A BOUNTY BOY
 
 BOUNTT EOT 
 
 Being some Adventures of a Christian 
 Barbarian on an unpremeditated Trip 
 Round the World 
 
 By :: :: :: :: :: 
 
 Frank T. Bullen, 
 
 Author of " The Cruise of the Cachalot" 
 '-'With Christ at Sea" etc, :: :: :: 
 
 LONDON 
 
 HOLDEN & HARDINGHAM 
 ADELPHI 
 
 1912.
 
 PREVIOUS WORKS BY THE 
 SAME AUTHOR 
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE CACHALOT. 
 
 IDYLLS OP THE SEA. 
 
 THE LOG OP A SEA WAIF. 
 
 THE MEN OF THE MERCHANT SERVICE. 
 
 WITH CHRIST AT SEA. 
 
 A SACK OP SHAKINGS. 
 
 A WHALEMAN'S WIFE. 
 
 DEEP SEA PLUNDERINGS. 
 
 THE APOSTLES OF THE SOUTH-EAST. 
 
 SEA WRACK. 
 
 SEA PURITANS. 
 
 A SON OF THE SEA. 
 
 CREATURES OF THE SEA. 
 
 BACK TO SUNNY SEAS. 
 
 SEA SPRAY. 
 
 FRANK BROWN, SEA APPRENTICE. 
 
 OUR HERITAGE, THE SEA. 
 
 ADVANCE ; AUSTRALASIA. 
 
 THE CALL OF THE DEEP.
 
 too 3 
 
 DR. ROBERT F. HORTON 
 
 IN LOVING ADMIRATION
 
 PREFACE 
 
 THIS perhaps should rather be called a prefa- 
 tory note, since all the introduction to my 
 book that I deem necessary is to say that in it I 
 have endeavoured to sketch a community for whom 
 I have the highest admiration, the descendants of 
 the mutineers of the Bounty, who I maintain are 
 a standing proof of the miraculous power of the 
 Gospel in the regeneration of mankind when un- 
 hindered by sacerdotal interference. And in order 
 to make the subject as full as possible, I have taken 
 one typical islander, the Bounty Boy, out of his 
 surroundings into the world, and told his adventures 
 therein with a view of showing how the Christian 
 who is one indeed may fare. 
 
 FRANK T. BULLEN. 
 
 MELBOURN, CAMBS., 
 September, 1907.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAP. PAGB 
 
 I A CHRISTMAS BOUNTY . . . .11 
 
 II A WHALE HUNT ..... 20 
 
 III C. B.'s CHILDHOOD .... 32 
 
 IV EVIL FROM WITHOUT .... 46 
 V ENTERTAINING DEVILS UNAWARE . . 60 
 
 VI C. B.'s DEPARTURE .... 75 
 
 VII C. B. JUSTIFIES HIS POSITION . . 90 
 
 VIII TREACHERY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES . 105 
 
 IX THE GREAT CATCH . . . .120 
 
 X A GAM AND A REVENGE . . . 135 
 
 XI THE STORY OF A CRIME . . .150 
 
 XII C. B.'s GREAT TEMPTATION . . . 166 
 
 XIII C. B.'s NARROWEST ESCAPE . . 182 
 
 9
 
 io CONTENTS 
 
 CHAP. PAGE 
 
 XIV A MOMENTOUS PASSAGE . . . 198 
 
 XV FAREWELL TO THE SHIP . . .214 
 
 XVI POPULARITY 229 
 
 XVII A TROUBLESOME APPRECIATION . . 244 
 
 XVTII A HERO IN SPITE OF HIMSELF . . 259 
 
 XIX C. B.'s AWAKENING .... 274 
 
 XX C. B.'s TASK CONCLUDES . . . 289 
 
 XXI MARRIAGE AND DEPARTURE . . . 305 
 
 XXII BACK TO PRIMITIVE THINGS . . .320 
 
 XXIII SAVED FROM THE SEA .... 336 
 
 XXIV HOME AT LAST 351
 
 CHAPTER I 
 A Christmas Bounty 
 
 FIFTY years ago, in a primitive but comfortable 
 house situated in one of the fairest spots 
 that this world can show, a group of men and 
 women were holding a prayer meeting. An un- 
 observed listener who had been accustomed to such 
 gatherings elsewhere would have been at once im- 
 pressed by the perfect naturalness of these people, 
 in that not one of them behaved differently from 
 how we should expect a happy family to act in the 
 presence of their parents while one of them was 
 relating some interesting experience. There was no 
 self-conscious posing for effect, no making of long 
 prayers composed of meaningless repetitions with 
 an occasional verse of Scripture or of a hymn thrown 
 in for effect, no unnatural groaning or shouting, all 
 was quiet, sweet, and delightful. 
 
 But truly, never did a body of Christians exercise 
 their privileges under more heavenly conditions 
 upon this earth. Through the open sides of the 
 house could be seen in one direction a delectable 
 stretch of pasture land interspersed with graceful 
 trees and edged by dazzlingly white sand, beyond 
 which lay a vast sapphire space flecked with snowy- 
 topped wavelets, w r hose diamond spray glittered 
 rejoicingly under the glowing beams of the fervent 
 sun. In the opposite direction tree-clad hills sprang 
 from emerald meadows and cultivated land, soar- 
 
 11
 
 12 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 ing upward until the fleecy cloud forms kissed 
 their summits lovingly as they gently glided past, 
 flecking the smiling verdure beneath with patches 
 of softest shade and thus enhancing the beauty of 
 the picture. 
 
 Yes, it was a fair spot to the eye, as any one who 
 knows Norfolk Island can testify, but that to the 
 worshippers was not the greatest of their many 
 blessings. Time had been, and that not long before, 
 when this earthly paradise was polluted and degraded 
 by the presence of the very dregs of humanity, 
 the lees of the convict settlements of New South 
 Wales ; and it would be hard to say which was worst, 
 the crimes for which they were being punished, or the 
 nameless horrors to which they were subjected in 
 excess of legal punishment. Happily that evil blot 
 had been removed from the lovely island, and now 
 it was peopled by a tiny community of less than 
 two hundred, who were, it is safe to say, quite near 
 attainment of the heavenly state on earth, and con- 
 sequently were as happy as it is possible for man 
 to be while bearing about with him the body of 
 physical death. 
 
 Here the worship of God, free from any idea of 
 form or ceremony, was as natural to all as their 
 ordinary conversation. Crime and vice were un- 
 known as was wealth, possessions were practically 
 held in common, sickness and disease and their 
 necessary concomitant the doctor had no place, and 
 a spirit of idyllic simplicity reigned, of sweet con- 
 tentment and peace such as has never been known 
 elsewhere in any other community whatever. 
 
 Now on this particular Christmas Day the meeting 
 of which I spoke at the beginning of the chapter 
 had a special significance. The fifteen or sixteen 
 persons composing it had met together to celebrate,
 
 A CHRISTMAS BOUNTY 13 
 
 not Christmas merely, but the birth of a babe who 
 was hourly expected. It would not be fair to say 
 that they were special friends or relations of the 
 parents in a community where no enmity existed 
 and where all were more or less related to one 
 another, better to say that they were just those 
 who could most conveniently be there on a day 
 when every household was celebrating in purest 
 fashion the coming of the Babe of Bethlehem. 
 And these particular friends were in specially bright 
 and happy mood, for to them the expected event 
 bore a double character. So they passed the time 
 in the pleasant exercises of which I have spoken, 
 their petitions being singularly free from suggestions 
 that the mother elect or the coming babe were in 
 any danger, until suddenly the door of the one 
 inner apartment was thrown open, and a splendidly 
 handsome man appeared bearing the welcome in- 
 fant, which plunged, squalled, and gave other 
 vigorous tokens of his conscious entrance to the 
 world of sense. 
 
 As if with one accord and in perfect harmony all 
 burst into the glorious old song " Angels from the 
 realms of glory," singing with all their heart in 
 their voices. And as the lovely strains of the 
 refrain died away, a sweet voice from within cried, 
 " Thank you all, dear ones ; I'm so happy." A 
 glad response went up from all, and then, after duly 
 admiring the boy, the visitors strolled away, all 
 but two, to spread the glad news among the com- 
 munity that another dear life had arrived to share 
 their happy lot. 
 
 Now this was a particularly happy occasion, for 
 the parents of the new comer were, in a society 
 where all were friends, all were stalwart, healthy 
 and handsome, pre-eminently so. Grace, the mother,
 
 14 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 who had only been married to Philip Adams some 
 eighteen months, had been the acknowledged 
 beauty of the island, no mean honour where all the 
 girls were beautiful. She was also exceedingly 
 beloved by all the women and men alike, nor was 
 there a trace of jealousy of her, that hateful weed 
 that poisons so many lives. Moreover, she was an 
 accomplished musician, and had for a long time 
 filled the post of teacher of that precious acquire- 
 ment of singing (they had no instruments), with 
 the result that their choir, which comprised nearly 
 the whole of them, would have taken high rank 
 anywhere, except that the vocal exercises were almost 
 wholly confined to hymns, just a very few old songs, 
 such as the "Land o' the Leal," "Robin Adair," 
 " Allan Water," etc., making up the balance. 
 
 Philip, her husband, was a prime favourite too, 
 but for his high manly qualities allied to a simple 
 and gentle nature that invited as well as gave 
 confidence to all. He was awarded, without 
 claiming it, the chief place in the island as the 
 strongest swimmer, the swiftest runner and the 
 most expert boatman, as well as the hardest worker 
 of them all. And those were the qualities that 
 appealed to these children of nature next to their 
 supreme adoration of the good and true. Physically 
 he was easily first of the community, standing six 
 feet six inches on his bare feet, forty-five inches 
 round the chest, with a perfect mouth of teeth ; and 
 at the time of the birth of his first child he had never 
 known an hour's illness in his life. 
 
 Thus it will be seen that the entrance of our hero 
 upon life's arena was one that any monarch might 
 vainly covet for his child, one indeed that left nothing 
 to be desired, even though his surroundings were 
 almost as primitive as those which encompassed
 
 A CHRISTMAS BOUNTY 15 
 
 the birth of the Babe of Bethlehem. In fact, I feel 
 sure that I shall be accused of painting too idyllic 
 a picture of the conditions which obtained in 
 Norfolk Island at that date, and I hope and believe 
 in a great measure in both Norfolk and Pitcairn 
 Islands to-day ; but when I recall the great mass of 
 unbiassed testimony to all these facts which is easily 
 available, I feel much comforted in the belief that 
 my readers will rejoice with me in the knowledge 
 that so happy a people have been and are existing 
 in the simple light of the Gospel. 
 
 But we must return to the scene in the house after 
 the guests had gone singing away. The two re- 
 maining were John Young, father of the mother, 
 and Christian Adams, father of Philip, their re- 
 spective wives being in the inner room with the 
 mother. As soon as Philip had handed back his 
 son to the women he returned to the society of the 
 elder men, who were both of them splendid specimens 
 of manhood in the prime of middle age or between 
 forty and fifty. It must be noted in passing that, 
 strange as it may seem to our exotic notions of 
 hospitality, there was nothing set before these 
 guests to drink : the water jar stood in the corner 
 with a coco-nut shell to drink out of ; there was no 
 tobacco, there were no chairs, only clean soft mats 
 upon the spotless floor ; and yet they were perfectly 
 happy because none of these things had become 
 desirable or necessary to them. 
 
 As Philip stretched his great limbs on the mat 
 by the side of his father, the latter looked round at 
 him lovingly and said, " What are you going to 
 call the babe, Philip ? " 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! " laughed Philip. " I've thought of the 
 finest name for him you ever heard, and I want 
 you to guess what it is. I've told Grace about it,
 
 16 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 and she is delighted, says it's just a splendid idea. 
 Now guess." 
 
 The two elder men ran through practically every 
 name on the island ; truly there was not much 
 variety, for, as some of you know, these happy folk 
 have always seemed averse from using any but a 
 certain set of well-known names. But to all their 
 suggestions Philip laughingly shook his head until 
 his father's brow clouded a little and he said, " I 
 hope you haven't got any high-falutin names out 
 of some book ; it will savour of sinful pride if you 
 have." 
 
 " No, father," cried Philip, " but what do you 
 say to Christmas Bounty Adams ? " 
 
 Up sprang the two men to their feet in such 
 delight that it seemed as if they must leap into the 
 air. 
 
 " Why that is the most splendid set of names in 
 all the world. Christmas Bounty Adams ! Well, 
 he's a lucky fellow, and I only hope he'll be a Christ- 
 mas bounty all the days of a long life. And now, 
 if the wife can spare you she'll do with a little 
 sleep, I'm sure we'll stroll round and tell our friends 
 this fresh bit of news, they will all be so pleased." 
 
 Only pausing to peep in at his wife for a moment 
 Philip rejoined the two elder men, and together they 
 strode through the beautiful glades with the sound 
 of gladsome song ringing in their ears on every 
 hand, in tune with their overfull hearts. 
 
 Very briefly, for the story should be well known, let 
 me recall the circumstances of these primitive folk 
 being on Norfolk Island. Most people know the 
 romantic story of the mutiny of the Bounty, and how, 
 after scenes of bloodshed and riot as bad as can 
 be imagined, the mutineers and their descendants, 
 on their little island home of Pitcairn, turned to
 
 A CHRISTMAS BOUNTY 17 
 
 God and became as little children in their simple, 
 loving faith. Not so many, however, are aware that 
 in 1831, some forty years after their first landing 
 on Pitcairn, they outgrew their small territory, and 
 at their own request many of them were conveyed 
 to Tahiti. The gross immorality of the natives 
 of that lovely island, however, so dismayed them 
 that they sacrificed the only available wealth they 
 possessed, the copper bolts of the old Bounty, and 
 purchased a passage back to their beloved Pitcairn. 
 They managed to maintain themselves there, al- 
 though much straitened for room, until in 1855, 
 two years before my story opens, the British 
 Government, having discontinued the use of Norfolk 
 Island as a penal settlement, granted it to as many 
 of them as cared to migrate thither, a privilege 
 which was taken advantage of by between two and 
 three hundred of them. 
 
 And although they never wavered in their earnest 
 affection for the little island that had seen their 
 first emergence into the shining light of the Gospel, 
 they evinced the same sweet spirit of contentment, 
 coupled with energy, in all they undertook, so that 
 in about a year they were as fully and completely 
 settled there as could possibly be, and were, if any- 
 thing, more passionately fond of England, a land they 
 never saw, than ever they had been. Thus, having 
 cleared the way as it were, let me go on to say that 
 in addition to the features of natural beauty which 
 I have already enumerated, Norfolk Island is the 
 centre of a most prolific haunt of sperm whales, 
 and the capture of these gigantic and dangerous 
 mammals is one of the chief pursuits of the agile 
 islanders, who are probably about the best boatmen 
 in the world. For in addition to their wonderful 
 whaling skill, the practice of landing in the tremendous
 
 18 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 surf that beats upon the harbourless coast has made 
 them very expert in this most difficult art, while in 
 the water they are, like their maternal ancestors the 
 Tahitians, almost amphibious. 
 
 Now, as the three men strolled along they were 
 continually invited as they passed the pretty houses 
 to come in and join in the general rejoicings that 
 were afoot, the singing and thanksgiving ; for all 
 this people's joys were intimately associated with 
 their simple faith ; their religion, bright and happy, 
 was not merely a part of their life, but the whole, 
 the mainspring of all they thought and said and did. 
 And as the three were nothing loth, besides having 
 their bit of news to communicate, their progress was 
 but slow. Still, eventually they reached the abode 
 of their venerable pastor, who was not only the 
 shepherd of this peaceful, docile flock, but teacher 
 and magistrate, or rather arbitrator since there 
 were no evil-doers to punish. He received them 
 literally with open arms, and having heard their 
 news lifted up his voice in praise and solemnly 
 blessed them, promising to visit them the next day 
 in their homes and view the wonderful new baby. 
 
 Then as the day was wearing to a close practically 
 the whole population came joyously down to the 
 shore, and there more like a school of porpoises than 
 men and women, boys and girls, they disported in the 
 limpid waves, swimming and living until, healthily 
 wearied, they regained the shore and sought their 
 several homes. 
 
 Philip and Grace, overflowing with happiness, 
 knelt by the side of the babe and solemnly com- 
 mended him to their loving Almighty Friend, asking 
 only that he might grow to be a good man amongst 
 good men, preserving the golden tradition of the 
 community, and if it should please God that he
 
 A CHRISTMAS BOUNTY 19 
 
 should wander from their shores as some of their 
 brethren had done, that he might always present 
 to the eyes of those with whom he associated the 
 pattern of a man of God. Then they took their 
 simple meal of fruit and bread and milk and went 
 to rest.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 A Whale Hunt 
 
 HAPPY, says the proverb, is the nation that 
 has no history. And since history is so 
 largely made up of the unspeakable horrors of war 
 with all its attendant retinue of resultant miseries, 
 there would really seem to be more truth in this 
 proverb than in most. Yet it must not be forgotten 
 that, surfeited as we are with tales wherein all 
 those things that make life a burden almost too 
 grievous to be borne are set forth in hideous detail, 
 it is no easy task to make a peaceful narrative 
 interesting nowadays. As difficult as to wean 
 the epicure's palate from highly seasoned and 
 mysteriously concocted dishes back to the simple 
 luxuries of childhood. 
 
 Nevertheless it is an Inestimable privilege to be 
 allowed to try, and I do hope to show that these 
 simple happy folk possessed the true grit and 
 manliness that all must admire while being totally 
 free from that whining hypocrisy and hateful 
 assumption of spurious virtue that makes the world 
 generally disgusted with so many professed re- 
 ligionists. And here let me say that these happy 
 islanders were what they were from love of the 
 infinitely good and in no wise from the fear of a 
 punishing hell too terrible even to be thought 
 of by their simple trustful minds. 
 
 Very early the next morning, Grace, in perfect 
 
 20
 
 A WHALE HUNT 21 
 
 health and strength, and in accordance with time- 
 honoured custom, took her babe down to the sea 
 and bathed him in those waters which henceforth 
 would be as familiar to him as the dry land. And 
 as she laved his tiny limbs in the shining waves, she 
 noted with swelling heart how strongly and sturdily 
 he kicked, and she longed to take him in her arms and 
 plunge into deep water at once. But she realized 
 that so severe an ordeal could not be good for him, 
 and although she sorely missed her morning swim, 
 was about to return when she heard her husband's 
 voice behind her. 
 
 " Give him to me, Grace," he cried. 
 
 " Thank you, dear," she replied, and laying the 
 babe in his strong arms, she turned back and sprang 
 j oyously into the sea .plunging and flashing through the 
 surf like a fish or a seal in the perfect abandonment of 
 delight that these children of the wave know when 
 in the element they love so well. Prudence restrained 
 her from going too far yet, so in a few minutes she 
 returned, and taking the crowing babe from Philip 
 she sat sedately down upon a fallen tree trunk and 
 watched her mighty husband as he in turn hurled 
 himself through the surf and sported like a porpoise. 
 His bath over, they returned to their home and 
 breakfasted as they had supped, simply and heartily, 
 and then, leaving Grace to receive the visits of 
 matrons and maidens who would presently come 
 trooping along, he departed to his work of cultivating 
 their tiny fields. 
 
 But it was ordained that on this eventful day he 
 was not to remain long at that peaceful task. He 
 had not been thus engaged for more than an hour 
 when a long-drawn cry arrested his attention and 
 caused him to drop the tool he was using. It was 
 the signal, well known to them all, that whales were
 
 22 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 coming close in ; the watcher on a high overhanging 
 cliff had spied them and sent his powerful voice 
 ringing across the settlement, from which came hurry- 
 ing an eager company ready for the great combat with 
 the monsters of the deep. They gathered round 
 the boats where, carefully covered in against the 
 fervent heat of the sun, these precious craft lay 
 waiting with all the gear, harpoons, lances, lines, 
 etc., neatly stored in a shed by their sides. 
 
 Swiftly and with hardly a word their boats were 
 equipped, the necessary preparations made, and in 
 less than half an hour from the first sounding of the 
 alarm the two boats, with six men in each, were 
 launched and springing seaward under the pressure 
 of five long ash oars wielded by men who were 
 almost insensible to fatigue and whose rowing was 
 a wonder and a delight to behold. 
 
 The watcher on the cliff guided them by means of 
 well understood signs, that is, he made a human 
 semaphore of himself, for it is not until very near 
 to whales that men in boats can see them, and more- 
 over the sperm whale does not send aloft a high 
 column of vapour into the air as do other whales. 
 His breathings are copious, but owing to the shape 
 and position of the spiracle or blow-hole, the thick, 
 highly charged breath spreads itself in a cloud 
 immediately upon leaving his body. And that 
 cloud does not ascend, it is thrust forward ahead 
 of the whale, and being heavier than the air only 
 spreads and gradually settles. 
 
 So guided by the look-out man, they laid to their 
 oars with great energy, pulling with a peculiarly 
 noiseless stroke. The blades entered the water 
 cleanly and gripped it so firmly that the tough ash 
 of the looms bent like the lower half of a fishing- 
 rod when catching tarpon. There was no noise
 
 A WHALE HUNT 23 
 
 either from the rowlocks, for they were padded with 
 thick mats covered with green hide and kept well 
 greased. This great care to preserve silence is 
 absolutely necessary, for although as far as we can 
 tell the sperm whale has little or no sense of hearing 
 as we understand it, he is peculiarly susceptible to 
 strange sounds, and the accidental clatter of an oar 
 on a gunwale is quite sufficient to alarm a school of 
 whales at over a mile's distance. What this other 
 sense which answers the purpose of sight, scent, 
 and hearing may be we do not know, we can only 
 imagine ; like so many other matters connected 
 with the mysterious life of the whale it is hidden 
 from us. 
 
 For an hour they thus toiled at the oar, being by 
 that time several miles from the land they had left, 
 so far indeed that even their keen sight could hardly 
 distinguish the movements of their ally on the 
 cliff, and then at the raising of the leader's hand 
 they all ceased from their labour, lay on their oars 
 and gazed keenly around. No sign of whale or 
 spout was visible ; but that only meant that it would 
 be well to pause awhile, because the probability 
 was that the creatures they were hunting had, 
 according to their usual custom, sounded or gone 
 down in quest of food. 
 
 Now as they did not know what the approximate 
 size of the whales might be, they could only wait 
 and watch, for small whales may only remain below 
 from twenty minutes to half an hour, while full- 
 sized bulls have been known to remain under water 
 for as long as ninety minutes. Of course they 
 kept good watch and patient withal, but when an 
 hour had gone by and no sign came, each man felt 
 that it was useless prolonging the quest. So they 
 only waited now for the signal to return, being in
 
 24 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 any case too far from the land for a successful 
 capture, that is, to get their enormous prize home, 
 supposing they did slay one. 
 
 The signal was soon given, and without a word of 
 regret or grumbling, the boats' heads were turned 
 shoreward, and with a leisurely stroke they began 
 to retrace their way. There being no necessity 
 now for silence, the boats' crews, as their custom 
 was, began to sing, raising their tuneful voices in 
 the melodious strains of some well-known hymn, 
 until Philip suddenly lifted his hand in an authorita- 
 tive gesture, at which singing and rowing stopped 
 simultaneously. Without a word, all eyes being 
 fixed upon him, he pointed ahead, where within a 
 cable's length all saw the lazy spout of a whale, 
 almost like a puff from a big pipe, rise from the sea. 
 
 With great care the oars were peaked, that is, 
 the inner ends of them were drawn inboard until 
 they could be tucked into circular cleats prepared 
 for them, and short, broad paddles were produced, by 
 means of which the boats were quite noiselessly 
 propelled towards the unconscious whale. Philip, 
 perched on a pair of cleats in the stern, guided the 
 boat, which was well ahead of her sister, as she 
 silently stole nearer the victim. Presently Philip 
 swung his boat round, making the signal to the 
 harponeer to spring to his feet with his weapon 
 as the boat glided alongside the quiet monster. 
 And, then to the amazement of everybody, Philip 
 shouted, " Put that iron down, Fletcher ! This 
 whale is safe from us. Look, boys ! " All hands 
 did look, and sa^r that the object of their pursuit 
 was a cow witn a calf clinging to her huge breast, 
 the nipple held in the angle of its immature jaw. 
 
 The boat lay perfectly still until the other boat 
 came up, Philip raising 'his hand to warn his father
 
 A WHALE HUNT 25 
 
 that something unusual had occurred. The new- 
 comer swung alongside as Philip had done, and all 
 hands stared at the pretty sight. And owing to 
 their habit of thought, every one of those strong 
 men understood intuitively why Philip had counter- 
 manded the attack, and not at all considering the 
 loss to themselves in a monetary sense, fully agreed 
 with him. So they lay on their oars and watched 
 the mother, as supremely happy she lolled upon the 
 shining sea and felt her offspring draining the life- 
 giving milk. Then suddenly turning over on the 
 other side to present the other breast, for the young 
 whale cannot suck under water, she became aware 
 of the presence of intruders and sank, settled 
 noiselessly, leaving scarcely a ripple to mark the 
 spot where she had been. 
 
 As soon as she had disappeared Philip cried, " Out 
 oars, boys, and let's get home," following up his 
 order by breaking out into song, in which all the 
 twelve lustily joined in perfect harmony until 
 nearing the beach, upon which the vast rollers of 
 the Pacific, despite the glorious weather, broke in 
 massive rollers topped with dazzling foam. A sweep 
 or two of the steering oars and the graceful craft 
 swung round head to seaward, and as the mighty 
 combers came irresistibly shoreward just a measured 
 stroke or two was made to meet them. Then, when 
 the boats had mounted the glowing crests of the 
 breakers, the oars were peaked and they were 
 borne shorewards upon the shoulders of the advanc- 
 ing hill of water until they touched the beach, when 
 every man but the steersmen sprange-^erboard, and 
 snatching the gunnels of the boats rushed beach- 
 wards, digging their toes into the yielding sand as 
 the retreating wave swept past them, until it was 
 gone and they were all high ashore.
 
 26 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 This feat, nothing to them who practised it 
 nearly every day of their lives, is one of the supreme 
 tests of boatmanship and must be witnessed or taken 
 part in to realize the resistless onrush of the roller 
 and the no less mighty drawback when, baffled, 
 the vast rolling mass retreats. It is a manoeuvre 
 to try the skill and stamina of the best, and the roll 
 of its victims is very long. I speak feelingly, for 
 on my first encounter with this business I was as 
 near being drowned as could be. For not realizing 
 the danger, I too leaped out of the boat with the 
 others, and was at once hurled seaward like a piece 
 of drifting seaweed, dazed and helpless, buried in 
 the heart of a wave. But my Kanaka shipmates, 
 as much at home in that immense turmoil as if 
 they stood on the beach, grabbed me and held me 
 against the rush of retreating water, then hauled me 
 to land and in rough but effectual ways restored 
 me to the world I had so nearly quitted. That 
 was on the steep beach of lava fragments at Sunday 
 Island in the Kermadecs. 
 
 A throng of villagers hastened down to greet the 
 returned adventurers, full of eager questioning and 
 sympathy. Some of them had been on the Head 
 with the lookout man, and had witnessed the last 
 encounter. Of course they could not understand 
 what had happened, but in a few words Philip 
 explained, and when he had done so, the public 
 endorsement of the righteousness of his action 
 was spontaneous and complete. For, after all, to 
 this happy community what was a trifling loss 
 like that compared with the gain which each felt 
 they had made in the practice of mercy, of yielding to 
 the best and truest impulses of the heart. And so 
 there were no sour faces, no recriminations, only 
 the usual mutual rejoicings.
 
 A WHALE HUNT 27 
 
 Philip only paused long enough to see his gear 
 bestowed and then strode away through the smiling 
 meadows to his pretty home, where he found his 
 Grace holding quite a little Court surrounded by 
 maidens, matrons and children ; she sat upon the 
 threshold of the house, and her friends were pictur- 
 esquely disposed about her. The baby was asleep 
 upon her lap, undisturbed by the chorus of song 
 that was going up from that concourse of fifty 
 persons. It was a scene to gladden the heart of 
 a painter or poet, and if it had been possible to 
 bring it in its entirety before any assemblage of 
 cynics in the world, they would certainly have been 
 unable to resist its perfect charm. 
 
 Philip's coming was hailed with a long cry of 
 joy, and he was immediately surrounded by a bevy 
 of girls who pushed and pulled him into a place by 
 the side of his wife. And there, enthroned as it 
 were, they sat while the joyous crowd, augmented 
 every moment until almost the whole community 
 was present, sang and talked and sang again, 
 offering all the love and congratulations that their 
 hearts could feel or their lips express. The happen- 
 ing of the day out at sea was fully commented upon, 
 calling forth immense manifestations of approval, 
 for it was just the kind of thing that appealed 
 to these gentle children of the sun, and thus the 
 happy time wore on until the arrival of the patriarch 
 minister who, however, wielded no priestly influence 
 whatever. 
 
 All loved him and reverenced him for his saintly 
 character as well as venerable age, but no one, not 
 even the youngest, imagined that he had any 
 prescriptive right to approach their God for them. 
 Every one was taught as soon as able to understand 
 that God was the all Father, Christ the near and
 
 28 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 dear brother, and to choose a go-between from 
 men was to do dishonour to the great love manifested 
 towards men by God, to show practical disbelief 
 in every word set down in the New Testament 
 for their guidance and comfort. 
 
 Therefore though all showed the deepest respect 
 and readiest reverence to Mr. McCoy at his coming, 
 it was a respect and reverence entirely devoid of 
 superstition, the loving homage of children to a 
 father, or friend to friend. They gathered round him, 
 brought him to the seat of honour beside Philip and 
 Grace, and then waited with intense interest for what 
 he should say to them, knowing that he had come 
 amongst them for that purpose. 
 
 He rose, and in trembling tones began 
 
 " Beloved children, especially you by my side, 
 Grace and Philip ; I am full of joy at being among 
 you at this happy time. Surely we are peculiarly 
 blessed among all the people on earth, here in this 
 little out-of-the-way corner of the great globe. We 
 live in love, fearing no evil, having all our wants 
 supplied to the full. We suffer neither from cold 
 nor heat ; from hunger nor surfeit. Disease comes 
 not near us nor our live stock, and best of all this 
 heavenly care has not made us arrogant and careless, 
 for we feel as full of gratitude as our hearts can hold. 
 And every day sees new mercies showered upon us. 
 Some one of our little company has a special blessing, 
 and being one in heart and mind we all rejoice in 
 that blessing, and feel our mouths filled with praise. 
 
