CHAPTER FOUR.
Several days had pa.s.sed by, and no news had been received from the lieutenant. Aunt Sally began to grow anxious, though she pursued her ordinary avocations in her usual calm manner. Desirous as she was of being economical, she did not forget poor old Mr Shank, and Mary and Ned were despatched with some provisions which she had prepared, and another book from her lending-library for him. Mary, remembering his dislike to boys, went in alone, leaving Ned to amuse himself outside.
"I"ll not be long, and I want you to walk up and down out of sight of his window, or he may, if he sees you, say something unpleasant,"
observed Mary.
Ned, though he cared very little as to what the old man might say about him, did not wish to have Mary"s feelings hurt, and promising obedience, walked on to a spot whence he could watch for her when she came out.
She rapped at the door, the bolts were withdrawn, and she entered.
"Glad to see you, little girl," said Mr Shank, as he led the way into his room. "No one has come here for many a day. I am well-nigh starving, for the people in the village yonder do not trouble themselves about the wretched old miser, as they call me; and I could not go out yesterday to buy food--if I did, where was I to get the money to pay for it?"
"Aunt, fearing that you might be in want, has sent you something to eat," said Mary, unpacking her basket, and placing the contents on the three-legged table.
The old man drew it towards him, and began to eat far more voraciously than usual, showing that in one respect at all events his a.s.sertion was correct. Mary, thinking that it might amuse him, mentioned the lieutenant"s journey to London and its object.
"So they intend to send that boy off to sea! The best thing they can do with him. Boys are always up to mischief at home, and it is to be hoped he"ll never come back."
"You should not say that, Mr Shank!" exclaimed Mary, indignantly. "Ned is a good honest boy, he never harmed you in any way, and if he had it is your duty to forgive him, for G.o.d tells us in His Word to forgive our enemies, and do good to those who ill-treat us."
"I don"t understand that; if we are not to hate our enemies, who and what are we to hate?" muttered the old man.
"We are to hate nothing except sin and Satan, because that is what G.o.d hates, I am very sure," said Mary. "Doesn"t the book I brought you last week say that? And here is another which aunt has sent you, perhaps you will like to read it," and she put the volume on the table.
"What the book says doesn"t concern me. I do no harm to any one; all I want is to lead a quiet life and be let alone," he muttered, evidently not wishing to enter into a discussion with the little girl, fearing perhaps that he might lose his temper. He, however, took the book she had brought and gave her back the other, observing, "Perhaps your aunt will lend it me at some other time if I feel ill and fancy I am going to die; but I shan"t die yet, O no, no, I want to live a great many years longer."
"I hope that you may, if you wish it," said Mary. She did not add, "I wonder what the poor old man can find so pleasant in his existence as to make him desire to live?" She did not again refer to Ned, but shortly got up, and told Mr Shank that she must be going.
"What! do you come all this way alone merely to visit a wretched being like me?" he exclaimed, as she moved towards the door.
"No, Ned comes with me, and he is waiting to take me back," she answered.
"Why didn"t he come in and sit down until you were ready to go?" he asked.
"Because, Mr Shank, he knows that you dislike boys," said Mary.
"Perhaps, as you think so well of him, he may not be so bad as others.
When you come again bring him in; I"ll not scold him if he speaks civilly to me, and doesn"t attempt to play me tricks."
"He"ll not play you tricks, and I"m sure that he"ll speak properly to you," answered Mary, considerably mollified by Mr Shank"s last remark.
She was glad, however, that Ned was not in sight, as she still somewhat mistrusted the old man. As soon as the door was closed she looked about for Ned, and spied him hurrying up.
"He wants to see you," she said when Ned joined her, "so you must come in when Aunt Sally next sends me to him. He is a strange being. I wonder how he can manage to spend his time all by himself?"
They walked home chattering merrily, though Ned was a little more thoughtful than usual, wondering why his uncle had not written; and as soon as he had seen Mary safe at home, he hurried off to consult Lieutenant Hanson about the matter.
"Why," said Ned to the lieutenant, "has uncle not written?"
