[90]
"What are you doing?" asked the mate, laying his hand heavily upon the shoulder of our young hero.
"Taking off your nephew's clothes," returned Charlie, looking up in considerable surprise at the tone in which he was addressed.
"What's that for?"
"To put on my own."
"Then you needn't trouble yourself," said Randall, composedly; "those you have on are your own."
"What do you mean?" asked Charlie meeting the mate's triumphant5 look with an open, manly6 glance.
"I mean," said Randall, with a sardonic7 look, "that the clothes were bought for the one who now wears them."
"Bought for me!" exclaimed Charlie, in great bewilderment.
"Yes. You wondered how they happened to fit you so well. That is easily explained. They were picked out on purpose for you. The old Jew in the clothing-store took your measure with his eye while you[91] were standing8 there with me. Faith, he's got a pretty sharp eye."
"But your nephew?" said Charlie, his heart sinking, as he began to comprehend the plot to which he had fallen a victim; "I thought you said they belonged to him."
"Well," said Randall, with a harsh laugh, "you're my nephew."
"I am not," said Charlie, with something of haughtiness9 in his tone, as he surveyed the mate scornfully.
"He's got his mother's look," muttered the latter. "That's the way she looked when she sent me about my business. She'd look something different, I fancy, if she knew I'd got her boy in my power. I've got the whip-hand of her now, and she'll live yet to repent10 the day she rejected Jack11 Randall."
These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, and did not prevent his answering at once Charlie's bold denial.
"There's a little too much pride about you, youngster. It'll need taming down. You're to be my nephew while you're aboard this[92] ship. Remember, your name is Jack Randall. Take care that you claim no other."
"What good will that do?" said Charlie. "I am not going to remain on board."
"You're not, eh?" said the mate, significantly.
"No," said Charlie, boldly.
"Suppose I say you shall."
"Then," said Charlie, firmly, "I say you are mistaken."
Our hero was a boy of spirit, and had no idea of being disposed of without his own consent. He commenced tugging12 away at his blue jacket with the intention of pulling it off.
"What are you doing?" asked Randall, with a frown, advancing and laying a heavy hand on the boy's shoulder. "Haven't I told you to keep those clothes on?"
"You have no right to interfere13 with me," said Charlie, stoutly14, his eye flashing with indignation. "Give me back my clothes."
"You can't have them. If you strip off those you have on you'll have to go without any."
[93]
Exasperated16, Charlie made a spring forward, and attempted to wrest17 his clothes from the hands of the mate.
"Ha, my fine fellow!" exclaimed Randall, as, evading18 the boy's grasp, he lifted them beyond his reach. "So you are inclined to be mutinous19, are you? Very well, we have a remedy for all such cases, and a very simple one it is."
So saying, he drew a stout15 cord from his pocket, and advanced towards our hero with the intention of binding20 him.
Charlie sprang for the stairs, and was half way up before the mate caught him and dragged him back.
"Well, boy, you're a pretty tough customer—true grit21. You're just the boy to make a sailor of. I must make sure of you."
So saying, he succeeded, in spite of Charlie's vigorous exertions22, in tying his hands and feet. Not until thus rendered quite helpless did the brave boy suffer himself to burst into tears.
"What are you going to do with me?" he asked.
[94]
"I am going to make a sailor of you," answered the mate.
"But I don't want to go to sea," answered Charlie.
"So you said once before, but you'll change your mind before long."
"My mother will not know where I am. She can't get along without me, for she depends upon me in part for support."
"I dare say she'll get along somehow," said Randall, coolly. "She won't miss you much, and she ought to feel glad that your uncle has taken charge of you."
"Uncle!" retorted the boy, with flashing eyes. "I wouldn't own you as uncle for all the money in Boston."
"You wouldn't!" said Randall, his tone changing, and a dark look overspreading his face. "Very well, my bold lad, you may have reason to repent those words. You may find out by and by that it is as well to be civil to your superior officer. I will do nothing about it now, but when we are out of port and fairly at sea, look out!"
Charlie, who was quick-witted, caught a[95] hint from these words, and at once set up a scream, hoping to draw attention from outside.
"That's your game, is it?" said the mate. "We'll soon stop that."
So saying, he drew out the boy's own handkerchief, and gagged him so that there was no further fear of his being able to make any disturbance23 which could be heard on the wharf24 or on neighboring vessels25.
Feeling now secure, he left Charlie mute and helpless, and ascended26 to the deck.
"What was the noise I heard below, Mr. Randall?" asked the captain, pausing in his walk, and addressing his first officer.
"My nephew!" said Randall, with a smile.
"Ha! he is a little obstreperous27, is he?"
"A trifle so."
"Doesn't like the society of his uncle sufficiently28 to want to go to sea with him, I suppose?"
"I dare say he would like to change his quarters," said Randall, composedly.
"How did you reconcile him to his fate?"
"A couple of strong cords and a gag did[96] the business. They will keep him quiet till we get out to sea, and then perhaps we can discover some other means of bringing him to terms."
"A slightly different application of the cords, perhaps, Mr. Randall."
The mate smiled approval of this jest, and as his services were now in requisition to expedite preparations for departure, he left the captain and went about his duty.
Meanwhile the mate's conduct had not been unobserved by the crew. Among these was an old sailor who rejoiced in the name of Bill Sturdy. It is needless to say that this was not his real name. No one appeared to know what his real name was, and he had become so used to this, that he generally called himself so. The name Sturdy had probably been given him on account of his sturdy make. He was stout and very powerful. Probably there were no two men on board the ship who would not have felt some hesitation29 in attacking Bill Sturdy.
It may be added that the name was no less appropriate if we consider it bestowed30 on account[97] of his character and disposition31. He was unpolished enough, having beaten about the world all his life, yet he had been gifted by nature with a fund of sturdy common sense and powers of observation which made him more thoughtful and intelligent than most of his class. He had a kind heart, and hated to see oppression. This was his first voyage on board the Bouncing Betsey; the ship on which he had last served having been wrecked32, and he with a few others having, with difficulty, saved themselves. Since he had engaged on board the Betsey, the stories he had heard of the captain's brutality33 led him to repent of his determination, and he had resolved within himself to remain on board but a single voyage.
He had had his attention drawn34 to our hero and the mate, and he observed that the latter came up alone from below.
"That's a trim, handsome little lad," he said to himself; "I wonder what the mate is so attentive35 to him for. There's some deviltry in the wind, as sure as my name is Bill Sturdy. I hope, for the boy's sake, he isn't[98] going to ship with us. If he does. I must do what I can for him, for I mistrust he'll want a friend."
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1
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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2
manliness
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| 刚毅 | |
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3
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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4
divest
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| v.脱去，剥除 | |
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5
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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7
sardonic
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| adj.嘲笑的，冷笑的，讥讽的 | |
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8
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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9
haughtiness
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| n.傲慢；傲气 | |
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10
repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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11
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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12
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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13
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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14
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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16
exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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17
wrest
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| n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲 | |
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18
evading
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| 逃避( evade的现在分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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19
mutinous
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| adj.叛变的，反抗的；adv.反抗地，叛变地；n.反抗，叛变 | |
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20
binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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21
grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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23
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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26
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
obstreperous
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| adj.喧闹的，不守秩序的 | |
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28
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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29
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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30
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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32
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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33
brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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34
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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