Harry Escombe | Page 7

few people on board this ship who know more about Peru than I
do."
And therewith Escombe's new acquaintance proceeded to hold forth
upon the good and the bad points of the country to which they were
both bound, describing in very graphic language the extraordinary
varieties of climate to be met with on a journey inland from the coast,
the grandeur of its mountain scenery, the astonishing variety of its
products, its interesting historical remains; the character of the
aboriginal Indians, the beliefs they cherish, and the legends which have
been preserved and handed down by them from father to son through
many generations; the character and abundance of its mineral wealth,
and a variety of other interesting information; so that by the time that
Harry went down below to luncheon, he had already become possessed
of the feeling that to him Peru was no longer a strange and unknown
land.
CHAPTER TWO.
THE CHIEF OFFICER'S YARN.
Upon entering the saloon and searching for his place, Harry found that,
much to his satisfaction, he had been stationed at the second table,
presided over by the chief officer of the ship--a very genial individual
named O'Toole, hailing from the Emerald Isle--and between that
important personage and his recently-made Peruvian acquaintance,
whose name he now discovered to be John Firmin; while Mr Butler, it
appeared, had contrived to get himself placed at the captain's table,
which was understood to be occupied by the elite of the passengers.
With the serving of the soup Escombe was given a small printed form,
which he examined rather curiously, not quite understanding for the
moment what it meant.
Mr Firmin volunteered enlightenment. "That," he explained, "is an
order form, upon which you write the particular kind of liquid

refreshment--apart from pure water--with which you wish to be served.
You fill it in and hand it to your own particular table steward, who
brings you what you have ordered, and at the end of each week he
presents you with the orders which you have issued, and you are
expected to settle up in spot cash. Very simple, isn't it?"
"Perfectly," agreed Harry. "But supposing that one does not wish to
order anything, what then?"
"You leave the order blank, that is all," answered Firmin. Then noticing
that the lad pushed the form away, he asked: "Are you a teetotaler?"
"By no means," answered Harry; "I sometimes take a glass of wine or
beer, and very occasionally, when I happen to get wet through or am
very cold, I take a little spirits; but plain or aerated water usually
suffices for me."
"I see," remarked Firmin. He remained silent for a few seconds, then
turning again to Harry, he said: "I wonder if you would consider me
very impertinent if, upon the strength of our extremely brief
acquaintance, I were to offer you a piece of advice?"
"Certainly not," answered Harry. "You are much older and more
experienced than I, Mr Firmin, and have seen a great deal more of the
world than I have; any advice, therefore, that you may be pleased to
give me I shall be most grateful for, and will endeavour to profit by."
"Very well, then," said Firmin, "I will risk it, for I have taken rather a
fancy to you, and would willingly do you a good turn. The advice that I
wish to give you is this. Make a point of eschewing everything in the
nature of alcohol. Have absolutely nothing to do with it. You are young,
strong, and evidently in the best of health; your system has therefore no
need of anything having the character of a stimulant. Nay, I will go
farther than that, and say that you will be very much better, morally and
physically, without it; and even upon the occasions which you mention
of getting wet or cold, a cup of scalding hot coffee, swallowed as hot as
you can take it, will do you far more good than spirits. I am moved to
say this to you, my young friend, because I have seen so many lads like

you insensibly led into the habit of taking alcohol, and when once that
habit is contracted it is more difficult than you would believe to break it
off. I have known many promising young fellows who have made
shipwreck of their lives simply because they have not possessed the
courage and strength of mind to say `no' when they have been invited
to take wine or spirits."
"By the powers, Misther Firmin, ye niver spoke a thruer word in your
life than that same," cut in the chief officer, who had been listening to
what was said. "Whin I was a youngster of about Misther Escombe's
age I nearly lost my life through the dhrink. I