"Simply that he has had nothing to say, or has had no time to write, or if he has written, his letter may have gone astray," answered the lieutenant. "You must exercise patience, my young friend; you"ll find plenty of that required in this world."
Ned returned home not much wiser than he went, but a brisk walk and the fresh air revived his spirits. Next morning"s post brought the looked-for letter, addressed to Miss Sarah Pack. She hurriedly opened it, while the young people looked eagerly on, watching her countenance.
That, however, betrayed no satisfaction. The lieutenant"s handwriting required time to decipher, though the characters were bold enough and covered a large sheet of paper.
"Dear Sally," it began, "I have been to the Admiralty and seen the First Lord, having reached this big city, and lost my way half-a-dozen times in it, four days after I left you. We had calms and light winds the whole distance to Portsmouth. His lordship received me with a profound bow, as if I had been an admiral, listened attentively to all I had to say, and I made up my mind that he was the politest gentleman I had ever met, and fully intended to grant my request. When I had finished, he glanced his eye down a long list, which he held up so that I could see it, remarking that there were a number of promising lads who desired to enter the service, but that he much feared he should be compelled to disappoint them. My claims were great, and he was surprised that his predecessors had not acknowledged them by promoting me; that he had no doubt my brother-in-law would have been an ornament to the service had he lived; that I ought to have sent his son"s name in long ago, and that he would take the matter into consideration. He desired me to leave my address, advising me not to remain in town, as it might be some time before I was likely to hear from him; he then politely bowed me out of the room. Whether or not anything will come of it is more than I can divine. In my humble opinion my visit to London will prove bootless; it can"t be helped, Sally, so cheer up, and don"t let Ned get out of spirits. I am going to call on two or three shipowners, of whom Jenkins, who knows more of London than I do, has told me, for if Ned cannot get into the navy, he must make up his mind to enter the merchant service. I"ll write more when I have more to communicate, so, with love to the young ones, I remain, your affectionate brother, John Pack."
Aunt Sally had to confess to herself that the letter was not encouraging, still she did her best to follow her brother"s advice.
"Perhaps the First Lord doesn"t like to make promises, but he must be a good man, or he would not hold the position he does, and I dare say he"ll do his best. We may have a letter even before your uncle comes back, saying that you are appointed to a ship. It can"t be so difficult a thing to make a midshipman. Had your uncle, however, asked to be promoted, I should not have been surprised had he been refused. It is very kind of the First Lord to receive him so well and to listen to all he had to say; we should not expect too much from great men."
Miss Sally ran on in the same strain for some time, but all she said failed to impart much confidence to poor Ned; still his uncle might succeed in getting him on board a merchant vessel, and like a prudent lad, he was ready for whatever might turn up. Next morning Ned eagerly looked out for the postman, but no letter arrived; another and another day pa.s.sed by. It was too evident that the lieutenant had no news to communicate.
Some days after, just as evening was approaching, a post chaise was seen slowly descending the winding road which led down to the cottage. Miss Sally, followed by Ned, Mary, and Tom, hurried out. Ned darted forward to let down the steps, while Tom opened the door. The lieutenant, leaning on the black"s shoulder, stepped out. Though he smiled at seeing those he loved, his countenance showed that he had no good news to communicate.
"I"ll tell you all about it when I have refreshed the inner man," he said, as, after paying the driver and telling Tom to look after him, he stumped into the house; "I am at present somewhat sharp set. It is several hours since I took anything on board in the shape of provisions, and my jaw tackles want greasing before I can make them work."
Aunt Sally and Mary quickly got supper ready, and the lieutenant having said grace, took his seat at the table. Having eaten a few mouthfuls he looked mere cheerful than he had hitherto done. His sister and the young people were longing to hear what he had got to say.
