Kate Bonnet | Page 6

will
leave you to become acquainted with the Sarah Williams, which, for a few days, will be
your home. I shall be obliged to row over to the town for, perhaps, half an hour, but Ben
Greenway will be here to attend to anything you need until I return."
Ben Greenway was a Scotchman, who had for a long time been Major Bonnet's most
trusted servant. He was a good farmer, was apt at carpenter work, and knew a good deal
about masonry. A few months ago, any one living in that region would have been likely
to say, if the subject had been brought up, that without Ben Greenway Major Bonnet
could not get along at all, not even for a day, for he depended upon him in so many ways.
And yet, now the master of the estate was about to depart, for nobody knew how long,
and leave his faithful servant behind. The reason he gave was, that Ben could not be
spared from the farm; but people in general, and Ben in particular, thought this very poor
reasoning. Any sort of business which made it necessary for Major Bonnet to separate
himself from Ben Greenway was a very poor business, and should not be entered upon.
The deck of the Sarah Williams presented a lively scene as Kate stood upon the little
quarter-deck and gazed forward. The sailors were walking about and sitting about,
smoking, talking, or coiling things away. There were people from the shore with baskets
containing fruit and other wares for sale, and all stirring and new and very interesting to
Miss Kate as she stood, with her ribbons flying in the river breeze.
"Who is that young fellow?" she said to Ben Greenway, who was standing by her, "the
one with the big basket? It seems to me I have seen him before."
"Oh, ay!" said Ben, "he has been on the farm. That is Dickory Charter, whose father was
drowned out fishing a few years ago. He is a good lad, an' boards all ships comin' in or
goin' out to sell his wares, for his mither leans on him now, having no ither."
The youth, who seemed to feel that he was being talked about, now walked aft, and held
up his basket. He was a handsome youngster, lightly clad and barefooted; and, although
not yet full grown, of a strong and active build. Kate beckoned to him, and bought an
orange.
"An' how is your mither, Dickory?" said Ben.
"Right well, I thank you," said he, and gazed at Kate, who was biting a hole in her
orange.
Then, as he turned and went away, having no reason to expect to sell anything more, Kate
remarked to Ben: "That is truly a fine-looking young fellow. He walks with such strength
and ease, like a deer or a cat."
"That comes from no' wearin' shoes," said Ben; "but as for me, I would like better to wear
shoes an' walk mair stiffly."

Now there came aft a sailor, who touched his cap and told Ben Greenway that he was
wanted below to superintend the stowing some cases of the captain's liquors. So Kate, left
to herself, began to think about what she should pack into her little bundle. She would
make it very small, for the fewer things she took with her the more she would buy at
Spanish Town. But the contents of her package did not require much thought, and she
soon became a little tired staying there by herself, and therefore she was glad to see
young Dickory, with his orange-basket, walking aft.
"I don't want any more oranges," she said, when he was near enough, "but perhaps you
may have other fruit?"
He came up to her and put down his basket. "I have bananas, but perhaps you don't like
them?"
"Oh, yes, I do!" she answered.
But, without offering to show her the fruit, Dickory continued: "There's one thing I don't
like, and that's the men on board your ship."
"What do you mean?" she asked, amazed.
"Speak lower," he said; and, as he spoke, he bethought himself that it might be well to
hold out towards her a couple of bananas.
"They're a bad, hard lot of men," he said. "I heard that from more than one person. You
ought not to stay on this ship."
"And what do you know about it, Mr. Impudence?" she asked, with brows uplifted. "I
suppose my father knows what is good for me."
"But he is not here," said Dickory.
Kate looked steadfastly at him. He did not seem as ruddy as he had been. And then she
looked out upon the forward deck, and the thought came to her that when she had first
noticed these men