CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.
A QUEER QUARREL.
"I sent a message to you, Mr Herrick," he cried angrily, and I couldthen guess that he had been coming to see why I had delayed. "I havesomething to say to you, sir, respecting the company you keep, and thesociety you affect, which I am given to understand is not that whichconduces to good dishipline."
"Oh, that's what Mr Smith thinks, sir," I said coolly.
"Oh, indeed!" he cried sarcastically.
"Yes, sir; he said something about it to me this morning, but he doesnot know."
"Indeed!" he cried, growing black as a thundercloud; "then I am to takeit, sir, that you do?"
"I hope so, sir; I try to know."
"Then you know, sir, possibly why it was that when I sent you a summonsI am kept waiting?"
"Yes, sir; I was delayed a little--"
"Oh, thank you. I am glad to hear that, Mr Herrick. Perhaps you havesomething else of importance to communicate?"
"Yes, sir, very."
"Thank you. I am sorry I cannot ask you to sit down."
"Don't name it, sir," I said quietly, while he began to breathe veryhard.
"I was down with Ching the interpreter, sir, this morning--"
"Were you really, Mr Herrick?" he said sarcastically. "Dear me, I hopehe is much better?"
"Yes, sir, he's nearly all right. I was coming to you when I met MrBarkins, and Smith." I couldn't say Mr Smith, I felt so exasperatedagainst him.
"What a curious coincidence, Mr Herrick! If I had known I might havespared myself the trouble of sending."
"Yes, sir."
"And pray, may I know for what reason I was to be honoured?"
"Of course, sir," I said coolly enough, for I was enjoying the way inwhich he was working himself up for an explosion to fall upon myunfortunate head. "The fact is, sir--"
"Oh, it is a fact, is it?"
"Yes, sir--Ching has friends ashore."
"And wants leave of absence? Are you his envoy?"
"Oh no, sir. One of his friends sent him an important letter thismorning by the vegetable boat."
"Eh? letter?" said Mr Reardon, beginning to grow interested.
"Yes, sir. This friend is a kind of a merchant or something; and he hasnews of two big junks--piratical junks--lying in this very river."
"The dickens he has! Here, Herrick, come down to my cabin."
He took my arm and marched me quickly to the ladder and down to hiscabin. On the way I caught sight of Barkins and Smith watching us, andI gave them a nod.
"Now, my lad, sit down," cried Mr Reardon excitedly. "Let's hear."
I sat down, and he walked to and fro--two steps and turn.
"There's very little more to tell you, sir," I said; "but there are twovery large junks assuming to be merchantmen. They are anchored close byhere somewhere."
"You don't know which two?"
"No, sir; but we shall know them by their sailing at once, and I shouldsay by boats coming off to them with extra men directly after."
"Yes, that's good, Herrick--very good. But you have no otherinformation about them?"
"Only, sir, that they are just off on a cruise, and if we could catchthem--"
"We will catch them, my lad. But is that all?"
"Yes, sir, that's all; I thought it rather big news."
"So it is, Herrick--very big news. Just what we wanted. It's time wemade another capture. And to Ching has a friend on shore who sent thisinformation?"
"Yes, sir."
"Not a trap, is it--to get us away?"
"Oh no, sir; Ching is as honest as the day."
"Humph, yes," said Mr Reardon, with his fingers to his lips. "I thinkhe is, for he seems to have taken to us and to be working hard in ourservice. But he may have been deceived. He is cunning enough; but soare his countrymen, and they would glory in tricking the man who hastaken up with the English. I don't know what to say to it, Herrick."
"But suppose we see two big junks setting sail, watch them with a boat,sir, and find that they take others on board, there could be no mistakethen."
"Oh yes, there could, my boy. We might follow these junks, seize them,and spend a long time in their capture and bringing back into port.Then we should apply to the authorities, and find that we had got intosad trouble, for we had seized two vessels which the occupants couldprove were intended for peaceable pursuits. We could not contradictthem possibly, and all the time the scoundrels we wanted to take hadsailed off upon a piratical expedition, consequent upon our absence.Now, sir, what do you say to that?"
I shook my head.
"I think Ching ought to know best," I said.
"Perhaps so," he replied. "We shall see. Come on now to the captain."
He opened the door, and I followed. I had forgotten all about Barkinsand Smith for the time, but now all that had passed occurred to my mind,and I felt certain that they would be waiting somewhere to meet me andmake sport of the tremendous setting-down which I had had.