 " The latest is the babe bestowed upon our beloved 
 ones here, a babe lusty in form and beautiful of face, 
 and given to us on the day whereon we celebrate the 
 coming to earth of our brother, God manifest in 
 the flesh, which in itself is a matter of great rejoicing. 
 Truly it is a blessed babe. I know but little of the
 
 A WHALE HUNT 29 
 
 great world with its teeming millions, I have been 
 too happy among you all my life to wish to see 
 more than I did on my one voyage, but what little 
 I do know convinces me that it is rare if not unheard 
 of for a child to come amongst a community and be 
 received with such fervent love and sincere thanks- 
 giving as this one. We all rejoice, for we have no 
 doubt that he will be a beloved brother amongst 
 us, worthily maintaining the high and sweet standard 
 of love towards God and man which has so long 
 prevailed among us. And if it should be the good 
 pleasure of our Father that he leaves us for a time 
 and visits other countries, we shall confidently look 
 forward to his keeping up the character that we are so 
 pleased to bear, the character of being children of 
 God, not haughtily holding that we are better than 
 others, but that we are only happy in the knowledge 
 of the love of our Father for us His loving, grateful 
 children. Little Christmas Bounty ! upon your 
 baby head rest all the prayers, all the love of this 
 people, all united to you by ties of blood, but far more 
 closely knit to you in the one bond of Christian love. 
 " Brother and sisters, it is time for us to separate, 
 for the day draws to its close. And before we sing 
 our parting song of praise and thanksgiving, let 
 us unite in the spoken word to our Father. Father, 
 most good and gracious, we all thank you for your 
 love. We have all that we can ask or think. 
 Blessings innumerable crowd upon us. We have 
 nothing to ask you for, only to praise you for the 
 abundant joy and happiness you have given us in 
 overflowing measureless plenty. Nothing, that is, 
 for ourselves, but for those who suffer and sin, for 
 those who toil hopelessly in darkness and slavery 
 of various kinds, we ask that they may know Thee 
 as we know Thee. That they may receive as we
 
 30 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 do receive. They are as worthy as we are, but have 
 not the same inestimable advantages. Ah, dear 
 Father, bless our less fortunate brothers and sisters 
 scattered about Thy beautiful world. Hear their 
 pitiful cries, heal their gaping wounds, fill their 
 hungry hearts, and may they all know Thy boundless 
 love through Thy messenger Jesus, our Beloved 
 One, the Saviour of mankind. Let us sing, dear ones, 
 ' O God, our help in ages past.' ' 
 
 That response was one to stir the most sluggish 
 heart : no books, no instrumental help, but the 
 grandest of all music, the glorious human voice 
 when trained in harmony. The lovely woods and 
 vales were filled with golden melody, every soul pour- 
 ing itself out in purest praise. If only the most 
 ardent scoffer at holy things could have been there, 
 he would have found his pointed sarcasm grow blunt, 
 his ready sneer fall harmless, for here was a people 
 beyond the arrows of scorn, whose worship was 
 indeed single-eyed. They worshipped God because 
 they loved Him. They praised Him because they 
 could not help it. No thought of gaining heaven or 
 of avoiding hell entered their minds. They had 
 already begun their heaven, and as for hell they 
 never thought of it. If pressed they would doubt- 
 less have admitted that they believed in such a 
 place, but with a thrusting aside shudder. What 
 had it to do with them ? 
 
 The sweet strain ceased, and the aged minister, 
 rising to his unsteady feet, lifted his hands in 
 blessing, his voice full of happy tears : " The grace 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God 
 Almighty, the leading of the Holy Spirit and the 
 full knowledge of this intimate communion with 
 the unseen be with each and all of you now and for 
 evermore. Amen."
 
 A WHALE HUNT 31 
 
 A moment's silence and the gathering quietly 
 melted away to their happy homes, while the bright 
 silver moon shed a splendid radiance over the 
 peaceful scene.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 C. B.'s Childhood 
 
 THE story of a boy growing from his birth to 
 manhood in our centres of civilization cannot 
 fail to be of interest if properly told, principally 
 because of the thousand and one dangers that 
 beset him in that perilous journey. This is the case, 
 no matter how well or how ill brought up he may 
 be, peril encompasses him round about, visible 
 as well as invisible, peril from which no amount 
 of care can adequately protect him. Indeed the 
 care that is often bestowed has the effect of render- 
 ing the child's life a burden to him, especially if he 
 be brought up at home. Moreover, if we are foolish 
 enough to believe one thousandth part of what 
 we read about food and drink and the deadly 
 microbes and bacteria that lie in wait for us every- 
 where, we should certainly perish of worry or 
 become, as faddists always do become, a misery to 
 ourselves and a nuisance to all around us. 
 
 But here on Norfolk Island the child had 
 every chance. And in telling of C. B. I am only 
 taking the ordinary type : he had no advantages 
 over his fellows. Fed by his mother alone, who had 
 never known a day's illness in her life, never knowing 
 the taste of drugs, living in the open air without 
 ever being pampered by tight clothing of any kind, 
 never too hot, never too cold ; how could he help 
 growing up to the age when he could run about, 
 
 32
 
 C. B.'S CHILDHOOD 33 
 
 without an ache or a pain, a sturdy, perfectly 
 developed, perfectly healthy child ? Of course^he 
 could swim as soon as he could walk, that to any one 
 who knows the island goes without saying, and as soon 
 as as he could toddle down to the shore with the other 
 children, spent, as they did, quite half of his time 
 in the sea. The food given him was of the simplest : 
 fruit and vegetables, milk and fish, very little meat, 
 because it was extremely scarce for one thing, and 
 for another, these gentle people only hunt when 
 necessity drives, and never kill a domestic animal 
 if it can be avoided. 
 
 So this child of love and prayer grew and waxed 
 strong, a joy and delight to his parents, and a 
 pleasure to all the community, as all the children 
 were. In exuberant animal delight he and his 
 companions climbed the trees and the mountains, 
 tumbled about in the surf like so many dolphins, 
 with never an anxious or fussy parent to say " don't." 
 Cuts, scratches, bruises they gained in plenty, all 
 treated in the simplest way and all getting cured 
 in almost magically quick time, as do the hurts of 
 animals and savages. And it must never be for- 
 gotten that these people led the perfectly natural 
 lives of savages without any of the savage vices, 
 that they knew and practised the virtues of civiliza- 
 tion without its follies and crimes ; what then could - 
 be expected in the result but perfect health and 
 happiness ? 
 
 With all this boisterous enjoyment of childhood 
 the simple education that the venerable McCoy was 
 able to impart was not neglected. Reading, writing 
 and the first four rules of arithmetic were soundly 
 taught, and by Grace the beautiful accomplishment 
 of singing through the tonic sol-fa method. They 
 were altogether a singing people ; it was ingrained, so
 
 34 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 that this took no trouble to teach. Beyond this in 
 the way of education there was nothing except that 
 the reading of the Bible was encouraged, not as a 
 means of storing up virtue by reading so many 
 verses or chapters, but for the pleasure and profit of 
 seeing what God had said to His people. And this, 
 with the exception of a few well-worn books, such 
 as the standard poets, Dickens, Thackeray and 
 Miss Wetherell, comprised their reading. None of 
 the children were compelled to read as a task. 
 When once they had learned to read they were 
 allowed to read or not just as it pleased them. 
 
 Under such pleasant auspices as this what wonder 
 was it that our hero at sixteen was as near being 
 perfect in body and mind as the most exacting 
 parent could wish. True, he would have been 
 plucked at an examination for the fourth standard 
 in any Board-school, but if he was ignorant of much 
 school learning as Board-school boys know at home, 
 he was also ignorant of a great number of other 
 things, of practically all the evil knowledge acquired 
 by our children in great cities in spite of all our 
 efforts. And on the physical side, being a child 
 of nature, there could be no comparison between 
 him and city children of whatever class imaginable. 
 His whole life, as was that of his companions, boys 
 and girls alike, was spent in training, unconsciously, 
 and so he was always fit for any of those manly 
 exercises that the young human animal rightly 
 loves. He could not play cricket or football, but 
 he could swim and dive all day, could climb the 
 tallest tree in the island like a monkey, could run 
 from the level to the top of a three-thousand-foot hill 
 without distress, and could not swear or lie, having 
 never known any occasion for either. 
 
 Of course, he had not grown up so far without
 
 C. B.'S CHILDHOOD 35 
 
 having brothers and sisters two of each had been 
 added on to the family circle, all of them fine 
 children capable of keeping up the credit of the 
 island people. But we have no concern with 
 them further than to note their arrival, and to 
 record the fact that, as they grew old enough to 
 realize things, they all adored their eldest brother, 
 who, for some reason or another which they could 
 not understand, was looked up to as possessing 
 some mysterious blessing from on high beyond 
 that accorded to any one else. They knew, however, 
 that he was totally unconscious of this. He went 
 on his happy care-free way, full of gay life, full of 
 fun and harmless mischief, but also full of love for all 
 around him. 
 
 It was now that he had his first real adventure. 
 As I have said, he was sixteen years of age, and, as 
 was usual among the island people, he was as big 
 and strong as a full-grown man, though, of course, 
 not with so much stamina. He was a constant 
 companion to his father, who was now a mighty man 
 indeed, at the meridian of a life that had been so 
 well spent and so peaceful that all his powers were 
 in perfection. C. B. was never tired of admiring 
 his father's huge proportions, as, with only a pair of 
 breeches on cut off at the mid-thigh, they swam or 
 fished together. To C. B. his father was indeed a 
 king of men, strong, wise and kind ; and he was 
 overjoyed to be near him, to feel his superiority, and 
 to hope some day, if God willed, to be like him. 
 They were companions in everything now that 
 C. B.'s studies had finished, and the elder man felt 
 his youth renewed as he watched his son springing 
 to whatever work was in hand, felt indeed that he 
 was signally blessed and was very happy. 
 
 So it came to pass that one morning, as soon as
 
 36 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 the first gorgeous heralding of the dawn had over- 
 spread the sky, Philip and C. B. arose from their 
 several mats (bedsteads, bedding and all the parapher- 
 nalia of our bedrooms being unknown and therefore 
 unwanted), and after a loving kiss and a blessing 
 from mother Grace, who was still beautiful and 
 always abundantly happy, they strode down to the 
 shore for the commencement of a day's fishing. It 
 was the season when a special kind of fish greatly 
 liked by the islanders came inshore near enough to 
 be caught in large numbers with hook and line. It 
 was always an occasion of great activity among the 
 men, not that they depended upon the fishing, but 
 because it afforded a large quantity of pleasant 
 food, and they always attacked the opportunity 
 eagerly. 
 
 So when Philip and his son reached the boat-house 
 all hands requisite for manning the boats were 
 there, and after the usual hearty greetings and the 
 indispensable word of prayer, without which no 
 enterprise was ever undertaken, were over, all sprang 
 to the work, fairly hurling the vessels into the foaming 
 surf, and in a few minutes the two vessels, doubly 
 manned, were in the smooth water beyond the rollers, 
 and to the accompaniment of happy song were 
 making their way seaward to the fishing grounds. 
 
 The beauty of the day was not more marked than 
 usual in" such a lovely climate, but to any one who 
 was accustomed to the grey cold mornings of our 
 northern home it would have called forth ecstasies 
 of admiration. For as the golden sun rose majestic- 
 ally from the horizon all nature was flooded with 
 glory, an added wealth of beauty that made even 
 those most accustomed to it catch their breath. The 
 sea was like a sheet of shot-silk whereof every 
 movement exhibited a wonderful play of different
 
 C. B.'S CHILDHOOD 37 
 
 colours and shades in endless variety, while the 
 diversity of hill, dale and beach ashore, unable to 
 compete with all this glowing series of tints, yet 
 showed a splendour of illuminated contour flecked 
 with passing cloud shadows that held the eye 
 enchanted with its beauty. 
 
 Every member of the boats' crews noted this 
 loveliness, revelled in it, and since there was no need 
 for silence as in the chase of the whale, discussed it 
 in such terms of affection as their limited vocabulary 
 could command. Said John Young 
 
 " Seems to me that the gold and jewellery of the 
 New Jerusalem John writes about wouldn't please 
 me like this. If God's going to make a new heaven 
 and a new earth, I'd like to live on the new earth if 
 it's going to be like this. But I can't imagine Him 
 making it any better." 
 
 " Ah," responded Walter McCoy, " that's because 
 you've never been away from here, one of the most 
 favoured spots on His footstool. Now I've been 
 down south of New Zealand in the winter, an' 
 when the great gales blow, a sea gets up that's like 
 a ravening host of wild beasts. Snow and sleet 
 strike you like whips, and the cold searches the very 
 marrow of your bones. Then I thought of our dear 
 island home, and prayed God to take me back there 
 quick or let me die." 
 
 Philip chimed in, with one of his beautiful smiles 
 mantling his strong face, " Walter, my boy, that was 
 because you let your body dictate to your soul. I 
 know, and when I was up the Behring Sea I hid 
 away one night when the call came to work. I had 
 all the man frozen out of me. And as I laid in the 
 stinking corner I felt the bitterest pang oft shame I 
 have ever known. Something said to me, ' You're a 
 tine-weather man, and your trust in God only works
 
 38 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 when you are comfortable.' I tell you, boys, that 
 hit me worse than ever the mate's boot would have 
 done if he had caught me. But I thank God that 
 He gave me courage to rush out of my hole as if I 
 had been flung out, and do the work that fell to my 
 share. And the lesson has lasted all my life." 
 
 At that moment the leader in the other boat 
 cried loudly, " Here we are, boys ; ship oars and out 
 lines. There's a splendid lot of fish, thank God." 
 
 All hands obeyed on the instant, and presently the 
 boy was delighted beyond measure to see the fine 
 big fish come tumbling inboard one after the other 
 in quick succession. It was indeed a stirring scene, 
 although from a sporting point of view it savoured 
 too much of business, perhaps. These were not 
 sportsmen though ; they only fished to satisfy their 
 bodily needs, having no idea of making game of 
 taking life, their savage instincts having been entirely 
 modified by their practical working belief in the 
 loving Father. 
 
 They were in the height of their fishing, the boats 
 being half full of spoil, when Philip, who had a very 
 large fish on his line, turned to see how his son was 
 faring with another big fellow, and as he did so, his 
 foot slipped upon some slime in the sternsheets and 
 he fell backwards, striking his side upon the boat's 
 gunwale and falling overboard. A great shout of 
 laughter went up from all the boat's crew except 
 C. B., for with these amphibious islanders to fall 
 overboard was just a bit of good fun. But C. B., 
 craning over the side, saw that his father, instead 
 of coming to the surface again like a cork, was still 
 far below, and at the same instant he noticed an 
 awful black shadow gliding swiftly in the direction 
 of the still sinking man. Without a moment's 
 hesitation he dived, feeling at the same moment
 
 C. B.'S CHILDHOOD 39 
 
 for the knife in his belt, a long keen-bladed weapon 
 which all carried while fishing. 
 
 Downward he sped through the clear water, arriv- 
 ing by the side of his father's quietly undulating 
 body just as a great glare of white showed the belly 
 of a sixteen-foot shark as he turned to bite at this 
 big piece of food. In a moment the boy had 
 snatched his knife from his belt, and with one tre- 
 mendous spring sideways had plunged it deep into 
 the belly of the monster, and then with a strength 
 that amazed himself sawed it lengthways along the 
 great body. The water grew thick with blood, he 
 groped blindly for the body of his father, felt nothing, 
 swam gropingly about until almost bursting from 
 lack of air, and then with a feeling of utter despair 
 shot upwards to the surface. 
 
 One deep painful breath and, clearing his eyes, 
 C. B. stared wildly about him. Then he gave one 
 despairing cry of " Father ! " It was answered 
 by a dozen different voices cheerfully crying, " All 
 right, all right," and in a moment or two he found 
 two stalwart swimmers by his side ready to aid him 
 if he needed help, and keeping up an incessant 
 splashing in the water for the purpose of scaring the 
 sharks. Guided by them he swam to the boat, and 
 just as he snatched at the gunwale to climb inboard 
 two huge sharks rushed towards the little group of 
 three from opposite directions, meeting head on 
 in full career with such a tremendous shock that 
 they both sank quietly down apparently stunned, 
 while the three friends climbed safely into the boat. 
 
 And there lay his father, still and pale as his 
 bronzed face would show, but, God be praised, yet 
 alive. C. B.'s first impulse was to fling himself down 
 by his father's side and burst into an agony of weep- 
 ing, for he thought that the dear one was dead ; but,
 
 40 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 without a restraining hand being laid upon him, 
 he conquered himself and, trembling violently, said, 
 " Is father much hurt ? " 
 
 " We don't know yet," replied Walter McCoy, 
 " but, thank God, he's still alive, and I can't imagine 
 such a man as he is being killed by what he's just 
 gone through. But we're getting ashore with all 
 speed, and if you will take an oar it'll help you a lot : 
 you'll know you're doing something for him that 
 must be done and that with all your might: Give 
 way, boys ; we want to get home quick." 
 
 C. B. instantly seized an oar and laid to it with a 
 will, as did all the rest, full of anxiety as they were 
 to get their much-loved comrade home. So in a 
 very brief space they made a landing, and were met 
 on the beach by Grace, who with love's intuition, 
 had felt that something had happened which needed 
 her presence. When she saw the still limp form of 
 her love, she only turned a shade paler and felt her 
 knees tremble. Then quietly, as if inviting a few of 
 them up to supper, said, " Please, friends, bring him 
 gently along to the house where I can attend to him 
 properly." 
 
 Then turning to her boy she kissed him, having 
 noted his working face, saying, " Don't worry, dear ; 
 he's in our Father's hands and all will be right." 
 
 But C. B., boy-like, could no longer restrain him- 
 self, and bursting into a very tempest of tears, 
 sobbed out, " I tried to save him, mother, indeed I 
 did." 
 
 " Ay, that he did ; no man could have done more 
 than this boy, Grace," said the nearest men in 
 unison. And as they followed the bearers of Philip 
 across the fragrant fields to the house, Grace heard 
 with a swelling heart of the noble deed whereby 
 her first-born had proved his manhood, and man-
 
 C. B.'S CHILDHOOD 41 
 
 aged to find room in her stricken heart for pride that 
 she had been permitted to rear such a noble son. 
 Then dismissing the whole heroic deed from her 
 mind for the time she hastened her steps, intent 
 upon preparing a comfortable bed for her suffering 
 husband. It was an ordeal through which she had 
 never before passed, but she rose to the occasion, 
 and when the bearers arrived she faced them calmly, 
 and directed them where to lay him. 
 
 The ablest of the islanders in the matter of simple 
 surgery soon arrived, and after keen examination 
 of the insensible man declared that he was suffering 
 from three broken ribs, a mere trifle in these stalwart 
 men's eyes. What else there might be internally 
 he could not tell, but he did what he could in bandag- 
 ing the massive body tightly, and then suggested 
 that they should all kneel and pray for the success 
 of the means used. Which was done in simplest 
 fashion, and as the prayer ended, all were startled 
 to hear a sonorous amen from the hitherto uncon- 
 scious man. It needed no ordinary restraint to 
 keep them from bursting into cries of joy, but they 
 did refrain, and with murmured thanksgivings all 
 went away except the impromptu surgeon, Grace 
 and her son, the younger children having been taken 
 away by helpful neighbours. 
 
 The scene that ensued was a delightful one, Grace 
 and her boy welcoming back the friend and father, 
 who, except for an occasional spasm of pain flitting 
 across his bronzed features, seemed to have entirely 
 recovered from his recent terrible experience, and 
 inclined to blame himself severely for letting " such 
 a trifle upset him," as he put it. Indeed, except 
 for the pain of his grating ribs, which at each move- 
 ment reminded him of the mischief done, he was 
 quite impatient of lying there, wanted to be up
 
 42 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 and doing, although there was nothing to be 
 done. 
 
 Suddenly his roving glance fell upon C. B., who, 
 having finished some small task he had been engaged 
 upon for his mother, was standing near gazing upon 
 his father with eyes humid with love. Philip half 
 raised himself, suppressing a groan of pain, and 
 beckoning to his boy said, " Grace, this son of ours 
 is a man. He has done a deed to-day of which any 
 man might be proud and few men would even 
 attempt. More than that he has saved me for 
 you." 
 
 Grace replied, with one of her beautiful smiles 
 shining on her still comely cheeks : " For that, if he 
 had been a bad boy all his life instead of a 
 very crown of rejoicing, he should possess the very 
 core of my heart. But being what he is and has 
 always been, I can only, as I have continually done 
 since he was born, bless God for him humbly as I 
 do for you." 
 
 Then Philip, putting his arm round the boy's 
 neck, said slowly : " From this out my son, you 
 are my partner as well. I look upon you no longer 
 as a boy but a man, not merely as a son but as 
 a brother, equal in all things. Grace, you must say 
 good-bye to your little boy, who has attained unto 
 the full stature of a man." At which his brothers 
 and sisters, who had now returned, burst into loud 
 lamentations, not realizing the importance of the 
 occasion, only feeling that they had lost their play- 
 mate. 
 
 But C. B. drew himself up with an air of native 
 dignity and replied, " I felt like a man, dad, when 
 I dived after you, but now I know I am one, and I 
 hope, like you, I shall never do what a man ought 
 to be ashamed to do."
 
 C. B.'S CHILDHOOD 43 
 
 There was another cheerful gathering at Philip's 
 home that evening, and the usual round of prayer 
 and praise which was the keynote of all their 
 festivities, praise especially, floods of melody rising 
 and falling across those peaceful savannahs and 
 making them echo again. In all the pleasant exer- 
 cises C. B. took his part, being now recognized as no 
 longer a child, but he listened with greater interest 
 than ever to the thousand-times repeated tale of the 
 Lord's wondrous dealing with this little band of 
 people descended from murderers and savages, yet 
 by the special grace of Providence developing into 
 the most consistently Christian people upon earth. 
 And so, with a final triumphant outburst of the Old 
 Hundredth, the happy meeting terminated, and the 
 revellers dispersed across the scented meadows to 
 their several homes. 
 
 One of the most remarkable things about primitive 
 peoples is the way they recover from hurts ; wounds, 
 bruises, fractures that would mean long and severe 
 illness to civilized folk being treated by them as of 
 little or no account. This is, of course, to be noted 
 among animals, who recover with surprising rapidity 
 and ease from the most shocking wounds, and with 
 only the most rough and careless methods of surgery 
 if they receive any attention at all. I have a big 
 Labrador dog which was recently kicked in the face 
 by a skittish horse. Owing to my absence from 
 home nothing was done to the poor beast, whose 
 jaw was exposed to a cut three inches long for four 
 days. And the ghastly wound could not heal, 
 because when it irritated him the dog would rub 
 his face against a quickset hedge and tear the 
 wound open again. I took him to a veterinary 
 surgeon, who put three stitches in the gaping gash, 
 drawing the ragged edges as closely together as
 
 44 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 possible, and confining the poor animal for three 
 days with a shield over his head. The result is that 
 now, two months after the accident, it is impossible 
 to see where the injury was. 
 
 And in just the same marvellous way will the 
 human animal recover from the most ghastly wounds, 
 although many savage customs militate directly 
 against health. But when perfectly natural living 
 is allied to purity of mind and body and an absence 
 of every kind of stimulant whatever, we have a 
 condition of things making for perfect health, such 
 health as may only be seen among the people of 
 whom I am writing. 
 
 As usual then Philip made so rapid a recovery 
 that within a week he was going about his daily 
 duties as if nothing had happened, and had quite 
 forgotten the episode as far as his injuries were 
 concerned. But his son was now his inseparable 
 companion ; they became as it were partners in every 
 enterprise, and the proud father noted with com- 
 placent pride the development of his son's body 
 and mind as being on the way to surpass his own. 
 As far as ordinary school education went they were 
 about equal, as indeed were all the islanders, for 
 the subjects they learned were strictly limited, and 
 they had no craving for higher education, not knowing 
 or feeling any need of it. 
 
 But all unconsciously, during their long hours 
 together, Philip was filling the boy with strong desire 
 to see the great world without. Philip's adventures 
 on his two voyages had been fairly exciting, but 
 hitherto he had said little about them to his fellows, 
 because there were many things connected with 
 them that he did not care to recall. They had filled 
 him with more ardent love than ever for his quiet 
 island home, and he had used such influence as
 
 C. B.'S CHILDHOOD 45 
 
 he possessed to dissuade any of his friends from 
 wandering. 
 
 Now, however, in reply to constant questioning, he 
 told his son more than ever he had done before, recall- 
 ing scenes long forgotten, while the boy listened with 
 intensest interest and admiration for the grand father 
 whom he almost worshipped. And so C. B. grew 
 steadily towards manhood in all the best traditions 
 of the community, until at eighteen years of age he 
 had risen to the full stature of a man in all that 
 makes for true manliness, innocent without being 
 ignorant of all that was worth his knowing, brave, 
 modest and strong, and withal, in spite of the uncouth 
 garb in which he was clothed in common with all his 
 fellows, handsome as the statue of a Greek god. And 
 here endeth the sketch of Christmas Bounty's 
 boyhood.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 Evil from Without 
 
 NOW it happened that one morning at about 
 eight o'clock when the fishermen were about 
 to launch out into the deep in their regular quest for 
 food that a sudden cry of " Sail ho ! " was raised and 
 re-echoed until all the islanders heard it. A large 
 sailing ship was standing in towards the bay with 
 the obvious intention of communicating, and im- 
 mediately everybody was on the alert. For in spite 
 of their happy care-free life, which left little to be 
 desired by them, there were certain needs which 
 they had inherited, such as clothes, tea, sugar, flour, 
 and tools, which the presence of a ship always 
 brought vividly to their remembrance. And in 
 consequence they were always ready to barter their 
 simple commodities : fruit, vegetables, eggs, fowls, 
 pigs, fish, etc., for whatever they could induce the 
 visitors to part with except liquor and tobacco. 
 
 So a boat was hurriedly launched, manned by the 
 stoutest rowers, with Philip at the steer oar, and 
 C. B. at the stroke, while the rest of the islanders 
 busied themselves collecting such produce as they 
 hoped the ship might be in want of. Fowls and eggs 
 and fruit and milk and pigs, fresh food such as ships 
 in that day were so often glad of. As the boat 
 dashed alongside in splendid style the rowers noted 
 that the ship was thronged with passengers of a 
 curious type to them, hundreds of yellow faces peered
 
 EVIL FROM WITHOUT 47 
 
 over the side and an incessant high pitched babbit- 
 men t of voices went on, utterly unintelligible to the 
 islanders. Philip grabbed a rope thrown to him and 
 was about to spring on board when he caught sight 
 of those rows of parchment-like faces and paused, 
 looking doubtfully at his boat's crew. 
 
 The captain, however, gazing cynically down upon 
 him, said : " What's the matter with you ? Afraid of 
 a few Chinamen, are ye ? Come on board and don't 
 be such a fool." 
 
 Philip flushed darkly under his tan, and then saying 
 quietly, " Don't make the warp fast," swung himself 
 lightly on board, where, standing on the rail holding 
 on by the main top-mast backstays, he surveyed the 
 strange scene beneath him on the vessel's deck. She 
 was crowded with yellow men, who wandered aim- 
 lessly about or squatted in groups gibbering away. 
 To add to the confusion there were hundreds of 
 canaries in cages which were hung about, and they 
 were all singing at once, each doing his little best to 
 drown the clamour of his neighbours. 
 
 Raising his voice almost to a shout the captain 
 addressed Philip with the question : " Have you godly 
 beach-combers got any fresh provisions to sell ? I'm 
 fifty days out from Macao bound to Callao, and my 
 passengers are beginning to die like flies. I don't 
 know what's the matter with 'em, unless it is the 
 foul grub that was put aboard for 'em by the com- 
 pradore, though I never heard before that any grub 
 was foul enough to poison a Chink." 
 
 Philip replied calmly : " We have plenty of produce, 
 sir, which we shall be glad to exchange with you for 
 tools, clothes, books or anything of that sort. But 
 we don't want money, it's of no use to us." 
 
 And he recapitulated the articles available for 
 supply at once, to which the captain replied : " All
 
 48 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 right, come on aft and I'll have some stuff brought 
 up to show you." So Philip most willingly sprang 
 down on the deck and followed the captain aft to 
 the cabin. Here he was first offered some rum, which 
 he courteously refused, much to the captain's 
 amusement. Then in obedience to the captain's 
 commands a heap of clothing was brought up out of 
 the slop chest and a few rusty tools of various sorts, 
 including half a dozen coal shovels, at sight of which 
 Philip's eyes glistened, for these were sorely needed 
 on the island. There were no books available at all, 
 only a heap of old newspapers which Philip did not 
 look twice at, for what did the news of the world 
 matter to these children of Nature ? 
 
 Then having selected such goods as they needed as 
 far as the limited supply before him would allow, 
 Philip suggested that they should be put in his boat 
 and that the captain should accompany him ashore 
 and see what they had got to offer in exchange, 
 which goods they would bring back with the captain 
 to the ship. To this the captain answered that he 
 should prefer Philip to bring such stuff as he had 
 ready, pass it on board and make his bargain there, 
 as he, the captain, did not want to leave the ship. 
 
 Philip rose and looking the captain steadfastly 
 in the face, said : " No sir, on several occasions when 
 we, trusting that other people would act as we always 
 do to one another, have brought our produce on board 
 a passing ship, we have been compelled to take 
 whatever the captain has chosen to give us or 
 nothing at all, because we were completely at his 
 mercy. Now we are always ready to give of our sub- 
 stance to help ships in distress, expecting no pay- 
 ment, but we are sorely in need of certain things, and 
 can only get them by selling our stuff. And if we 
 are cheated it is hard for us to bear, knowing as we
 
 EVIL FROM WITHOUT 49 
 
 do that we would never cheat anybody for any 
 consideration whatever." 
 
 At this modest and dignified remark the captain 
 flew into an assumed rage and cried, " You stuck up 
 hypocritical half nigger, half mutineer, how dare you 
 talk to an English gentleman like that ! I've half 
 a mind to have you flung overboard, only I know you 
 can't be drowned. Don't come any of your palaver 
 over me, for it won't do. I understand you fellows 
 through and through." 
 
 Philip smiled sadly, but without showing a trace 
 of surprise or fear, then saying, " I'm sorry, sir, that 
 we can't come to terms," turned to leave the saloon. 
 
 This was too much for the captain, who roared 
 " Here ! where ye goin,' ye black thief ? " (Many a 
 bronzed Englishman is darker than Philip was.) 
 " Come back here ! " 
 
 But Philip strode to the deck, leapt on the rail, 
 and shouting, " Let go, boys," plunged feet foremost 
 into the sea. In a moment the boat, released, was 
 at his side and he had climbed on board. 
 
 Overhead, the captain, standing on the rail, was 
 crying, " Don't be silly, I was only trying to bluff 
 you, it's all in the way of business. Come up along- 
 side ; I'll come with you and bring the stuff ashore. 
 Good heavens ! what a rum lot these Kanakas are, 
 to be sure." 
 
 By this time Philip had taken hasty counsel with 
 his friends and had decided to take the captain on 
 shore if he would come, but that none of them would 
 board that awful ship again under any pretence. So 
 they sheered alongside, caught again the rope that 
 was flung them and received a heap of goods, the 
 captain and two men following. Then they headed 
 for the beach with a sigh of relief, for the very 
 proximity of the ship was hateful to them. They 
 
 D
 
 50 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 soon reached the landing place, the captain and his 
 two henchmen looking very white as the ably 
 handled boat was deftly guided stern foremost over 
 the immense breakers, and stepping ashore uncer- 
 tainly as the ready arms of the islanders were held 
 out to them. 
 
