CHAPTER XII
SOME JOKES ON BOB
Seeing that he was now indeed afloat, and that the ship was somedistance from land, the man became more nervous than ever. Hepaced up and down the deck, looking anxiously at the fast-recedingshore.
Suddenly he ran toward the bow of the ship and leaned far over therail.
"Hey there!" yelled Bob, thinking the man was going to Jumpoverboard and swim ashore. "What are you doing?"
"I was trying to see the name of the vessel," answered the man,whose face was now red instead of pale, caused by his exertion inbending over the rail.
"You can't see it by leaning over," replied Bob. "It's paintedaway up by the figurehead."
"I know I can't see it," answered the nervous passenger. "Oh, Iwish I was sure."
"I tell you you're on the _Eagle_," declared Bob. "Can't you takemy word?"
"When you get as old as I am, and have been through as muchtrouble, you'll never take anybody's word for anything," was theanswer. "I must be sure. I'm off for a long voyage, and I don'twant to make a mistake."
"You're not making any mistake if you want to be aboard the_Eagle_. Here comes Captain Spark now. You can ask him."
At that moment the commander, having seen his vessel well underway, came to where Bob and the nervous passenger were standing.
"Is this Mr. Hiram Tarbill?" asked the mariner, holding out hishand.
"Yes, sir. Are you Captain Jeremiah Spark?"
"That's who I am."
"Is this the schooner _Eagle_, bound around Cape Horn?"
"Yes, sir, with a mixed cargo consigned to various firms in Lima,Peru. Would you like to look at my papers?"
"No, I guess it's all right," and Mr. Tarbill seemed much relieved."You see, my train was late," he went on, "and I came aboard insuch a hurry that I was not sure I was on the right ship. Idislike to make mistakes, especially as my health is not very good."
"Yes, you're on the right ship," Captain Spark assured Mr. Tarbill."Now if you'll come with me I'll show you to your stateroom. Butfirst let me introduce to you a relative of mine," and he presentedBob.
"Yes, I have been talking with him," said Mr. Tarbill. "He assuredme I was on the right vessel, but I did not know whether he knew ornot."
"Oh, yes, Bob knows that much about the ship. But he's going tolearn more soon."
The captain conducted the nervous passenger to the stateroom setapart for him and then came back on deck.
"What do you think of him?" he asked Bob.
"He seems all right, but very nervous."
"That's the trouble. He's too nervous. His doctor recommended himto take a long sea voyage to see if it would cure him. I think itwill. I never knew a sailor who was nervous, and it's all becauseof the salt water. Now, Bob, amuse yourself as best you can untilthe tug drops us. I have several matters to attend to. After abit I'll give you some regular duties to perform every day. Theywill not be hard, but I shall expect you to perform them as well asyou are able. While in the main this is a pleasure trip for you,undertaken for a purpose with which you are familiar, I want you toderive some benefit from it. Don't you think that wise?"
"Yes, sir," answered Bob, who had formed several good resolutionsregarding his future conduct.
"Very well, then. You can roam about the ship at your pleasureuntil I am ready for you."
Now a ship is one of the best places in the world for thecirculation of news. It is a little village in itself, and whathappens in the captain's cabin, though there may be a desire tokeep it secret, is soon known in the forecastle, or "fo'kesel," asthe sailors pronounce it. Consequently it was not long before itwas known that Bob was being sent on the voyage to reform him forcertain roguish tricks to which he was addicted. This was known tothe majority of the crew before the ship sailed.
Consequently they were not only on their guard against any prankswhich the boy might try to perpetrate, but several of the youngermen resolved to give Bob a taste of his own medicine.
There was some whispering among members of the crew as theyobserved Bob strolling about the deck, and one of the men saidsomething to Mr. Carr. The first mate nodded and smiled. A littlelater, as Bob was watching the men coil up the big hawser which thetug had cast off, the _Eagle_ now proceeding along under her ownsails, one of the sailors stepped up to him.
"Would you mind doing us a favor?" he asked respectfully.
"Of course not. I'll do anything I can for you," answered Bob,glad to make the closer acquaintance of the men.
"Then would you kindly go to Captain Spark and ask him for aleft-handed marlinspike? We need it to splice this hawser with.He keeps it in his cabin because there's only one on board and it'squite a valuable instrument."
The man spoke as gravely as a judge.
"A left-handed marlinspike?" repeated Bob. "I suppose one of thesailors must be left-handed," he thought.
He knew what a marlinspike was from having seen the men use thesharp-pointed irons to pick apart the strands of rope preparatoryto splicing, so, anxious to be of service, he hurried to CaptainSpark's cabin.
"The men sent me for a left-handed marlinspike," he said,interrupting the commander, who was busy over his accounts.
"A left-handed marlinspike," repeated the commander, at onceunderstanding the joke.
"Yes, sir."
"I'm sorry," was the answer, gravely given, "but I lost itoverboard a while ago. You'd better go to Mr. Carr and ask him forthe scuttle-butt. That will do as well."
"Yes, sir," replied Bob, who, not suspecting anything, hunted upthe first mate and made his request.
"You'll find it right over there," said Mr. Carr, pointing to a bigwater barrel on deck. It was one from which the sailors drank."If it's too heavy for you, you'd better get help," said Mr. Carr,trying not to smile. But Bob was aware now that he had been madethe butt of a joke, and though he felt a little embarrassed, he hadto laugh in spite of himself.
"That's pretty good," he said. "A left-handed marlinspike turnsinto a scuttle-butt, and that turns into a water barrel. I've gotlots to learn yet."
He could hear the sailors laughing at the trick they had played,with the consent of the first mate, and with a grim smile Bobresolved to get even.