Tales of the Sea | Page 5

"I'll catch you, youngster, the next time. Mark me, that I will," he
shouted out to me one day, when more than usually angry.
"Wait till the next time comes, mate," I sang out, and laughed more
heartily than before.
The men sympathised with me, especially Dirty Dick. His shoulders,
till I came on board, had been accustomed to suffer most from the
mate's ill temper. Now and then old Growl, greatly to his delight,
caught me unawares; but, suffering as I did from his blows, I never let
him see that I cared for them, and used to laugh just as heartily as when
I had escaped from him. On this, however, he would grin sardonically,
and observe, "You may laugh as you like, young master, I know what a
rope's end tastes like; it's a precious deal bitterer than you would have
me fancy. I got enough of it when I was a youngster, and haven't
forgotten yet."
One day when old Growl had treated me as I have described, and had
gone below, Clement came up to me. "I am so sorry the mate has struck
you, Brooke," he said. "It's a great shame. He dare not hit me; and
when I told father how he treats you, he told me to mind my own
business, and that it was all for your good."
"I don't know how that can be," I answered; "but I don't care for it, I
can assure you. It hurts a little at the time, I'll allow, but I have got used
to it, and I don't intend to let him break my spirit or make me unhappy."
Clement all the time was doing his best to teach me what he knew, and
I soon learned to steer in smooth water, and could hand and reef the
topsails and knot and splice as well almost as he could. Some things I
did better, as I was much stronger and more active. I was put to do all
sorts of unpleasant work, such as blacking down the rigging, greasing
the masts, and helping Dirty Dick to clean the caboose and sweep out
the forecastle. Though I didn't like it, I went about the duty, however,
as if it was the pleasantest in the world. Pleasant or not, I was thus
rapidly becoming a seaman.

STORY ONE, CHAPTER 2.
I had as before, on reaching the Tyne, to remain and keep ship, though
little Clem went on shore and did not return till we had a fresh cargo on
board, and were just about sailing.
Scarcely were we clear of the river than a heavy gale sprang up and
severely tried the old collier. The seas came washing over her deck, and
none of us for'ard had a dry rag on our backs. When my watch below
came, I was glad to turn in between my now darkly-tinted blankets; but
they soon became as wet as everything else, and when I went on deck
to keep my watch, I had again to put on my damp clothes. The
forecastle was fearfully hot and steamy. We had to keep the fore hatch
closed to prevent the seas which, washing over our decks, would
otherwise have poured down upon us. In a short time, as the ship
strained more and more while she struggled amid the waves, the water
made its way through the deck and sides till there was not a dry space
to lie on in our berths. Then I began really to understand the miseries of
forecastle life on board a collier, and many other craft too, in which
British seamen have to sail; with bad food, bad water, and worse
treatment. Ay, I speak the truth, which I know from experience, they
have to live like dogs, and, too often, die like dogs, with no one to care
for them.
Day after day this sort of work continued. I wondered that the captain
did not run back, till I heard him say that the price of coals was up in
the London market, and he wanted to be there before other vessels
arrived to lower it; so, tough seaman as he was, he kept thrashing the
old brig along against the south-westerly gale, which seemed to
increase rather than show any signs of moderating. We had always,
during each watch, to take a spell at the pumps, and now we had to
keep them going without intermission. I took my turn with the rest, and
my shoulders ached before I had done; still I sang and laughed away as
usual.
"It's no laughing matter, youngster," said old Growl, as he passed me.

"You will be laughing the wrong side of your mouth before long."
"Never fear, mate," I replied; "both sides are the same