I was not wrong: they were talking together amidships, just where theycould command the companion-way, and as soon as we appeared I sawSmith's features expand into a malicious grin, while Barkins remainedperfectly stolid.
As we passed to the ladder Smith looked after us wonderingly, and I sawhim turn and whisper something, which I felt sure was--
"Taking him to the skipper."
For the captain was not in his cabin, but walking up and down thequarter-deck with his hands clasped behind him, and the telescope whichhad made Mr Reardon so angry under his left arm.
As we reached the deck he was going aft, so we followed him, and timedour pace so that when he turned we had only a step or two to take to befacing him.
"Yes, Mr Reardon," he said in response to our salute, "anything fresh?"
"Yes, sir, something very fresh. Will you listen to what Mr Herrickhas to say?"
"Certainly," he replied, and he made room for me on his right MrReardon placed himself on my right, and as I narrated all I had saidbefore as nearly as I could, they marched me up and down between them,from the binnacle to the end of the quarter-deck, turned and marched meback again.
As we approached the rail I could see Barkins and Smith watching us withall their eyes, and as we came in sight again they were still watchingintently, evidently in the full belief that I was being, as we shouldhave called it, wigged tremendously. And certainly they had some excusefor this idea, for I had been summoned by the first lieutenant, takeninto his cabin, talked to, and then marched off to the captain. Italmost looked like being dismissed from the ship in their eyes, and nowI could see them scanning my features with intense interest for sight ofmy breaking down.
The captain heard me out, and then listened to Mr Reardon's objections.
"Yes," he said quietly at last, "that's very true, Mr Reardon, but wemust not let an opportunity slip. I was intending to sail to-morrow forthe north; now we will sail which way the junks lead. That will do forthe present, Mr Herrick, and I thank you for your diligence in HerMajesty's service."
I touched my cap and went to the ladder, and as I descended there weremy two messmates coming towards me.
Trying to make my face as mobile as possible, I stretched it here andthere into wrinkles, and was walking straight along the deck looking theimage of despair, when they stopped me.
"Serve you right!" said Smith exultantly. "There, be off below, anddon't let the men all see what a setting-down you have had."
I gave each of them a piteous look, turned as they had suggested, andhurried down to our cabin to have a good laugh all to myself.
To my surprise, though, they followed me, Barkins to seat himself on thetable, and Smith to lean up against the door.
"Well, Skeeter," said the latter, "you've had it pretty hot. Serve youright for being sarcy; you'll behave better next time."
"I hope so," I said meekly.
"Dishy gave you his lecture, then, and walked you off to the skipper,eh?"
> "Yes," I said.
"Well, it's of no use for you to be grumpy. You've had your lesson, andnow you've got to behave yourself."
"Yes."
"And I am very glad to see you are so humble. Aren't you, Tanner?"
"Yes," said Barkins gruffly.
"You see it won't do for a little gnat of a fellow to think he is goingto do what he likes on board one of Her Majesty's ships. It was quitetime you were taken down a few pegs--wasn't it, Tanner?"
"I suppose so," said Barkins.
"Then I don't see that it's any use for us to jump upon him, and showbad blood."
"No, not a bit," cried Barkins, with more animation. "We won't."
"No, I said we wouldn't; so look here, youngster: we're going to forgiveyou, if you promise to behave better and do as you're bid. This isn'tschool, you know, where a boy can set himself up against his elders, butthe Queen's service, where every one has his place, and has to keep ittoo--mind that. There, that's all I've got to say."
"And very nicely said too," I replied.
He looked at me sharply, but my face was like marble, and he concludedthat I had spoken seriously, for he turned to Barkins--
"There, Tanner, I've done; now it's your turn."
"What for?"
"To give him a few words."
"Oh, I don't think I want to say anything," said Barkins slowly. "I'msorry the poor little beggar got into such a row."
"It'll do him good."
"I hope so," said Barkins slowly and reluctantly, and there was rather amournful look in his eyes as he spoke.
"You'd better give him a few words of advice," said Smith in an off-handtone.
"Oh no, he's had enough jawing. I shan't say anything."
"Thank you, Tanner," I said.
"Oh, all right," he cried, and he held out his hand and shook mine,brightening up the next moment, and looking as pleased as if he had justgot a great trouble off his mind.
"You needn't be in such a jolly hurry to forgive him," said Smith in aremonstrant tone; "he has been a cheeky little beggar, and deserved allhe got."
