charged me always to speak the truth. ”But I love Miss Kitty, that I do, for she is sweet and pretty, and that's what you know you are not;” and I broke away from her and ran up to the young lady.

”Ungrateful little wretch!” exclaimed Mrs Podgers. ”Then out of the cabin you shall go, and live with your equals forward.”

”Yes, let him go at once,” said the captain, ”or you will be changing your mind.”

”Not likely, after what he has said to me,” exclaimed Mrs Podgers. ”I would pull his ears, as he deserves, that I would.”

Poor Kitty looked very much frightened, and held me close to her. ”Oh, don't, Mrs Podgers, pray don't; the little boy did not intend to be naughty, and I will take care of him, and teach him better manners if you will let me.”

”No, Miss, I will do no such thing,” answered Mrs Podgers, her anger in no way diminished.

”Take him on deck at once, and tell the man who came with him to look after him. If he goes overboard that's his own fault, not mine. I would have been a mother to him, but I cannot stand ingrat.i.tude, and he has no claim on my sympathy and affections, as you have, Kitty my dear.”

Poor Kitty gave no responsive glance to this remark, but turned away her head, and taking me by the hand led me to the companion stair, whence we went up on deck.

Mr Falconer, who was officer of the watch, stepped up as she appeared.

She told him with tears in her eyes what had occurred.

”It is what might be expected,” he observed; ”but let me entreat you not to be anxious about the little boy. You shall see him as often as you wish, and I suspect that he will be as well off with the honest fellow who had charge of him as he would with those people in the cabin.”