 But no sooner had they landed than the captain 
 and his two men began to swagger and ogle the 
 women and girls who crowded down to the beach 
 intent upon welcome. C. B. was close beside the 
 skipper as he reached forward to clasp a beautiful 
 girl near him by the waist. Lithe as a leopard the 
 boy sprang between the maiden and the captain, 
 crying as he did so : " That's my sister, sir, and 
 anyhow you mustn't touch our girls ; you are not 
 good enough ! " 
 
 Well, wasn't that foolish man angry ? he made a 
 sweeping motion with his arm as if to brush an 
 insect from his path, but C. B. seized him by both 
 hands and held him so firmly that he was unable to 
 move, saying at the same time, " Please behave 
 yourself, sir ; we won't hurt you, but you must not 
 go on ugly like this." The two men who were with 
 the captain looked frightened for they were thinking 
 of massacres in the South Seas of which they had 
 often heard and doubtless expected something of the 
 kind. The skipper however knew better, and acted 
 worse, for he raged like a madman, the islanders 
 standing round looking grave and stern while all 
 the women folk slipped away. When he had cursed 
 himself out of breath C. B. spoke again : " Now, sir, 
 if you are ready we'll take you back to your ship. 
 We want to trade badly enough, but it's almost 
 paying too dearly for the privilege, having men like 
 you among us. We are very sorry for you, but wish 
 you would go."
 
 EVIL FROM WITHOUT 51 
 
 No one of the islanders added anything, for they 
 felt as if C. B. had exactly expressed what they would 
 say and for a few moments there was a dead silence. 
 Then the captain said in a curiously subdued voice : 
 " I don't know but what you're right after all, young 
 fellow, whoever you are, and I apologize. I didn't 
 intend to act so ugly, believe me. And now if you'll 
 bring along your produce we'll trade, for I ought to 
 be getting back to my ship." Immediately following 
 upon his words, and without an order being given, 
 there was a dispersal of the islanders, who soon 
 reappeared laden with all the things they had to 
 sell : vegetables, fruit, eggs, fowls and pigs, all that 
 sailors most eagerly desire after a long voyage. 
 
 It was an easy market, for there was practically 
 no haggling, and when all the goods that the captain 
 had brought were exhausted, the kindly folk pre- 
 sented him with the rest of the produce which was 
 left, an act of generosity which deepened the tan 
 on his face as he, even he, realized what a contrast 
 there was between his behaviour and theirs. But I 
 do not know that he was so very much to blame after 
 all, for it was probably the first time he had come 
 across practical primitive Christianity in full opera- 
 tion. However, as he turned to leave the beach 
 again he held out his hand to C. B., saying : " Young- 
 ster, I'm ashamed of myself, that's all I can say. I 
 shall remember to-day as long as I live. And I want 
 to tell that splendid fellow the same, the man whom 
 I spoke so badly to in my saloon." 
 
 " Oh, you mean my father," said C. B. "Here he 
 is ! " and Philip stepped forward, a gentle smile on 
 his face, and his hand outstretched, saying as he 
 came, " Don't bother about me, sir, I'm only sorry 
 that you should be afflicted with such a hasty temper 
 and disbelief in the goodness of anybody. But please
 
 52 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 say no more. If you are ready to go on board we 
 are ready to take you." 
 
 " Ah, I don't wonder you want to get rid of me," 
 murmured the skipper sorrowfully ; " how you've put 
 up with me so long I don't know. All I know is that 
 you've made me feel as I've never done before, and 
 I'd love to stay here and take a few lessons from you 
 good folks how to live. But I must get back to the 
 hog-trough again, I suppose. Come along, the sooner 
 I get aboard the better," and he strode firmly to- 
 wards the boat. 
 
 Philip and his son looked at each other for a 
 moment irresolutely, the same thought in each of 
 their minds, should they ask him to stay and see 
 their dear old pastor who would speak ^words of com- 
 fort to his tortured soul ? But the time had passed, all 
 hands were in the boat save the steersman, and Philip 
 sprang to his place while the waiting crowd ran the 
 buoyant craft out into the foaming surf and the long 
 oars drove her strenuously through the tormented 
 waters, forcing her out to the smooth sea beyond. 
 Once out of the surf the rowers settled down into the 
 long, regular swing of deep sea oarsmen, and they 
 rapidly neared the vessel. She lay lazily rolling 
 to the heavy swell with her mainyard to the mast, 
 but not a sign of life about her, for all the crowd on 
 board. But as the boat swung alongside the mate 
 sprang on to the rail and shouted his orders, a rope 
 was flung, the side ladder lowered and the skipper 
 climbed aboard, saying as he did so, " Come up, Mr. 
 Boat-steerer, and I'll treat ye different, see if I 
 don't." 
 
 But Philip gravely declined. He did not care to 
 run any such risks, knowing from much previous ex- 
 perience how soon such impressions as the captain 
 had received are apt to change with a different scene.
 
 EVIL FROM WITHOUT 53 
 
 And the captain did not repeat his invitation. Turn- 
 ing to the mate he ordered all dispatch to be made 
 in getting the stores on board, then abruptly left 
 the side and the boat's crew saw him no more. 
 In a very few minutes the boat was cleared and as 
 soon as she was empty Philip shouted, " Cast off that 
 rope." It was done and with a powerful sweep of the 
 steer oar they swept away from the ship's side, 
 and shipping their oars bent to them with a will, every 
 man of them feeling glad to put an increasing dis- 
 tance between them and the hive of evil they 
 felt the ship to be. 
 
 And as they did so they saw the mainyard swing, 
 heard the wailing cries of the sailors as they trimmed 
 the sails to the light breeze and with a sense of utter 
 relief watched her glide off towards the open sea. 
 Then Philip raised his beautiful voice in the grand 
 old song of satisfaction : " O God, our help in 
 ages past," in which his crew joined, as was their 
 wont, in sweetest concord. By the time she reached 
 the beach the ship was almost hull down on the 
 horizon and never, as far as log-books or signalling 
 stations can tell, was she reported again. 
 
 That night there was another great family gather- 
 ing of the islanders, first for equitable division of the 
 articles bought, and next for the usual thanksgiving in 
 that they had suffered no harm at the hands of their 
 visitors. For even these gentle, happy children of love 
 were suspicious of all contact with the outer world, 
 they always feared the worst, knowing how utterly 
 foreign to their ideas of brotherly love and unity of 
 heart were the majority of even the few people who 
 touched at their island. How hard it is for us, who, 
 whether we like it or not, are bound to feel doubtful 
 of professors of Christianity, when we realize the 
 deeds and hear the words of so many of them, to
 
 54 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 understand the feelings of this primitive people, 
 among whom the commandment to love one another 
 had become an ingrained principle. Many of us 
 with the best will in the world to believe in them 
 find ourselves saying, " Ah well, they are excep- 
 tionally favoured by their situation and history. If 
 they only lived as we do, among civilized heathen, 
 professing to be Christians and yet denying the power 
 of God to do His will among us they would be as 
 lukewarm and half hearted as most of us are." 
 
 Something of this kind must have entered into 
 C. B.'s thoughts that night. For after the young 
 ones had gone to sleep he and his father and mother 
 sat on the stoop in front of their house discussing in 
 their simple way the events of the day and their 
 bearing upon what they knew of life until suddenly 
 the young man said, " Mother, sometimes I think 
 that it's all very well for us to be as happy and loving 
 and fond of God as we are here where everybody is 
 like-minded, but what if one of us should be suddenly 
 flung out of this among people like those we've seen 
 to-day ? How should we stand it, do you think ? I 
 don't quite know how to put it, but what I mean is, 
 are we good because we are shut in with goodness 
 and have no temptations to be had, or are we good 
 because we really love good and hate evil ? And 
 should we be thus good if everybody around us was 
 bad ? " 
 
 His gentle mother made answer, " Dear son, why 
 worry your head about such things. If I under- 
 stand God's word at all it tells me that if I live for 
 God and with Him for the present the future has 
 nothing to do with me. But I believe that wherever 
 He puts me He will provide me with grace to meet 
 every form of evil. I do not find, though, that if I 
 go voluntarily where there is evil I get any pro-
 
 EVIL FROM WITHOUT 55 
 
 mise of being made proof against it. At any rate I 
 know that I love God and all His ways as far as I 
 know anything, and I can't imagine myself happy in 
 any other condition. And I am quite content with 
 that, blessing Him for putting me where I am, in the 
 midst of people who love Him also." 
 
 Philip who had been sitting, as was usual with him 
 when unemployed, gazing into vacancy with his 
 thoughts far away, suddenly aroused himself and 
 said in a dreamy voice 
 
 " I don't believe that all the people who don't 
 know God are unhappy, but I'm sure that most of 
 them are, judging from those I've mixed with on my 
 travels. And I'm quite sure that if people were 
 taught in Christian lands as we are here, if they were 
 brought up to look upon God as a personal Friend 
 always near, and one that no one who knows Him 
 could be afraid of, there would be an enormous num- 
 ber of people more loving Him and knowing Him than 
 there are. I kept my eyes open and listened also 
 while I was in America and Australia, and I went to 
 all sorts of places where they said God was wor- 
 shipped, and I got entirely bewildered. 
 
 " For it seemed to me that what they called re- 
 ligion was a thing which hadn't anything to do with 
 their lives at all. They went to church or chapel 
 or meeting on Sundays, and said so many prayers or 
 listened to what the preacher had to say, not at all 
 because they loved God, but because they thought 
 that if they didn't do these things they would be 
 punished for ever and ever by being in a place called 
 hell, always burning and never burnt up. As for 
 loving God as a man loves a good father or mother, or 
 loving Jesus as one loves a dear elder brother who 
 has always been our ideal man since we were toddlers, 
 the thing didn't seem to strike them in any way.
 
 56 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 And in some of the churches I went into I could hardly 
 help laughing, it all seemed so funny, all a big show 
 to please God who made all the glorious world we 
 live in and the wonders in heaven above. When I 
 asked them if they thought God minded how they 
 dressed or walked or smelt (I didn't like the smoky 
 smelly stuff at all), they got angry and said I was 
 an ignorant heathen, which of course didn't hurt me a 
 bit because I knew I wasn't. But I did try to show 
 them in the Bible how plainly God had said as to 
 little toddling children that all this outward show 
 was of no value in his sight, that it was the heart and 
 life that really mattered. Only they said then that 
 I was so stupid it was waste of time arguing with 
 me." 
 
 C. B. did not remember ever having heard his 
 father talk for so long a time without stopping be- 
 fore, and he was tremendously impressed by what 
 he had heard. Nevertheless, there was a growing, 
 deepening desire in his mind to go and see this 
 curious world, to test the reality of his own love of 
 God in contact with the extraordinary conditions 
 which his father said obtained in the great struggling 
 masses of people who belonged to professedly Chris- 
 tain countries. He felt, in fact, like the inhabitant of 
 another planet in the old story who was smitten with 
 a strong desire to come to earth and see for himself 
 whether what he had heard was true, and if there 
 were even stranger things to be found in this wonder 
 ful little world than he had heard of. 
 
 No word of this growing craving escaped the youns 
 man, but daily, almost hourly, in the midst of his 
 simple toils, he thought over the possibilities of his 
 getting personally acquainted with the outside world, 
 until the longing to do so was the strongest factor in 
 his life. He grew graver, more self-centred, and all
 
 EVIL FROM WITHOUT 57 
 
 his intimates noticed it, for it was so complete a 
 change from his previous liveliness. Still, nobody 
 mentioned the matter to him, none felt it their 
 business to interfere with him, more especially as he 
 was if anything more energetic than ever in perform- 
 ing his share of the work, and if it may be said, 
 where all alike were kind and unselfish, was more 
 thoughtful of others than ever he had been. 
 
 So the days and weeks and months glided away 
 in most uneventful fashion among the happy is- 
 landers. There were births hailed with decorous 
 joy and earnest praise for God's good gifts, two or 
 three deaths, met by all as the natural termination 
 of an earthly probation and the commencement of 
 real life. As such these events were no' occasions 
 for wild outbursts of grief. Tears were shed of 
 course when the bereaved ones remembered that in 
 this life the dear companion would be seen no more, 
 but these were speedily dried at the thought of the 
 short time which would pass before reunion came, 
 and then separation would be an impossibility. 
 For these people, strange as it may seem to us, acted 
 as if what they believed were real to them, and not 
 some cunningly devised fable, in which they had to 
 profess belief in order to hoodwink God into letting 
 them into Heaven. A Heaven, by the way, which 
 they believed to be a glorified earth wherein there 
 should be no physical, moral, or mental evil. 
 
 For of all three of these, although they themselves 
 were in so wonderful a measure free from them, they 
 had experience from without. As, for instance, when 
 one day after a long spell of perfect peace, not a 
 sail being sighted nor any whaling done, the lookout 
 man on the cliff reported something in the offing, 
 either a dead whale, a boat, or a piece of wreckage. 
 In any case something quite well worth while
 
 58 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 investigating, and so a boat with C. B. as boat steerer 
 put off to see what the waif might be. It was an 
 hour's strenuous pull before they reached the object, 
 but some time before C. B.'s eyes had made it out to 
 be a boat, apparently derelict. 
 
 But when they drew up alongside of the wanderer 
 a simultaneous groan of pity burst from them, for 
 the sight they saw chilled their blood. There were 
 four ghastly objects lying across the thwarts that 
 had once been men but now looked like mummified 
 corpses. Burnt black by the sun, every bone show- 
 ing clearly beneath the strained withered skin, 
 hair and beards like weeds, and lying in the bottom 
 of the boat sundry awful fragments of humanity 
 that told their own horrible tale of cannibalism. 
 And a foul stench arose from the boat which be- 
 fouled the pure air and made the visitors feel 
 deathly sick. 
 
 It was no time, however, to give way to any weak- 
 ness of that sort, especially as they had nothing with 
 them in the way of restoratives, supposing that any 
 life remained in these pitiful relics of human beings. 
 So they made the strange boat fast to their own, and 
 turning shoreward laid to their oars with all their 
 might. Fortunately it was an almost perfectly 
 calm day, so that the passage through the breakers 
 was accomplished with little difficulty, and when 
 they reached the beach there were scores of willing 
 hands ready to help. They lifted the poor wrecks 
 ashore tenderly, finding that two of them still 
 breathed, and immediately carried them off to 
 where hot milk and the juice of fresh fruit could be 
 administered to them. Very gently and patiently 
 they strove to coax back the fast departing life into 
 those frail bundles of bones, and were at last re- 
 warded by hearing some words in a tongue that none
 
 EVIL FROM WITHOUT 59 
 
 of them could understand issuing from the cracked 
 lips of one of the men. 
 
 Their curiosity was restrained, however, by the 
 absolute necessity of keeping the poor creatures 
 quiet if the flickering sparks of life were to be kept 
 glowing, and presently they were delighted by seeing 
 both the rescued ones fall into a deep sleep. Then 
 they turned their attention to the burial of the 
 dead in their little graveyard with all the sweet and 
 simple solemnity they used in their own interments. 
 But the dreadful evidences of cannibalism in the 
 boat could not be forgotten, much as they tried to 
 excuse and extenuate, for all of them felt that 
 nothing would ever have induced them to act in the 
 same manner. Still, these children of peace would not 
 condemn, despite their horror, and their pity was 
 immense. 
 
 Long and earnest were the consultations and 
 speculations on the circumstances which had led to 
 the casting away of these poor waifs, but when the 
 time had come for retiring for the night only one 
 possible solution of the mystery had been arrived at 
 that these were survivors of some terrible ship- 
 wreck, and all thanked God that such a frightful 
 experience had never been theirs. And so in this 
 good and peaceful atmosphere of peace and love the 
 little community went to their happy rest.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 Entertaining Devils Unaware 
 
 WITH the first streak of dawn, as was their 
 wont, all the islanders were astir, and their 
 first thoughts were for the rescued ones. The news 
 soon spread throughout the community that the 
 two men had awakened, mightily refreshed, and 
 that one of them could speak a few words of English. 
 All ordinary tasks were neglected, and practically 
 the whole village flocked to the house where they, 
 the rescued ones, had been sheltered for the night. 
 And there they saw their guests gaunt, wild-eyed 
 and scared-looking, holding quite a levee, and one 
 endeavouring to explain how they came to be there. 
 It was a difficult task, for his English was of the 
 feeblest and his pronunciation of the words he did 
 know so extraordinary that it required many 
 repetitions of even the simplest phrases and great 
 patience on the part of the listeners to gather the 
 sense of what he said. At last, however, they learned 
 that these two were the sole survivors of ten men, 
 who, after killing two of their guardians, had escaped 
 from New Caledonia, the French convict island. 
 Four weeks had elapsed since they had seen the last 
 of that awful place of their imprisonment, four 
 weeks of such horror that the scanty words of 
 English possessed by the spokesman could only 
 give the barest outline of them. But quite enough 
 was told to satisfy them that such an experience 
 
 60
 
 ENTERTAINING DEVILS UNAWARE 61 
 
 savoured of that place of torment of which they 
 never spoke but in whispers, and they wondered 
 much whether the men who had succumbed early 
 in the struggle were not the more fortunate. And 
 gradually, as they grew more and more accustomed 
 to the curious speech of the man who was trying 
 to explain, they learned of doings within the narrow 
 compass of that boat adrift helplessly upon the 
 great lone sea that made their flesh crawl upon their 
 bones, which made them involuntarily shrink from the 
 narrator, whose utter unconcern as he told in baldest 
 words the story of his adventures, fascinated them 
 while it frightened them. For none of them had 
 ever realized such a depth of callous depravity as 
 was now manifested before them. 
 
 Only the sacred laws of hospitality, nowhere 
 more firmly held to and observed than here where 
 everything was held in common, as became the 
 primitive Christianity of the people, restrained 
 them from isolating the strangers as if they were 
 suffering from frightful disease both contagious and 
 infectious. Occasionally a gentle attempt to show 
 their disapproval of the foul terms used by the narra- 
 tor in telling his story was made, but quite in vain, 
 for it is a lamentable fact that picking up a language 
 colloquially, as one does among the workers of the 
 world, it is always the vilenesses of the language 
 which are first acquired, because they are most 
 frequently used, and by some devilish twist of 
 memory they are always the expressions which 
 stick. 
 
 However, the older men among the islanders met 
 and determined that, God helping them, this new 
 and bad element of evil must not be permitted to 
 spread among the younger folk, and the word 
 was passed quietly around that while the strangers
 
 62 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 were to be treated with every courtesy and kindness, 
 they were not to be associated with indiscriminately ; 
 intercourse with them was to be confined to a 
 very small body of the older men, all of whom had 
 known something of the evil of the world without, 
 and were all unlikely to be affected now by anything 
 they might hear, however vile. 
 
 Nevertheless, it was felt throughout the settlement 
 that there had come into their peaceful midst an 
 appalling danger, and the subject came into their 
 prayers continually. The strangers, having made 
 a rapid recovery, swaggered about the little settle- 
 ment as if they were the lords of it, rather enjoying 
 the whole-hearted terror of them evinced by the 
 younger folk, and yet cursing vigorously what they 
 were pleased to call the inhospitable way in which 
 they were being treated. By this time the islanders 
 had discovered that they were harbouring two 
 criminals of the blackest dye, men from whom the 
 least vestige of goodness was absent, whose thoughts 
 were only evil, and that continually. Worse still, 
 it seemed as if the island was likely to be cursed 
 with their presence for an indefinite time, for upon 
 the suggestion that they would be able to leave by 
 the first ship that called at the island the two 
 desperadoes avowed with awful words that they 
 were not going to risk their liberty in any ship 
 whatever. They were quite contented, they said, in 
 their present position, and proposed to marry and 
 settle down. 
 
 What that prospect meant to the islanders can 
 hardly be realized unless the readers have entered 
 into the spirit of this happy community. The 
 advent of a couple of man-eating tigers in some 
 peaceful, lonely village here in England could not 
 cause as much terror, because sportsmen would
 
 ENTERTAINING DEVILS UNAWARE 63 
 
 speedily be forthcoming who would slay the beasts, 
 and these human beasts, though far more dangerous 
 than tigers, could not be destroyed in the same 
 manner. And day by day those patient, peaceful 
 people watched and waited and prayed, yet feared 
 what they could not help feeling was the approach- 
 ing tragedy. 
 
 It is not too much to say that the whole course of 
 life in that lovely island home was embittered by 
 the presence of these two degenerate children of 
 French civilization, who prated and bragged of 
 their superiority to all law, and being Anarchists 
 and free, professing indeed much the same principles 
 that some of our legislators do to-day, although the 
 latter are hardly prepared as yet to carry those 
 principles to their logical conclusion. 
 
 Deliverance from this terrible incubus came in 
 dramatic fashion. By some means, during an 
 extra busy time, the two miscreants had escaped 
 from the almost ceaseless watchfulness of those 
 set apart for that purpose. And as they were 
 always planning evil of a certain kind, and were only 
 waiting fitting opportunity to carry out those plans, 
 they seized this, to them, favourable chance to attempt 
 a crime which I will not hint at. It happened that 
 at this very time C. B. had been up the mountain 
 side after honey, having some days before located a 
 hive. He was heavily burdened with spoil, and 
 having tramped a good many miles was feeling 
 healthily weary, when he heard a piercing shriek. 
 It was the first time in his life that he had ever 
 heard such a sound, but it focussed all his fears 
 and apprehensions, and for one moment paralyzed 
 all his energies. 
 
 Then the brave blood surged back from his heart, 
 he dropped his burden and plunged furiously in the
 
 64 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 direction of the sound, actuated by he could not 
 tell what terrible thoughts. A stifled scream 
 spurred him on, like a buffalo he crashed through all 
 obstacles, arriving presently in the open of a little 
 glade amidst the thick boscage to find his sister, 
 his darling Jenny, four years younger than himself, 
 faintly struggling in the grasp of the two ex-convicts. 
 He was tranformed for the moment into a savage, 
 and leapt upon the nearest with a yell that would 
 have quite become one of his dusky ancestors. The 
 wretch upon whom he fell, taken by surprise, had no 
 chance at all, for C. B. snatched him up as one does 
 a filthy rag and hurled him with tremendous force 
 against a tree bole, which he struck with a dull crash 
 and fell limp and motionless. 
 
 The other scoundrel, letting go the trembling girl, 
 rushed off into the bush, but C. B., full of fury, 
 plunged after him, caught him in a dozen strides, 
 and battered him with fists and feet in so furious a 
 manner that in a very short time he was reduced to a 
 helpless lump of inanimate flesh. Then C.B. desisted, 
 panting, but beginning to feel compunction for the 
 fury he had been led into, as well as fear that he had 
 killed one or both of the wretches. But I am truly 
 thankful to say that such a feeling was only momentary, 
 justification of himself as being bound to act in the 
 way he did or be unfit to live quickly succeeded, and 
 he drew himself up again to the full stature of his 
 grand young manhood. And then he thought of 
 his poor young sister ; but she, as soon as she was 
 released from her savage assailants, had fled with the 
 swiftness of an antelope to the settlement, nor 
 stayed until she had found a group of men, to 
 whom she told her story. 
 
 So as C. B. was puzzling himself as to how he 
 should secure his prisoners for, of course, he so
 
 ENTERTAINING DEVILS UNAWARE 65 
 
 regarded them three stalwart men, one of whom 
 was his father, came crashing through the under- 
 growth and greeted him warmly. He said little 
 but pointed to the evidence of his prowess. Both of 
 the villains were just recovering from the shocks 
 they had received, and were looking almost as if 
 they had been dragged along under a harrow. They 
 were very subdued, and regarded C. B. with a great 
 deal of respect, making no attempt at resistance 
 as they were led away toward the village. 
 
 By this time the news of the affair had spread, 
 and the whole community were gathering with looks 
 of horror and consternation at the two wretches 
 who had thus repaid, or attempted to repay, the 
 loving-kindness to which they owed life and health. 
 But little was said, and that only in whispers, as the 
 prisoners were led to the house of the old patriarch 
 who was at once minister and dispenser of law, the 
 latter function indeed being quite a sinecure among 
 this people whose love of righteousness was 
 inbred and fostered in every imaginable way. 
 
 Arriving there, they were consigned to as near 
 a substitute for a prison as the island afforded, a 
 strongly built outhouse, their hurts being attended 
 to and food and drink supplied them. Then they 
 were left under guard, being informed that any 
 attempt on their part to break loose would be followed 
 immediately by their being tied up, for as they had 
 chosen to behave as wild beasts, they must look to be 
 treated as dangerous, and every precaution taken 
 against them. Thoroughly cowed for the time by 
 the rough handling they had received, the only 
 argument they could understand, they attempted 
 no protest against their confinement, but sullenly 
 accepted what was given them and done for them 
 like men accustomed to bow submissively to the
 
 66 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 inevitable. And thus they were left to themselves, 
 the guard keeping close watch outside. 
 
 Meanwhile the conduct of C. B. came under strong 
 discussion. No one attempted to suggest that 
 he had acted wrongly, for all were agreed that it 
 was a matter of deepest thankfulness to God that 
 he had arrived so opportunely and acted as promptly 
 as he had done, and yet there was something dis- 
 quieting, not merely to the community, but to himself, 
 in the fact that he had given way to such an out- 
 burst of savagery. And all felt how terrible a 
 thing it would have been if he had slain either or 
 both of the villains, as he would most likely have 
 done had he carried a weapon. He attempted 
 no justification, showed no repentance for his 
 action, but frankly admitted that he was horri- 
 fied to find that he had so much of the savage 
 in him. And strange as it may seem, though all 
 looked upon him as quite a hero, it is no less 
 true that with their admiration was mingled 
 another feeling which they could not conceal, a 
 feeling which made them hold themselves slightly 
 aloof from him and the sense of which cut him to 
 the quick. 
 
 This, added to his previous unrest of spirit, 
 decided him in his half-formed idea of leaving the 
 island at the first opportunity and seeing the world. 
 There was just a trace of bitterness in the thought 
 that his resolution should have been fixed by an 
 event of which he could not but feel proud, and 
 could not help thinking should have made all his 
 acquaintances proud of him too. But there it 
 was, and no amount of meditation or self-examination 
 would avail to alter it. So at the earliest oppor- 
 tunity when he was alone with his parents he told 
 them of his resolve. For a few minutes neither
 
 ENTERTAINING DEVILS UNAWARE 67 
 
 spoke, and then his still beautiful mother broke the 
 silence, saying 
 
 " Have you consulted the Lord about it, dear 
 boy ? " 
 
 ' Yes, mother," he replied truly, " but I have not 
 asked for any guidance in the matter, for I feel, 
 I have long felt, led to go. And I don't believe 
 that such a strong inclination as I have towards 
 something that certainly is not wrong can be of 
 the evil one. Besides it is not my own pleasure I 
 am seeking, neither am I tired of my lovely home, 
 but well, I must go, that's all." 
 
 Thereafter his father and mother regarded the 
 matter as settled, only mother like, Grace hoped 
 that it might be a long time before an opportunity 
 came she wanted to keep her boy as long as 
 possible. But it fell out that only a fortnight after- 
 wards an extraordinary event for the islanders 
 occurred : two vessels arrived off the landing place in 
 one day and hove-to, one the British war- vessel 
 Thetis, and the other the American whale-ship 
 Eliza Adams, of New Bedford. Joyfully the boats' 
 crews sprang into their craft and pulled out to the 
 vessels, one visiting the man-o'-war to convey the 
 respects of the whole community to the representa- 
 tive of the country they loved so well, and the other, 
 steered by C. B., to the whale-ship to inquire after 
 their wants. 
 
 As soon as Philip, who was in charge of the first 
 boat, had climbed on board and had saluted the 
 deck, he inquired for the captain, and first, in 
 time-honoured fashion, begged him to consider the 
 resources of the island at his disposal and to do 
 them the honour of paying them a visit to the shore 
 in their boat. The captain having gravely accepted 
 the latter invitation and declared his intention of
 
 68 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 paying for whatever produce they might supply, 
 Philip informed him that they had a favour to ask 
 which they earnestly hoped he would see his way 
 to grant, and then proceeded to tell him the 
 story of their undesirable visitors, assuring him 
 that the peace of the island had been destroyed 
 since their arrival, and that now matters were worse 
 than ever, since the miscreants must needs be 
 watched day and night lest they should escape and 
 do some fiendish deed in revenge, adding that on 
 their own showing they were capable of any 
 villainy. The captain listened patiently, and as 
 soon as Philip had done talking replied in cheery 
 tones 
 
 " Make your mind easy, Mr. Adams ; it's not only 
 a pleasure to grant your request to take these 
 scoundrels off your hands, but my duty. I have 
 been officially warned of their escape by the autho- 
 rities and told to look out for them, and I shall be 
 only too glad to rid you of them." 
 
 Philip thanked the captain and requested the 
 loan of a couple of pairs of handcuffs, saying that 
 he would not put the captain to the trouble of 
 sending a boat for them but would bring them off. 
 The captain immediately assented, and in five 
 minutes' time the boat was flying shoreward with 
 the captain and two of his officers seated in the 
 stern sheets, quite glad of the opportunity afforded 
 them of visiting this wonderful little community 
 whose fame as a model settlement had spread all 
 over the English-speaking world. 
 
 But the joy of the islanders who can depict, 
 when Philip told them of their approaching deliver- 
 ance from the misery under which they had laboured. 
 Do not think them selfish or unmindful of their 
 obligations to their fellow-men because they were
 
 ENTERTAINING DEVILS UNAWARE 69 
 
 glad to get rid of these undesirables. Had the 
 latter been amenable to kindness or at all to be 
 influenced by goodness so palpably manifested 
 towards them.things would have been quite different. 
 Every effort had been made, more by practice even 
 than precept, to soften those flinty natures, but 
 all such attempts had been met by the most brutal 
 and hideous language as well as threats, of diabolical 
 revenge if ever the chance came. It delighted 
 those foul creatures to see the islanders wince at 
 the awful words and blanch at what they were by 
 no means inclined to regard empty threats, although 
 it was happily impossible for them to realize fully 
 the significance of some of the worst of them. 
 
 Most of the islanders were on the strand ready 
 to welcome the captain of the Thetis when he 
 stepped ashore, and he and his officers were reveren- 
 tially borne off to the magistrate's house, and 
 offered the best that the island afforded in the way 
 of refreshments. On the way thither the news 
 flew from lip to lip that they were to be freed from 
 the prisoners, and the air resounded with songs of 
 thanksgiving. Being a man of prompt action, 
 Captain Thurston, as soon as he was comfortably 
 installed at the magistrate's, asked for the two 
 prisoners to be brought before him, and as soon 
 as the handcuffs had been put upon them his wish 
 was obeyed. 
 
