Through Forest and Stream | Page 2

a few bird-skins down by the docks."
"A deal better, doctor. You don't know what you're cutting out for yourself."
"We should come off badly for natural history specimens, captain, if people followed your advice."
"Quite well enough, doctor. I don't see much good in stuffed birds."
"Ah, well, captain," said my uncle, "we will not argue about that. You land us and our boat where I said."
"Do you know what sort of a place it is, sir?"
"Pretty well," replied my uncle. "I shall know better when we reach it."
"All right, sir. You're my passenger, and I'll keep to my bargain. But don't you blame me if anything goes wrong."
"I never shall, believe me," said my uncle.
"You won't," said the captain, and he walked aft, shaking his head as if our case was hopeless.
"Our friend is not very encouraging, Nat," said my uncle. "He believes that he knows better than we do, but I think we shall manage all the same. At any rate, we'll try."
"How far are we from the coast?" I asked.
"Not above a day's run," said my uncle; "so have all your traps ready for putting in the boat at any moment."
"Everything is ready, uncle," I said.
"That's right. I shall be glad to get ashore and to work."
"Not more glad than I shall be, uncle," I said. "I'm sick of being cooped up on board ship with this skipper--there, he's at it again."
The voice of the captain in a furious passion abusing someone, followed by the sound of a blow and a yelp such as a dog would give when kicked, made Uncle Dick frown.
"The brute!" he muttered. "How he does knock that poor lad about."
"It's shameful, uncle," I said, passionately, "if we stop on board much longer I shall tell him he's what you said."
"No, hold your tongue, Nat," said my uncle. "We have no right to interfere. He has often made my blood boil. Ah! don't laugh. I mean feel hot, sir."
"I wasn't going to laugh, uncle," I said. "It makes me wonder, though, how boys can want to come to sea."
"All captains are not like our friend yonder," said Uncle Dick. "But it seems to me that he's a tyrant to everyone on board. Who's being bullied now?"
For just then sharp words were being exchanged, and a gruff voice cried:
"Do. You hit me, and skipper or no skipper, I'll give it you back with interest!"
"What! you mutinous dog!" shouted the captain. "Here, boy, go down and fetch my revolver from the cabin."
"Bah!" came in a loud voice. "You daren't use it. If you did, the crew would put you in irons."
The ship's carpenter came by where we were stood, scowling fiercely at us both, walked to the forecastle hatch, and went below.
"Yes, Nat," said my uncle, "I think we shall be happier out in the woods. Don't you wish we had Ebo here?"
"I've often wished it, uncle," I said. "But perhaps we may pick up just such a fellow out yonder."
"Such pieces of luck don't happen twice to the same people. Hullo, here's poor Doldrums. Well, my lad, in trouble again?"
The ship's boy, a sallow, dirty-looking lad of about eighteen, but stunted and, dwarfed for his age, came shuffling by us, to follow the carpenter, and he held one hand to his eye and spoke in answer with his face half averted.
"Trouble again, sir?" said the poor fellow, half piteously, half in anger; "I aren't never been out of it since we sailed."
"What have you been doing? Here, let me look at your face."
"Oh, never mind that, sir," said the lad, shrinking.
"But I do mind," said my uncle. "Let me see."
Uncle Dick did not wait for the boy to take down his hand, but drew it away, to show that the eye was red and swollen up.
"Did the captain do that?" I said.
The lad nodded, and his forehead filled with lines.
"What had you been about?"
"Nothing, sir," said the lad bitterly.
"Then what had you left undone?"
"I dunno, sir. I try all day long to do what the skipper wants, but it's always kicks when it arn't blows; and when it's neither he's always swearing at me. I wish I was dead!" he cried passionately.
"Stop here," cried Uncle Dick, sharply, for the lad was moving off, with his eye covered up again.
Regularly cowed, the lad stopped short, flinching the while.
"Don't do that," said Uncle Dick. "I was not going to strike you."
"No, sir, but everybody else does, 'cept the carpenter. But I don't care now; I shall go overboard and end it."
"Why?" said Uncle Dick.
"Why, sir? What's the good o' living such a life as this?"
"This ship is not the whole world, my lad, and all the people are not like the captain."
The lad looked half wonderingly at my uncle, and then turned to me with so pitiful a look