Frank Nelson in the Forecastle

generally try to get over as much space as they can while daylight lasts, and to remain as nearly in one spot as possible during the night. By following this plan they can hunt ov

ew where he was going, and when Frank heard them exp

1

as, one day. "He hasn't got men enough aboard h

s that we have seen the last

I never said so before because I saw that you kept hankering after

pondent feelings. "I have seen the last of my friends," thought he. "I have no one to rely on except myself. I must drag out a mis

, in which he had spent so many happy hours. He[161] learned rapidly when once he made up his mind to it, and won many a word of praise and encouragement from Lucas and Barton, who declared t

d to trice you up,

en accustomed to the business all his life. He had learned this part of a seaman's duty more readily than the rest, because he took the most interest in it. He felt excited and exhilarated when he found himself clinging to the swaying yard, with the wind whistling about his ears and the white-caps ro

ere he was met by the first officer, who had kept his eye on him while he was a

d Frank, opening his

had been sworn at, had been sent aloft several times to slush down the masts, and had worked industriously for three hours knocking the rust off the anchor, and all because the mate thought he was a trifle too "airy" sometimes; but[163] these were light punish

ving done anything out of

officer, who did not understand Frank's fine language. "Well, your b

't know I had done anythin

o come aboard here with your smooth, oily tongue, and talk us all into believing

e truth. I have had time to

1

You can't soldier any longer. You'll stand your trick at the wheel and do an able seaman's duty fro

thought Frank. "The very first time I receive an order I don't

ieces of rope. "Gentleman Black," said he, "I need something to larrup these fellows with, when they

ain. "If it should ever become necessary to send down the topmasts, you will find[165] out just how much I

rank in order to make sure that he did the work himself. If he had been unable to do it, the officer would have accused him of soldiering, and that would have furnished him with an excuse for punishing Frank in some way. But he missed his object tha

the Tycoon was never so near being the scene of a mutiny as it was that day; and just so surely as the rope fell, just so surely would there have been trouble, and serious trouble, too-Frank did not know how serious until aft

re, when he was as able to do seaman's duty as anybody, called him some hard name and ordered him to go forward. The young sailor obeyed, glad indeed to b

was at work on the topsail yard, Lucas, who was busy at h

ou knock him

whispered Fr

r us except good men and true, and I'd as soon they would hear me as no

have tried it if he had struck me. I don't think I could take a blow

sailor, with a knowing shake of his head. "If you'd a done it, you'd a been walking up and down the qu

1

d at Lucas

arton got you into this scrape, all unbeknown to us who did it,

Frank. "Now don't you o

never be struck, sir, I don't think, but if you are, you'll see a tidy row. The officers know who you are-me and Barton told it to the other fellows in Calamity's hearing, and he carried it back

ton, too," said Frank. "Let him put us[169] ashor

u wouldn't go ashore with a s

bout this ship and the way men are treated here, and have the captain and all his

ht so. The cap'n

going to d

what I am saying, and it is too late to find fault, for everything is fixed. Me[170] and Barton spoke to some of the men about it, and there's six good men besides us that you can depend on every time. We know that you've got the brains and the book-learning to see us safe through the consul's court, and we'll do just whatever you say, all except one thing: when we get the ship, Calamity and the first mate have

y winks, nods and contortions of his face which Frank co

o obey his orders-a sufficient number to overpower the captain and his two tyrannical mates before they could think twice. Lucas did not have time to tell him who his friends were, but Frank believed that he could pick them all out. He had wondered at the respect which the foremast hands had shown him ever since his advent among them, and rightly attributed it to the influence of Lucas and Barton. Frank wondered if the third mate, Mr. Gale, was one of them. That officer always treated him with the utmost conside

sence here really acts as a restraint upon the captain, I am glad of it. As long as that state of affairs continues he and his officers are secure in their positions; but now th

would think if he knew that he was treading on a mine that was liable to be exploded at any moment.[173] He did not have a chance to talk to Lucas aga

s were becoming hardened, so that he could haul on the ropes or take a three hours' pull about the ship, without setting his palms on fire as he had done at first. There was one thing he could not bring himself to do, and

eks; and Frank took his turn with the rest. He did his duty faithfully while acting as lookout, hoping to be the first to discover a whale. He wanted to see one; but when it came to getting into a small boat and pulling out to attack him-well, Frank wasn't so anxious for that. He drew a lo

e position of boat-steerer, was[175] sitting on the main-royal yard behind him, and both were keeping a bright lookout for whales. A prize of a pair of boots had been offered to the first man who raised a whale, and that to a sailor who, out of small wages, has to pay high prices for everything he draws from the slop-

d a voice behin

than that, he was holding his clenched hand against his breast, and pointing with his thumb out over the water. His meaning flashed upon Frank in an instant. His ey

red the old sailor, exc

t," whispered

dds? I do. Si

ted Frank, taking the o

e sailors on deck-the wheelsman-and that it had excited him so that he forgot for a moment to attend to

id Frank, in a low tone, as

hree miles off and coming this way. Sperm whale. Flukes! flukes!" he

1

I could see it,

d the captain. "See the boats a

all his mates in the rigging, the former sweeping the horizon with his glass. "There

his oar in his hand. Much scrambling and confusion followed; but a few oaths from the captain restored order, and almost before he knew