 When they were brought he addressed them 
 in French, but was answered by a flood of foulest 
 abuse, language that made even his tanned 
 cheek flush and his hand seek the sword at his 
 side. But he quickly mastered his rising temper 
 and ordered them to be taken away and held in 
 readiness for carrying on board. Turning to his 
 host, he said quietly
 
 70 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 " I think you are to be congratulated in that 
 you have escaped serious injury at the hands of 
 these ruffians, for I don't think they would hesitate 
 to commit any crime that lay within their power 
 if the fit seized them." 
 
 To which the dear old man made answer 
 
 " We have never ceased thanking God for that 
 He saved us from such a calamity as that would 
 have been, and we have now the answer to our 
 prayers that He would send a British man-o'-war 
 to take them away from our midst lest our vigilance 
 should relax and they break out among us like two 
 ravening wolves in a flock of sheep." 
 
 But we must return to C. B. on his separate 
 mission to the whaler. As he swung his boat 
 around and came alongside of her in true whaling 
 fashion he was conscious that all hands were watching 
 him, from the four pairs of keen eyes at the mast- 
 heads to the captain on top of the little monkey 
 poop. But he was well trained and in no way 
 shy, so he swung himself on board, being met by 
 the mate and greeted cordially. All hands were 
 gathered in the waist, separate, of course, according 
 to their station, and admiring glances were cast 
 upon their magnificent young visitor, who towered 
 nearly a head and shoulders over the tallest man 
 there. His simple garb of shirt and trousers, the 
 former buttonless and with sleeves cut off above 
 the elbow, and the latter rolled up to the knees, set 
 off his splendid proportions to the best advantage, 
 while his noble head, bare save for clustering curls, 
 and with a face of rare open beauty, apparently 
 fascinated every one there. 
 
 The mate in particular was almost stupefied, but 
 pulled himself together quickly, saying 
 
 " Come aft, young man, an' see th' capt'n ;
 
 ENTERTAINING DEVILS UNAWARE 71 
 
 we're in want of fresh provisions, an' we hope that 
 there war canoe won't scoff the hull amount befo' 
 we can get a look in." 
 
 C. B. turned on him a dazzling smile, showing 
 two perfect rows of teeth as white as curd and 
 remarked 
 
 " That isn't our fashion, sir. Whatever we have 
 to dispose of, be sure you shall have your share of 
 it. I will guarantee that." 
 
 The mate muttered something which sounded like 
 "Sure enough white man, any way;" and, con- 
 fronted with the skipper, introduced the visitor. 
 
 Captain Taber was a man whose aspect alone 
 was sufficient to win confidence from any one not 
 absolutely beyond the pale. He was one of the 
 grand old Quaker type who dare do anything but 
 lie or cheat, inflexibly just but tenderly merciful 
 also where mercy was not a cruelty. You could 
 not look into those deep grey eyes and mistrust 
 him, the firm curves of the closely shut mouth and 
 the huge benevolent nose spelt good man in char- 
 acters that those who ran might read. He wore 
 the old typical Yankee beard with clean shaven 
 upper lip, and his garb was a long grey coat and 
 broad-brimmed grey felt hat. Grasping his visitor 
 firmly by the hand, he said, " Welcome, young 
 man, aboard th' Eliza Adams. I'm glad to see 
 you, and indeed it isn't every day one's eyes light 
 upon so fine a specimen o' mankind as you be. 
 Now w r hat ha' ye got to trade ? We're in want of 
 fresh provisions of all kinds if you can make the 
 price to suit us." 
 
 " If you have ever been here before or to Pitcairn, 
 captain," replied C. B., " you'll know that dollars 
 mean nothing to us. Clothing, dress material, 
 tools and books, are our chief need, and we are
 
 72 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 always prepared to deal liberally with everybody 
 or not at all. We may not be able to supply you 
 as amply as we would like to-day because of the 
 arrival of the warship, but as I told your mate, we 
 shall show the strictest impartiality in dividing 
 what we have to sell." 
 
 For a moment the captain gazed at C. B. in 
 silence, and then turning to his mate, said 
 
 " Say, Mr. Winsloe, it ain't often you find the 
 contents match the casket, is it ? But here's a 
 feller ez handsom' as a statoo, an' talkin' like an 
 angel. Well, he's a phenomenon." Then, turning 
 to C. B., the old man said 
 
 " Excuse me, I forgot my manners ; you see we 
 don't come across men like you every day." 
 
 C. B. smiled shyly and answered, " It's all right, 
 sir, I was hardly noticing. In fact, I was just then 
 thinking of asking you whether by any chance you 
 might have a vacancy aboard for a boat-steerer ? " 
 The skipper's face was a study as he stood transfixed 
 with astonishment and then burst into a roar of 
 happy laughter, while the big tears ran down his 
 russet cheeks. When at last he recovered his breath 
 he gasped 
 
 " Well, now, if that don't beat all. Ben short 
 of a harponeer goin' on three months since poor 
 Diego got chawed up, and here's one ready made 
 for us, that is if he can handle an iron like he can a 
 steer-oar. Can ye now by any happy chance ? " 
 he inquired almost wistfully of the young man. 
 
 " If you'll let me try, sir, with one of the irons 
 in the waist-boat I'll show you," replied C. B. 
 
 The skipper nodded assent, and C. B., shouting to 
 one of his boat's crew to throw him up the baling 
 gourd, sprang into the waist-boat with it, and when 
 he had bent on a lance warp or short line to a
 
 ENTERTAINING DEVILS UNAWARE 73 
 
 harpoon he flung the gourd well away from the 
 ship into the sea. Then poising the heavy weapon 
 he balanced himself for a moment, a perfect model 
 for a sculptor, and hurled it at the tiny object. 
 The harpoon described a regular parabola and fell, 
 splitting the gourd in half, while an involuntary 
 cheer went up from the crew. 
 
 " That's as good as I want," muttered the skipper, 
 and then aloud to C. B. : " Had any experience on 
 whale ? " 
 
 " Oh yes, sir," brightly responded the young 
 man, " we do considerable whaling here. In fact, 
 we've got about thirty barrels of humpback oil here 
 now ; we'd be glad to trade with you if we can come 
 to terms." 
 
 " All right," returned the captain, " we'll talk 
 about that later ; the thing now is to get you. Half 
 the cruise is over, that is I can engage you for about 
 two years at the fiftieth lay and three hundred 
 dollars a ton for sperm oil, market price for black. 
 An' if you're willin', I'll put you on the articles now." 
 
 " I came principally for that purpose," replied 
 C. B. with sincerity, and within ten minutes he 
 was enrolled as captain's boat-steerer of the ship 
 Eliza Adams, presently cruising for sperm whales 
 in the Pacific Ocean with some twenty-two months 
 of her voyage to serve. 
 
 I cannot say that C. B. felt excited or uplifted 
 at this accomplishment of his desires, but he certainly 
 felt that satisfaction which arises from the banish- 
 ment of uncertainty, and with a contented face he 
 took his position in his boat again ready to pilot 
 the skipper in, who was lowering his own boat. 
 A very few words sufficed to convey to his friends 
 in the boat the news of his step, but they were 
 enough to reduce the warm-hearted fellows to
 
 74 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 tears. For the departure of any one from that 
 happy community, where all were related and where 
 all were friends, was looked upon by everybody in 
 the nature of a personal bereavement, and indeed 
 was considered much more serious than death, 
 because when any one died those remaining really 
 believed that the departed one had entered into a 
 far happier state of life than could be possible on 
 earth, and that sorrow for them was unnatural 
 and wrong. 
 
 But no word was spoken as they sped towards 
 the beach, the seasoned hands in the skipper's boat 
 straining every nerve to keep up with them. A 
 bit of skilful piloting was needed, but the skipper 
 was an old hand at surf boating, and handled his 
 boat with consummate skill. And as soon as she 
 touched the beach there were twenty willing hands 
 ready to grab her and run her up until the wave 
 receded, when all hands jumped out and assisted 
 to drag her high and dry. 
 
 In five minutes the news had spread to every 
 member of the community that C. B. was going 
 away, and great were the lamentations. Indeed, 
 it was fortunate that the captain of the Thetis 
 demanded their attention as he had to hurry away, 
 as that took the edge off somewhat. C. B.'s boat 
 with a fresh crew was requisitioned to carry off the 
 huge load of fresh fruit, meat and vegetables that 
 had been collected, while the captain with the two 
 desperadoes would go off in a boat free from a 
 hampering load of provisions. Glad as they were 
 to get rid of the terrible creatures that had worried 
 them so long, and also that they had been of service 
 to a man-o'-war, there were few of the usual demon- 
 strations as the boats pushed off, for their hearts 
 were very heavy at the loss of C. B.,in spite of all 
 they had felt lately.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 C. B.'s Departure 
 
 NOW that this momentous time in our hero's 
 life had arrived, all the affection felt for him 
 by every member of the community welled up, 
 and the slight reserve, manifested in spite of all 
 efforts to hide it, because of his furious onslaught 
 upon the savage strangers, melted away, leaving 
 not a trace behind. He was hardly left alone a 
 minute ; both men and women crowded around him 
 as if eager to see everything they could of him as 
 long as they could. Many of the girls wept copiously, 
 for he had been secretly worshipped by a goodly 
 number of them, although he was quite fancy free, 
 and had never singled one out for special notice. 
 He might have been affianced to any girl he chose, 
 for he possessed all the qualities that make a man 
 beloved, but by some curious twist, the delights of 
 love for the other sex had never appealed to him 
 as yet the love of one Christian for another, fostered 
 by the love of God as it should be, had been found 
 all sufficient for the needs of his heart. 
 
 At all this display of affection Captain Taber 
 looked on amazed, for he had never seen anything 
 like it before. In his experience people were shy 
 of showing how much they loved a popular favourite, 
 but these simple children of the sun believed in 
 showing their love and were in no wise ashamed of 
 doing so. He kept close by C. B.'s mother, who 
 
 76
 
 76 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 exercised a sort of fascination over him, and in 
 response to her repeated entreaties that he would 
 be good to her boy, replied 
 
 " My dear lady, for lady you are of the greatest, 
 I regard your son as a holy trust. He's just the 
 finest man to look at and hear speak I ever set eyes 
 on, and as far as I am concerned, you may take it 
 that he'll do well. I have no favourites ; as long 
 as a man does his duty on board my ship he's 
 entitled to and gets the best treatment I can give 
 him, and I take care that he isn't put upon by 
 anybody. But be comforted, marm, your son's 
 bound to make his way anywhere. He'll get 
 imposed upon, of course, until he learns that people 
 such as you are very scarce outside this island. But 
 that won't do him much harm, I take it. Hallo ! 
 what's this ? " 
 
 This was the gathering together of the entire 
 population of the island, including the temporary 
 visitors, upon an open grassy knoll almost in the 
 centre of the settlement, which was quite near to 
 where Captain Taber and Grace were standing. 
 As the people disposed themselves in picturesque 
 attitudes upon the grass, Grace said to the captain 
 
 " They are about to hold a prayer meeting to 
 commend my son to the care of God while he is 
 absent from us. We always do it when any one 
 leaves the island, for we know how lonely they will 
 feel but for the fellowship of Jesus." 
 
 The captain bowed his head gravely, but did not 
 trust himself to say anything. For one thing 
 he felt sad and ashamed, knowing how careless 
 and lax in respect to spiritual things he had long 
 been, although his innate kindliness and sweet 
 temper had preserved him from much evil. 
 
 The captain of the Thetis drew near and exchanged
 
 C. B.'S DEPARTURE 77 
 
 a cordial handshake with his American compeer, 
 saying as he did so 
 
 " We are apparently about to witness a peculiar 
 sight a whole people at prayer who all believe in 
 what they're doing. It is a moving spectacle." 
 
 There was no time for more conversation, for all 
 had arrived, and without further delay the white- 
 haired old patriarch took up his parable, saying 
 to his assembled flock 
 
 " My beloved ones, let us in accordance with 
 our valued custom commend our brother Christmas 
 Bounty Adams to our loving Father. He goes 
 out from us for a time into a world where we have 
 heard that the name of God is lightly esteemed, 
 where the worship of God is performed at stated 
 intervals, but the life that has God for its centre 
 and circumference is known to and lived by but a 
 very few. But our God is able to keep our dear 
 brother as he kept Philip his father, and we send 
 him away full of confidence that he will live so as 
 to show every one with whom he comes in contact 
 that he is a Christ's man and that it is a good 
 and pleasant thing to be so. Now let us sing our 
 favourite hymn, ' OGod of Bethel, by whose Hand.' ' 
 
 The two captains turned pale under their tan, 
 and their frames trembled with emotion as the 
 glorious burst of human melody, unaided by any 
 instrument, rose upon the still air. Never had 
 they imagined anything like it, nor could they 
 hardly believe their eyes when they saw the tears 
 streaming down nearly every face. And when 
 at last the sweet strains ceased, it seemed as if a 
 certain beauty had suddenly left the world. Then 
 the grand old leader's voice arose in tenderest, 
 most intimate intercourse with their Friend and 
 Father. Nothing of the stereotyped, pumped-up
 
 78 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 oration, utterly misnamed prayer, so often heard 
 in pseudo prayer meetings, but the close confidence 
 of beloved children with a Father whose love was 
 known and proved hourly throughout life. When 
 he had finished, Philip stood up in touching sim- 
 plicity and blessed God for his son's strength and 
 beauty and good life, held him up in his spiritual 
 arms as it were, and gave him to the Father as 
 Abraham did Isaac. Grace followed in an even 
 deeper, sweeter strain, and then as her voice faltered 
 and died away, as if at a preconcerted signal, all 
 the gathering broke out in the majestic strains of 
 St. Ann's to " O God, our help in ages past," followed 
 immediately by the Old Hundredth. 
 
 The two captains were close together all the time, 
 but neither spoke, hardly breathed, so impressed 
 were they by the simple yet tremendous scene. 
 When all was over, Captain Taber said senten- 
 tiously 
 
 " This just lays over all my experience. I've 
 been to camp meetin's before now and they begun 
 quiet enough, but before they got far there was 
 mor'en half of 'em just crazy, jumping mad, howlin' 
 and screechin' like 'sif they was possessed with 
 devils, as the Scripture says. But these folks seems 
 full of earnestness, yet quiet and reverent all the 
 time." 
 
 " Yes," responded the British captain, " though 
 I've never been to a camp meeting, I've been to 
 some other meetings in England where the behaviour 
 of the folks has made me blush all over my body. 
 And then again I've been to other meetings where 
 everything was so formal and perfunctory that 
 I could not think that any of them believed what 
 they were saying or what they were hearing." 
 
 Just then the old patriarch came up and claimed
 
 C. B.'S DEPARTURE 79 
 
 his guest, the British captain, but the latter said 
 that he must rejoin his ship at once if the stuff 
 was ready that he had purchased. He was amazed 
 to find that during his stay ashore one heavy boat- 
 load had already been taken aboard, inquiring as 
 he did so if his two passengers were ready and he 
 would see them put on board. They were brought 
 along helpless to hurt anybody, but using their 
 foul tongues to their full power. The captain had 
 serious thoughts of gagging them, but exercised 
 his patience, remembering that once in the cells 
 on board of his ship they might curse themselves 
 dumb and hurt nobody's ears. 
 
 So he departed, never to forget that visit and 
 never to be forgotten by the people whom he had 
 relieved, and in an hour's time the Thetis turned on 
 her heel and sped seaward on her way to Sydney. 
 Then came C. B.'s turn. All his farewells were 
 said, his exceedingly scanty wardrobe was packed 
 in a mat, and all being snugly stowed in the whale- 
 ship's boat, he, at the captain's request, took the 
 steer oar, while willing, loving hands ran the boat 
 out on the crest of a departing roller and, the oars 
 being handled with the usual skill, she shot out 
 into the smooth beyond, amidst a chorus of farewells 
 rapidly growing fainter as she receded. 
 
 Reaching the ship the ample load of fresh pro- 
 visions was taken aboard with the usual smartness, 
 and the boat hoisted into her place, while the new- 
 comer gazed with keenest interest as the sails were 
 trimmed and the ship filled away. For it must 
 be remembered that for all his skill in handling a 
 boat, whether under sail or oars, and his many 
 visits to vessels, he had hitherto never been on 
 board one of them while she was being handled, 
 and consequently the whole business was of the
 
 80 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 newest and strangest to him. And here I must 
 say that in all my conversations with landsmen 
 about the sea life, I have ever found it one of the 
 hardest tasks to explain that even the most 
 experienced sailors, upon first going on board ship, 
 have some considerable difficulty in becoming 
 acquainted with her details. To the untrained 
 eye she may look precisely the same as the ship our 
 sailor has just left, but to the man who has to find 
 in the blackest depth of night the gear about the 
 deck by means of which the sails high over head are 
 worked, there are certain to be many acute differences 
 leading to much blundering and botherment until 
 he gets used to them. 
 
 But this is very technical and needs much more 
 space than can be spared to elucidate it properly, 
 and even then I doubt very much whether the 
 result would be considered worth while. So I fall 
 back upon the fact that C. B., grand fellow as he 
 undoubtedly was, stood and looked at what was 
 going on, as the Eliza Adams' yards were trimmed 
 for standing off to sea, with a sense of utter bewilder- 
 ment, which went far to dispel the admiration 
 that his fine physique had excited among the crew in 
 the morning especially among his fellows, the other 
 harponeers, who were all Portuguese, all full of 
 enthusiasm for their business as well as of skill in 
 carrying it on, but absolutely destitute of the 
 finer feelings of humanity, ruthless and cruel beyond 
 belief, and only restrained from excesses among 
 their boats' crews while on a whale by a wholesome 
 respect for the strong man who ruled them. 
 
 These men bore no good will towards C. B. as 
 a stranger and an interloper, and besides, they were 
 jealous of the favour with which the skipper regarded 
 him. Therefore, when he exhibited his ignorance of
 
 C. B.'S DEPARTURE 81 
 
 the handling of the ship, they were unrestrained 
 in their jeering at him, and used their coarse limited 
 English to its full extent in letting him see how 
 they regarded him. But he only looked at them 
 thoughtfully and wondered why they thus spoke 
 to him, seeing that he had not offended them in any 
 way as far as he could tell. And then the ship 
 being fairly on her course for the south-east the 
 mate, Mr. Winsloe, came to him and said 
 
 " Now then, C. B., you had better see your quarters 
 and make yourself acquainted with your shipmates. 
 I can see you know but dern little about a ship, 
 but I guess you'll learn mighty quick. Come 
 along." 
 
 He led C. B. below to the narrow apartment 
 on the port side where the harponeers, the carpenter 
 and cooper, cook and steward lived together in a 
 certain state, waited upon by a mulatto lad, and fed 
 in precisely the same way as the captain and officers. 
 Here Mr. Winsloe introduced him to the senior 
 harponeer, a huge black Portuguese from Terceira, 
 saying 
 
 " Pepe, just take this chap in hand and show him 
 the ropes. I believe he's a boss whaleman, but a 
 ship's strange to him, and we want him to get 
 used to her as soon as may be. And say" here 
 his voice dropped to a whisper " just pass the 
 word to the other fellows that there's to be no 
 fool hazing of this chap. He's too good for it and 
 we don't want him spoiled. Besides, he's quite 
 up to acting ugly, and if he does and gets a knife 
 between his ribs there's going to be big trouble with 
 the old man, an' a joke ain't worth all that." 
 
 Fortunately C. B. heard nothing of this, but 
 he noted the deep scowl on Pepe's face as he 
 replied
 
 82 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 " All right, sir. But you don't 'spects me to look 
 after him 'n keep d'other fellows from hazin' 'im, do 
 ye ? Kaze if ye do I cain't say as I thinks it far 
 an' reasonable, specially as he's such a greenie." 
 
 " Now, that's enough er that guff, Pepe," returned 
 the mate warningly ; " I know all about you and you 
 know all about me." Then turning to C. B. the mate 
 went on 
 
 " Now, young man, this is your home and this 
 man is the boss of the show, not but what you're 
 all equal in theory ; but there, you'll find out what I 
 mean quick enough, and I hope you'll learn how to 
 take a good-natured joke if you don't know already." 
 And he departed on deck again, leaving the two 
 men face to face. 
 
 For a while they eyed each other in silence, each 
 apparently engaged in taking the other's measure ; 
 but while C. B.'s gaze was f ull of kindly consideration, 
 Pepe's looked full of scowling hatred. At last Pepe 
 muttered some foul remark and turned away some- 
 what discomfited. He could not understand the 
 calm untroubled gaze, and he was far too good 
 a judge of men not to know that the young giant 
 that stood before him would be much too big a 
 handful for even him to manage, big as he was, if it 
 came to a rough and tumble. This in itself was 
 enough to make him dislike the new-comer, for no 
 man likes being suddenly deposed from a position of 
 supremacy over his fellows. 
 
 Then the other harponeers came trooping down 
 to supper, followed by the carpenter and cooper, 
 who were both taciturn Down East Yankees of a 
 good type, but, like most of their kind, utterly 
 callous and godless, although splendid workmen and 
 brave men. In the babel that ensued C. B. could 
 not but notice that there were many blasphemous
 
 C. B.'S DEPARTURE 83 
 
 remarks levelled at him obliquely, although no 
 one spoke to him direct. And this was in truth a 
 fiery ordeal, seeing that he had never in his life 
 heard anything of the kind except a few broken 
 words that the two escaped prisoners used so freely, 
 and they were scarcely intelligible to him. But 
 far harder to bear than that, he noted with 
 surprise, was the air of enmity aroused by his 
 presence ; he who was so sensitive that even the 
 slight reserve manifested towards him after his 
 outbreak in defence of his sister had cut him to the 
 very soul. 
 
 But his father had warned him that he might 
 expect something of the sort and that he must steel 
 his heart against it, be strong to endure and rest 
 in the Lord, like the three holy children before the 
 king of Babylon. So he breathed an inward 
 prayer for strength, and drawing up to a vacant place 
 at the table, helped himself to some food. From 
 life-long habit he bowed his head over his plate in 
 thanks to the Giver for a moment, and there burst out 
 a roar of harsh laughter. But this created a diver- 
 sion, for the cooper growled 
 
 " Shet up, ye heathen, an' don't jeer a better 
 man than yerselves when he's asking a blessin'. 
 Doan't ye take no notice of 'em, youngster; they 
 don't know no better." 
 
 C. B. gave him a grateful glance and bravely at- 
 tacked his food, having a perfectly healthy appetite, 
 and the meal proceeded in silence. But when all 
 hands lit pipes and corn cob cigarettes, the reek 
 of the place immediately sickened him, and turning 
 deathly pale he hurried on deck for air. The smell 
 of the place, full as it was of the odours of stale oil, 
 the smoke from the lamp and the effluvia of bilge- 
 water, was bad enough to lungs that had always
 
 84 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 been accustomed to pure air, and the added fumes 
 of tobacco made the combination unbearable. 
 
 On deck it was beautiful ; a strong breeze was 
 blowing, and the sturdy ship under easy sail was 
 making good way through the water. Under the 
 brilliant moon the bold outlines of his island home 
 were fast fading into indistinctness, and for all 
 his high resolves he felt a pang as he thought of all 
 that he had left and the unknown troubles he was 
 going to meet. And then a deep kindly voice 
 behind him said 
 
 " Well, Mr. Man, feeling a bit homesick, are ye ? 
 That'll wear off mighty sudden, but in the meantime 
 you've got to have some clothes. Come down into 
 the cuddy and I'll fit ye up." 
 
 It was the captain who had sought him out, 
 knowing how easy it is for these islanders to get a 
 chill when first leaving the genial climate of their 
 home for the wide keenness of the sea, and knowing 
 too how scantily his new recruit was provided with 
 clothes. So together they went down into the little 
 cabin, where, aided by the steward, Captain Taber 
 produced a complete outfit of clothes including 
 boots, which C. B. looked dubiously at and then 
 shook his head merrily, saying 
 
 " I've never had a boot on in my life, captain, 
 and I'm afraid I shouldn't be able to walk in them 
 now." 
 
 " True, my boy, I'd forgotten that," laughed the 
 skipper. " Well, we'll cut the boots out, and now 
 your account is twenty-two dollars, so you'd better 
 pray for whale to enable you to pay off your score. 
 Cart your dunnage below and get off to ye'er bunk, 
 for I guess you've got the middle watch." 
 
 C. B. gathered up his bundle of clothes and 
 carried them to his berth, where he found several of
 
 C. B.'S DEPARTURE 85 
 
 his berth-mates had already turned in, but they 
 were all smoking furiously. So he could only stay 
 below long enough to get into some warm clothing, 
 and then, feeling sick and silly, he climbed on deck 
 again, a blanket on his arm, to seek a spot where he 
 might sleep without fear of being suffocated. This 
 experience of knowing not where to lay his head 
 was totally unexpected by him, for it was the one 
 thing his father had omitted to mention as being 
 among the hardships of a seafaring life. And he 
 began to wonder whether in all his career he should 
 meet with anything harder to bear, being by nature 
 a perfect lover of pure air. 
 
 However, he found a corner which struck him as 
 being out of the way, and laid himself down upon 
 the planks, drew the blanket over himself and com- 
 mended himself to God, and like a perfectly healthy 
 animal was almost immediately fast asleep. He was 
 roughly aroused at midnight by one of the har- 
 poneers, who inquired caustically whether he thought 
 he was going to be a passenger and have all night in. 
 He at once sprang up and asked what his duties 
 were, but his interlocutor turned away with a 
 mocking laugh, muttering 
 
 " Ef yew fink Ise goin' t' be yer nuss yous way off." 
 So he went aft, where his instinct told him he 
 should find the officer of the watch, and when 
 he discovered that functionary, a thickset taci- 
 turn Yankee from Providence, Rhode Island, he 
 courteously asked him if he might be told what to 
 do. Mr. Spurrell gave a snort, being in a middle- 
 watch humour, but he was a man of the most 
 inflexible justice, and his leading principle com- 
 pelled him to answer the honest question straight- 
 forwardly, instead of as so often happens overwhelm- 
 ing the novice with contumely for asking. He
 
 6 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 informed C. B. that his only duty was to keep on 
 the alert, going forward occasionally to see if the 
 lookout was being properly kept by the man, and 
 if any sail-trimming had to be done to try and 
 master the details of it, the how and why, so that 
 presently in case of an emergency he might be 
 able to take the watch himself. 
 
 C. B. thanked the officer gravely, and then, a happy 
 thought striking him, asked if he might put in his 
 first watch on deck learning to steer the ship. 
 Steering a boat he was as we know an adept at, but 
 using a ship's wheel and compass is a very different 
 matter, and he was unwilling to remain ignorant 
 of anything for a moment longer than was necessary 
 for him to learn it. Fortunately there was an 
 able Kanaka from Samoa at the wheel, who spoke 
 reasonably understandable English and was de- 
 lighted to show C. B. all he knew. Thus it came about 
 that at four bells, that is at the end of the Samoan's 
 trick at the wheel, C. B. could steer almost as well 
 as his teacher. For there are some men born 
 helmsmen, who learn with astounding ease and 
 rapidity, others who to the last day of their lives 
 never seem to be able to keep a ship, a sailing ship 
 that is, anywhere near her course. Of course 
 steering steamships is, like so many other things 
 at sea in steamers, a purely mechanical process, and 
 if a man does not do it well it argues that he is 
 careless or lazy or both. 
 
 The wind held steady, so that the new-comer had 
 no opportunity of learning anything about sail 
 handling this watch, but it had passed away very 
 rapidly and pleasantly, and when eight bells struck 
 C. B. felt more contented than he had been since 
 coming on board. Also he recognized how much 
 he would have to learn, and was correspondingly
 
 C. B.'S DEPARTURE 87 
 
 eager to get on with that learning. But now he 
 had to face the hole below, for the work of cleansing 
 the ship for the day was beginning, the Eliza Adams 
 being, like all those old-time south-seamen from 
 New England, kept as spick and span as any yacht, 
 quite contrary to generally accepted notions, and 
 also in great contrast to the condition in which our 
 English whalers used to be allowed to remain. 
 
 The foul atmosphere caught him by the throat 
 as he entered, but he set his teeth and persevered, 
 climbing into his bunk and lying there suffering 
 until he went off into an almost drugged slumber. 
 From this he was aroused at seven bells, 7.20 a.m., 
 to breakfast, which was good and plentiful ; but he 
 was not able to eat a morsel, and had to rush on 
 deck for relief. As soon as he appeared the captain 
 saw him, and immediately noticed that there was 
 something wrong with him. Calling him, the 
 skipper inquired in kindly fashion after his health, 
 and on being told what was the matter, raised his 
 eyebrows wonderingly, for the complaint was new 
 to him. And indeed it is nothing short of miraculous 
 to me how men could live at all in such foul dens, 
 reeking with stench and disease-laden air as they 
 were. But of course the poisoning process did not 
 go on long enough to kill, and the strong pure air 
 of heaven when they came on deck soon acted as an 
 antidote to the evil in the blood. A greater mystery 
 still is the way in which our peasantry deliberately 
 choose thus to poison themselves. Working all 
 day in the strong pure breath of the fields, they will 
 go to their cottages and, in company with a large 
 family, close up every cranny whereby a little fresh 
 air can creep in, and soak in that foul fug until the 
 morning. Ugh ! 
 
 So all the consolation the skipper could give C. B.
 
 88 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 was that he would soon get used to it as everybody 
 else had to. And with that poor comfort C. B. 
 had to be content. Now while the captain went 
 on talking to him about the island life there was a 
 cry from aloft, " Porps, porps." A school of 
 porpoises had joined the vessel, and were indulging 
 in their graceful sinewy gambols under the bows 
 as usual. 
 
 "Now, my boy," cried the skipper, "is your 
 time to show your shipmates what you can do 
 with the iron. Your shot yesterday was a fancy one, 
 I'll admit, but this is a different matter. Come 
 along forrard." 
 
 Already a harpoon had been passed out to the 
 bowsprit and attached to a stout line, which was 
 rove through a block secured there in readiness and 
 the other end passed in on deck. At the skipper's 
 direction C. B. slid down the martingale on to the 
 guys and stood there, his shoulders braced against 
 the martingale or dolphin-striker, while the old ship 
 plunged along, occasionally bringing his feet within 
 a few inches of the waves. 
 
 Beneath him the graceful agile sea-creatures rolled 
 and sprang and plunged like mad things in the 
 seething foam from the bluff bows of the advancing 
 ship. C. B. poised his iron, pointed it at one of 
 the rising porpoises, and at the moment it broke the 
 water beneath him the iron flew from his hands. 
 It struck the creature fairly in the middle of the back 
 and sank through him as C. B. shouted 
 
 " Haul up ! " 
 
 And the men on deck running away with the line 
 jerked the writhing mass out of the water up to the 
 block, where a running bowline was dropped over 
 its broad tail, by means 'of which it was hauled 
 inboard. Another iron was hastily bent on and
 
 C. B.'S DEPARTURE 89 
 
 passed out, and the first victim had hardly been cut 
 loose from the barb before another was transfixed in 
 the same manner and lay struggling by the side of 
 its fellow. 
 
