A Chapter of Adventures

ward. At the railway-crossing he met his mother hurrying down, for the news that the Be

had no idea that you would be home to-day. What in the worl

ng for the wreck. Then we certainly had a tremendous sea, the heaviest I have ever been out in. However, we were under storm-sails and did very well. It was nasty work when we anchored in broken water near the wreck, and she jumped about so I thought

Jack. I will get you some tea r

t. We had breakfast before we started at eight, and it is seven now. We thought when we hoisted sail we should be down here under the

in which he told them more fully the events of the wreck, he turned into bed and slept soundly till the morning. Captain Murchison, for that was his name, came round half an hour after Jack had gone up to bed to ask him

he said. "His leaping over in such a sea as that to get

round him, sir, so that ther

hey do not drown him. Then there is the difficulty of his getting on board again when a vessel is rolling and pitching so tremendously, and the danger of

h than on the previous day. Jack had heard from his mother of his appointment to

re in saving all their lives, but of course it was all Uncle Ben and Tom's handling the boat that did it; I had nothing to do with it what

ike it or not you must go. It would be very rude and uncivil not to do so. They would be sure to send round

self on his chai

led before she goes out again. She came down with a tremendous crash on her forefoot, and the water was just coming up through the boards in the fo'castle when we came in. Of course it may have come in from

e had had such a lot of water over us it was likely it might have got in through the hatches; but I feel

home for a servant to come down in the morning by the first train, with clothes for herself and daughter, and she had arrived with them an hour before. Mrs. Godstone had therefore been enabled to resume her us

ur son for his share in saving our lives yesterday. We thought that

ave had a good deal of trouble in persuading Jack to go round. He was just start

t, and acquired the manners of her husband's friends. She was still more surprised at the pretty furniture of the room, which was tastefully decorated, and the walls

sterday," she said. "My daughter and I have come round

lso shook hands with Jack. The former

to thank, ma'am. It was his bawley, and he and Tom sailed

out for the line," Mrs

d me, and was all ri

id; "and as he has been a sailor all his life he ought to know. He says that it was a

her been what they had expected to find them the matter would have been simple enough, but she felt a

ave got, Mrs. Robson, and

nting," Mrs. Robson said q

have four of Mr. Robson's pictures in my dra

or half an hour the conversation proc

two or three days. When he is well enough to lie down on the sofa I will come down and fetch your son, for Mr. Godston

, was it, Jack?" Mrs. Robson as

really there was not much said to me. If it had been at the inn there would have been nothing to talk about at all, except about the wreck. Well, now that is over I will go down

got the Bessy as high up as possible on the sloping shore, just beyond the houses. They we

ken it out in sleep this

oke until eight o'clock, so I

ou have had a hard day's work; and yeste

ged at all?"

ust where it joins the keel; s

her nasty job to ge

tem altogether. He does not think the keel is

t a lot, won't

will want a lot of fresh planks in her. In fact, she

e joined them. "I shouldn't like to take the job for less, not on contract. If

uncle's face, for he knew that t

e said that I was to have her examined at once and get an estimate for repairing her thoroughly, and that he would undertake it should be paid. He asked what her age was. Of course I told him she was only four years old, and that I had only finished paying off the money I

She will be just as strong as she

will you b

the twelve o'clock train and order the timber, and you can arrange t

hip, had a talk with Benting, and being assured by him that the Bessy would after the execution of the repairs be in a

o days before, but the former came down again to Leigh on the morning Mr. Godstone got up. After a talk together Captain Murchison went

ce for what you can get for her and order a new one, I will pay the difference. In any case I consider I owe you a boat. Whether it is five years hence or ten or fifteen, if I am alive and you want another boat I give you author

Jack's mother, and had told her husband that she felt sure

erent class to the fisher people here. His father was a gentleman, and she has the

d said. "As soon as I am well enough to talk to him I

ent for after his un

you did for us the other day. My wife tells me that you do not like being thanked, and as deeds are bet

ir; we lived at

her was an artist? Have

never thought of being an artis

stone repeated, "Well, the

Jack said contemptuously. "I mean, I

dn't you go

e place and its ways, and she thought that by buying a bawley, as she has done, in time I should come to sail her and earn my living as

as she has been surveyed. So you see that difficulty is at an end. As to your mother, no doubt she would have objected to your going as a ship's-boy, but perhaps she wouldn't if you were going as an apprentice. We call them midshipmen on board our ships; I like the name better than apprentice, though the thing is about

"I should like that better than anythi

far better one than any you can have here; for after all, the profits of a bawley are not large, and the life is an infinitely