The Voyage of the Arrow

that of the sea, and my manners are ocean-bred. If any one is too delicately constituted to listen to a man like myself, and prefers a tale of gentleness and

e of it. This and much more. But I have gone my way in{02} silence and lived according to the little voice within me, as a strong man should. And it is not weakness

rge on their yarns, but my father was a sailor before me and was an honest man. So

ot regard me as a success, nor am I held up as a shining example of what man might accomplish in his life'

id this by five days, and instead of holding offshore until the weather moderated, I overran my distance during a foggy, driving gale and left the whitening ribs of the Southern Cross to mark the success of my endeavour. H

id this. I, a man of twenty-nine, signing the papers for a m

gloom of the Antarctic night. The powerful typhoon of the South Pacific and the hurricane of the Gulf flitted for an instant before my misty vision. Then-Ye

rs who had chartered the Arrow for this voyage,

hat I arose from my chair with a rough oath. Then I threw the pen down on the table and bitterly cursed the man who had invented such a

ticles as a common sailor. I fancied that some of the clerks smiled, but I really saw nothing distinctl

n-town. I had been in there often before, so, nodding to the proprietor at the bar, I walked into the room and sat down at a vacant table and

. I looked over the top of the sheet to see if I knew any one in the crowd. While I looked the gathering over, lazily scanning the m

that I was getting oversensitive and morbid about my downfall, so I buried myself in the paper again and ordered another drink.{06} I wa

entively to the low, earnest voices of the men. This annoyed me extremely when I realized what I was doing, and I concentrated my thoughts upon the paper again. Picking out a most exciting incident, I read of how Amos White, a well-digger, had lit the fuses of three blasts in the bottom of an open caisso

g into an impromptu sky-pilot. Then my attention relaxed, and I was aware of the two clerks

ty clear in his statement to Mr. Ropesend, and he is not the kind

n an excited and silly manner. "Anderson is pretty careful about his own skin, and that's just

about it. He never would have kept so quiet about it if his sist

books show, di

t good, and get away. He's all right with Mr. Ropesend, somehow, and the old man

e man a good turn through his influence. He never hesitates to help a friend, and

heard enough, however, to excite my curiosit

everal times in the shipping-house, and we held a sort of speaking acquaintance.

a nephew of Mr. Tackles, the junior member. I had n

t as more could be learned by keeping quiet than in a

nk I had ordered. Then I paid my score from a bag of rather light

work on her main-deck getting a mixed cargo into her. He had been second ma

ard the ship knew me, and even the old rigger, who was setting up the backstays, had sailed with my father, Captain Gore,

and I reasoned that it would be better to appear as a good mate than as a poor skipper. Then I took hold in earnest, and

that it was an invitation to join a small party of the old merchant's friends at his house that evening. I showed it to Captain Crojack an

inally went to a barber's and then rigged myself out as well as possible in a hired suit of cloth

my way in no pleasant frame of

was not a soul there besides Mr. Ropesend and his sister, Mrs. Matthews, but this lady was dressed as though she expected company. You will understand what I mean by that, for a sailo

alms, and ferns. The door which led into the passage to the conservatory was open,

leasantly about old times for a few minutes, and then, excusing himself to his sister, he took my arm and

ognized a rare Australian fern that I had presented him on my

ort time, but as I knew that he had business with me which he was anxio

hich I took the smaller part, he seated himself on

would meet Mr. Brown and, perhaps, have a talk with hi

I couldn't quite catch

t as third mate." Then he was silent

rom over the rim of his eye-glasses. I am an old sea-dog of the tight-jawed breed, and I've always found t

it advisable that he should take a long sea-voyage on which he can get plenty of e

see that there was something unhealthy about the business. I did not feel greatly flatt

n Mr. Ropesend, for he eye

m as I would look upon my own brother, and I look upon his child as I would

bo

of course, interfering with the ship's duties or discipline. He will not be one who will try to shirk hard work

d me," he put in, hastily, as he saw my look. "I know that you are only human and what you have been

t the smallpox, or the yellow fever, or a hundred other things. Being thankful for a

said, with a smile, "I see you wish me to

nine," I

ing broadly, and the merry twinkling of his eyes

rmly, and I never knew until that

r married and don't know what i

to China and Japan, and it{16} is always the custom out

nt any of your reminiscences at present. You understand what I want done

of voices. We had been in the conservatory only a short time, but during that int

the evening passed I can hardly remember. I was a poor partner for Miss Waters, who kept telling me over and over again that she

f a deep-water ship. I could dance about as well as a Chinese mandarin, and my hands we

he had any further orders for me. Not finding him, I separat

came laughing into the conservatory and through it to the garden beyond. I thought I would wait until they

e me, but directly behind a thick bunch of palmettos. They were whisp

" I heard her ask h

d I'll be held responsible. That is all, and that is why, I suppose, that I am going on t

don't

through no efforts of my own, and remained silent. I have always tried to be broad-minded, and this evening listening appeared to me t

go, dear,

l be you

of satisfaction before I realized what I was about. I turned away my hea

nd and said good night. Then, without

he way down to the ship. That beautiful, earnest face, with the trembling, sensit

re him, and, as I passed him heedlessly, I heard the deep curses he hurled

e great good. Curse again!" And I took the last dollar I had left and forced it into his hand. Then I released hi

ing any one except the man on watch. Then, quickly stowing my s