 Again and again the feat was repeated, for the new 
 harponeer's aim seemed to be unerring, until eleven 
 large porpoises lay in a heap abaft the windlass. 
 And then a really wonderful thing happened. Two 
 porpoises rose at once, rolling over and over each 
 other as they did so, and just as they broke water the 
 harpoon flew and pierced them both at once ! 
 Almost all hands saw the amazing stroke, and a 
 great shout of approbation went up, for none of 
 them had ever seen such a feat performed before. 
 
 The pair were hauled inboard and another shot 
 made, but this time the iron went through the 
 creature's side, and in its tremendous efforts it 
 wrenched the iron out of its body and fell, a torn 
 and bleeding mass, back into the sea. In a moment 
 the whole school rushed after it and, like a pack of 
 starving wolves, rent it in fragments, leaping high into 
 the air in their frenzied eagerness to get a share of the 
 cannibal feast. So there was no more hunting for 
 the time, but C. B.'s reputation as a harponeer was 
 established upon the firmest basis, and only his 
 fellow-harponeers were ungenerous enough to 
 mutter that perhaps he wouldn't do so well when 
 it came to striking whales.
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 C. B. Justifies His Position 
 
 IT was Captain Taber's intention to proceed in 
 leisurely fashion towards what we know as the 
 " off-shore" grounds, by which term is meant an 
 immense oblong tract of sea off the west coast of 
 South America, extending for about a thousand miles 
 to the westward and from about 50 south nearly 
 to the Equator. This has always been a favourite 
 habitat of the sperm whale, and although not quite so 
 prolific as the Japan grounds or the vicinity of New 
 Zealand, it has sometimes yielded splendid results. 
 But it will be easily understood that in so vast 
 an area, wherein the vision from the crow's-nest of 
 a single ship, or say a circle 90 miles in circumference, 
 is but a speck and that only available by day, it is 
 quite possible for a cruising ship to be many weeks 
 on the ground and never see a solitary spout of a 
 payable whale. And this too although the numbers 
 of these creatures then frequenting a favourite haunt 
 may be incalculable. 
 
 Few people, even sailors, can realize in any ade- 
 quate measure the immensity of the ocean, the 
 vastness of the great lone spaces of the deep. The 
 best method I know to bring this home to one's mind 
 is to come up channel, one of the very busiest of 
 all ocean thoroughfares, on a gloriously fine day and 
 count the number of vessels seen. Of course I 
 assume that the course is in mid-channel, and thus 
 
 90
 
 C. B. JUSTIFIES HIS POSITIOM gi 
 
 out of the range of the fishing-boats. The result is 
 amazing. I have only just returned from a cruise 
 in the Channel with the Home Fleet, when we were 
 never more than twenty miles off shore, and I do not 
 recall any one time that we had beside our own ships 
 more than three vessels in sight. If then this be the 
 case in the quite narrow waters of the greatest ocean 
 highway in the world, what must it be where the 
 ocean spreads from one quarter of the world to 
 another ? And no people realize this more fully than 
 whalers, who know what it is to cruise for months 
 in the unfrequented latitudes where their quarry 
 is most likely to be found, and who, after a month or 
 so's unsuccessful search are haunted by the idea that 
 just beyond the sea-rim, just over the edge of their 
 little circle, there may be, most likely are, whales in 
 abundance, but in what direction can they steer so 
 as to come up with them ? 
 
 But to return to C. B. Little by little he became 
 accustomed to the fetid odours of his quarters, could 
 bear to sleep down there even with his berth-mates' 
 pipes all going. But he felt a wide gap in his soul 
 at the utter absence of one topic from all conversa- 
 tion which during the whole of his life had been ever 
 uppermost as the most vital and interesting of all. 
 His soul hungered for some one to talk to about 
 God ; he was horrified almost to faintness at the in- 
 cessant blasphemy he heard around him continually ; 
 and, although he would not have owned it to anybody 
 he grieved bitterly in secret that ever he had desired 
 to leave his home and friends. And a great fear also 
 possessed him occasionally. It was that he should 
 grow quite indifferent to the realities of life in the 
 shape of the things of God. Already he fancied he 
 detected within himself a tolerance of the shameful 
 language current about him, if only he could hear
 
 92 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 the stories it conveyed of things hitherto beyond any 
 apprehension of his. 
 
 In fact, there was going on in the lonely man's soul 
 a conflict such as few of us ashore are called upon to 
 face, a struggle with all the powers of darkness 
 which has to be waged by every newly converted 
 sailor when he goes to sea again, and finds no fellow- 
 ship nor friendliness among his shipmates because he 
 is suspected of being a Holy Joe. Few things try my 
 patience more than to listen to hair-splitting doctrinal 
 arguments, whether they be on so-called New Theo- 
 logy, or the cut of ecclesiastical vestments, while my 
 mind reverts to the lonely soul in the ship's fo'c'sle, 
 who has just given his heart to the Lord, and has been 
 compelled by the exigencies of his calling to go back 
 to the foul life and conversation which never irked 
 him before, but now is torture. 
 
 The proverb that a man is known by the company 
 he keeps has no meaning at sea because your com- 
 pany is not of your own choosing. Detest it as you 
 may you cannot get away from it, and although you 
 may loathe every word you hear spoken, being 
 human your gregarious instincts will assert them- 
 selves and fight fiercely against your desire to keep 
 your mind and heart clean by trying to drive you 
 into the society of those whose delight it is to out- 
 rage every feeling they think you possess of decency 
 or righteousness. In such a situation as nowhere 
 else in the world can a man rest upon the promise, 
 " Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the 
 age." And happy will he be if the squabbling of the 
 schoolmen as to the authenticity of the dear words 
 has never come within his mental purview. 
 
 I think, however, that C. B.'s plight was rather 
 worse than that of the newly converted sailor. For 
 the latter has been long familiar with the language,
 
 C. B. JUSTIFIES HIS POSITION 93 
 
 has long known the utter absence of all recognition of 
 God as having anything to do with men's lives, and 
 so, though a return to such environment is utterly 
 distasteful to him, it is not strange, does not come 
 with so much of a shock. But poor C. B.,from his 
 earliest infancy, had been steeped in the atmosphere 
 of prayer, of the constant invariable immanence of 
 God and in the belief of His immediate and benevolent 
 interference in the affairs of His children down here. 
 He had not been brought up religiously, for the word 
 is suspect ; in fact, as most of us know to our cost, 
 a religious man and an unutterable scoundrel are 
 often synonymous terms. But he had been bred in 
 the belief in the Father's love and the unseen fellow- 
 ship with Jesus Christ His Son, Himself manifest in 
 the flesh, and that not because, hateful devilish 
 thought, there was anything to be made out of it, 
 any well-deserved punishment to escape from, but 
 because it was entirely good and pleasant to love the 
 all-Father whose plans and purposes towards them 
 were only love and that continually. 
 
 One thing, however, came to his aid early in the 
 struggle. It was the remembrance of a conversation 
 he had had with his parents once upon the possi- 
 bility of the islanders' goodness being of a negative 
 character. That is to say, they had never been 
 tempted to do wrong, all their lives had been hemmed 
 in on every side by.right-doing and right-thinking and 
 perhaps, he had only hinted at it, if they had been 
 subjected to the same trials and tests as the people 
 in the great world, they would fall, and fall lamentably. 
 He had not claimed for himself any special strength 
 or virtue, whatever his innermost thoughts may have 
 been, but he had really felt at the time that his love 
 for God was so strong and fervent that he would be 
 glad to test it even in the fiercest fires of persecution.
 
 94 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 Of course he did not in the least anticipate what 
 the reality would be, no one ever does. He had 
 strung himself up to meet outrage, in a physical sense 
 to be treated in openly severe ways, not by covert 
 sarcasm, persistent blasphemy and ignoring of the 
 very right of God to interfere in the affairs of 
 man. Now he was face to face with the reality he 
 felt dismayed, but he went to the unfailing resource 
 of the Christian, he claimed his dearly purchased right 
 of direct intercourse with the Fountain of love and 
 wisdom and was at once stayed upon the sure sense 
 of being a child well beloved by the Father. 
 
 He strove manfully also to acquaint himself with 
 all those details of ship work which he now found to 
 be quite intricate and difficult. Fortunately his fine 
 physique and utter immunity from sea-sickness stood 
 him in good stead and he learned rapidly, so that at 
 the end of a fortnight he began to feel capable of 
 holding his own with his shipmates. And in conse- 
 quence of the continually flung hints that he would 
 be found out when it came to the actual business of 
 whaling he prayed fervently for a chance to show that 
 in this at any rate he had nothing to learn here. But 
 as day after day slipped by and no whales appeared he 
 had to listen to a fresh set of innuendoes from his 
 berth-mates, who now said that their ill-luck was 
 due to his presence on board. 
 
 So when he took his spell at the mainmast head 
 in the crow's-nest, be sure that his glance never 
 missed any object, however small, that came within 
 the limits of human sight. At last when about 
 halfway across the Pacific it happened to be his first 
 two hours in the main crow's-nest, from 6 to 8 
 a.m. The young Kanaka who was with him was 
 sleepy and lethargic, taking little heed of the neces- 
 sity for keeping a good look out in spite of the sub-
 
 C. B. JUSTIFIES HIS POSITION 95 
 
 stantial bounty offered of twenty dollars for the 
 first sight of an afterwards captured whale making 
 over forty barrels of oil. C. B. was watchful as 
 usual, for so far as he had yet lived he had never 
 allowed himself to scamp or neglect any duty. This 
 was hardly a virtue, it was bred in him. 
 
 And consequently at this time, in the full glory of 
 the early dawn, while his heart uplifted itself in 
 praise to the Creator of the beautiful world, all his 
 other senses were concentrated in sight ; his vision 
 ranged ceaselessly over every square foot of the 
 huge circle of sea of which he was the centre. Then 
 suddenly, fromfaraway on the Western horizon, there 
 arose from the clear, placid bosom of the deep a 
 tiny puff as of smoke from a pipe. The watcher 
 stiffened into rigid attention. Ha, there it is again ! 
 another and another, and then a creamy curdling of 
 the blue water as if its swell had suddenly met an 
 obstruction. It was enough. Uplifting his mellow 
 voice C. B. sent through the quiet air the whaler's 
 musical long-drawn cry of " Blo-o-o-o-o-w," the 
 liquid vowels persisting for nearly a minute. As 
 soon as it ceased there arose from the deck the strong 
 voice of the skipper, who had rushed on deck from 
 deep sleep at the first beginning of the cry 
 
 " Where away ? keep crying." 
 
 " Bloooooow, Bloooooow," came the response, 
 and then with a bursting change : " There ere she 
 white waters and Blows, Blows, Blow. Broad on 
 the starboard beam, sir, about ten miles off seven 
 or eight whales, sperm whales, Blo-o-o-o-w." 
 
 There was but a very light breeze on the port 
 quarter, the ship making about two knots an hour, and 
 the skipper, grabbing his binoculars and mounting 
 the main rigging, shouted : 
 
 " Port braces, bring her head up WNW. Mr.
 
 g6 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 Spurrell, lively now," the words exploding as he toiled 
 upward and seated himself on the upper topsail 
 yard. Meanwhile the other masthead-men had 
 caught sight of the whales and were all adding their 
 voices to the musical minor wail that was going up. 
 On deck the watch below were beginning to swarm up ; 
 cleansing gear of brooms, buckets, sand, etc., was 
 being put hurriedly away, and boats' gripes cast off, 
 while in each] boat the harponeer might be seen criti- 
 cally examining the state of his weapons. 
 
 Presently the old man's voice rang out peremp- 
 torily 
 
 " Down from aloft ! See all clear for lowering, 
 call all hands. Christmas, you'd better git an 1 see 
 that all's right in your boat." 
 
 As his orders rang out the recipients of them 
 responded severally, and swiftly the various duties 
 were performed, but with an utter absence of bustle, 
 for all hands were well trained. C. B. grabbed a 
 backstay as he slid out of the crow's-nest hoop 
 and came to the deck like a flash, plunging at once 
 full of eagerness in the direction of his boat. But 
 here he found that the fourth mate had been before 
 him and left nothing for him to do. I have not 
 hitherto spoken of this curious individual, who is 
 indeed worthy of special notice, because he is quite 
 a supernumary in time of peace and indeed in time 
 of war has to give place to the Captain should the 
 latter wish to take the field himself. He was a 
 Guamese, from the Ladrone Islands, the offspring of 
 a Spanish father and a Chinese mother, but with 
 practically only the facial characteristics of the 
 Mongol. He was taciturn to a degree, never utter- 
 ing an unnecessary word, although he spoke 
 English fluently as well as Spanish and the Lingua 
 Franca of the islands with which a man may get
 
 C. B. JUSTIFIES HIS POSITION 97 
 
 along from Honolulu to Haapai. And he answered 
 to the name of Merritt, Mr. Merritt. 
 
 Seeing him in the boat, C. B. said pleasantly 
 
 " Is there anything I can do, sir ? " 
 
 " Get the lines in," growled the officer, but not 
 uncivilly it was his natural mode of expression. 
 And C. B., ready on the instant, turned to the 
 boat's crew who stood near and gave the necessary 
 orders. The two tubs of line were flung into their 
 places and all was ready. From his lofty perch the 
 skipper's voice came occasionally in steering direc- 
 tions as the whales, being on a passage, changed their 
 bearings. This state of suspense endured for 
 nearly two hours, during which the whales descended 
 twice, their course, the time of their down-going and 
 up-coming and the number of their individual 
 spoutings out being carefully noted, all of which 
 things are guides to the future movements of the 
 whale of the utmost value. 
 
 For when unmolested and on a passage from one 
 spot to another the sperm whale steers an exact 
 couise, as if directed by compass. So that when he 
 settles dow T n he heads his course and when he rises 
 again, often fifty minutes later, he heads still the 
 same way. Moreover the time he remains below, 
 still when unmolested and on a passage, does not 
 vary, it is as fixed as in the number of times he 
 breathes on reaching the surface. But this latter 
 phenomenon does not alter, whether the creature be 
 unmolested or chased in full health or dying ; when 
 rising to breathe he must obey some strange law 
 compelling him to keep to his particular number of 
 spouts unless their quantity is cut short by death. 
 
 But it often happens that a school of sperm 
 whales will spend an entire day upon the surface 
 of the sea, apparently basking in the sunshine and
 
 98 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 doing nothing but enjoy the sensation of being 
 peacefully alive. In this case their spoutings can 
 hardly be seen, so attenuated does the vapour 
 become as the creature's air vessels get thoroughly 
 charged with pure air. On first rising to the surface, 
 after a prolonged stay below, the breath is so thick 
 that a casual observer could easily mistake it for 
 water, as indeed has so frequently been done. I 
 can never understand why, though, because the 
 expelled breath always hangs in the air like a tiny 
 fog wreath, which water of course could not do. 
 
 This digression, which is hardly unnecessary, I 
 think, is merely to while away the long wait while the 
 ship creeps up to the spot where the happily uncon- 
 scious monsters are pursuing their placid way. At 
 last the voice of the skipper is heard again, saying 
 
 " Lower away, Mr. Winsloe, you're less than two 
 miles off now. Pull straight ahead for ten minutes 
 and then set sail. They're just up and headin' as 
 near No'the as makes no odds." 
 
 " Aye, aye, sir, lower it is," came the ready res- 
 ponse ; and with a musical whir of soft Manilla rope 
 over patent sheaves the four boats almost simultan- 
 eously took the water, the crews slid down the falls 
 after them and dropped into their places, shoved off, 
 out oars and away. 
 
 It is a stirring sight, the departure of boats after a 
 whale from a ship. Every man seems so bent upon 
 distinguishing himself. The flexible ashen oars 
 spring as the weight of the body is thrown upon them, 
 entering the water cleanly, noiselessly, gripping it 
 firmly and leaving it as gently as if there had been 
 no force behind the stroke. The feather is perfect 
 you cannot pull in a sea way without it, under pain 
 of a bad chest blow, and the thickly padded rowlocks 
 give no sound. Suddenly the mate's boat, leading,
 
 C. B. JUSTIFIES HIS POSITION 99 
 
 gave the signal by shipping the oars and setting 
 sail and immediately all the crews followed the 
 example, and the big masts were stepped, the 
 white sails shaken out to the gentle breeze, and 
 without a sound the graceful craft slipped through 
 the water towards the still unconscious objects of 
 their efforts. 
 
 Etiquette demands that the boats shall follow in 
 order of official precedence, but upon nearing the 
 school that order is usually broken up entirely by 
 the movements of the whales and it is then a case 
 for individual smartness to assert itself. So now, 
 just as the mate had indicated by a wave of his hand 
 that the boats must spread out fanwise, a huge bull 
 whale, the apparent monarch of the school, rose 
 placidly a couple of boat's lengths ahead of C. B. 
 He rose, gripping his iron and jamming his left thigh 
 in the " clumsy cleat" groove, cut out of the little 
 fore deck of the boat for that purpose. Hardly had 
 he poised the heavy weapon when the great back 
 before him rounded upwards like a bow sure warning 
 that the whale was about to seek the depths. 
 
 There was a swift movement of the sinewy arms 
 and the iron flew to its mark at the same moment 
 as Mr. Merritt yelled 
 
 " Now then, let him have it ! " 
 
 Everybody in the boat saw the iron strike, sink 
 in halfway and bend over as the massive iron-wood 
 pole, weighted additionally with the line, sank down- 
 wards. But C. B. snatching his second harpoon 
 sent it whizzing after the first, striking the arrested 
 monster's side about three feet away from the first 
 wound. 
 
 Mr. Merritt swung the boat up into the wind, 
 shouting as he did so 
 
 " Down with the mast, lively now, hump yerselves,"
 
 ioo A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 and all hands sprang to the task, while the stricken 
 whale, in a paroxysm of mingled terror and fury, 
 lashed the quiet sea into boiling foam with his gigantic 
 struggles against this unseen, unknown enemy that 
 had so sorely wounded him. But none of his efforts, 
 tremendous as they were, had any intelligent direc- 
 tion ; they were just a blind waste of energy, and so 
 the toiling men were able to get the sail rolled up and 
 secured, the mast unshipped and fleeted aft, where, 
 with its heel tucked under the after thwart, it was 
 completely out of the workers' way, leaving the boat 
 clear for action. Then, as coolly as if on a pleasure 
 trip and entirely unheeding the frantic wallowings 
 of the leviathan so near, Mr. Merritt and C. B. changed 
 ends, the former's place now being in the bow, for the 
 purpose of using the lance on the whale, while the 
 harponeer steered. 
 
 Before, however, Mr. Merritt had got the cap off his 
 favourite lance's point there was a sudden cessation 
 of the uproar, a huge whirling in the sea and the 
 vast body sank from sight, slowly, majestically, as 
 if the monster had suddenly regained the dignity 
 befitting him in spite of these new and terrifying 
 circumstances. Now the line attached to the har- 
 poon led right aft, round a stout oak post built 
 solidly in trie boat, the " loggerhead," and thence into 
 the tub where two hundred fathoms of it was neatly 
 coiled, a smaller tub on the other side of the boat 
 holding a hundred fathoms, but all in one length. 
 
 " Hold him up, hold him up," growled the officer , 
 as the line began to glide out slowly, and C. B. res- 
 ponded by taking three turns round the loggerhead 
 with the line and holding on to it until the boat's 
 nose was dragged down to within an inch or two of 
 the water, while all hands, except the officer, crowded 
 aft as far as they could get, with the object of putting
 
 C. B. JUSTIFIES HIS POSITION 101 
 
 a check upon the whale's descent. This is always 
 done, but remembering the immense power of a 
 whale in addition to his enormous weight (a full- 
 sized sperm whale weighs considerably over a 
 hundred tons), its brake power would almost 
 seem commensurate with that of a fly on a cart 
 wheel. 
 
 Now they were at leisure to look round them to 
 see how the other boats had fared. But only one 
 was visible, and that was coming towards them at 
 tremendous speed, obviously being towed by a 
 whale, although he could not be seen. On she came, 
 heading straight for them, until, when destruction 
 seemed inevitable and the tomahawk for severing 
 the line gleamed in Mr. Merritt's grip, the boat 
 steerer of the rushing craft made a mighty effort, 
 bending his steer oar like a great bow, and she flew 
 past them only a few feet away. It was a breathless 
 moment, but such are frequent in this strenuous 
 business, and except at the moment are thought little 
 of. Here, if anywhere, the proverb of a miss being 
 as good as a mile holds true it generally means the 
 difference between life and death. 
 
 Slowly, certainly, fake after fake of the line left 
 the tub until it was exhausted, and now the smaller 
 one began to empty in its turn. So the signal was 
 made " running short of line " by up-ending an oar, 
 and soon after urgency was shown by another oar 
 being pointed upwards. But no boat was near, and 
 all hands began to peer anxiously at the fast empty- 
 ing tub, while one stood by with the drogue, a flat 
 piece of planking a foot square which is made fast 
 to the end of the line when it has to be slipped. It 
 is supposed to act as a drag upon the whale, equal 
 to the resistance of four boats. And then, as 
 suddenly the boat righted herself with a jerk,
 
 102 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 while the men scrambled each to his thwart, the 
 whale ceased to descend, and Mr. Merritt shouted 
 
 " Haul in lively now, haul quick ! " 
 
 As fast as the fakes could be coiled in the stern- 
 sheets the line was hauled in, for the whale rose as 
 rapidly as he had gone down slowly, until suddenly 
 he broke water about a ship's length away and 
 with one tremendous expiration of pent-up breath, 
 sprang forward like a hound loosed from the leash. 
 C. B. had only just time to whip his turns round the 
 loggerhead again as the boat, with a jerk that nearly 
 threw all hands from their thwarts, sped after the 
 rushing ocean monarch, leaving a wide, glittering 
 foam track behind her. Mr. Merritt leaned over 
 the bows, clutching his long lance and glaring 
 vengefully at the broad shining back of the whale 
 ploughing through the waves fifty feet away from 
 him. With coarse gaspings he implored, taunted, 
 threatened his crew in the effort to get them to 
 perform the impossible task of bringing him nearer 
 to the whale. The rope was tense as wire, and their 
 utmost endeavours could not get in an inch of it. 
 
 And now the wind and sea began to rise, causing 
 clouds of flying spray to break over the boat as she 
 was dragged furiously in the wake of the whale. 
 Merritt's rage was awful to witness. What he said 
 does not matter ; it was almost unintelligible anyhow ; 
 but his yellow teeth were bared, he champed like 
 an angry boar, and foam flecked with crimson flew 
 from his mouth and hung on his straggling beard. 
 C. B. stood like a statue, alert, tense, ready to act 
 on the instant if the whale should turn. 
 
 And thus they sped for nearly twenty minutes, 
 until as suddenly as he had hitherto performed his 
 other evolutions the whale stopped, turned at bay, 
 and with a splendid sweep of the steer oar C. B.
 
 C. B. JUSTIFIES HIS POSITION 103 
 
 avoided running into his columnar head, bringing 
 the boat head on to his broadside. With one 
 exultant savage yell Merritt hurled his lance, and 
 the whole four feet of slender steel sank into the 
 black body as a knife sinks into butter. " Haul 
 and hold, haul and hold," screamed the furious 
 man as he dragged the lance back, straightened it 
 by a deft blow or two on the gunnel, and now, being 
 closely held against the whale side, plunged it in 
 again. But it struck a rib and bent almost double. 
 Flinging the warp or line by which it was attached 
 to the bow oarsman, he snatched another lance, 
 uncapped it, and was about to repeat his assault, 
 when there came a warning shout from C. B. as the 
 agonized monster turned a somersault, his huge 
 flukes snapping in the air as he brandished them 
 frantically. 
 
 " Stern, stern," roared Merritt, and all the energy 
 the crew possessed went into those awkward strokes, 
 while the turmoil made by the maddened whale 
 was deafening. Black, fetid blood flew from his 
 spiracle mingled with acrid foam, which stung like 
 a nettle where it touched the skin, and from the 
 wounds made by the lance the blood spurted to a 
 distance of two or three feet. It was obvious now 
 that one or both of those lance thrusts had reached a 
 vital organ, and the sea monarch was now writh- 
 ing in the last great struggle of death. He rolled 
 rapidly from side to side, beat the ensanguined sea 
 into yellow foam with his mighty tail, while masses 
 of clotted gore burst from his spouthole with a 
 mournful bellow, like that of some vast bull, and 
 then in a moment the great body went limp, rolled 
 upon its side, and lay still, save for the gentle motion 
 given it by the swell. 
 
 All hands drew a long breath, then at Merritt 's
 
 104 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 command hauled up to the carcass and held the 
 boat alongside, while with a boat spade he cut a 
 hole through the tail. Then cutting the line from 
 the irons close up to them, the end of it was passed 
 through the hole and made fast, a small flag was 
 hoisted, and all was ready for the ship to run down 
 and secure the great prize.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 Treachery and its Consequences 
 
 r 1 ^HERE are few pleasures in life comparable 
 JL with the contemplation of the successful 
 results of a tremendous struggle' with overwhelming 
 odds in company with your fellows, whether you be 
 leader or follower. And I know of no circumstance 
 where this is more fully exemplified than in the 
 precious rest-time enjoyed by a boat's crew im- 
 mediately after the death of a whale. No matter 
 how bad the treatment of the men on board the 
 ship may have been, how utterly weary of the life 
 everybody may feel, or how brutal officer and 
 harponeer, the sense of having successfully finished 
 the combat draws them all together for a time, and 
 the smoke which is then permitted is essentially in 
 the nature of a pipe of peace. 
 
 In the present case everybody was full of satis- 
 faction. For in the first place the new harponeer 
 had acquitted himself in the best and most approved 
 fashion, the highest expectations of him had been 
 fully justified. Next, the whole operation had 
 proceeded on the most orthodox lines, both on 
 tie part of the whale and his destroyers. And 
 lastly, the weather had been fine, the time not too 
 long, and crowning joy of all, the prize was of the 
 largest and therefore the most payable size. Even 
 Mr. Merritt's curious yellow face wore a less ghastly 
 
 106
 
 106 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 expression than usual, which in his case meant 
 immense satisfaction. 
 
 Their rest was of very brief duration, for when the 
 whale died the ship was barely three miles away to 
 windward, and she had immediately rilled away 
 for them. When she reached within a quarter of 
 a mile she was brought smartly up into the wind 
 with her mainyard aback and laid still. Immediately 
 Mr. Merritt gave the order to slack away the line 
 and pull for the ship, which they reached in five 
 minutes, noting as they did so that all the other 
 boats were in their place, at the davits, and that the 
 faces of the crew wore a preternatural air of gloom. 
 The bight of the line was passed on board and all 
 hands tailed on to it, walking the whale up to the 
 ship in rapid fashion. And as the great mass came 
 alongside the skipper's face lightened, for he 
 mentally assessed its stupendous proportions as 
 able to yield about fourteen tons, or a hundred and 
 forty barrels of oil. In splendid seamanlike fashion 
 the fluke chain was passed round the tail and hauled 
 through the mooring pipe in the bow, where it was 
 secured to the massive fluke chain bitt, an oaken post 
 built into the ship and bolted to the heel of the 
 bowsprit. 
 
 Without a moment's interval the work of cutting 
 in was begun, but the newly arrived boat's crew 
 were given time to get into another rig. And C. B. 
 received a fresh surprise when, with a pleased look 
 on his face, he went up to Pepe, the chief harponeer, 
 and asked him what had happened to the other 
 boats that they had missed their chance. It was 
 a simple question, which, had C. B. known anything 
 of the world, he would never have asked, for he would 
 then have known that it would be taken as a bitter 
 insult. Indeed it nearly led to tragedy, for Pepe's
 
 TREACHERY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 107 
 
 face went reddish black with rage, the veins in his 
 neck stood out like cords of the thickness of a little 
 finger, and he snarled out something in his own 
 language, looking like a starving wolf as he did so. 
 Then in a calmer tone he said 
 
 " Don' you begin poke no fun at me, Mr. 
 Greenie, or I settle de account mighty quick. You 
 talk somebody else." And turned away, leaving 
 the bewildered C. B. staring wonderingly at him. 
 
 But not for long, for Captain Taber came up, saying 
 pleasantly as he did so 
 
 " Look a here, young man, you're most too good 
 for this wicked world, you air, an' I'm afraid I'm 
 goin' t' have big trouble about ye. Whatever 
 possessed ye to go and ask Pepe what ye did ? I 
 heard ye." 
 
 " Only because I wanted to know, sir," replied 
 the young man ; " I supposed that they had all had 
 some trouble, as will often happen in whaling, and I 
 thought I'd like to know the reason." 
 
 " And it never occurred to you that every one of 
 those harponeers is just full of mad against ye for 
 havin' disappointed 'em. They've ben hopin' for 
 ye t' break up fust time ye went on a whale ; 
 they hate ye because ye be good an' quiet an' 
 simple, an' if ye was a clumsy galoot they'd soon 
 let up on ye and only play a few fool games on ye. 
 But now ye're comin' out smarter than any of 'em, 
 for I can't deny that this mornin's work was a bad 
 piece of bunglin' as ever I seen in the ship ; there isn't 
 one of 'em that wouldn't enjoy stickin' an iron 
 through ye right up t' the hitches. But there, get 
 along t' the work, 'n keep close to me-; I don't want 
 a blubber spade slipped into ye by accident." 
 
 That afternoon the deck of the Eliza Adams 
 presented a curious scene, a scene of wonderful
 
 io8 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 activity, of massy pieces of blubber swinging inboard 
 and decks streaming with oil. Much of the bad 
 feeling among the other three harponeers and 
 officers had evaporated or was in abeyance, though 
 none of them could forget the blistering words 
 spoken to them by the skipper that morning. The 
 present may be a fitting time to allude to the cir- 
 cumstances briefly. The mate, with Pepe his 
 harponeer, had singled out the biggest whale he 
 could see and laid Pepe on to it. But for some 
 strange reason, when Pepe raised his iron to dart, 
 he did not notice that the whale, evidently an old 
 stager, had at that moment hollo wed his back, leaving 
 the blubber all slack. Now an iron cannot penetrate 
 a whale's body when this is the case. And at the 
 moment the point struck the whale arched his back 
 with such suddenness and violence that the iron 
 was flung right back into the boat by the tightening 
 of the blubber, knocking the bow oarsman senseless. 
 In the momentary confusion induced by this, and 
 while the mate was angrily inquiring why Pepe had 
 missed, the second mate, Mr. Spurrell, came charging 
 along fast to a whale which dived beneath the mate's 
 boat, and in order to keep from cutting her in half 
 the line was let go. It kinked or caught in the 
 groove or chock, and but for Mr. Spurrell's promp- 
 titude, two more seconds would have seen both 
 boats a mass of wreckage. He, however, chopped 
 the line, losing the whale. 
 
 Neither of them could get near a whale again, 
 and as for the third mate, nobody seemed to know 
 what had happened to him, except that he did not 
 appear to have even located a whale, but ambled 
 about like a man in a dream. Take it all round, 
 the morning's work, as far as the old hands were 
 concerned, was a matter to be forgotten as soon as
 
 TREACHERY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 109 
 
 possible. But that the despised Kanaka, as those 
 fancy-coloured Portuguese called him, the soft 
 greenie, the everything of contumely their narrow 
 coarse minds could suggest, should succeed where 
 they had failed was enough to goad them to madness. 
 
