Chapter 8. How Captain Jack Came On Deck

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_ CHAPTER EIGHT. HOW CAPTAIN JACK CAME ON DECK

"Yes, my lad, you've had a narrow squeak for it," said the first-mate, shaking hands. "You're in for it now."

He patted Mark's shoulder as he stood gazing over the port bulwark at a dim blue line.

"I couldn't get to you more, Mark, my lad," said the second-mate, "but you'll be all right now. We've had a rough time."

"And to think of you coming all the way with us after all!" said the boatswain in a pleasant growl. "Here, I'm going to make a sailor o' you."

Mark was alone soon after, when Billy Widgeon came up smiling to say a few friendly words, and directly after a thin pale sailor came edging along the bulwarks to say feebly:

"I see you've been very bad too, sir. I thought once we should have been all drowned."

Mark had an instinctive dislike to this man, he could not tell why, and as he felt this he was at the same time angry with himself, for it seemed unjust.

The man noted it, and sighed as he went away, and even this sigh troubled its hearer, for he could not make out whether it was genuine or uttered to excite sympathy.

There was some excuse, for Mr David Jimpny's personal appearance was not much improved by the composite sailor suit he wore. His trousers were an old pair of the captain's, and his jacket had been routed out by the boatswain, both officers being about as opposite in physique to the stowaway as could well be imagined. In fact, as Mark Strong saw him going forward he could not help thinking that the poor fellow looked better in his shore-going rags.

Then his manner of coming on board had not been of a kind to produce a favourable impression.

"I can't help it," said Mark aloud. "I don't want to jump upon the poor fellow, but how can we take to him when even one's dog looks at him suspiciously."

"I shouldn't set up my dog as a model to go by if I were you," said a voice at his elbow; and turning suddenly, with his face flushing, Mark found that the second-mate was at his elbow.

"I didn't know that I was thinking aloud," said Mark.

"But you were, and very loudly. I don't wonder at your not liking that man: I don't. Perhaps he'll improve though. We will not judge him yet. So you're coming all the way with us?"

"Yes."

"I'm glad of it. Be a change for you, and for us too. This is rather different to what we've been having, eh?"

"Why, it's lovely!" cried Mark. "I didn't think the weather could be so beautiful at sea."

"Nor so stormy, eh?"

"I didn't notice much of the storm," said Mark. "I was too ill."

"Ah! it is bad that first attack of 'waves in motion,' as I call it. But that's all past, and we shall have fine weather, I daresay, all the rest of the voyage. One never gets much worse weather than we have near home."

"Was much damage done," asked Mark, "in the storm?"

"Nothing serious. We were just starting after all our faulty rigging had been replaced. If we had been coming home after a voyage it might have been different. One or two sails were blown to shreds, but the old ship behaved nobly."

"I wish I had not been so ill," said Mark thoughtfully.

"So do I, my lad; but why do you speak so?"

"Because I should have liked to be on deck."

"Ah! well, you need not regret your sickness, for you would not have been on deck. It was as much as we could do to hold our own and not get washed overboard. That's worth looking at."

He pointed, as he spoke, to a blue line of hills away to the east bathed in the brilliant sunshine, while the water between them and the shore seemed to be as blue, but of another shade.

"Spain!" said Mark. "How lovely!"

"Portugal, my lad. Yes, it's pretty enough, but I've often seen bits of the Welsh coast look far more lovely. Don't you run away with the idea that you are going to see more beautiful countries than your own."

"Oh, but, Mr Morgan, Spain, and Italy, and Egypt, and Ceylon, and Singapore, they are all more beautiful than England."

"They're different, my lad," said Morgan, laughing, "and they look new to you and fresh; but when the weather's fine, take my word for it there's no place like home."

"Oh, but I thought--"

"You were going to see Arabian Night's wonders, eh? Well, you will not, my lad. Of course there are parts of foreign countries that are glorious. I thought Sydney harbour a paradise when I first saw it; but then I had been four months at sea, and the weather horrible. Hallo! here's an old friend. He always disappears when the weather's bad, and buries himself somewhere. I think he gets down among the stores. Mind your dog!"

Mark caught Bruff by the collar, for he was moving slowly off to meet Billy Widgeon, who was coming along the deck in company with a large monkey of a dingy brownish-black. The sailor was holding it by one hand, and the animal was making a pretence of walking erect, but in a very awkward shuffling manner, while its quick eyes were watching the dog.

"I've brought the captain to see you, Mr Mark, sir," said Billy grinning. "He hasn't been well, and only come out of his berth this morning. Here, Jack, shake hands with the gent."

"Chick, chicker--chack, chack," cried the monkey; and turning sharply, he gave Billy's detaining hand a nip with his teeth, sharply enough to make the man utter an exclamation and let go, when the monkey leaped on to the bulwark, seized a rope, and went up it hand over hand in a quadrumanous manner to a height that he considered safe, and there held on and hung, looking down at the dog, chattering volubly the while.

"He don't like the looks on him, sir," said Billy grinning. "I told him he was a nipper. I say, look at 'em. Haw! haw!"

