Part 15 (1/2)
”I only speak the truth, reat deal, and Captain Revel has told me more, about what a faithful servant you have been to hied”
The tears were in old Solly's eyes, and there seemed to be a kink in his throat, as he said huskily:
”Awful, sir I was a-saying on'y the other day, when the skipper herriting hisself about losing a few sal all over the place, that he wanted a real trouble to upset hio so half- the pool But I little thought then that the real bad trouble was co so soon; and it has altered him, sewer-ly Poor Master Nic--poor dear lad! Seems on'y t'other day as I used to carry his over ht by my curly hair Yes, sir, you look; it is smooth and shi+ny up aloft now, but I had a lot o' short, curly hair then, just like an old Calabar nigger's And now, on'y to think of it”
”No, don't think of it, ive up hope There, good-bye, Solly, my man Shake hands”
”Shake--hands, sir--with you, cap'n?”
”No, not with the captain, but with the man who looks upon you as an old friend”
The nexthis fist first in one eye and then in the other, twisting the big bony knuckle of his forefinger round so as to squeeze the moisture out
”Well now,” he said, ”just look at that! What an old fool I am! Well, if I didn't know as them there drops o' mystur' was 'cause o' ht it was all on account o' what Cap'n Lawrence said 'Friend!' he says Well, I like that I s'pose it's 'cause I've allus tried to do h I've made a horful muddle on it more'n once”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT
The next time the doctor cae
”Humph!” he ejaculated ”Lucky for you, my man, that you have such a thick skull You'll do now; but you've had a narrow escape There, you can go up on deck every day a bit, but keep out of the sun; it's very hot, and getting hotter It will do youdown in this black hole”
”Thank ye,for the doctor to go on deck before getting out and beginning to dress
”Look here,” said the doctor; ”you are not off the sick-list yet, and you will coo up-- Well, how are you,to his assistant ”Hu to you--sensibly?”
”Yes, zir,” replied Pete ”A good dealquestions at last”
”What about?”
”Didn't kno he come here, and I had to tell hiroan, zir, and been talking to hisself ever zince”
”Huave so once more to Pete:
”Look here, you had better stay with your ets worse you can fetch me”
”Where shall I find you, zir?” asked Pete
”Ask one of the an to dress as soon as he was alone, and found that it was no easy task on account of a strange feeling of giddiness; but he succeeded at last, and stepped to Nic's ha brow Then he went on deck, glad to sit down right forward in the shade cast by one of the sails and watch the blue water whenever the vessel heeled over