 But now a strange new factor intruded itself 
 into the situation. The thirty hands of the crew 
 were, as usual, of several different nationalities. 
 There were several Kanakas from various islands, 
 eight native-born Down Easters who had been 
 lured by spacious promises and a spirit of adventure 
 into this roving unprofitable life, four Europeans of 
 sorts, whom I cannot specify, and the rest Portuguese. 
 Now their discordant elements agreed very well 
 under the stern discipline always enforced on board 
 those ships, but all of them felt warmly towards the 
 big handsome Bounty boy who always spoke 
 so kindly, never used an oath, and greatest quality of 
 all in their eyes, was fully up to his work. 
 
 And with that extraordinary instinct for what is 
 going on which is always so surprising on board 
 ship they all realized the antagonism felt towards 
 him by the other harponeers, and though they dared 
 not show any partiality, they felt it, and whenever 
 they could discuss the situation among themselves 
 without the Portuguese listening, they always spoke 
 in the most enthusiastic terms of the new recruit. 
 It must not be supposed that in saying what I have 
 about the Portuguese I am actuated by any hostility 
 towards them. I know what fine men they are for 
 their work, but they are capable of the blackest 
 treachery, regard it as perfectly legitimate to get the 
 better of a man you dislike by any means however 
 base, and to further their own ends will betray 
 their closest friend. Of course I know little of the 
 pure-bred Portuguese, I speak throughout of the
 
 no A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 breed I am acquainted with, the many -coloured 
 natives of the North Atlantic Isles ; brave, fierce, 
 and entirely unscrupulous. 
 
 Much of the work being done that afternoon was 
 entirely new to C. B., often as he had helped to cut 
 up a whale, for it must be pointed out that cutting 
 a whale in on board ship at sea is an essentially 
 different process from the slipshod business of doing 
 the same thing on shore, especially where all are 
 friends, all desire to get the job done as quickly 
 as possible, for all are co-equal partners in the 
 venture. So naturally he made many blunders, 
 immediately pointed out by the skipper, who 
 worked as hard as any of them, and none missed 
 by the sardonic harponeers and officers toiling on the 
 cutting stage. With one exception, Merritt. Once 
 when C. B. did something foolish, and in consequence 
 came a cropper in the midst of a pool of oil, Pepe, 
 who was toiling on the cutting stage by Merritt's 
 side hacking off the gigantic head, snarled to Merritt. 
 " Look a dat galoot ! Bouts handy as a ba'r, 
 don't it ? " 
 
 Merritt turned upon the speaker with a green light 
 in his curious shaped eyes and snarled 
 
 " Wen you k'n best 'im at 'is work you call 'im 
 bad names f me, not before. I got no use fer talk 
 like dat. He's a man, dat's what he is, an doan call 
 nobody out deir names needer. Git along wid de 
 work." 
 
 Oh yes, very pretty trouble was brewing all round, 
 as the skipper said, and not the less troublesome 
 because the storm centre was perfectly innocuous. 
 Fortunately for himself he had early come to the 
 conclusion that to worry about what he knew to be 
 the prevalent feeling concerning him in the half 
 deck, as the petty officers den was termed, would be
 
 TREACHERY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES in 
 
 wrong. Again and again in the midst of his work, 
 when tempted to long for the kindly hearty fellow- 
 ship he had enjoyed all his previous life, he was 
 cheered by the thought of the lonely One and up- 
 lifted by the sense that he was privileged to be a 
 fellow in those dark places of the perfect Man. And 
 went on, if not cheerfully, at least contentedly, finding 
 in his work a great solace. 
 
 The intricate and disagreeable work of boiling 
 down the oil and stowing it away proceeded apace 
 until all was washed away and the ship resumed 
 her spotless appearance. Then day succeeded day 
 in the peaceful passage across that placid mighty 
 ocean, when there was nothing but ordinary ship's 
 routine to be carried on, and very often C. B. felt 
 sorely the need of something to occupy his mind. 
 True he could meditate and did upon the home he 
 had left, and the strange happenings he had witnessed 
 here ; but he did long with an ache at his heart for 
 the sweet communion with his fellow-men that he 
 had so long enjoyed and had thought so little of. 
 He had never imagined a little world like this with 
 nobody to talk to who had a single thought in common 
 with him. 
 
 But this enforced solitude in the midst of his 
 fellows was all unconsciously on his part deepening 
 and widening his character. In throwing him upon 
 his own resources, the fellowship with the unseen 
 realities of true life made him, without his being 
 in any sense akin to the useless self-centred 
 recluse in his narrow cell wholly intent upon the 
 salvation of his own petty soul, realize in a very 
 special sense the perfect beauty of spiritual com- 
 munion as he had never done before. Also, because 
 he was debarred from reading anything except his 
 Bible, there being no other literature available, turn
 
 Ti2 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 all his physical and mental powers during his hours 
 of work to becoming perfect in his new calling. 
 
 And then he suddenly made a discovery which 
 pleased him immensely, made his heart leap for joy. 
 It was that his queer boat-header, Mr. Merritt, had 
 conceived a great liking for him. He was struggling 
 one afternoon with the intricacies of a piece of 
 sailor work, endeavouring to strop a block with 
 three-inch rope, and having made a mess of it, he 
 looked up despairingly to find the inscrutable yellow 
 face of Merritt looking down upon him with a 
 twinkle in the oblique eyes. 
 
 " Got kind o' snarled up, I see," said the fourth 
 mate. " Comes a-tryin' to do sailor work 'thout 
 bein' properly showed how. Here, lemme show ye." 
 And sitting down by his side Merritt explained 
 patiently and clearly every detail of the work, nor 
 desisted, never losing patience, until C. B. had fairly 
 mastered it. 
 
 " Now anything else in that way you hanker after 
 knowin' you come to me an' I'll show ye, see. But 
 don't go askin' anybody else, 'cause when I take a job 
 on like this I like it all to myself. I'm a jealous 
 man I am, and I've took a strong shine to ye, an' as 
 long as you stick t'me I'll show ye what my idea of 
 bein' a chum is." Then settling down comfortably by 
 C. B.'s side he lit his pipe and went on, "Guess you've 
 often wondered what sort of a queer fellow I was, 
 didn't ye ? Now don't say ye didn't, kase ye couldn't 
 help it. Everybody does, an' I don't blame 'em as 
 long as they don't throw it up to me ; if they do, 
 well, I'm a pretty poisonous handful when I get 
 a-goin'. But we won't talk about that. I'm 
 talkin' to you now as I ain't talked to any man since 
 I lost my only chum, ten years ago. Some day I'll 
 tell you all about him, but not now. Now I want
 
 TREACHERY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 113 
 
 t'say that I've been a-watchin' this crowd pretty 
 cluse, an' there's two or three of 'em a-lookin' for a 
 chance to spoil ye fer keeps. An' I've a- made up 
 my mind that I ain't goin' t'let 'em do it. I want 
 ye, fer I believe yer a no end good man any way 
 yer took, an' if ye are misshnary it's the right kind. 
 Put it thar," and he held out his yellow sinewy hand, 
 which C. B. took warmly, and was amazed at the 
 force of the grip he received. 
 
 Now this colloquy had certainly not passed 
 unnoticed by the harponeers, and something like 
 dismay ran through the camp. For Merritt, 
 although they had been shipmates with him for 
 eighteen months, was an enigma to them, a riddle 
 they had never thought it worth while trying to 
 solve. They knew him for a splendid whaleman and 
 a thorough seaman, who scarcely ever spoke except 
 when it was absolutely necessary for the purposes 
 of the business. His colour and the strange mixture 
 of races obvious in his face made no difference in 
 a community where a man is judged only by his 
 deeds and not in the least by his origin. And now 
 this mysterious mate had taken up their pet aversion, 
 and who knew what such a combination might 
 produce ? 
 
 The first result of the association, however, was a 
 decided easing off in the villainous remarks made 
 purposely in C. B.'s hearing whenever he went 
 below, and a certain indefinite shade of respect 
 being shown him. He noticed the change, wondered 
 mildly at it, and then dismissing it from his mind, 
 went quietly on his way as before, until one evening 
 the skipper, coming up to him as he stood gazing 
 over the rail at the placid bosom of the ocean, said 
 in a cheery voice 
 
 " Well, Mr. Christmas, you seem to be getting 
 
 H
 
 H4 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 along a little better with ye're berth-mates now, an' 
 I'm right down glad to see it. But what ye ben 
 doin' t'bring it about ? I thought nothin' 'd do it 
 but a big row and mebbe a fight in which I was 
 prepared to back ye up. An' I'm ever so pleased 
 to see that ther don't seem to be any prospect 
 of the kind now. Tell me what ye done to 
 'em ? " 
 
 C. B. turned on him one of his beautiful smiles 
 and replied 
 
 " I haven't done a thing to them, sir ; I don't 
 know what I could do except try and go on as I 
 began, doing my work as well as I can. They 
 wouldn't talk to me, nor let me talk to them, and 
 so I've just had to let them go their own way while 
 I have gone mine." 
 
 " Yes, yes, that's all very well," hastily rejoined 
 the skipper, " but how have you managed to make 
 chums with Merritt ? I never thought he would 
 associate with any one." 
 
 " I haven't the least idea, sir," replied the young 
 man. " He says he likes me, and I'm very glad, but 
 I don't know why he should have suddenly found 
 out that he did." 
 
 " Ah well," sighed the captain, " it is as I've often 
 said, you're too good for this wicked world and you're 
 bound to have trouble, but I'm mighty glad I don't 
 see trouble stickin' out so far as I did. An' now 
 as we're just comin' on to the whaling ground, I 
 hope you'll bring us luck and do as well as you did 
 first time lowerin'." 
 
 " I hope so too, sir," answered C. B., " and that 
 the other fellows '11 get a look in too. I can't bear 
 to see men so disappointed." The captain gave 
 him a critical look and walked away, shaking his 
 head gravely as though to hint that really his new
 
 TREACHERY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 115 
 
 harponeer was a problem too difficult for him to 
 solve. 
 
 Now by what process of reasoning or instinct Mr. 
 Merritt arrived at the conclusion that there was 
 some mischief quietly hatching, directed against 
 his harponeer in connexion with his work, there are 
 no means of knowing ; it was one of those impulses 
 that are not to be reasoned out, only felt and obeyed. 
 At any rate, so strong was his feeling that something 
 was afoot, that he sacrificed watch after watch of 
 his sleep at night lying rolled up in a blanket on 
 top of the after house where he could keep an 
 eye on his boat. This of course in his watch below, 
 when he was supposed to be in his cabin, and he 
 took the greatest pains to keep his movements 
 secret. After nearly a week's watching, he was 
 rewarded by seeing a dark figure, which his keen 
 sight determined to be the mate's harponeer, Pepe, 
 creep noiselessly up into the boat and settle down 
 into her so that his movements should not be seen, 
 the mate having gone below to fill his pipe, and 
 the third mate lolling half asleep abaft the 
 wheel. 
 
 Merritt slipped down from his place like an eel, 
 slid along the deck to the side of his boat, then 
 sprang up on the rail and peered in to her, saying 
 sharply 
 
 " What ye doin' in my boat, Pepe ? " 
 The big harponeer stood up and stammered 
 " I I thought I heard a fly'n' fish drop in thar, 
 an' was a-lookin' for it." 
 
 " Oh thet's it, is it ? " growled Merritt. "Well, 
 come out of her right now 'thout lookin' any more. 
 I sorter mistrust ye;" and as he spoke he clambered 
 into the boat and glanced keenly around while 
 Pepe got out reluctantly.
 
 n6 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 It was then just upon the stroke of eight bells, 
 4 a.m., and Merritt stayed where he was until the 
 bell was struck and the watch mustered. Then 
 calling C. B. to him, he told him to watch the boat 
 and make sure that no one entered her. Having 
 done this he returned on deck and waited for 
 daylight. As soon as it came he mounted into the 
 boat again and pointed out to C. B. that the line 
 in the big tub had been disturbed about ten fakes 
 down. Then lifting fake after fake out he carefully 
 ran along the line as he did so, until a sharp " Ah " 
 came from his lips, followed by "Just look here, my 
 son." C. B. did look, and there was a clean cut 
 in the line severing two strands nearly through. 
 C. B. looked up at the fourth mate's face, and was 
 horror-struck, for it wore the aspect of a fiend. 
 Not knowing what to say, though burning with 
 righteous anger at the shameful treachery, he 
 looked irresolutely back and forth, first at the line 
 and then at his leader, when suddenly he heard the 
 captain's voice on deck. Merritt immediately 
 slipped over the rail and strode to the captain, 
 saying as he came before him 
 
 " Captain Taber, what's to be done to a man 
 that creeps into a boat at night and cuts a tow-line 
 through, an', when he's caught at it, says he's lookin 1 
 for fly'n' fish ? " 
 
 For a moment the captain was speechless with 
 astonishment and rage, then he burst into incoherent 
 speech of a kind that cannot be reported. Merritt 
 stood looking coolly at him until he had finished, 
 and then resumed with 
 
 " Guess I'd like you just to hev a peek at this 
 thing," and led the way to the boat, the captain 
 swiftly following. There sat C. B. still almost 
 helpless with wonderment at the devilish treachery
 
 TREACHERY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 117 
 
 of the thing while Merritt showed the line and 
 explained how he came to detect the deed. 
 
 " But who, who's the man ? " gasped the skipper. 
 "Tell me who the man is till I make him wish he'd 
 never been born." 
 
 " Now, sir," replied Merritt, "I ain't ever]asked you 
 a favour since I ben in your ship, an' I know I've gi'n 
 you satisfaction. Please let me deal with this man 
 in my own way. I won't kill him, I promise ye 
 that, sir, an' it'll be less trouble for all of us." By 
 this time Captain Taber had cooled down a bit, and 
 he looked dubiously at the ugly face before him. 
 At last he said, " I don't want murder done here, 
 Mr. Merritt, neither do I want a man laid up so's 
 he won't be any use for the work, otherwise I think 
 I could leave it to you to give him he's lesson. Yes, 
 I'll do it, if you'll tell me who it is." 
 
 " That's good, sir," rejoined Merritt, " your 
 word's always good enough for me. Well, it's Pepe, 
 an' I propose getting him here on the quarter-deck 
 with all hands to see and no weapons but our hands, 
 an' if I don't teach him suthin that'll do him good 
 you can heave me overboard. But I own I'd just 
 like to kill him." 
 
 " All right," said the skipper, I won't go back 
 on my word, keep you yours. But only to 
 think of it ! my boss harponeer to serve me 
 a dog's trick like that ! And I thought he was 
 getting so quiet and amiable too. Ah, "shaking his 
 head sadly at C. B., "I was a bit too sudden in what 
 I said to ye the other afternoon. This is on your 
 account. Well, I wish I'd never seen ye, but I'll 
 own that it ain't any of your fault, an' I'm not goin' t' 
 be cur enough t' blame ye." 
 
 ^The air was surcharged with electricity until 
 eight bells, for in that mysterious manner before
 
 n8 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 alluded to all hands knew that stirring events were 
 about to transpire. C. B. was very uneasy, for 
 even without the captain's words he would have 
 felt that he was in some measure responsible for the 
 trouble, though in no way to blame. The only 
 man who seemed perfectly unconcerned was Merritt, 
 who just before eight bells slipped below and 
 presently returned clad only in a canvas jumper, 
 pants and boots. He wore a belt and no cap. The 
 other officers all whispered one to another anxiously, 
 the mate looking specially concerned, for, of course, 
 he knew that it was his harponeer who had done 
 this thing. 
 
 Eight bells ! and in the orthodox fashion the watch 
 below immediately appeared on deck. " Lay aft 
 all hands ! " thundered the skipper, and swiftly 
 the whole crew appeared on the quarter-deck, 
 foremast hands forward, harponeers to starboard 
 and officers to port. " Stand out here, Pepe," 
 said the skipper, and Pepe stepped forward looking 
 a greenish grey. " Mr. Merritt reports to me that 
 he found you in his boat in the middle watch, and 
 looking to see what you were doing, found that you'd 
 cut his line. What have you got to say ? " 
 
 He might have had something to say, but he could 
 not say it, he was fascinated at the sight of Merritt, 
 who had glided nearer to him. After waiting a 
 full minute the skipper went on. ' You've got 
 nothing to say, now come here." Pepe came close 
 up to the skipper, who flung his hands round the 
 harponeer's waist and plucked from inside his shirt 
 a long keen knife, which he threw aft. " Now stand 
 back, harponeers," the skipper cried ; " Mr. Merritt 
 is going to teach Pepe a lesson man fashion." The 
 ring widened instantly, and like a leopard Merritt 
 sprang at the harponeer. For a few moments so
 
 TREACHERY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 119 
 
 rapid and furious were the movements of the two 
 men that it was impossible to tell which of them 
 was the better, and all eyes were strained upon them, 
 lips parted and breath came short. 
 
 Then it was seen that Merritt had got the big 
 Portuguese completely at his mercy, holding him 
 with one arm round his neck in a bear-like grip. 
 And with the disengaged hand Merritt beat him as 
 if he were a refractory child, beating him to bruise 
 and hurt as much as possible without disabling ; 
 and oh the humiliation of it ! In that hour men 
 saw how tremendous was the strength that none 
 had suspected Merritt of before. At last the beaten 
 man lost all sense of manhood and begged for mercy, 
 the big tears rolling down his dark cheeks. Imme- 
 diately the captain stepped forward and held up 
 his hand, saying, " That will do, Merritt." And the 
 fourth mate sprang to his feet. 
 
 Pepe staggered up and would have crawled away, 
 but the captain caught him by the arm. " Wait ! " 
 he cried. " Now, men, Pepe has been punished 
 for shamefully cutting a line in order to make the 
 new harponeer lose a whale. If any more of this 
 kind of thing is done and I find the man out, I'll tie 
 him up and flog the flesh off his ribs. That'll do. 
 Carry on with the work. Go below the watch." 
 And immediately the tide of ship life flowed back 
 into its usual channel, the wretched Pepe slinking 
 about like a beaten dog.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 The Great Catch 
 
 SO sudden, dramatic and complete had been the 
 justice dealt out to Pepe that it made quite 
 an imperceptible ripple in the steady current of 
 the ship's routine. In the mind of the beaten 
 man there was, of course, a deep and deadly hatred 
 for his chastiser as well as for C. B., and schemes 
 of revenge chased one another through his brain 
 continually. But he came of a race that understands 
 and appreciates a good thrashing and has no respect 
 for gentle humanitarian methods, and so Pepe's 
 respect for Mr. Merritt's prowess was very real 
 and sincere. Also his compatriots in the half-deck 
 were perceptibly less sympathetic than they had 
 been. In fact, they were quite ready to throw him 
 over and openly condemn him for doing that which 
 any one of them would have done given a favourable 
 opportunity. 
 
 In only one thing did they now agree with him, 
 and that was in their hatred of C. B. It is a melan- 
 choly fact that in an assemblage of bad men anything 
 will be condoned but goodness, and the perfectly 
 blameless life led by C. B. was a constant offence 
 to men whose only virtues were high courage in 
 the performance of their dangerous duties, and 
 endurance in the most tremendous labours that can 
 be imagined when the circumstances called for 
 them. But C. B. was now far happier than he had 
 
 120
 
 THE GREAT CATCH 121 
 
 been since he first came on board. He had almost 
 unconsciously been craving for some human sym- 
 pathy and fellowship, and now he was in a fair way 
 to get both. He felt himself drawn to his saturnine 
 chief in a most intimate and affectionate way, 
 while he could not but respect and admire him for 
 his effectual punishment of the dastardly offence 
 committed by Pepe. For C. B. had nothing in 
 common with those curious Christians among us 
 whose sympathies are entirely with the criminal 
 and never with the victim, who shudder at pain 
 being inflicted upon the guilty but are quite callous 
 to the agonies of the innocent. To his simple ideas 
 these folk would have seemed to be madmen. 
 
 Various quiet warnings were conveyed to him to 
 keep a wary eye upon Pepe, who would be certain 
 to do him a shrewd turn at the earliest opportunity, 
 but he only laughed cheerily and said 
 
 " I'm not losing any sleep over this matter. If 
 he kills me I am ready to die, and shall not be worse 
 off, but better. If he attacks me openly, he will, I 
 think, get some more sore bones. And that's all I 
 care about it." 
 
 And then he would change the subject, for he was 
 gradually becoming able to talk about the pure 
 and noble life of his island home to the captain 
 and officers and sometimes to the men, who listened 
 fascinated : as they would, for although most of 
 them had at one time or another heard the Gospel 
 preached in some fashion, they had always looked 
 upon the preacher as one who was paid to say 
 certain things which he did not believe, but which 
 were designed to keep the poor man quiet while the 
 rich man preyed upon him. 
 
 Some of them had dim recollections of holy lives 
 lived by their parents, of prayers repeated in lisping
 
 122 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 tones at a mother's knee and recalled occasionally 
 in moments of solitude, but none of them had ever 
 met before a man in the spring of life, strong, eager, 
 and able to do all that might become a man, who 
 spoke of God and Christ and love that rules the 
 whole creation as if they were matters of intimate 
 knowledge and infinite importance to him. And 
 while they wondered they admired, and speculated 
 among themselves in blind fashion as to what this 
 portent could mean. 
 
 Then suddenly an incident occurred that raised 
 C. B. in the estimation of all hands more than 
 anything else could have done. It was when the 
 ship was on the southern edge of the off-shore ground 
 and slowly working north. The weather was what 
 we call dirty ; low ragged clouds shedding rain at 
 frequent intervals, with strong winds and irregular 
 lumpy sea. C. B. and one of the Portuguese 
 harponeers were working together, when C. B. 
 accidentally dropped a serving mallet upon the 
 other man's bare foot. With a horrible exclamation 
 in his own language Louis spat in C. B.'s face, and 
 at the same time struck him a violent blow in the 
 jaw. Not content with that the maddened man 
 drew his knife and was in the act of driving it into 
 C. B.'s chest when the latter seized the upraised 
 wrist in his left hand, caught at the broad leather 
 belt worn by the Portuguese with his right, and with 
 a movement deft as that of an acrobat twirled him 
 into the air and out over the side into the tormented 
 sea. All hands who witnessed the slight scuffle 
 stood aghast, helpless for the moment, as C. B., 
 calmly springing on to the rail, gave a searching 
 glance at the spot where the harponeer was 
 struggling in the foam, and then shouting " Lower 
 away a boat," sprang after his late enemy.
 
 THE GREAT CATCH 123 
 
 A few vigorous fish-like strokes brought him to 
 the side of the Portuguese, who was evidently 
 in great pain and only feebly endeavouring to keep 
 himself afloat, although these men are all splendid 
 swimmers. Throwing himself upon his back, C. B. 
 seized the man by the collar of his strong serge shirt 
 and held him easily head to sea, rising and falling 
 on the waves like a piece of drift-wood. There 
 was no delay in picking the pair up ; indeed, in ten 
 minutes from the time that Louis went flying over- 
 board they were on board again, and C. B. sprang 
 lightly on deck and assisted his aggressor down. 
 
 " What does this mean, Christmas ? " sternly 
 demanded the captain, who had seen the whole 
 affair. In brief, unimpassioned words C. B. told 
 what had happened, and then turning to Louis 
 the skipper demanded his version. Foolishly but 
 naturally the Portuguese lied, making C. B. out the 
 aggressor, at which the skipper smiled sardonically, 
 saying 
 
 " Ah, I thought so. You Portagees are as bad 
 as they make 'em. But what's wrong with yer 
 hand ? " seeing that he held it tenderly and was 
 evidently in pain. 
 
 " I doan know, sir, feels all broke." An examina- 
 tion proved that the wrist was dislocated, and the 
 skipper's rough-and-ready surgery was immediately 
 put in force, after which the groaning and com- 
 pletely discomfited man retired below, too miserable 
 to curse his bad luck as he called it. 
 
 " Now, Christmas," said the skipper severely 
 when they were alone, " I don't know what t' 
 say t' ye. You really mustn't go heaving my 
 harponeers overboard like rubbidge, nor yet get t' 
 breaking 'em all up. Nor yet you mustn't let 'em 
 go sticking knives in you. Confound you, why
 
 124 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 are you always in the right and yet getting into 
 some scrape or another ? I shipped a handful of 
 hot stuff when I took you aboard, I can see, and I 
 wish I hadn't, yet I'm beginning to feel that I'd 
 rather lose anybody than you, you 'mazing muscular 
 Christian." 
 
 " I'm sorry I hurt the man, sir," modestly replied 
 C. B., " and I didn't intend to do so. But if I hadn't 
 been quicker than he was, he would have probably 
 put me out of action for longer than he'll be now, 
 while I only thought of defending myself, and a 
 dip overboard can't possibly do anybody any 
 harm." 
 
 With a cross between a grunt and a laugh the 
 skipper turned away, leaving C. B. standing quietly 
 to receive the curt congratulations of Mr. Merritt, 
 and be the centre of admiring glances from all the 
 crew that were on deck. The matter formed the 
 principal, in fact almost the only topic of conversa- 
 tion on board for the next three days, during 
 which C. B. went on his simple accustomed way, 
 except that he was assiduous in his attention to 
 the suffering man, who, in addition to the pain of 
 his wrist, had sustained a severe rick to his spine, 
 making it very painful for him to get in and out 
 of his bunk. And as none of his compatriots 
 thought of doing anything for him, he would have 
 fared very badly but for the man he intended to 
 kill. 
 
 By the time that Louis was able to resume work 
 they had been nearly three weeks on the ground 
 and no spout of sperm or right whales had been 
 seen. It was just the fortune of the fishery, but as 
 usual it bred a good deal of peevishness among the 
 crew, whose monotonous life grew very irksome. I 
 know of few conditions more trying to the active
 
 THE GREAT CATCH 125 
 
 mind than to be on board of a clumsy old whaleship 
 always on a wind tacking from side to side of a 
 great lonely expanse of sea, shortening sail every 
 night to a close-reefed main topsail and fore topmast 
 staysail and making sail again at daylight. No 
 books to read, no new topics to talk about, nothing 
 to do but the same things over and over again, 
 week in week out, with never another sail in sight. 
 It is a life that unless a man has mental resources 
 of no common kind tends to stultification of the 
 intellect, and especially makes him peevish, irritable 
 and intolerant even of himself. 
 
 The usual bounty had been doubled, and the men 
 were so keen that they hardly cared to go below 
 when their turn came to do so. The only men on 
 board who seemed unmoved by the long spell of 
 inaction were Captain Taber and C. B. The first 
 was that fine type of man, as I hope I have suggested, 
 that is even now, thank God, to be found in many 
 New England towns, who, though not making any 
 special profession of religion, are in a very real sense 
 not far from the Kingdom of God. Honest, brave 
 and honourable ; combining in a curious way the 
 astuteness of the man of the world with the sweet 
 simplicity of a little child, they are the salt of the 
 United States, and their lives and work stand out 
 in brilliant contrast to those of the money-grubbers 
 and professional politicians who are making the 
 noble name of the Great Republic a byword and a 
 hissing among the nations. 
 
 As Captain Taber used to say so frequently, 
 " This thing " (the scarcity of whales within an area 
 where they should be found) "runs in streaks; we'll 
 get all we want and more also dreckly." He was a 
 highly educated man but loved the vernacular, and 
 occasionally lapsed into it from his grave Elizabethan
 
 126 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 English. And so it proved, for one morning before 
 it was light he came on deck, and sauntering up to 
 C. B., who was enjoying a pannikin of coffee and 
 biscuit, he said casually 
 
 " Now you fellers 'at don't smoke are supposed to 
 have the sense of smell more highly developed than 
 us misbul degenerates who do, don't yer nose tell 
 yer nothin' now ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir," brightly replied C. B., " it's been telling 
 me ever since I came on deck at eight bells that we're 
 in the thick of either a big shoal of fish or a school 
 of whales of some sort. The air's quite heavy with 
 fish smell." 
 
 " Ah ! an' I suppose you couldn't indicate the 
 kind o' whale that's possibly around, could ye ? " 
 inquired the skipper drily. 
 
 " Hardly, sir, although I've heard of it being 
 done," replied C. B. " But I've never believed it. 
 I feel sure, though, that the fellows who are stealing 
 up to the crow's-nest now, sir look at 'em will 
 start their music at the first streak of dawn." 
 
 " So long as they see sperm whales I'm willing, 
 or even right whale," murmured the skipper, " for 
 this thing's growing quite monotonous to me. I 
 want the boys to get some amusement too. Oh 
 well, I must go below and fill my pipe again. How- 
 ever a grown man man like you can get along without 
 tobacco I don't know." And he glanced quizzically 
 at C. B., who only smiled and resumed his eager 
 watch to windward. 
 
 There was not a cloud in the sky from horizon to 
 horizon, nor as far as could be seen was there a trace 
 of haze. So that when the first tremulous throb- 
 bings of dawn made themselves felt it was as if an 
 indefinite weight had been lifted, the displace- 
 ment of shadow by light. And then the whole
 
 THE GREAT CATCH 127 
 
 dome above began to glow in sombre tones, at first 
 duplicated below a shade or two deeper. It was 
 like the birth of colour, and even the eager watchers 
 poised in mid air forgot their desire for a moment 
 at the amazing sight. Then, as at a celestial signal, 
 the sea-rim in the east brimmed with liquid gold, a 
 blazing disc appeared, and it was day. 
 
 Simultaneously with the upward leap of the 
 sun four voices rang out in the thrilling cry of 
 " Blo-o-o-o-w." Indeed it was a stirring sight. 
 Far as the eye could reach from horizon to horizon 
 there appeared to be bursting from the sea an 
 endless succession of jets of smoke, each one denoting 
 the presence of a monster sperm whale. Only 
 twice in my life have I ever seen such a sight, once 
 off the Solander Rock, Foveaux Straits, New 
 Zealand, and there the horizon was restricted by 
 land on two sides, and once when on a passage to 
 Gibraltar from London in the P. & O. ss. Arabia, 
 Captain Parfitt, who, if he sees these lines, will 
 doubtless remember that the previous day at dinner 
 we had had a slight controversy about the quantity 
 of whales now to be seen at sea. I held that whales 
 were more plentiful than ever, he asserted that 
 they were nearly extinct, and the next morning the 
 splendid ship steamed for an hour at sixteen knots 
 through one immense school of sperm whales which 
 must have numbered many thousands. 
 
 The captain only took one glance round at the 
 mighty concourse, then shouted, " 'Way down from 
 aloft. Mr. Winsloe, we'll lower all five boats to- 
 day, and each one act independently of the rest. 
 These whales are all feeding and I don't anticipate 
 any trouble, but the first boat that kills, stick a 
 wheft in the whale and get back to the ship. She'll 
 want handling and that smartly too. Shipkeepers
 
 128 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 keep her to windward, that's all you've got to do, and 
 look out for boats coming back. Now then, away 
 for good greasy money." 
 
