Tales of the Sea | Page 7

felt myself."
I had been struck by little Clem's refined manners, and this was now
accounted for. "I am sure you are a gentleman, Clem," I observed; "and
if we ever get home, my father, who is a lawyer, shall try to find out
your friends. He may be able to succeed though Captain Grimes could
not. I wonder he did not apply to my father, as, from my having been

sent on board his ship, the captain must have known him. I suspect that
they wanted to sicken me of a sea life, and so sent me on board the
Naiad; but they were mistaken; and now when they hear that she has
gone down--if we are not picked up--how sorry they will be!"
The conversation I have described was frequently
interrupted--sometimes by a heavier sea than usual rolling by, and
compelling us to hold tight for our lives; at others we were silent for
several minutes together. We were seated on the after-part of the
maintop, the rigging which hung down on either side acting as ballast,
and contributing to keep the wreck of the mast tolerably steady in one
position. We were thus completely out of the water, though the spray
from the crest of the seas which was blown over us kept us thoroughly
wet and cold. Fortunately, we both had on thick clothing. Clement was
always nicely dressed, for the captain, though not particular about
himself, liked to see him look neat, while I, on the contrary, had on my
oldest working suit, and was as rough-looking a sea-dog as could be
imagined. My old tarry coat and trousers, and sou'-wester tied under
my chin, contributed, however, to keep out the wind, and enable me the
better to endure the cold to which we were exposed. I sheltered Clem as
well as I could, and held him tight whenever I saw a sea coming
towards him, fearing lest he might be washed away. I had made up my
mind to perish with him rather than let him go. Hour after hour passed
by, till at length, the clouds breaking, the moon came forth and shone
down upon us. I looked at Clem's face: it was very pale, and I was
afraid he would give way altogether. "Hold on, hold on, Clem," I
exclaimed. "The wind is falling, and the sea will soon go down; we
shall have daylight before long, and in the meantime we have the moon
to cheer us up. Perhaps we shall be on shore this time to-morrow, and
comfortably in bed; and then we will go back to my father, and he will
find out all about your friends. He is a wonderfully clever man, though
a bit strict, to be sure."
"Thank you, Jack, thank you," he answered. "Don't be afraid; I feel
pretty strong, only somewhat cold and hungry."
Just then I recollected that I had put the best part of a biscuit into my

pocket at tea-time, having been summoned on deck as I was eating it. It
was wet, to be sure; but such biscuits as we had take a good deal of
soaking to soften thoroughly. I felt for it. There it was. So I put a small
piece into Clem's mouth. He was able to swallow it. Then I put in
another, and another; and so I fed him, till he declared he felt much
better. I had reserved a small portion for myself, but as I knew that I
could go on without it, I determined to keep it, lest he should require
more.
I continued to do my best to cheer him up by talking to him of my
home, and how he might find his relations and friends, and then I
bethought me that I would sing a song. I don't suppose that many
people have sung under such circumstances, but I managed to strike up
a stave, one of those with which I had been accustomed to amuse my
messmates in the Naiad's forecastle. It was not, perhaps, one of the
merriest, but it served to divert Clem's thoughts, as well as mine, from
our perilous position.
"I wish that I could sing too," said Clem; "but I know I could not, if I
was to try. I wonder you can, Jack."
"Why? because I am sure that we shall be picked up before long, and so
I see no reason why I should not try to be happy," I answered
thoughtlessly.
"Ah, but I am thinking of those who are gone," said Clem. "My kind
father, as I called him, and old Growl, and the rest of the poor fellows;
it is like singing over their graves."
"You are right, Clem," I said; "I will sing no more, though I only did