Part 10 (1/2)
My mother sank down on the sofa, with her handkerchief to her eyes.
Bob Cross caught up the bundle, and led me away. I was very melancholy, for I loved my mother, and could not bear to see her so distressed, and for some time we walked on without speaking.
The c.o.xswain first broke the silence:--”What's your name, my little Trojan?” said he.
”Percival Keene.”
”Well I'm blessed if I didn't think that you were one of the Delmar breed, by the cut of your jib; howsomever, it's a wise child that knows its own father.”
”Father's dead,” replied I.
”Dead! Well, fathers do die sometimes; you must get on how you can without one. I don't think fathers are of much use, for, you see, mothers take care of you till you're old enough to go to sea. My father did nothing for me, except to help mother to lick me, when I was obstropolous.”
The reader, from what he has already been informed about Ben, the marine, may easily conceive that I was very much of Bob Cross's opinion.
”I suppose you don't know anybody on board--do you?”
”Yes, I know Tommy Dott--I knew him when the s.h.i.+p was at Chatham.”
”Oh! Mr Tommy Dott; I dare say you're just like him, for you look full of mischief. He's a very nice young man for a small party, as the saying is; there is more devil in his little carcase than in two women's, and that's not a trifle; you'll hunt in couples, I dare say, and get well flogged at the same gun, if you don't take care. Now, here we are, and I must report my arrival with you under convoy.”
Bob Cross sent a waiter for the captain's steward, who went up to Captain Delmar. I was ordered to go upstairs, and again found myself in the presence of the n.o.ble captain, and a very stout elderly man, with a flaxen wig.
”This is the lad,” said Captain Delmar, when I came into the room and walked up to him; ”you know exactly what he requires; oblige me by seeing him properly fitted out and the bill sent in to me.”
”Your orders shall be strictly obeyed, Captain Delmar,” said the old gentleman, with a profound bow.
”You had better not order too many things, as he is growing fast; it will be easy to make good any deficiencies as they may be required.”
”Your orders shall be most strictly obeyed, Captain Delmar,” replied the old gentleman, with another bow.
”I hardly know what to do with him for to-day and to-morrow, until his uniforms are made,” continued the captain: ”I suppose he must go on board.”
”If you have no objection, Captain Delmar,” said the old gentleman, with another low bow, ”I am sure that Mrs Culpepper will be most proud to take charge of any _protege_ of yours; we have a spare bed, and the young gentleman can remain with us until he is ready to embark in the uniform of his rank.”
”Be it so, Mr Culpepper; let your wife take care of him until all is complete, and his chest is ready. You'll oblige me by arranging about his mess.”
”Your wishes shall be most strictly attended to, Captain Delmar,”
replied Mr Culpepper, with another profound inclination, which made me feel very much inclined to laugh.
”If you have no further orders, Captain Delmar, I will now take the young gentleman with me.”
”Nothing more, Mr Culpepper--good morning,” replied Captain Delmar, who neither said how d'ye do to me when I came in, or good bye when I went away in company with Mr Culpepper. I had yet to learn what a thing of no consequence was a ”sucking Nelson.”
I followed Mr Culpepper down stairs, who desired me to remain with the c.o.xswain, who was standing under the archway, while he spoke to the captain's steward.
”Well,” said Bob Cross, ”what's the ticket, youngster,--are you to go abroad with me?”
”No,” said I; ”I am to stay on sh.o.r.e with that old chap, who does nothing but bob his head up and down. Who is he?”