Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-02-23
The Scuttled Ship.

Captain Job Payson, sailed from Boston
for port in Turkey, laden with cotton
goods. She was new, taut little YES
sci, with plenty of storage room, and
had accommodation for two passengers.
The crew consisted of the captain,
mate, four sailors, black cook and
cabin-boy.
Captain Payson was a conscientious.
Just man, who treated his crew neither
to jokes or grog. but who lodged and
fed them better than would five out of
six of the masters sailing from New
England ports.
"Old job" the mate who was from
the West, used to say. "was hard man,
but one you could tie to in fair weather
or foul"
HIS crew were picked men, and, with
the exception of Dan the cabin boy,
had been with him for years. This was
Dams first voyage, and he felt that the
captain and crew eyed him with suspi-
cion. He was on probation, and he felt
that not grain of favor would be al
lowed him.
Dan was farm boy, who knew moth
ing of the world beyond the village in
which was his mothers church. Ship
board, the sea, Europe. Turkey, here
were bewildering ideas to burst at once
on his narrow experience, scarcely wider
than that of the house-dog sleeping at
the barn-door.
keep your eyes open and your hands
ready to see the work of the moment
and to do it before the moment is over,
was his mothers last advice. "For the
rest, Daniel, ask the Lords help. You'll
find Him just as near to you in Turkey
as in your own home here"
Dan, in the hurry and excitement of
getting under way, and of his new du-
ties, repeated this advice over and over
to himself. 1t seemed to keep his
mother near him. Several days after,
while he was carrying the dinner dishes
into the cabin, he overheard the mate
say
THAT boy is clipper enough for raw
hand, captain p
AYE" grunted Captain Payson.
"turns out better than 1 expected. l
took him for his mothers sake-widow,
old friend Of mine.'
"Rather gentlemanly fellow, this pas
senger ?" ventured the mate, finding
Captain Payson in an unusually talka-
tive mood.
"He is a gentleman. sir. Ore of the
Farnalls of Springfield. Ill-health.
Doctor prescribed long sea-voyage. A
gentleman and a scholar, Mr.. Briggs r.
Dan, while waiting on the table at
dinner could not help noticing the pas
senger. "Some of these days." thought
the true-born Yankee lad, II. too, shall
be gentleman and scholar"
Doctor Farnall was tall, lean man,
carefully dressed, with sandy hair and
moustache, but with eyebrows and lash
es almost white. His eyes, too, were
large and pale. They never met the
eyes of any other man fairly. Once,
when Dan happened to look at him he
turned quickly away, and he glanced
furtively and suspiciously at the boy, at
times, during the rest of the meal.
Don't like him. thought Dan.
"Looks sneaking and tricky, and not
like gentleman"
But Dan of course kept his opinion to
himself. Even Job, the cook, snubbed
the "raw hand" and tolerated no re-
marks from him.
Fortunately, the lad was not seasick.
He learned his new duties quickly: was
alert, neat, and always good-natured.
In the course of one week Captain Pay
son had twice grumbled approval.
Dan worked harder than ever, and be-
tween times, for recreation, when the
passenger was on deck he watched him.
Doctor Farnall talked fuently and
brilliantly, as even Dams uncultured
mind could perceive. But his talk was
leveled far above the heads of either the
captain or Mr.. Briggs, who listened with
half comprehending admiration.
But there were days when the doctor
was absolutely silent, ate nothing, anc
paced the deck wrapped IN profound
gloom, his light eyes darting suspicious
glances from side to side.
On one of these days, Dan. goinG
down just at twilight to find something
he had left in his bunk, saw a tall fig
ure, which he could not recognize, witt
a candle cropping about among the chest
of the sailors.
"Who's ther ?" he shouted.
The man came quickly toward him
The candle threw yellow glare owe
his set face and glaring eyes. 1t wa
the passenger. He caught Dan by tn
sleeve.
Here, boy-what do they call you I?
"You'er surprised to see me here
Dan ?' with guilty laugh. "Took m
for ghost, eh p