The morning call., 1893-01-15

| Jumpers. VIII t0OK US INTO the cuQQy,
| which you would now call the saloon
fine cabin under the poop deck with some
| sleeping berths on either hand. He then
| walked US forward to snow US the appreu-
| tees quarters.
The ship had what is known as top
| gallant forcastle. on either hand of which
| was wing of cabin, sort of deckhouse
entered by a door that Sided in grooves.
| Tie apprentices lived in the wing Oh the
left or port or larboard side. as the express
| sion then was. "How many OF you are
! there?" asked Captain Butler. Three"
| answered my cousin. The place was empty.
and l entered it and looked about me to
| gather whether there was anything could
| purchase to render the coarse rude abode a
little more hospitable to the sight: This
| won't be like being at home. VIII, said L.
ut will be seeing life, though, and start
ing on career" he answered.
These are snug quarters" said Captain
you, Johnstone?'
My cousin led US into large wooden
| cave. Ii was very gloomy here. We had to
| lift our feet high to enter the door. The
huge windlass stood, great mass of red
| dened timber and grinning iron work, in
[ front of the entrance of this forecastle
! ahaft Ii rose the trunk of the foremost and
behind again the solid square of the galley
| or kitchen; the thick shr0uds descended OH
| both sides, and though 1t was bright day
| the shadows of these things lay in twi-
| light upon the f0recastle entrance, and
needed to stand awhile and accustom my
eyes to the gloom before l could see.
| This is fine fOrecastle." said Captain
Butler. Few crews get better parlors."
The interior was empty. Rows of hunks
on both sides ran ghostly into the obscurity
| in the bows.
what hatch is tbisp" said I. pointing to
small covered square in the deck close to
| where | stood.
"Tharll be the way into the fore-peak."
said Captain Butler.
| What sort of place is that? said L.
"The rats nursery" he answered, laugh
ing.
| Have you been into it, WHIP" said !.
| mo. They keep coal and br0omhandles
| there, odds and ends of stores, cans OF oil
and everything that's unpleasant / find
| things out by asking"
Right Johnstone," said Captain Butler
| Keep on asking on board ship. That's the
| way to learn. How would you like to be an
| able seaman, Miss tombstone, and sail be-
| fore the mast and sleep in place like this p
This would not be my end Of the ship II
| | were man," said /.
| We wandered aft on to the poop. whence
| we could command view OF the whole
ship, and here we stood looking at the clam
or0us, gallant scene round about us, TIL the
| sun sank low across the river beyond
| Rotherhithe. and the shadow Of the even
flags, and hung a rusty mist out npon the
| further reaches of the river, making the
| ships there loom up dusky and swollen.
| Captain Butler asked us ii we would drink
| tea with him at the Brunswick Hotel. |
! was liking nothing better in The world
! than his company, and gladly accepted,
| and the three of lis walked to the hotel and
took a seat at a table in window where we
| had a view of the shipping, and here we
| drank tea and ate some small sweet white
| fish. and passed happy hour.
Captain Butler must have been less than
| man and without ayes in his head II he
| had not this time guessed that | was very
| much in love with him. / was sure he ad-
| mired ne; indeed his admiration was I'M
| feigned. | had never been loved by man
and could not guess what was in the mind
| of this handsome sailor by merely oDsery-
| ing the admiration that softened and sweet
| ened the naturally gay and careless express
! sion of his eyes. but IL filled me with sweet
| delight to know that he admired me. This
! was full. rich cup for my lips for first
! draught. / liked 10 feel that he watched
me. I'd turn my head little way and talk
TO VIII. and continue talking that Captain
| Butler might 20 on looking at me.
| 81 wish you were not sailing so soon,
| cousin" said |. I'D plan more OF these
excursions. They make me forget l have
| stepfather.
"There's fortnight yet" said VIII.
Il hope your stepfather does not ill-treat
| youl" exclaimed Captain Butler, and some
| color came into his face.
No. no." cried /, and l guessed that my
| eyes sparkled with a sudden heat of my
| spirits. "Ill-treat me, indeed! The fact is
the house isn't big enough for him and me.
| But | won't turn him out. He's The father
| of my mothers child, and my home was my
mothers. But. OH feel the gloom of it,
! l am alone. can't take to the little one.
| And must Ii be year after year the same"
I acf n,U down and bTpatlpn nnicklv
then rounding upon VIII cried with loud.
| silly laugh, "You shall take me voyage
with you when you come home"
II like these excursions" said Wills
'uOn'I you, captain butleT?
''Pd like them better if they didn't end so
soon," he answered
Il have fortnight" exclaimed WIN.
Lets 90 trip every day"
Captain Buffers eyes met mine.
You Of course have something better 10
do?" said 20 him.
81 have nothing to do"
where's your shlp?"
81 have no ship" said he; "a bark called
the Arab Chief is In course OF completion
at Sunderland. l may command her II |
invest in her. / wish TO consider. am not
rich and / must see my way clearly before
venture all that have"
$50 you must. And suppose you'll go
and live at Sunderland%
mo. / can do no good at Sunderland.
Time enough to go to Sunderland when the
ships ready. She's not building under my
superintendence."
You'll visit your relatives in the coun-
II have relatives, but they don't live In
the country, and / shan't visit them"
Cant we arrange for some more trips?"
said VIII. Lets go sightseeing every
day."
Give us a sketch of your fancies, John.
stone" said Captain Butler.
well" he began, counting upon his fin
gers, there's dinner at the Star and Gar
ter; that's good sightseeing number one.
Then there's Greenwich yonder and an
other dinner, number two Then what say
YOU to Woolwich ana peep at the hunks?
Call that job day on The river taking q
boat at Blllingsgate or the tower. number
three"
Keep inshore. my lad" said Captain
enough of the water soon"
What dye say to Hampstead and tea?
Then dinner at the Kings Arms at Hamp-
ton Court? Aud is Windsor too far off ?"
So he ratified.
Yet the Jolly young fellows proposals
were very we'll to our liking. and before we
rose to depart from the Bruins wick Hotel
we had schemed out a long holiday week.
They saw me to my house as on the pre-
vious night; neither would come in When
they had left ME felt very dull and lonely
iOuhu d uute Ou lily tdDle lTOill ITlcnu at
Bow; she asked me to q card party next
night, but was in no humor to accept in
yitati0ns to houses where / was not likely
to meet Captain Butler. Indeed, / had come
home from this jauDt to the docks as deeply
in love as ever woman was with a man
in this world. l slept. it is true, but |
dreamed of nothing but my handsome sailor,
as my heart was already secretly calling
him. l went to sea with him in a number
of visions that night. auelled mutiny
among the sailors. saved Captain Buffers
life at the risk of my own, and, when he
took me in his arms TO thank and caress
me. looked In his face, and lol it was my
stepfather.
To be continued.
Copyright 1893. by w. Clark Russell.