The scene was curious, for as soon as Bruff was set at liberty he stared up at the monkey and began walking round and round, while after carefully lifting its tail with one hand, as if in dread that it might be seized, an act which would have required a ten-feet jump, the monkey went on chattering loudly as if scolding the dog for being there.

"What would be the consequences if we fetched the monkey down?" said the second-mate, laughing and watching the two animals.

"Bruff would kill him," said Mark decidedly.

"He would have to catch him first, and the monkey is wonderfully strong. But we must have no fighting. Let's see if we can't make them friends. Can you manage your dog?"

"Oh, yes!" said Mark laughing. "I can make him do what I like. Here, Bruff."

The dog came to him sidewise, keeping an eye on the monkey; and as soon as Morgan saw that Bruff was held by the collar he turned to the monkey.

"Here, Jack, come down!"

The monkey paid no heed, but swung himself to and fro, straining out his neck to peep round the mate and get a look at the dog.

"Do you hear, sir! come down!" cried the mate.

He was now so near that he could reach within a yard of where the active animal hung, and it looked down in his face with a comical look, and began to chatter, as if remonstrating and calling his attention to the dog, which uttered a low growl.

"Quiet, Bruff!" cried Mark.

"If you don't come down, Jack, I'll heave you overboard."

There was another voluble burst of chattering, but the monkey did not stir.

"Shall I fetch him down, sir?" said Billy grinning.

"Yes, but don't scare him."

"I won't scare him, sir. Here, Jack, old man, come down."

The monkey turned sharply at the sound of his voice, and chattered at him.

"All right! I hears what you says," replied Billy solemnly; "but the young gent's got tight hold of the dog, and he won't hurt you. Down you comes!"

The situation was ludicrous in the extreme, for, as if the monkey understood every word, and was angrily protesting and pointing out the danger, he kept on chattering, and bobbed his head from side to side.

"Yes, that's all right enough," continued Billy, "but you're a coward, that's what you are. Down you come!"

Another fierce burst of chattering, and the rope shaken angrily.

"Well, I've asked you twice," cried Billy. "Here goes once more. Down you comes!"

If ever monkey said, "I won't," Jack did at that moment; but he changed his tone directly, for Billy ran to the bulwarks and began to unfasten the rope from the belaying-pin about which it was twisted, when, probably from a vivid recollection of having once been shaken off a rope, and apparently ignorant of the ease with which he could have escaped up into the rigging, the monkey began to slide down, uttering a low whining sound, and allowed the sailor to take him in his arms, but only to cling tightly to his neck.

"Ah, it's all werry fine for you to come a-cuddling up like that! You bit me just now."

The monkey moaned and whined piteously, and kept its eyes fixed upon the dog, who was watching him all the time.

"Ah, well: I forgives you!" said Billy. "Now, then, sir, what next?"

"Bring him to the dog."

"But he thinks the dog's going to eat him, sir."

"Then let's teach him better," said Mark. "Here, Bruff, make friends here."

Bruff looked up at his master and gave his tail a couple of wags. Then turning to the monkey again he seemed lost in thought.

"He won't bite now, will he, sir?" said Billy.

"No, he's all right; but will the monkey bite?"

"Not he, sir. I should like to catch him at it. Now, Jack," he continued, with one arm round his companion, "shake hands."

He held the animal forward toward Bruff, who was watching him stolidly, and gave his head a shake.

This act produced a frightened start on the monkey's part, and another burst of chattering.

"Better let him go," said Morgan. "I daresay they'll get used to one another by and by."

"He'll do it, sir; give him time," said Billy. "Now, Jack, give us your hand. You just pat his head. Sure he won't bite, sir?"

"Certain," cried Mark.

"It's all right: do you hear, stoopid? Ah! would you bite? You do, and I'll chuck yer overboard. Now, then."

In spite of the monkey's struggles he forced one hand to within reach of the dog's head, and pressed it down till he could pat it with the thin black fingers.

Bruff whined, but he was held by the collar, and suffered the touch without other protest, while, as if relieved by finding that his hand was neither burned nor bitten off, the monkey made no resistance the second time, ending by touching the dog himself, and, as if overcome by curiosity, struggling to be free, and squatting down and examining the interior of his new acquaintance's ears.

Bruff half-closed his eyes and made no resistance, and, cautiously loosening his hold upon the collar but kneeling ready to seize him at the least inimical display, Mark watched the little comedy which went on.

For after a rigid examination of one ear, and a loud chattering, probably a lecture upon its structure, Jack pulled the head over and proceeded to examine the other ear, after which he made several pokes at the dog's eyes, and held his head while he looked into them as if they were something entirely new, all of which Bruff submitted to in the calmest manner.

"They will not fight now," said the second-mate laughing.

It was evident they would not, for the dog suddenly leaped up and ran away with the monkey in chase, the one big-headed and clumsy, the other all activity and life; and for the next ten minutes they were careering about the deck, chasing each other and in the best of companionship, the game ending by Jack making a rush and clambering into one of the boats, where he lay panting and gazing over the side at the dog, who crouched, blinking up at him with his tongue out, waiting for him to come down. _

Read next: Chapter 9. How The Stowaway Stowed Himself

Read previous: Chapter 7. How Mark Had A Surprise

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