Part 12 (2/2)

This happened in the afternoon, just after inspection on the upper deck and when the divisions were dispersing to their respective drills, for I was going below with some of the other chaps at the time to man the pumps on the orlop deck, the second time I had been put to this job since I had come on board, and I can't say I liked it!

Now, whether 'Gyp' carried the rat he had captured cosily to the captain's quarters, or through some one taking the tale aft, I'm sure I can't say; but, while the working party of us boys told off to clear the bilge were pumping away for dear life, and looking out for old Jellybelly, who was superintending our task, to sing out 'spell ho!' to give us breathing time, down comes a lot of the officers after their lunch, with the captain at the head of them, accompanied by Master 'Gyp,' who, somehow or other, didn't need anybody to show him the way, though he hadn't been below in the s.h.i.+p there to my knowledge before, his nose being as good as a compa.s.s, and pointing out where he thought his services might be required.

”I hear, Tarbolt,” said the captain, addressing old Jellybelly by his proper name, ”you have rats aboard here?”

”Aye, aye, sir,” replied the quarter-master, drawing himself up sharp from the act of touching up with his cane one of the boys a little way from me, whom he fancied wasn't putting sufficient elbow grease into his work. ”I believe, sir, as how the s.h.i.+p reg'lerly swarms with 'em. They wore working away, sir, last night at some of the b'ys' hammicks; and one of 'em yelled out that they was nibblin' their toes!”

”Oh!” cried the captain, ”we must put a stop to that. My dog here is a good ratter, and I think he'll be able to polish off a few for you.

Where do you think, Tarbolt, the brutes hang out?”

”Away forrard, sir, under some o' that spare gear thet's stowed there, sir; and likewise down in the bilge amongst the ballast and dunnage.”

”Very good; shove your lantern, Tarbolt, over here,” said the captain, edging forwards as he spoke, with 'Gyp' and the rest of the officers a- following him. ”Boys, you can stand off for a bit from your pumping and come and see the fun.”

We didn't need any further invitation, being only too glad to let go of the beastly crank-handles; not to speak of the interest we took in the antic.i.p.ated enjoyable sport.

”Hi, 'Gyp,' rats!” shouted the captain, when we all came up to a pile of old casks and sails in the fore peak. ”Go for 'em, good dog!”

The wardroom steward and the captain's valet had come down in the rear of the officers, each of them provided with a lantern; and so, what with the lights we already had with us, the place was sufficiently illuminated for all to see the whole proceedings, which, needless to say, we witnessed with the utmost delight, Mick, who was alongside of me, staring open-mouthed, his face one broad grin from ear to ear.

”Begorrah!” he whispered to me. ”Sure, it bates Bannagher, an's a'most as good as what Oi've heerd tell of Donnybrook Fair, in the ould toimes, from me fayther!”

All we could see of 'Gyp' for some little time was a portion of his stern quarters, with his little b.u.t.t-end of a tail wagging away at high- pressure speed, just like the escapement of a clock from which the pendulum has been temporarily taken, so that it has for the moment no check on its action.

Then, all at once, with a low growl, and every individual hair on his white coat standing erect, his whole body the while quivering with excitement, 'Gyp' plunged forwards and disappeared into darkness, only to reappear an instant later with an enormous rat, which he had gripped in the small of the back, the vicious beast trying to worm itself round so as to tackle his nose.

'Gyp,' however, knew a trick worth two of that, and, as he emerged into the open again, chucked the rat up aloft in the air, almost to the deck beams, and then, pouncing on it as the brute fell back under his expectant jaws, the terrier severed its head from its body with one snap!

Another and another, and yet another, he served in like fas.h.i.+on, ferreting in amongst the dunnage, and then coming out again with a fresh victim each time; until, presently, finding their retreat 'too warm' for them, the rats sallied out in a crowd, skating over the deck and climbing up the bulkheads to get out of the way of their relentless enemy. The lot of us then coming to the aid of 'Gyp,' the captain and all catching up anything handy to have a shy at them, the family of rodents that had been having such a gay old time below for so long without interference, was soon exterminated; after which the dog and his master, with the other officers, returned to the main-deck, while we resumed our work at the pumps all the more heartily from the bit of play we had had, old Jellybelly never once grumbling again till we had done.

We had a good rise out of the old quarter-master the very same evening, though, which was rather ill-natured on our part.

He was on duty at the gangway, when one of the new chaps, who, like Larrikins, had a great bent for practical skylarking, went to him with a smug face, as innocent as you please.

”I say, sir,” said he, in a tone of the deepest sympathy, ”don't you feel werry tired, sir, a-standing theer so long?”

”Aye, my son,” replies old Jellybelly, thinking to himself, no doubt, that the chap showed wonderful good feeling for a boy; he regarding them all as a rule, not without reason probably, as imps of mischief. ”It is rather tiring sometimes. I feels it in my bones and all down my legs.”

”Then, sir,” rejoined the young demon, who only wanted to draw him out and laugh at him, ”why doesn't yer sit down on the rail, sir?”

Of course, this would have been almost a penal offence for the quarter- master to have done, he being on duty at an appointed station; and the remark he made as his tormentor made off with a laugh, which was joined in by all the adjacent boys, was a caution.

Mick, not long after this, had Mr Brown, the s.h.i.+p's corporal, nicely too.

He crammed his bag and a lot of other things into his blanket, which he rolled up so as to represent a sort of lay figure, stowing this into his hammock at turning-in time, just before the 'out lights' sounded.

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