The Book of One Syllable | Page 7

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help it, could not help the scream or groan that would break forth.
There were those on board this ship who had kind hearts, and who
could not bear to see a boy feel such pain as Saib was made to feel.
There was a Mr. and Mrs. Bright who had felt much grief to see how
hard was the lot of Saib.
Saib soon found out that they felt for him; and he would look at Mrs.
Bright and think how kind she must be; and he would wish Mr. Bright
had bought him, for he thought it would not be so hard a thing to be a
slave, if he had to serve those who were kind.
Once, when Mrs. Bright was on deck, and Mr. Stone was not there,
Saib came near to her; he could not speak such words as Mrs. Bright
spoke, but he could make signs, and the signs that he made were such
as told her more than words could have told. All she said was, "Poor
boy!" but Saib saw a tear in her eye, and that tear shot a gleam of joy
on his soul, for he knew it was for him.
One day Saib was no where to be found. In vain did Mr. Stone call to
him--the name of Saib! Saib! Saib! was heard in all parts of the ship,
but no Saib came.
In each place that could be thought of was Saib sought for, but in no
place could he be found. At length all thought that he had sought a
grave in the deep sea, and that no one would see him more. His fate had
been a sad one, and all felt that it had been so.
All on board thought a great deal of Saib. All that day did they think of
him, and the next day, and the next, and the next. But there was no one
who thought of poor Saib so much as Mrs. Bright did; she thought of
him so much that she saw him in her dreams, and she would start up in
her bed and call Saib! Saib! and this would seem so real that she could
not think it had been a dream.
One night when she had had this same dream, and had seen Saib, as she
thought, at the foot of her bed, she rose up with a start, but still he was
there! This was most strange. "Saib! Saib!" she said, "you are there,

and it is no dream."
But Saib was gone! and there was no trace of him to be seen. Yet so
sure did Mrs. Bright feel that she had seen him, and that he was not
dead, that she could have no peace of mind. She thought of him the
whole of that day, and at night she made up her mind that she would
not go to sleep, but would lie quite still, as though she were gone to
sleep.
When she had been in bed two or three hours, she heard a slight noise
in her room, yet she did not move. All was soon still, and then once
more she heard a noise. The sound was like that of a piece of wood on
the slide, but so soft it was that it could not have been heard by ears
less quick than the ears of Mrs. Bright were just at that time. Once
more she was still, and then she heard the soft step of a foot. The
watch-light was dim, and yet such ray as there was, fell on the form of
Saib! Yes! it was he, there he stood; Mrs. Bright saw, and she could not
doubt that it was he!
She lay quite still, nor could she have made the least sign of life had
she had the wish to do so. Her eyes were not shut, so she could see all
that was done. Saib at first stood quite still, as if to be sure that he was
safe; and then he went with step soft and slow to a tub of dry ship cakes,
that Mrs. Bright kept in her room. She saw him take four or five of
these in his hand, and then he stole back to the place from whence he
had come.
All this she saw, but she could not have made known to Saib that she
saw it. Yet when he was gone out of her sight she gave one loud scream.
Mr. Bright, who slept in the berth next to hers, was up and on the floor
just in time to see Saib.
When Saib saw that he was seen, and that he was known, he fell on his
knees, and, oh, how much was