The Wizard of the Sea | Page 9

exhausted, and Carl
lost his senses completely.
The ship that had run them down was the Golden Cross. The captain's
name was Savage, and he was bound for the Bermudas.
He refused to stop anywhere to put the boys off, saying he had not the
time to do so.
In reality he was afraid he would be brought to account for wrecking
the sloop.
He would not believe that Mont and Carl were rich, and that their
parents would willingly pay him for any trouble he might take on their
behalf.
"I'll keep 'em on board and make 'em work their passage," he said to his
mate, a mean chap by the name of Slog. "We are rather short of hands."
A night's rest did wonders for the boys.
By morning the storm cleared off, and the Golden Cross proceeded
swiftly on her way, favored by a good breeze.
Mont found himself in the ill-smelling forecastle. He was awfully
hungry, and the first thing he did was to make his way to the cook's
galley. The cook smiled as Mont appeared. "Got around, eh?" he said.
"Good for you. I thought you would be sick for the rest of the trip after
such an adventure."
"I am pretty tough," answered Mont.
"You look a bit like a sailor."
"Oh, I know a thing or two about the water," replied Mont modestly.
"But tell me," he went on, "what sort of a captain have you?"

"Oh, he's a caution, and so is Slog, the first mate," laughed the cook.
"The captain is the toughest man this line of ships ever had."
"Humph! That's not encouraging," mused our hero. "Why do the
owners keep him?"
"Because he's clever. He may be out in all weather, but he's never lost a
ship."
"This seems like an old tub," observed Mont, looking around him.
"Yes, she isn't worth much. She pitches and tosses in a gale awful. It's
the oldest ship the firm's got."
"Is it insured?"
"Yes. I know the insurance is very heavy, and it wouldn't be a bad job
for the owners if she went down," replied the cook.
"Bad job for us, though," remarked Mont. "I don't want to be drowned."
"Have you had any breakfast?" asked the cook good-naturedly.
"Not a bit."
"I don't expect the regular hands will give you a chance of getting much.
There's Sam Holly and Jerry Dabble. One's a bully and the other's a
sneak."
"I haven't seen them yet."
"Fight shy of both of them. They're no good. They'll make you and
your chums do all the work, now you've come on board."
"I'll bet a dollar they won't get a stroke of work out of me," returned
Mont decidedly.
"You will?"

"Yes."
"Well, you're a plucky lad," exclaimed the cook admiringly, "and from
your size and looks I should think you could box."
"Just a little bit," answered Mont smilingly.
"The captain favors Jerry Dabble, and listens to all he says. He's a
regular sneak. You look out for him."
"I will."
"Will you have a bit of breakfast along with me? I can give you a nice
bit I've cut off the skipper's ham and a couple of eggs."
"I'm with you," said Mont readily, "and I'll return your kindness on the
first opportunity."
In a moment our hero was supplied with a good breakfast, which was
washed down with a cup of coffee.
The sea was rather high, although the wind had gone down.
It was not difficult to perceive, when Mont came to examine her, that
the ship was a very old one and had seen her best days.
Mont thought a trip to the Bermudas would be very nice, but at the
same time he did not mean to be the captain's slave, or the first mate's
either.
He had not shipped with them, and they could not legally make him
work, though he did not mind lending a hand if he was asked in a
friendly manner.
His mother would pay for his passage if she was asked.
The officers evidently took him, Carl, and Stump to be three sons of
fishermen, and had made up their minds to treat them accordingly.

When he left the galley, Mont went to where the regular hands slept
and messed, and where he and his companions had slept.
There was a great outcry as he came in.
"Leave off, I say," Carl was exclaiming; "I won't have it. Two of you
onto me at once isn't fair."
In a moment Mont was there. He found the two young men, Sam Holly
and Jerry Dabble, standing over his chum with two ropes' ends, with
which they were hitting him.
"What are you licking him for?" asked Mont, his eyes flashing.
"Because he won't get