"But it isn't nice to be wigged, all the same," said Barkins sharply.
"No, but it don't matter if you deserved it. Now then, Gnat, tell uswhat Dishy said."
"What about?" I asked innocently.
"What about? Why, your associating with Ching so much."
"Oh, that!" I cried.
"Oh, that!" he said, mocking my way of speaking. "Why, what did youthink I meant?"
"I don't know."
"Well, what did he say?"
"Nothing at all."
"What! no lies now."
"Who's telling lies? He didn't say a word about it. We had somethingof more consequence to talk about."
"Now, Tanner, hark at that. Did you ever hear such a miserable cheekylittle beggar in your life? It's of no use; we must give him a regulargood towelling."
"Better tell us what the luff said, Gnat," growled Barkins, in sostrange an accession of gruffness that I began to laugh.
"Why, what's the matter with you?" I said. "Don't gruff and growhoarse like that."
"Can't help it; got a cold, I s'pose," he cried. "But I say, stop itnow; we want to be friends. Tell us what the luff said."
"Precious little," I replied. "I did all the speaking till we went upon the quarter-deck."
"Don't listen to him," cried Smith, growing wroth with me. "I never sawsuch cheek. One tries to be friends with him, but it's of no use;directly you open your mouth he jumps down your throat."
"Then you shouldn't have such a big mouth, Smithy," I said sharply, andthen the storm burst.
Tanner roared with laughter, for the width of Smith's mouth had oftenbeen food for our mirth; and, as Barkins afterwards said, my remark cameout so pat.
"Look here," cried Smith, "I'm not going to stand this sort of thing.You may be fool enough to put up with it, but I won't."
"If you call me a fool I'll punch your head, Smithy," growled Barkins.
"No, you won't," was the retort; "and that's the way you take sidesagainst me, and encourage the miserable little beggar in his impudentways? Now then, you Herrick, you've got to go down on your knees andbeg my pardon, and then tell me everything the skipper and the firstluff said."
"When?" I asked coolly.
"When? Why, now, directly," cried Smith fiercely. "Now then, nononsense," he cried, seizing me by the collar; but I wrested myselfaway, and in the slight struggle sent him staggering against Barkins.
"Now then, keep off me, please," growled Barkins.
"Keep off yourself; why don't you get out of the way?"
"How was I to know that a blundering idiot was coming up against me?"
"It'll tell you when I've done with the Gnat," said Smith angrily; for Ihad unintentionally hurt his arm. "Now you, Skeeter."
"Let him alone," said Barkins gruffly.
"When I've done with him," said Smith; "you could have had first go athim if you had liked."
"I don't want to hit the little fellow, I'm not overbearing like youare. Let him alone, I say."
"I shall let him alone when I choose," retorted Smith fiercely. "I'mnot going to let our junior ride roughshod over me, if you're foolenough to."
"I shall be fool enough to kick you out of the cabin if you touch him,"cried Barkins angrily. "I won't have him bullied; and it was a meansneaking thing to go telling tales as you did to old Dishy."
"Look here," cried Smith, "if any one is a sneak it's you, for harkingback and taking the miserable little beggar's side."
"Never mind about that; you let him alone."
"Oh, I say, Tanner," I said, "don't quarrel with him about me. What hesaid did no harm. Mr Reardon was as friendly as could be."
"That's a cracker," cried Smith sharply.
At that moment a marine came to the door.
"First lieutenant wants to see Mr Herrick directly."
"Yes; where is he?" I said, smiling--purposely, of course.
"With the cap'n, sir, on the quarter-deck."
"All right; I'll be there directly."
The man saluted and marched off, while I followed to the door, where Iturned, thrust in my head, and said banteringly--
"Now be good boys and don't fight while I'm gone."
_Bang_!
A book off the table, flung by Smith, struck the door which I washolding half open, for I saw the missile coming, and dodged it. Then Ipopped my head in again.
"Don't take any notice of him, Tanner," I cried; "he's bilious. Thankyefor sticking up for me. Can I say a word for you to the captain?"
"Here, get up," cried Smith, with a snarl. "Touch your hat to him.He's promoted; and they'll send poor old Brooke a step lower. All hail,Lieutenant Skeeter!"
"All right!" I cried, and I hurried away, leaving Barkins looking as ifhe could not believe his ears.
The next minute I was facing the captain and Mr Reardon.