 Whirr, whirr, splash went the five boats, and as 
 soon as they struck the water each boat pushed 
 out from the ship using paddles only, for the whales 
 were quite near, and each singling out a whale for 
 themselves. Within fifteen minutes every boat 
 was fast, that is, the barbed harpoon had established 
 a connexion between boat and whale that would 
 only cease by accident or design when the whale was 
 dead. And then that placid sea became the scene of 
 a Titanic conflict, wherein the puny men in their frail 
 craft joined battle with the mightiest of God's 
 creatures on most unequal terms. To and fro they 
 flew, those pigmy boats amidst the crowding hundreds 
 of leviathans, who, filled with wild dismay at this 
 sudden calamity, knew not whither to flee and 
 moved aimlessly and harmlessly. And owing to the 
 immense spaces in which they wallowed they were not 
 now even as dangerous as a herd of bullocks would be 
 in a field, for there a man might get crushed to death 
 by accident ; here, although to a novice the scene 
 appeared dangerous, the older hands knew that an 
 accident was now far less likely than when whales 
 were few and far between. 
 
 To add to the confusion and apparent danger 
 existing, the sea appeared to be alive with immense 
 sharks, who in some mysterious way had gathered to 
 that stupendous feast. In fact, the enormous amount 
 of marine life peopling that remote ocean breeds a 
 feeling of dismay in some minds, a sense of being 
 out of place, weaklings in the midst of unimaginable 
 forces of destruction. Not, of course, that this 
 thought occurred to the old whalemen. They 
 revelled in the gigantic slaughter, and incurred un-
 
 THE GREAT CATCH 129 
 
 necessary danger by being unable to resist the tempt- 
 tation to lance loose whales passing by. The frenzy 
 of killing was upon them, and they lunged right and 
 left indiscriminately, heedless of consequences. 
 
 In half an hour from the time of leaving the ship 
 Captain Taber had his whale dead, and sticking a 
 wheft (a small flag with a pointed end to its staff) 
 in the carcass he bade his crew give way for the ship 
 with all speed. Arriving on board he took charge, and 
 as there was a good working breeze he was able so 
 to handle his ship as to keep well to windward of the 
 whole flotilla of boats, which soon began to hoist 
 their whefts in token of having killed each one his 
 whale. There was no need to discriminate, for all 
 had done well, five big whales had been killed in 
 less than two hours ; and now came the hardest part 
 of the great day's work, and one calling for the 
 greatest amount of seamanship. For when once 
 the first whale had been secured to the ship, she 
 became sluggish in her movements, as indeed she 
 well might with a floating mass of some eighty tons 
 attached to her. Those boats that were farthest 
 away, realizing the difficulty, attempted to tow their 
 prizes, an immense task in itself, but now, hampered 
 as they were on every side by the bewildered monsters, 
 who wallowed aimlessly, as having lost all sense of 
 direction or power of flight, wellnigh impossible. 
 
 Yet in some strange and apparent come-by-chance 
 fashion the whole five whales were secured to the 
 ship, all five boats were hoisted into their places, and 
 the utterly exhausted men went to their food, full of 
 satisfaction with their morning's work. And while 
 they fed and rested the ship was left in charge of 
 the cook and steward, who gazed over the side at 
 the strange scene with mingled feelings, in which 
 real alarm predominated. Indeed, it was a sight 
 
 l
 
 130 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 calculated to terrify. The huge carcasses attached 
 to the ship by hawsers floated around her like a 
 concourse of submerged wrecks bottom up. Around 
 and between them blundered bewildered whales 
 lost to all their usual instincts, and all the spaces in 
 between the living and the dead monsters were 
 thronged with hordes of sharks countless in number. 
 
 To complete the amazing scene there had drifted 
 out of the void great flocks of sea-birds, albatrosses, 
 mallemauks, Cape hens, Cape pigeons, fulmars and 
 others, which kept up an incessant screaming, 
 fluttering, rising and falling, all ravenous and 
 impatient for the cutting in to begin. It was indeed 
 a wonderful revelation of the abundance of life in 
 mid-ocean, such as is only vouchsafed to these deep- 
 sea wanderers, the whalemen. 
 
 Two hours' rest was allowed, and then Captain 
 Taber, sauntering towards his mate, said 
 
 " Mr. Winsloe, we've got a big thing in hand, but 
 the best of weather for it. We'll take each whale 
 alongside and get the heads off first, lettin' them all 
 tow astern as we cut them off. Then we'll put all 
 our vim into gettin' the carcasses skinned, and if 
 the boys only work as they ought, I think we might 
 get the back of the work broken by eight bells to- 
 night." 
 
 Winsloe only grunted, for he was a man of few 
 words, and, slouching forrard, roared, " Turn to ! " 
 
 Now it would be quite easy for me to take an entire 
 chapter in the attempt to explain the nature and 
 progress of the gigantic task that was accomplished 
 by those forty men, toiling almost incessantly from 
 noon until daylight the next morning ; but as the 
 great business has nothing adventurous or thrilling 
 about it, I fear I could not make it interesting. 
 Only I feel that I would like you to realize the scene.
 
 THE GREAT CATCH 131 
 
 The immense masses of blubber being hove inboard 
 by the full power of the crew at the windlass, the 
 great tackles groaning and the ship canting over 
 under the load, the unwearying thrust and recover 
 of the long-handled spades as the toiling officers and 
 harponeers laboured to disjoint the huge heads or 
 scarph the blubber so that it would strip easily 
 from the carcasses, the fitful weird glare of the 
 cressets of blazing " scrap " (pieces of blubber from 
 which the oil has been boiled disposed about the 
 ship to give light to the toilers), and just outside 
 that tiny circle of human labour the solemn vastness 
 of the darkling ocean, the loneliness of that un- 
 traversed sea. 
 
 But I should do scant justice to the picture if I failed 
 to note how, within that apparently charmed circle 
 which had the ship for its centre, the deep was alive, 
 luminous and vivid. The ceaseless come and go of 
 the ravenous sea-scavengers, striving with all their 
 wonderful energy to get a share of the great feast 
 that was spread, was in itself a sight to linger in the 
 memory as long as life should last, had the workers 
 but time to look at it. And to complete the uncanny 
 interest of the whole strange scene, there was the 
 uneasy passings and melancholy voices of the sea- 
 birds, flitting whitely through the gloom, impatiently 
 waiting for the day. 
 
 Daylight saw the huge task completed, and the 
 ship's deck from one end to the other blocked with 
 the mighty masses of case and junk and blanket 
 pieces. The blubber-room, as the square of the 
 main-hatch down to the ' tween decks and for about 
 ten feet on either side of it is called, was choked full 
 of blubber, not another slice could be got down, and 
 in consequence all the rest had to be piled on deck. 
 Old whalemen will doubt the possibility of such a
 
 132 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 feat as the cutting in of five sperm whales in twenty 
 hours until I explain that none of the whales were 
 too large to have the case lifted inboard, and that, of 
 course, makes all the difference ; for I have been 
 twenty-four hours engaged in cutting in one whale, 
 and with a smart man in charge too. But then 
 that whale was so huge that many time-wasting 
 things had to be done that were unnecessary in the 
 case I am relating. 
 
 As the last case was hove on board and 
 secured, the skipper gave a long sigh of relief and 
 cried 
 
 " Spell ho I all hands. Mr. Winsloe, give the 
 boys three hours' rest, good, and then we'll start 
 blubber watches (six hours on and six hours off) ; 
 and say, you cook-man, just you see to it that the men 
 get the best breakfast that can be scared up in the 
 ship." And as he turned away towards the stern 
 the oil dripped from his hair, his clothing, and 
 squished out of his sea-boots, for the captains of 
 those ships, if they drove their crews, drove them- 
 selves hardest of all, and no man could say that his 
 skipper could only drive, not lead. 
 
 Now, impossible as it may seem to us, there was 
 no attempt made to change clothing. Just a per- 
 functory wipe of hands and face with oakum wads 
 preliminary to a wolfish devouring of food, for all 
 were outrageously hungry. That everything eaten 
 and even the tobacco smoked afterwards was reeking 
 with oil nobody minded, for in truth the product 
 of the sperm whale when absolutely fresh as this 
 was is as bland and pleasant as the purest olive oil : 
 it is only when it gets stale and rancid that its 
 unpleasant taste and odour become manifest. 
 
 The short respite worked wonders for the toilers, 
 although those of them who had to resume work at
 
 THE GREAT CATCH 133 
 
 10 a.m., four bells, thought longingly of the greasy 
 bunks in which the fortunate members of the watch 
 below were recuperating from their heavy labours. 
 But a spirit of emulation was aboard, and there was 
 no cursing or driving ; every man therefore did his 
 best to reduce the chaos on deck to something like 
 order. The huge cases were split open one after the 
 other, the spermaceti baled out and passed into tanks 
 below, and as each was scraped dry it was hauled 
 to the waist and pushed through the open gangway 
 into the sea, where, in spite of the vast banquet given 
 them in the carcasses of the whales during the night, 
 there were thousands of gaping candidates for more. 
 
 As the fierce sun came out and beat down upon 
 the piles of blubber the oil exuded and filled the 
 decks, for all the scuppers and wash-ports were 
 closed tightly, and there was no time to bale or place 
 to bale the oil into until the fires in the try-works 
 should be started. But by dint of the hardest, most 
 unremitting toil, at midday enough of a clearance 
 had been made to start the fires and the work of 
 boiling down began. And here I must leave the 
 business for a while because, although it has not its 
 parallel in any other work ashore, it is dirty, greasy, 
 smelly ; full of sordid discomforts, and difficult indeed 
 to see the romance of except to the privileged few 
 who have strong imaginations. 
 
 Throughout the following week all hands toiled 
 nobly to stow away their great catch, but the 
 captain and officers had a pretty bad time, for every 
 day small pods of sperm whales would come nosing 
 around, quite close to the ship, as if they knew (and 
 perhaps they did) that her crew was unable to take 
 advantage of this wonderful opportunity through 
 having their hands so abundantly filled. Then when 
 at last the whole catch had been reduced into the
 
 134 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 comparatively small compass of nearly 600 barrels, 
 or 60 tons of oil, and the lash rails all round the ship 
 were fully occupied by huge casks full of oil getting 
 cool, the harponeers of each boat made haste to refit 
 their boats, sharpen their weapons, and make all 
 ready for the next opportunity, thinking at the same 
 time how very unlikely it was that those visiting 
 whales would happen along again now that they 
 might look for a cordial reception. 
 
 I have not made any special mention of my hero 
 in connexion with this great piece of work, because 
 he did only what every one else did, his best, and at a 
 time like that the slightest softness or slacking-off 
 of a man in a position of authority is noted at once, 
 not merely by his compeers but by his subordinates. 
 Through this really severe ordeal C. B. passed trium- 
 antly in spite of the novelty of much of the work to 
 him, and by the time it was over there really seemed 
 to be a tacit agreement on the part of the men who 
 hated him to let him alone, since he had proved in the 
 most satisfactory way that he was entirely capable, 
 willing and cheerful, and that the men forward would 
 jump more eagerly at his slightest pleasantest word 
 than they would at a bitter curse weighing a threat 
 from one of the truculent Portuguese. In fact, al- 
 though no one told him so in so many words, all 
 the circumstances attending this great catch went to 
 place C. B. in the position in the esteem of his 
 fellows that he deserved to occupy, and lasting peace 
 seemed assured.
 
 CHAPTER X 
 A Gam and a Revenge 
 
 THERE was ample time after this severe ordeal 
 to restore the Eliza Adams to her pristine 
 cleanliness, for as the captain caustically remarked, 
 the whales seemed to have all concentrated in that 
 spot and subsequently to have all left for parts 
 unknown. And really it did seem like it, for no 
 solitary spout was seen for nearly three weeks. 
 Then came a pleasant diversion ; how pleasant only 
 those can know who for many months have been 
 denied all the intercourse with their kind outside of 
 the little population of the ship. Pepe being at the 
 masthead from 4 to 6 p.m. yelled " Sail ho." This 
 was the first cry of that kind that the crew had 
 heard since leaving Norfolk Island, and be sure they 
 were proportionately excited. 
 
 Many eager speculations were made during the 
 next two hours, for the wind was but light and she 
 was fully ten miles away, as to whether the stranger 
 was a " spouter " or a merchantman. And a great 
 relief was felt when just at sunset she was made 
 out to be one of their own fraternity, and joyful 
 greeting signals were exchanged. It was quite dark 
 before the two ships came near enough to each other 
 to " gam" as we call it, but what of that ? What of 
 the fact that a stiff breeze had got up, and that boats 
 passing between the ships in the dark must neces- 
 sarily have a rough time. In the Navy and among 
 
 136
 
 136 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 the whalers such things are most lightly esteemed 
 I have seen a group of Naval officers brave a most 
 tempestuous passage of half an hour's duration, the 
 picquet boat taking green water over as she plunged 
 through the seas, merely to have an hour's lawn tennis 
 or golf and come off again, and I have known re- 
 peatedly whalemen brave the terrors of the great 
 Southern ocean rollers in half a gale of wind at night 
 merely in order to have a chat with some fresh fellows, 
 exchange a few ideas that to strangers might have 
 the merit of novelty. 
 
 So at eight bells, 8 p.m., as her lights were seen 
 stationary abeam about a mile away, a boat was 
 lowered from the Eliza Adams into which the captain 
 and C. B. with the boat's crew descended, and 
 pulled away into the darkness until the dim black 
 hull of the vessel they are bound to suddenly loomed 
 huge and threatening from the darkness. 
 
 " Ship ahoy ! " roared the skipper. " Here's Cap- 
 tain Taber of the Eliza Adams come a gamming." 
 
 " Welcome, Captain Taber, I knew it was you as 
 soon as I heard ye hail. This is the Matilda Sayer 
 of Dartmouth, Captain Rotch." 
 
 " Good lad," yelled Captain Taber delightedly. 
 " Pull two, stern three, ah ! unrow there ; " and 
 as the boat ranged alongside he gripped the man 
 ropes and ascended the side ladder of rope like a 
 goat climbing a precipice. 
 
 While the two old friends greeted each other there 
 was a whirring of sheaves and down came the mate's 
 boat into the water. Dark forms leapt into her 
 and she pushed off, immemorial custom having 
 decided that in gamming when the captain visits a 
 ship the mate of that ship goes a visiting his fellow 
 on board the other vessel. As they pushed off into 
 the darkness a voice was heard above, " Haul up and
 
 A GAM AND A REVENGE 137 
 
 hook on, chums," and they did so, their boat being 
 cheerily hoisted into the position the other had left. 
 For this was also a pleasant sea-custom among 
 whalers, being eminently practicable because of the 
 almost standard size of all whale boats. 
 
 Arriving on deck the four hands were immediately 
 haled forrard, and C. B. was welcomed in the half 
 deck by the harponeers, where such hospitality as 
 they possessed was offered him and all hands crowded 
 around him eager to talk to him, and listen to what he 
 had to say. First of all with native courtesy they 
 inquired what sort of a season the Eliza Adams was 
 having and other matters of that kind, but he could 
 not help noticing that they all looked curiously at 
 him, as if they could not quite make him out. At 
 last the old carpenter, a fine venerable Yankee, 
 said 
 
 ' Whar d'ye hail from, mister ? " 
 
 " I come from Norfolk Island," replied C. B. 
 pleasantly. 
 
 " Well, do tell," ejaculated the cooper, " I didn't 
 know they was ever any natives on Norfolk 'cept 
 convicks from England, and I heerd that they was 
 done away with long ago. An' yew don' look 
 like a Kanaka neither." 
 
 " Neither am I," explained C. B. with gentle 
 dignity. " Surely you must have heard of the 
 Pitcairn Islanders finding Pitcairn too small for 
 them, and a number of them being sent by the 
 British Government to Norfolk Island, which was 
 given them to live in." 
 
 A chorus of remembrance arose in a babel of 
 voices until the old carpenter, getting up, came 
 close to C. B. and peered in his face intently, at last 
 remarking quietly, " Did your father ever go to sea 
 in a spouter, young feller ? "
 
 138 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 " Oh yes," answered C. B. ; " he was in the Rain- 
 bow and the Canton, both New England whaleships, 
 for a considerable time." 
 
 " And what might his name be, if he's still alive, 
 as I hope ? " 
 
 " Thank you, he's still alive, or was three months 
 ago, when I left home, God bless him, and his name 
 is Philip Adams ! " 
 
 The effect upon the carpenter was electrical. 
 He smote his thigh with great violence and shouted 
 " Boys, thishyer fine specimen of a boy is the son 
 of the finest specimen of a man that ever trod God 
 Almighty's earth. Nine months I was shipmates 
 with him in the ole Canton, and if ever a man w r as 
 tried by a lot of ornery scalawags, he was. He 
 could a broke any one of 'em in pieces with his 
 fingers ; he was as much above 'em at any kind o' 
 work as he was in strength an' good looks, yet that 
 mis'ble gang used to chip him, poke fun at him, 
 play tricks on him, until I used to feel as if I could 
 a killed 'em myself, and I warn't much better than 
 they was. But never once did anybody hear an 
 angry word or a bad word of any kind outer his 
 mouth, never once did he miss a chance of doin' 
 even the worst of his tormentors a good turn, and 
 never once did anybody have real cause of com- 
 plaint about his work or anything that he did. 
 And when he left the ship to go home because his 
 agreed time was up, I never see such a carry in' on, 
 you'd a thought everybody on board had lost 
 father and mother and all their other relations. 
 Young man " solemnly " if you're only one quarter 
 as good a man as your father was, the ship is entirely 
 blessed by having ye aboard, and I'm honoured 
 at bein' able to shake ye by the hand." 
 
 There was a momentary pause as " Chips " sank
 
 A GAM AND A REVENGE 139 
 
 down on his chest again, and C. B.'s eyes glistened 
 with heavenly pride at the honour paid to that 
 dear father whom he so fondly loved. Then he 
 said 
 
 " My dear dad is all you say of him, and all I am 
 or ever likely to be that's any good I owe to him and 
 mother. But he is a very quiet man, especially 
 about himself, and so we knew little of what he had 
 gone through. I understand it better now since I 
 have been whaling myself. I thank you with all 
 my heart for what you have said about him, it has 
 done me more good than you can possibly imagine." 
 
 There was rather an awkward pause after this, as if 
 the other members of the half deck hardly knew 
 what to do with such a prodigy as they now believed 
 they had got in their midst. But the carpenter came 
 to the rescue by saying 
 
 " Looky here, youngster, your father had a very 
 tuneful voice of his own, and although he didn't 
 talk much he would sing by the hour, all about God 
 and heaven and the like, and my ! but it made me 
 feel right good. D'ye happen to take after him 
 in that ? " 
 
 C. B. flushed a little and replied 
 
 " Since I've been to sea I've never sung a note 
 except humming to myself. But I used to sing at 
 home a good deal, and I'll be very glad to try if you 
 like. I only sing hymns, though." 
 
 " That's quite good," hastily answered the 
 carpenter, " your father didn't sing anything else 
 either, an' I don't suppose any of us will know 
 the difference. We're all more or less heathen, 
 you know." 
 
 So without further pressing C. B. lifted up his 
 sweet tenor and sang " O God of Bethel," amid 
 a silence that was positively painful in its intensity
 
 I 4 o A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 of attention. And as soon as he had finished he 
 was disconcerted by a very tempest of applause and 
 vociferous shouts of " Same man sing agen. Bully 
 for you, old hoss," etc., etc. And nothing loth 
 C. B. sang again and again, his repertoire being 
 tolerably extensive and his memory as good as his 
 bringing up would naturally make it, until tired out 
 he had to cry off. Then, and not till then, it was 
 found that all hands in the ship, forgetting the 
 gam, had crowded as near to the half deck as possible, 
 charmed by the sweet strains. 
 
 The whole incident brings forcibly to my memory 
 an experiment of my own once when gamming a 
 ship called the Cornelius Rowland off the Three 
 Kings, New Zealand. I was one of the visiting 
 boat's crew, [and after the usual topics of conver- 
 sation flagged a song was called for. I explained 
 that I had some pretensions to a voice, but 
 could only sing hymns, for in the sect among whom 
 I was converted it was esteemed wrong to sing 
 anything secular, and mortal sin to go to any place 
 of amusement whatever. It was immediately 
 explained to me that so long as I sang, the words 
 did not matter in the least, especially as scarcely 
 anybody would understand me. So I piped up 
 instantly with a favourite of mine from Sankey's 
 book, " Through the Valley of the Shadow I must 
 go." It was received with shouts of joy, one man 
 
 who was especially delighted saying, " Well, 
 
 my eyes, that's what I call a good song, d'ye 
 
 know. I could sit and listen to that kind o' singin' 
 all night." 
 
 I humbly apologize for the blanks, but the reader 
 will, I hope, feel as I did, that the forcible expletives 
 they represent meant nothing to the speaker, who 
 was only using his ordinary language. I only
 
 A GAM AND A REVENGE 141 
 
 know that I went on singing to the exclusion of 
 everybody else, and was quite hoarse the next day 
 from the unaccustomed vocal exercise, for we didn't 
 sing very much in my ship. After all, it was not 
 much to be wondered at, for the polyglot crowd met 
 with in the forecastle and half decks of a whaler has 
 usually one gift in common an intensely musical 
 ear, although the execution of pleasing music is 
 denied them in nearly every instance. And for 
 instrumental music they usually have that truly 
 infernal instrument, the accordion, from which the 
 most ingenious musician that ever lived can draw 
 nothing but noise. So that a little real music is 
 received with great joy. 
 
 At midnight the cry was heard, "Eliza Adams' 
 boat's crew away," and C. B. sprang to his post, 
 but not before his new-found friend " Chips " had 
 handed over to him his choicest treasure, a small 
 parcel of well-thumbed books, ragged copies of 
 Dickens and Charles Reade, with one or two 
 others by less known authors, but all to C. B. a 
 storehouse of wonders, a treasure unlocked. Then 
 with a warm handshake they parted, C. B. feeling 
 happier than he had done since leaving home. 
 Never before had he realized how much he had 
 craved for sympathy and the opportunity to express 
 himself in terms of love and admiration for his 
 Father in heaven. And when they presently 
 reached the ship Captain Taber said to him 
 
 ' You seem to have had a pretty good time, 
 Christmas. I heard you singing away and remem- 
 bered how your folks used to sing. It must have 
 been quite a treat to you to let loose again." 
 
 C. B. said nothing, for he did not feel that any 
 answer was required of him, but he longed with 
 greater desire than ever to be able to talk about
 
 142 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 the matter that lay nearest his heart. No one 
 who has not been in a similar position can begin to 
 realize what it means to be dumb upon the one 
 topic that interests you. To feel that if you mention 
 it to anybody you will not only not be understood, 
 but your words will be construed as an insult. 
 But he gave a great sigh and took the matter 
 quietly to the Lord as was his wont, feeling much 
 comforted thereby, strengthened to wait and endure 
 as long as he should be called upon to do so. And 
 all unknown to him relief was at hand. 
 
 Two days after meeting with the Matilda Sayer 
 the crow's-nest reported whale in the usual manner. 
 But this time it was a lone whale of very large size 
 steadily making a passage across the ground 
 at a leisurely pace. Now a lone whale is always 
 potentially very dangerous, because his loneliness 
 is due to the fact that he has been cast out of the 
 society of his kind. A big bull whale only maintains 
 his position as leader of the school as long as he is 
 able to beat all aspirants to the dignity. And 
 as the young bulls growing up are continually 
 striving to attain that position, it will easily be seen 
 that to keep it the holder must be of exceptional 
 strength and vigour, while the day will surely 
 come when in the natural order of events he will 
 have to abdicate, which does not mean that he 
 may take an inferior position in the school, but that 
 he must leave it altogether and from henceforth 
 until the end, which may be many years distant, 
 he must roam solitary. 
 
 But this condition of existence for the whale 
 naturally means that he becomes morose, savage 
 and wary. And if he should in addition have been 
 the object of attack by whalemen and have got away 
 from them he becomes doubly dangerous because
 
 A GAM AND A REVENGE 143 
 
 of the never-to-be-forgotten lessons he has learned 
 as to how to act, and also because it usually happens 
 that he carries with him, imbedded in his flesh, some 
 rankling fragments of bombs and certainly a galling 
 harpoon. 
 
 Now in consequence of these well-known facts 
 concerning the lone whale, it is usual to approach 
 him with considerable caution. But there are 
 many whalemen to whom caution in dealing with 
 their gigantic quarry is a word of no meaning, 
 they are reckless in the extreme, and no amount 
 of disaster ever seems sufficient to teach them 
 Of such was Mr. Merritt : that strange composed 
 man took fire within when approaching a whale. He 
 " saw red " as the saying is, and although handling 
 his boat and using his weapons with consummate 
 skill, he had not one iota of prudence in his whole 
 make up. 
 
 Now on this momentous occasion, because it was a 
 lone whale, Captain Taber ordered the chief and 
 fourth officers away, keeping the other boats in 
 readiness to lower of course should there be any 
 necessity, but not anticipating that more would 
 be needed. It was a fine day, but the wind was 
 high and the sea was correspondingly heavy. 
 According to etiquette Mr. Winsloe was first on the 
 whale, into which Pepe with his usual skill planted 
 both irons right up to the hitches. Mr. Merritt 
 lay off a little with his boat, noting with some sur- 
 prise that no frantic wallowings and struggling 
 followed the dart. Assuming, as was most natural, 
 that Pepe had failed to strike the whale, he pulled 
 up rapidly, having dowsed his own sail, to where Mr. 
 VVinsloe's men were busy getting their mast down. 
 
 When within a couple of boat's lengths of them 
 all were horrified to see the huge black head of the
 
 144 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 whale suddenly rise ghost-wise on the port bow 
 of the boat, while the gleaming pointed lower jaw 
 emerged from the water on the starboard side. The 
 view was only momentary, for as they gazed horror- 
 stricken they saw the great jaws close, crashing 
 through the flimsy sides of the boat as if she were 
 of so much paper, and with a yell that rang high 
 above the roar of wind and sea the crew sprang 
 clear of the wreck for their lives. But C. B.'s eagle 
 eye noticed on the instant that the harponeer had 
 disappeared, and in a second he had leapt from the 
 boat into the vortex caused by the wallowing of the 
 whale, dived and caught at a black mass far beneath 
 the surface, the body of Pepe entangled by the 
 whale line. Fortunately at that moment the whale, 
 disdaining to seek safety in flight, returned to the 
 surface, and consequently there was little difficulty 
 for such a powerful expert as C. B. to bring his prize 
 to the surface, free him from the line, and assist 
 him back to the boat. I say assist, for Pepe, 
 though grievously injured, had never lost con- 
 sciousness, and in consequence was able to make 
 some feeble attempts to help himself. 
 
 By the time he had been hauled inboard the rest 
 of the crew had been rescued and the bight of the 
 line, which C. B. had dropped as soon as he had 
 cleared it from Pepe's limbs, was picked up and 
 taken through the notch in the bows, displacing 
 their own line. Now Mr. Merritt was in his element, 
 danger and difficulty of any kind seemed to give the 
 needed stimulus to his otherwise sluggish nature. 
 Charging the rescued crew to double bank the oars, 
 and placing the injured man in the bottom of the 
 boat, he changed ends with C. B. and awaited the on- 
 slaught of the whale. 
 
 That monster played the usual waiting game,.
 
 A GAM AND A REVENGE 145 
 
 just appearing for an instant to spout, and then only 
 exposing the point of the snout where the spiracle 
 or blow-hole is situated. He was waiting his 
 opportunity to perform the same operation on 
 the second boat as he had done on the first. But 
 Merritt seemed to have placed himself in absolute 
 correspondence with the whale's mind, for each 
 time that either the great flukes or the ponderous 
 jaws appeared above water the boat by a quiet 
 order had been driven to a safe distance, and the 
 threatened blow or bite did not take effect. In 
 fact the queer yellow man was playing the waiting 
 game also, knowing that the whale's exertions were 
 rapidly tiring him out. 
 
 For, strange to say, vast as is the strength possessed 
 by these monsters, they tire very soon when they have 
 to exert themselves much. And it is only when 
 they are allowed to take things easily, as some- 
 times happens through cowardice or unskilfulness 
 on the part of the whalemen, that they are able to 
 weary out their aggressors and finally emerge the 
 victors in the long fight. At last Merritt saw with 
 a chuckle of delight that the whale was going to 
 rush him head and head as we call it. He had his 
 bomb gun ready to hand, and laying down his 
 hand lance he put it to his shoulder, crying 
 
 " Now, stern all hard and keep her just as she 
 heads, Christmas." 
 
 With so much power at the oars the boat rushed 
 swiftly astern as the whale came rushing on, the 
 great head rearing high out of water and exposing 
 the gleaming white cavern of the throat. 
 
 Coolly, as if ashore at some practising ground, 
 Merritt took aim and pulled the trigger. There 
 was a splash, a report, and an appalling commotion 
 in the sea ahead of the boat, in the midst of which 
 
 K
 
 146 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 another report was heard, the explosion of the 
 bomb within the whale's body. " Way 'nough," 
 shouted Merritt, and the boat stopped a cable's 
 length away from the place where the mighty 
 mammal was tearing up the deep in his Titanic 
 death throes. For a few moments the scene was 
 appalling, almost akin to a submarine volcanic 
 eruption, then the uproar suddenly ceased and the 
 magnificent beast lay dead, listlessly tossing upon 
 the waves which the exuding oil from his wounds 
 turned into smooth hummocks of water quietly 
 rising and falling around. 
 
 The tumult had hardly subsided when the second 
 boat ranged alongside with orders to Mr. Merritt 
 to return at once with his overmanned boat. And 
 he obeyed cheerfully, because nothing is more 
 annoying than to try and work in a boat where 
 the hands, by reason of their being too many, get in 
 one another's way, this being especially so when, as 
 was now the case, one man grievously hurt was 
 lying in the bottom of the boat. They soon reached 
 the ship and climbed on board, Mr. Winsloe hasten- 
 ing to the skipper and reporting the catastrophe, 
 while all hands rallied on to the falls and ran the 
 boat up with Pepe's unconscious body in it. He 
 was tenderly lifted out and carried aft on to a 
 mattress, where his clothes were removed, disclosing 
 the severe nature of his injuries. The whale had 
 evidently nipped him sideways, for the great teeth 
 of the lower jaw had made eleven ghastly bruises, 
 each four or five inches across, and in three places 
 the clothing was driven deep into the blackened 
 flesh. Three of the largest ribs were broken, and 
 the right arm was horribly lacerated by the whale 
 line being twisted round it under a great strain. 
 
 But owing to the bluntness of the teeth there
 
 A GAM AND A REVENGE 147 
 
 had been no loss of blood, except in so far as it had 
 blackened and spread under the skin, which of 
 course was highly dangerous from the possibility 
 of mortification and the absence of any but the 
 rudest surgery. However, all that could be done 
 for the poor wretch by way of cooling lotions and 
 bandages was done, and he regained consciousness 
 to fall into a refreshing sleep. 
 