"I told you I did not expect much from my visit to London, but it is wrong to allow ourselves to be cast down because things don"t go as smoothly as we could wish," he at length observed. "I wrote you about my visit to the Admiralty; well, after that, believing that their lordships were not likely to do much for me, I called on three shipowners to whom Jenkins had given me introductions. They were civil enough, but all gave me the same sort of answer. They had numerous applications to receive on board their ships youngsters whose friends could pay handsome premiums, and in duty to themselves they were compelled to accept such in preference to others, willing as they were to attend to the recommendation of Lieutenant Jenkins. When I offered to take command of one of their ships, they replied, that as I had been some time on sh.o.r.e I might have grown rusty, and that they were obliged to employ officers brought up in their own service, though they could not doubt my abilities, and were duly grateful for the offer I had made them. They would consider the matter, and let me know the result to which they might come, but no promise could be made on the subject."
Miss Sally looked greatly relieved when she heard that it was not likely her brother would go to sea, anxious as she was that poor Ned should obtain the object of his wishes.
"We must not despair, however," said the lieutenant. "We know that G.o.d orders all for the best, if we trust Him and do our duty; perhaps something will turn up when we least expect it. I have been thinking, Ned, how I can raise money enough to pay the required premium, and if I can do that the matter will be quickly settled. After two or three voyages to India, Australia, or round Cape Horn, you will have obtained sufficient experience to become a mate. You will then be independent and able to gain your own livelihood."
"That is what I wish to do, uncle," answered Ned, gulping down his disappointment at the thoughts that he should be unable to enter the navy, and some day become a Nelson or a Collingwood. In truth, matters stood very much as they were before the lieutenant"s journey, and he had to confess to himself that the cost and trouble had apparently been thrown away.
"Well, well, Ned, we"ll go on with our mathematics and navigation, and wait patiently for what may occur. You are young yet, and won"t be the worse for a few months more spent on sh.o.r.e if you make good use of your time."
Ned followed his uncle"s advice, and did his utmost to overcome his disappointment.
Things went on much as usual at Triton Cottage. Ned frequently got a pull in a revenue boat, but his great delight was to take a sail in one of the fishing crafts belonging to the bay, when the fishermen, with whom he was an especial favourite, gave him instruction in steeling and other nautical knowledge, so that he learned how to handle a boat, to furl and shorten sail, to knot and splice, as well as to row.
His uncle always encouraged him to go when the weather was moderate, but on two or three occasions when it came on unexpectedly to blow, and the boats were kept out, poor Aunt Sally was put into a great state of trepidation until he came back safe. Nearly a month had pa.s.sed since the lieutenant"s return home, and no letter had been received either from the Admiralty or from any of the shipowners. The family were seated at tea. The lieutenant could not help occasionally speaking of the subject which occupied his thoughts, generally concluding by saying, "Well, never mind, something may turn up!"
Just then a ring was heard at the door, and Jane put her head in to say that Mr Hanson had called.
"I"ll bring him in to take a cup of tea," said the lieutenant, rising and stumping out of the room. He soon returned with his friend.
"Well, Pack, I"ve come to wish you and Miss Sarah good-bye," said their guest. "Commander Curtis, an old friend of mine, has been appointed to the "Ione" corvette, fitting out for the Cape station, and he has applied for me as his first lieutenant. Though I had made up my mind to remain on sh.o.r.e, as he is a man I should like to serve under, I have accepted his offer, and am going off to join the ship as soon as I can be relieved--in two or three days, I hope."
Ned listened, expecting that something else of interest to him was about to follow, but he was disappointed. He was not aware that even a first lieutenant could not obtain a berth for a midshipman.
"Very sorry to lose you, Hanson," said Lieutenant Pack; "you, I daresay will be glad to get afloat again, as there is a better chance of promotion than you would have on sh.o.r.e. We never know what may turn up.
We may be at loggerheads with the French, or Russians, or some other people before your commission is over."
Their guest saw Ned looking at him. He divined the boy"s thoughts.
"I wish that I had power to take you with me, Ned, but I have not, and I very much fear that the commander will have given away his appointment, and he has but one. However, when I accepted his proposal, I wrote saying that I had a young friend who wished to go to sea, and should be very glad if he would nominate him. I"ll let you know as soon as I get his answer, but I do not want unduly to arouse your expectations."
Ned heartily thanked his friend for his good intentions towards him, as did his uncle.