Old Jack | Page 6

Peter, as he spoke, drew himself up to his full height, and I thought he
looked fit to be a very great officer indeed; even to be an admiral, such
as the old gentleman in the office had spoken of.
"I am very bad at my books too," said I. "I can just read a little though,
and if I can get the chance of falling in with a book, I'll like to read to
you, Peter."
My friend thanked me, but said books were not often seen aboard the
Rainbow; nor were they found in many other merchant-craft, for that
matter, in those days.
We found the brig just ready to haul out into the outer basin,
preparatory to putting to sea. She was a fine large craft, and had been
built for a privateer in the war-time. Her heavy guns had been landed,
but she still carried some eight six-pounders; and as she had a strong
crew of fully twenty men, she was well able to defend herself from any
piratical craft, or other gentry of that description.
When Peter first took me on board, some of the seamen would scarcely
believe I was the same little boy they had seen at the fair, I looked so
much stouter and stronger in my seaman's dress. I did not much like the
look of the forepeak, into which Peter introduced me, telling me that it
was to be my house and home for the next few years of my life. I had
been accustomed to the dingy obscurity of an Irish cabin, but never had
I been, I thought, in a more dark and gloomy habitation than this.
"Never fear, Jack, you'll soon find yourself at home here," said Peter,
divining my thoughts. While he was speaking, a seaman lighted a
lantern which hung from a beam, and its glare showed me that the place
was more roomy than I had supposed, and that every part of it was
perfectly clean. I found, indeed, afterwards, that it was very superior to
the places merchant-seamen are compelled often to live in. Some of the
crew slept in standing bed-places ranged round the sides of the vessel,
or rather inside her bows, while for others hammocks were slung from
the beams which supported the deck. The chests were arranged to serve

as seats, while there was a rack for the plates and mugs belonging to
their mess.
The greater part of the crew was still on shore. "Now, Jack, that you
know the sort of place we have to live in, I'll show you the
accommodation prepared for the captain and his passengers. It must not
make you envious any more than it does me, for I think that those who
have learning and education should enjoy advantages in proportion. I
feel that it is my own fault that I do not live in as fine a cabin as the
captain does."
Even though Peter had thus prepared me to see something very fine, the
richness of the cabin fittings and furniture surpassed anything I had in
my simplicity imagined to exist. Perhaps those accustomed to such
things might not have thought it so very great. I know that there were
damask curtains, and coverings to the sofas, and mirrors, and pictures
in gold frames, and mahogany tables and chairs, and cut-glass
decanters, and china in racks, and a number of pistols and muskets and
cutlasses, all burnished and shining, fixed against a bulkhead.
"Why, this is a place fit for a king," I exclaimed; "sure he can't have
anything grander."
Peter laughed. "The captain prides himself on being very natty, and
having everything in good order," said he; "but kings, I fancy, live in
finer places than this. However, my reason for bringing you here was to
show you the place, that you may know how to behave yourself should
you be sent for to attend on the captain. You must obey him quickly,
try and understand his wishes, and keep things clean and in their places.
If you do this, you are certain to please him."
Thus it was that my friend kindly tried to prepare me for my new career.
"Now, Jack," said he at last, "I've done my best to set you on your legs.
You must try to walk alone. I don't want to make a nursing baby of you,
remember." From that day forward Peter left me very much to take care
of myself. Still I felt that his eye was watching over me, and this
feeling gave me a considerable amount of confidence which I should
not otherwise have possessed.

By the next day at noon, the rest of the crew had assembled; the captain
and several passengers, mostly merchants and planters, came on board.
There