 Meanwhile the crew had toiled fiercely under the 
 direction of the mate to get their prize alongside, 
 finding as it was hauled near that its dimensions 
 were more imposing than they had imagined. 
 Measured along the rail it was roughly seventy feet 
 in length, which is as far as is accurately known 
 about the limit of size for a cachalot, while as it lay 
 on its side, its jaw parallel to the ship, it looked as 
 imposing in size as a vessel of two or three hundred 
 tons bottom up. The fluke chain was passed without 
 difficulty, and all the available force of harponeers 
 and officers that could get at it attacked it at once 
 with almost desperate energy, for it was getting 
 late in the day, the night promised to be very dark, 
 and none relished the prospect of pursuing that 
 gigantic task without other light save that afforded 
 by the feeble cressets. To Mr. Merritt and C. B. 
 fell the task of severing the monstrous head, a. 
 labour which it is most difficult to realize. There 
 is but a slight crease in the place where a neck 
 ought to be, and here the carcass is nearly twenty feet 
 through a mass of muscle and sinew with scarcely 
 any soft parts, and right in the centre of it the 
 huge ball and socket joint of the vertebrae which 
 is composed of bones nearly two feet thick. And 
 if those spades plunging down into the depths of 
 that mass darkly (for it is impossible to keep the 
 scarph open) should miss the joint, as it is exceedingly
 
 148 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 likely they may, the additional work is tremendous. 
 I have seen this task occupy the labours of the 
 whole of the officers and harponeers of a ship, 
 relieving one another at frequent intervals, for a 
 whole day. 
 
 But this huge toil is but little greater than that 
 which is being prosecuted at the same time by the 
 others, all of whom are balanced upon the precarious 
 plank of the cutting in stage, suspended far out over 
 the side and springing to every roll of the ship. 
 There is the junk to be divided from the head, 
 a mass weighing eight to ten tons cut diagonally 
 from the lower point of the upper jaw, and there 
 is also the huge oblong mass of the case, or really half 
 the remainder of the head, to be cut through, where a 
 careless lunge of the spade may cause the leakage 
 of all the valuable spermaceti which it holds in a 
 liqnid state. In this immense task strength avails 
 little unless allied to skill, and skill is of small use 
 without strength and endurance to keep driving 
 the spade in the right place. 
 
 In a small whale, as I have hinted before, these 
 operations are much simplified, because the head 
 can be cut off and hoisted on deck, where the work 
 of severing junk and case is quite easy. But as 
 now the whale was of the largest size and most of 
 the work had to be done upon the huge masses 
 rolling and tumbling in the unquiet sea beneath, 
 all the strength, patience, and endurance possessed 
 by the workers were needed to the very limit. At 
 last the head came off, and a great groan of relief 
 went up from Merritt and C. B., whose arms felt as 
 if they would drop oft through sheer weariness. But 
 there was no prospect of rest, the only relief they 
 could hope for was a change in their movements 
 bringing a different set of muscles into play. The
 
 A GAM AND A REVENGE 149 
 
 blubber hook had long been in position affixed to 
 the eyepiece, and no sooner did the huge mass of the 
 head surge astern than the high clear voice of the 
 captain rose 
 
 " Heave away there cheerily now, I want to see 
 how quick ye can skin this whale." 
 
 He was answered by an incessant clattering of 
 the pawls as the windlass brakes flew up and down, 
 and the first blanket piece of blubber, a foot thick 
 and nine feet wide, rose majestically into the air. 
 
 As soon as the blocks of the tackle came together 
 the windlass stopped, while the captain, armed with 
 a formidable boarding-knife like a cutlass blade 
 stuck in a long wooden handle, cut a big circular 
 hole in the centre of the blanket piece, thrust the 
 strap of the waiting tackle through it and secured 
 it by a large wooden toggle, shouting as he slipped 
 it into its place, " Heave on yer whale, my hearties, 
 heave on yer whale : surge on yer piece ! " 
 
 " Oh what a jargon," I think I hear some reader 
 say wearily. I'm sorry, but it can't be helped. It only 
 means that the men at the windlass heave on the 
 second tackle and let the fall of the first slip round 
 the windlass barrel. Then as soon as the second 
 tackle has taken the strain " Vast heaving " is called, 
 while the captain with his boarding-knife cuts 
 through the blanket piece high above the hole 
 he made for the securing of the second tackle and 
 the mass, now disengaged, is lowered into the 
 blubber room. 
 
 It sounds like a lengthy process but really is not, 
 for in the present instance the captain's appeal was 
 answered so well that in twenty-five minutes the 
 whole of that vast carcass was denuded of its 
 blubber and had floated away, the centre of a raven- 
 ing horde of sharks.
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 The Story of a Crime 
 
 A LTHOUGH it would be quite unfair to imagine 
 <L\. from the immense activity prevailing in the 
 ship during the cutting-in that Pepe was neglected, 
 it is certain that according to a very well understood 
 and constantly acted upon rule in South Sea whalers, 
 work connected with whaling takes precedence of 
 everything else. Nothing is allowed to interfere 
 with it as long as it is humanly possible to carry it 
 on. Remembering the quite scanty rewards to 
 be obtained on an average by the most ardent and 
 successful whalemen, the absolute impossibility 
 of any supervision by the owners for three or four 
 years at a time, it is, I think, little short of marvellous 
 to note the extraordinary energy and perseverance 
 manifested by these men, of whatever grade above 
 that of seaman, in the chief business of the voyage. 
 Physical injury, lack of rest, incredible toil, 
 privation suffered are all made light of in the chase, 
 capture, and disposal of the whale. Charges are 
 often brought against the leaders of gross inhumanity 
 to the men working under them in the absence of 
 full restraint ; but as far as that cruelty consists in 
 overwork, or work under desperate conditions, I 
 bear witness that if the sailor or foremost hand is 
 not spared, neither do those who drive him spare 
 themselves. The voluntary work that I have seen 
 some of these men perform would be taken as
 
 THE STORY OF A CRIME 151 
 
 incredible if I were to relate it, and I therefore shrink 
 from giving instances. Besides, to the majority 
 of those whom I hope will read this book, the whole 
 business would be unintelligible because entirely 
 out of the purview of a serene and quietly ordered 
 life. 
 
 This terribly energetic method of working was a 
 most severe lesson to C. B., hard to learn, harder 
 still to understand. For in the gentle life of the 
 islanders, though great efforts were sometimes 
 necessary in an emergency, as we have seen, they had 
 no ideas of hard work as a habit, for the love of 
 working hard, or for the greed of gain. They were 
 as far removed from being ascetics as they were 
 from being hypocrites. They loved their simple 
 pleasures and heartily gave thanks to God for 
 them, and they could not understand why any sane 
 person should misuse his body in order to get more 
 than somebody else had the last condition being 
 an unthinkable one to them where everything was 
 held in common. But it had not taken C. B. long 
 to discover that in the new world of which he was 
 now a denizen, might and endurance, as well as 
 ability to get and keep, were the objects of praise 
 and almost worship. That men were held in esteem, 
 not for what they were, but for what they had, and 
 that the easiest sneer to their lips was that a priest, 
 a parson, or a religious man of any kind was an in- 
 dividual who had found that the easiest way of 
 getting a living without work was gaining a hold 
 over the minds of your hard-working fellows by 
 pretending that you were in touch with the unseen 
 world. 
 
 So he had early come to the conclusion that he 
 must prove his manhood by his eagerness to work, 
 his indifference to fatigue, and his ability to do all
 
 152 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 that was required of him, as well as by his passive 
 obedience to all the loving precepts of the Gospel. 
 And this kept him going sometimes when he would 
 fain have sunk down with fatigue, a generous pride 
 and belief in God's sustaining power as being certainly 
 no less able to uphold the Christian than the mys- 
 terious force that kept Merritt, the man of no 
 beliefs and strangest origin, going apparently with 
 ease when everybody else was sinking with fatigue. 
 Nobly he sustained his part, and nobody suspected 
 how near he was several times to giving up and 
 declaring that whatever happened he could work 
 no more without rest. 
 
 This present business was really the severest he had 
 gone through, because his successful effort to save Pepe 
 was made under the most trying conditions, every 
 ounce of his great strength as well as his endurance 
 of privation of air had been put forth, and then as 
 soon as the ship was reached work harder than ever 
 had to be engaged in. Consequently as soon as 
 the last case had been strung up alongside by the 
 two main tackles and the business of baling it out 
 had commenced he was most thankful to hear the 
 skipper say 
 
 " Now, I'll watch these fellows baling the case, 
 an' all the rest of ye scoot, get a good skin full of 
 grub and a rest. We'll set blubber watches at 
 eight bells" (eight o'clock p.m.). 
 
 As they stepped away from the waist, with all 
 its debris of quaint fragments of blubber and bone, 
 and the swish, swish of oil surging from side to side 
 of the deck, Merritt said to our friend 
 
 " Christmas, me boy, I ain't too sorry to knock 
 off for an hour or two. I believe I'm getting old ; 
 can't work day in and day out 'thout wantin' a 
 rest same as I used to."
 
 THE STORY OF A CRIME 153 
 
 C. B. replied simply 
 
 " I thought you could hardly be made of ordinary 
 flesh and blood. You seem to work like a machine 
 and never to think of rest, while I often find myself 
 wondering how much longer I can hold out." 
 
 " Ah, me boy," responded Merritt, laying his 
 hand most affectionately on C. B.'s arm, " you 
 forget the differences between our ages. You're only 
 a boy just done growin", 'bout twenty-two ain't ye ? 
 while I well I don't quite know how old I am, but 
 I guess about thirty-five, have got all my gristle 
 hardened into man, and can plug along 'thout 
 showin' it. But you shape better than any youngster 
 I ever see." 
 
 As Merritt finished speaking, C. B. suddenly 
 bethought him of Pepe, lying aft there in miserable 
 pain, and slipped along to his side. Finding the 
 wounded man awake he dropped one knee beside 
 him, saying 
 
 " How is it, Pepe ? Can I do anything for you, 
 get a pipe, a drink, or move you ? " 
 
 Pepe looked up at the fine eager face, and moistened 
 his lips twice or thrice before he replied with another 
 question : " What made ye save me ? If I'd been 
 in your place, I'd let ye die, an' glad o' the chance. 
 An' I'd be best pleased if you'd let me go when I 
 was three parts gone. I don't want t' live cos 
 you've beat me, you an' yer Chinaman. Go away ; 
 I hate ye, an' if I could I'd kill ye now. What did 
 ye ever come aboard this ship for ? Ye've made a 
 hell of her for better men than you are." 
 
 C. B. knew better than to stay and talk to a man 
 in that frame of mind, a man too who, for all he 
 knew, might be raving in delirium ; but he thought 
 with some consolation of certain unclean spirits of old 
 who cried to the healing Lord, " Art thou come to
 
 154 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 torment us before our time ? " and turned away to 
 his berth below, where he found a good and ample 
 meal awaiting him. He ate and drank reverently, 
 gratefully, and then, greatly refreshed, lay down 
 in his bunk and went fast asleep almost on the in- 
 stant, having not a single care of his own. And, as it 
 happened that he was not in the first watch, it was 
 2 a.m. before he was called, and then he sprang to 
 his feet at the word full of life and energy. 
 
 When he rushed on deck he found the machinery 
 of oil-boiling in full blast, the caldrons bubbling 
 fiercely, the square iron funnels of the try-works 
 blazing like the squat chimneys of an iron foundry, 
 and the clatter of the mincing machine incessant. 
 He had little imagination or he would have thought 
 what a picture she made, this tiny hive of human 
 energy with all her toilers, in the midst of that 
 immense stretch of lonely ocean, engaged in con- 
 verting to human use the treasure of the boundless 
 deep ravished from its mightiest denizen. But he 
 only saw a little group of almost dead-beat men who 
 had been working mechanically for hours, only 
 thought pityingly of the ill-requited toil and what he 
 considered to be the folly of it all. 
 
 Then he plunged into the work himself, while the 
 second and fourth mates prowled about the decks, 
 keeping a vigilant eye upon possible shirkers, seeing 
 the great casks rolled away from the cooler as the 
 cooked oil was poured into them and they brimmed 
 over. In fact the ship was now just a floating factory 
 from which, except to an observant onlooker if 
 such there had been, all romance had departed to 
 make way for the greasy heavy toil. No lookout 
 was kept, no hand at the wheel, which was lashed 
 hard a lee ; for, in case any other ship should be 
 wandering that way, the trying-out whaler was a
 
 THE STORY OF A CRIME 155 
 
 beacon in herself, visible for many miles. She 
 certainly could not run another ship down, and 
 any one who run her down could be little less than a 
 criminal lunatic, at least quite unfit to have charge 
 of a" ship. 
 
 So the heavy round of work went on without 
 intermission until, about 4.30, the darkest hour 
 before the dawn, all hands on deck were startled 
 beyond measure by hearing a high clear voice crying 
 
 " Ship ahoy ! What ship is that ? Do you need 
 any assistance ? " All eyes were turned in the 
 direction of the hail, and there close by them rode 
 a ship of war, her side crowded with men plainly 
 visible in the blue flare she was burning, but 
 looking all corpse-like in that unnatural light. 
 
 Loud and clear came the response from aft, 
 for Captain Taber seemed to be always on hand 
 when wanted : " Ship Eliza Adams of New Bedford, 
 whaling, now engaged in trying out." 
 
 " Thank you," came the somewhat dissatisfied 
 answer across. " I thought you were on fire. 
 Good-night and good luck. Go ahead, please ; forty 
 revolutions, course S.8o.W." 
 
 It was only one of the police of the seas, a British 
 man-o'-war attached to the South American Squad- 
 ron ; but as she did not leave her name or destination 
 no one on board could guess who she was. Captain 
 Taber said sardonically, " That's a Johnny Haul 
 Taut, I bet ; thinks he owns the show. But I guess 
 he's ben sold a pup this watch. Wonder what sort 
 of guff he'll enter up in his log about this." It 
 was not generous, but characteristic of American 
 captains in discussing British seamen and their 
 seamanship, and we can hardly quarrel or bother 
 with it to any good purpose. But what was entered 
 in the log was just this
 
 156 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 " Saw a glare to the eastward, looking like a ship 
 on fire, altered course at 3.55 a.m. to E.N.E. and 
 ran down at full speed, twelve knots. Discovered 
 the glare to be the whaleship Eliza Adams of New 
 Bedford trying out a whale. Resumed course 
 immediately, S.8o.W., forty revolutions. Weather 
 as before." 
 
 By the next day at noon the deck was clear of 
 all the filth, and the factory-like work was proceed- 
 ing with machine-like regularity, all hands being 
 now well rested. And as cask after cask was filled 
 at the cooler and rolled away to a secure temporary 
 berth on deck, the captain was heard to say some- 
 thing to this effect : " I thought so. I guessed that 
 whale to be about the biggest in all my experience, 
 an' now I'm gettin' to be sure of it. Never saw a 
 bigger whale nor yet richer blubber." By which 
 he meant that the blubber was so full of oil that 
 when cut the clear fluid gushed almost like water 
 and besides it was full of cysts, small cells of about 
 the size of peas, which were filled with a bland 
 substance of the consistency of cream, probably 
 almost pure spermaceti. 
 
 For although the great reservoir of spermaceti 
 is hi the head, in this case yielding nearly fifty barrels 
 or five tons of almost pure spermaceti, this curious 
 substance is found in the oil from any part of the 
 body, particularly the great dorsal hump. Why 
 the head should have so huge a quantity of this fluid 
 contained in it is a mystery, the only supposition 
 concerning its use being that its very low specific 
 gravity brings the vast mass much more quickly 
 to the surface than would otherwise be the case, 
 and brings it up too in such a position that the 
 spiracle or blow-hole is the first portion of the whale 
 to break water. This substance has nothing in it
 
 THE STORY OF A CRIME 157 
 
 of the nature of brain matter the brains are quite 
 small in proportion to the size of the creature but 
 it has been held, in view of the high intelligence 
 shown by the whales and seals, all of which are noted 
 for their apparent paucity of brain, that this thought 
 or intelligence matter is distributed over the different 
 nerve centres, or to put it more colloquially, the 
 creature has, like the telephone system in a large 
 town, several local exchanges, as well as one central 
 exchange for the transaction of general business. 
 
 And in the same way it has been supposed that 
 the whales, huge as they are, cannot possibly contain 
 sufficient air for the needs of the creatures during 
 the prolonged period often nearly an hour during 
 which they remain under water, since they have 
 no other means of aerating the blood whatever. 
 So it has been assumed that in some mysterious way 
 the vital principle of the air, oxygen, is in some way 
 secreted during the period that the whale is on the 
 surface, a supposition which is somewhat supported 
 by the fact that the whale upon coming to the surface 
 must make so many respirations, always the same 
 in number, before he can seek the depths again, 
 which would point to some process going on in 
 addition to ordinary breathing. Also it would 
 certainly be impossible for him to sink if he inflated 
 himself, as it were, by shipping a great reservoir full 
 of air. 
 
 But this is probably enough of whale anatomy 
 for one chapter, so I will leave the subject for a 
 while, merely recording that the captain's most 
 sanguine expectations were fulfilled, the whale 
 yielding one hundred and sixty barrels or sixteen 
 tons of oil and spermaceti, which at the then high 
 market-price of the day, 108 per ton, made the 
 handsome sum of over seventeen hundred pounds
 
 158 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 for less than a week's work. Of course the long 
 spells of inaction and the heavy outlay as well as 
 upkeep must be borne in mind, and I do not suggest 
 that the great game was ever in the nature of a 
 gold mine, only that when a monster like the one 
 we have just tried out was obtained he made a very 
 considerable addition to the profits of the voyage. 
 
 All the oil having been run down, and the lavish 
 application of lye and sand to the decks and paint- 
 work having made the ship look her usual smart self, 
 the monotonous old routine began again, but for our 
 hero at least its monotony was a thing of the past. 
 For one thing he began on his bundle of books, only 
 reading a very little at a time at first, but gradually 
 getting absorbed in them and reading on to the great 
 loss of his sleep. But oh, to be able to read like him, 
 to drink with an entirely unsophisticated thirst at 
 the fountain of good literature believing every word 
 as if it were directly inspired ! Of course he read 
 his Bible as he had always done, from a genuine love 
 of it and a full appreciation of its living histories, not 
 at all as a religious duty, but as with his wonderful 
 memory he knew it nearly all by heart, it was en- 
 tirely delightful to him to get hold of something 
 fresh. 
 
 At last his chief, Merritt, said to him one night, 
 with just the slightest shade of grievance in his 
 voke, " Tears to me you're mighty busy these days, 
 too busy to have a yarn even. What 'yer doin' 
 anyhow with yer nose in a book all the time ? " 
 
 For a moment the idea of the extremely taciturn 
 Merritt wanting a yarn almost made C. B. smile, 
 but he suppressed the impulse and replied apolo- 
 getically 
 
 " I'm afraid I've been a bit selfish of late, but the 
 fact is I've just found my way into a new world. I
 
 THE STORY OF A CRIME 159 
 
 never knew how much there was in books before, 
 and I forget everything else but the people that 
 seem to be all alive before me, doing and saying 
 things that I never dreamed of before. You see, 
 I've missed very much the long talks and pleasant 
 society that I've been used to all my life till I came 
 here, for no one here seemed to care about anything 
 that I like, and I can't listen to their yarns at all : 
 they're all dreadful to me because of the bad 
 language." 
 
 Merritt looked at him keenly for the space of a 
 minute, and then said as if thinking aloud, " I wonder 
 what Pepe thinks of ye now since you saved his life. 
 Don't seem overnabove thankful 's far 's I can see. 
 Spoke t' him yet ? " 
 
 C. B. flushed dark red as he replied, " Yes, I asked 
 him the next day if I could do anything for him, and 
 I found him as bitter as ever. He knows all about 
 the business how, I don't know, but he does and 
 he seems to hate me worse for it. What it means 
 I don't understand, but I can't alter it, and so I 
 must let him go his own way." 
 
 " I know," grunted Merritt ; " he's a bad man, 
 eaten up with jealousy of you. If you'd a ben a 
 no 'count greenie that couldn't keep your end up, an' 
 had to knuckle down to him in the half deck same 
 as his other cronies do or did, you wouldn't had no 
 trouble with him. I got no use for men like him 
 except to make oil, for he's a pretty fair average 
 whaleman I'm not denying that. 
 
 " But what I like about you is that you're not only 
 a good whaleman, but you're a good man. An' 
 now I want to tell you somethin'. I ben achin' to 
 get it off my chest for a long time past, ever since I 
 took such a shine t' ye at the first lowerin'. I told 
 yer I had a chum once, didn't I ? Yes ; well, I
 
 160 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 picked him up on the beach at the Bay of Islands. 
 He'd swum ashore from the Guidiri Light, a whale- 
 ship that had the reputation in her day of being the 
 worst of all the bad ships that ever went a spoutin'. 
 He was pretty desperate, but he knew enough not 
 to try and skip while she was anchor : the standin' 
 twenty dollars reward would ha' put every Maori 
 in the neighbourhood on his track in a fluke-twist. 
 So he waited till she was under weigh, and then when 
 she was well off the heads he slipped down a rope 
 and put for shore. 
 
 "Well, he'd fetched round to Russell, an', mind I'm 
 telling ye, they were pretty hard crowd there those 
 days, so if a poor devil had no money he stood a 
 gaudy chance of starvin'. Well, I was in a good 
 homely ship, the Mornin' Star, the skipper's boat- 
 header at that, an' we come into the Bay of Islan's 
 to wood and water up an' give liberty as usual. I 
 come ashore with the skipper as soon as the kellick 
 was down, and while he was up at the store I strolled 
 along the beach an' I finds Dick, the chap I'm 
 talkin' about, lyin' on the sand half dead. I gives 
 him a kick just to let him know he was liable for a 
 sunstroke, and he gets up halfway and looks at me 
 just like a dog I had once. That was enough for 
 me. I gets him up, takes him to old Rowsell's store, 
 and fills him full of good grub an' beer, and then 
 when the skipper come along I puts in a word fer 
 him an' he's taken aboard. 
 
 " We happened to be a couple of hands short, so 
 the old man wasn't sorry to have him, and I well, I 
 don't know what it could ha' been, but I got so fond 
 of that fellow you can't think. When he got into 
 decent rig, and had two or three square meals, he 
 was a different chap, quite handsome and a regular 
 Jim Dandy. He was a white man too, some sort of
 
 THE STORY OF A CRIME 161 
 
 an Englishman I guess, an' he could talk like a hull 
 box o' books. We was only about nine months out 
 from New Bedford when he came aboard, an' 
 before another three months he'd so twisted himself 
 around me, one that had never had a pet before since 
 I first knew myself, that I'd ha' died for him. He was 
 after oarsman in my boat an' smart too, but, though 
 I wouldn't see it then, he was a coward an' a sneak 
 of the worst kind. I was in hot water the whole 
 time takin' his part, for he was always in rows, an' 
 used to run to me like a kid. I think I liked him all 
 the more for that, an' beside a row has always ben 
 a sort o' tonic to me. 
 
 " Looking back now I can't understand the hold 
 that fellow had over me, for he was always playing 
 some dirty trick or another, not on me, but other 
 fellows, an' I had to get him out o' them. An' if 
 ever I went for him real angry, he could always 
 salve me over in a few minutes with that soapy 
 tongue of his. At last I found him out. We went 
 into Callao, an' it was the days when shanghaiing 
 was carried on wuss there than anywhere else. No one 
 was allowed out of the ship except on such business 
 as takin' the skipper ashore, an' then we was forbid 
 to leave the boat. But he had ben there before, an' 
 knew Buck Murphy, the big shanghai boss, who 
 used ter come down on the quay an' yarn with him 
 very quiet. One afternoon while we was waitin' for 
 the skipper, Dick persuades me to come up to a house 
 not above two ships' lengths away an' have a drink 
 with him, bringin' two hands out of the boat with us 
 and leavin' a Kanaka in charge. It was only to be 
 for a minute. 
 
 " Even t' this day I don't know what made me go. 
 I knew better, o' course, an' I never did care much 
 fer drink anyway. But that fellow could make me 
 
 L
 
 162 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 do anythin' he liked, I believe, an,' so I went, like a 
 silly goat as I was. I smelt somehow that all wasn't 
 right when I got in, for there was as tough a lookin' 
 crowd as ever I see sittin' about, an' half of 'em 
 looked ready to begin on anybody they didn't 
 sorter just cotton to. But I had my drink, three 
 fingers of aguardiente, an' so did the two chaps as 
 was with us, two Yanks they was. Just as I puts 
 my glass down I sees Dick lookin' at me curious, 
 an' in that moment I knew that he had sold me. I 
 never want to feel like that again. The bottom 
 seemed to have fell out of everything. I jumped up, 
 knockin' the big table over ; I heard an' awful crashin' 
 an' bangin' an', then nothin.' 
 
 " When I came to agen I was bein' hauled along a 
 deck by the neck, an' I was feelin' wuss nor ever I 
 had felt in my life. I heard somebody yell ' up 
 with ye, dirt ; an' loose that maintgallant s'l,' an' 
 I started, the sailor in me, I s'pose. But as I got on 
 the sheer pole I looked around, for my head was 
 gettin' clearer, and there, not more'n a mile 
 away was the Mornin Star at anchor, an' we 
 fly in' past her at the rate o' knots before a fresh 
 breeze under topsails fore and aft. Just one look 
 was enough for me. I slued round and dived, 
 comin' up headin' straight for the ole ship. And 
 the skunk in charge o' that hooker that I'd ben 
 shanghaied into stood on his poop an' took pot 
 shots at me from a Winchester as long as he could 
 see me. But he dassent heave to where he was'n 
 I played the ole islan' game on him, boy, long swim 
 under water, bob up an' a guts full of air, then down 
 agen. Why, I'd run the blockade of forty ships if 
 only the water was rough enough. 
 
 " Presently the old man sees me, he'd ben dis- 
 turbed by the noise o' the shootin',an,' as he after-
 
 THE STORY OF A CRIME 163 
 
 wards told me, he ups with his glass an' makes out 
 who it was. An' then he was that excited he couldn't 
 keep still ; but he had too much savvy to lower a 
 boat until the ship that I'd jumped from was outer 
 gunshot. Then they come an' picked me up. I was 
 feelin' real good, for that swim had put new life 
 inter me. When I got aboard the ole man was that 
 delighted t' see me I thought he'd a cried, an' I was 
 some glad t' get back. I told him all I knew, an' 
 he says, ' Why that chum o' yours is wuss an' what 
 even I thought him, an' you know I never did like 
 him. He got down inter my cabin that day some- 
 how and stole about two hundred dollars in money 
 an' some bits o' julery as I prized, an' I hain't heard 
 nothin' of him since. 
 
 " I didn't say nothin', I couldn't, but I reckoned 
 that if ever I met Mr. Dick agen, no matter where 
 or how, it'd be his last meetin' with anybody. 
 
 " I went an' had a good sleep an' a feed, an' that 
 night as soon as it was dark I goes t' the skipper an' 
 says I : 'I'm goin' ashore, sir, with your permission, 
 but I don't want no boat, I'll swim.' He knew me 
 an' he says, ' Well, if you must you must. But I 
 don't want t' lose ye, try an' get back agen.' An' 
 I says, ' You bet I'll be back before mornin'.' So I 
 puts my ole bowie in my belt, slips down over the 
 side, an' puts for the shore. It was only a couple o' 
 miles off, so I was as fresh as paint when I lands, an' 
 then I starts off on my search. I knew, of course, 
 that my joker calc'lated on me bein' a good many 
 miles away by this time, so I didn't dodge about, I 
 went straight to the rum mill he'd lured me to. An' 
 when I shoved open the door, there he is, a settin' 
 with a big drink afore him, and Buck Murphy with 
 two other boys o' the same class sittin' around with 
 cards in their hands. They were playin' bluff.
 
 164 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 " I wasn't : I made one jump at him like a cougar. 
 I knew I could a had him out o' the middle of a regi- 
 ment of soldiers, an' as I went I knocked the kerosine 
 lamp over that was on the table so that the only 
 light that there was came from the burnin' ile lappin' 
 around the wooden shanty. I got him by the neck, 
 with my left hand. With the other I pulls my knife 
 an' as I choked him I felt for anythin' touchin' me 
 an' cut at it. The flame burst up high an' showed 
 me the rest o' the crowd clearin', so I pulls up quickly 
 an' has a good look at him. I thought he was dead, 
 but I makes sure an' then has a peep round. An' 
 in the corner of the room I sees a big hole. Bein' 
 as clear in my mind as I am now I makes a breach 
 for it, guessin' what it was, drops through it an' 
 finds myself in the harbour which was all right. 
 
 " So I takes a little journey, lands and get my 
 bearin's on, then paddles off quietly to the ship feelin' 
 quite easy in my mind. I got aboard agen at mid- 
 night, and was very near shot by the mate who, seein' 
 me climb inboard in the dark, thought I was some 
 pirate or another. I jollied him a bit about his 
 shootin', not much, because I ain't big on the shoot 
 myself, then turned in, tellin' him I'd give the cuffer 
 t' the skipper in the mornin'. 
 
 " I was middlin' tired, an' I had to be called at 
 two bells, an' as soon as I come on deck the ole man 
 says, ' So you got back all right, Merritt ? ' ' Yes, sir/ 
 I says, 'an' I've squared the account. Mister Dick 
 won't sell any more men, his pleasant little game is 
 stopped for a full due.' 'Why, you surely didn't 
 kill him, did you, Merritt ? ' says he, holdin' up both 
 han's as if he was scared like. ' Well, if I didn't,' says 
 I, ' it's a funny thing to me. But I don't think there's 
 much doubt about it ; an' I went on to give him the 
 story. Would you believe it, he looked at me as if I
 
 THE STORY OF A CRIME 165 
 
 hurt his eyesight, an' from that out I don't think he 
 really ever liked me. Some men is like that, ye 
 know. They know you've done the right thing, 
 yet they hate ye for doin' it. But that didn't 
 trouble me any." 
 
 All through the long recital C. B. had listened with 
 mingled feelings of admiration and horror, and when 
 Merritt had finished he held out his hand and said 
 
 "Mr. Merritt, I feel that your deed was terrible, 
 but I can't find it in my heart to blame you, except 
 that you acted in revenge. But that man was a 
 danger and needed killing, I know, and I feel that 
 you were only the instrument in doing a necessary 
 work. I couldn't think any less of you, for I believe 
 you acted according to the light you had, and 
 anyhow I love and admire you."
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 C. B.'s Great Temptation 
 
 FROM that eventful evening the friendship be- 
 tween these two most strangely assorted 
 chums deepened in force until every man in the ship 
 knew certainly, what he had only suspected before, 
 that whoever took it in hand to do despite to one of 
 them would surely have to reckon with the other. 
 And that knowledge had a wholly quietening and 
 sweetening effect upon all hands. Every one knew 
 by this time, knew intimately, that C. B.'s principles 
 were of a high and noble kind, that he would always 
 be on the side of the good and true, and would be 
 ready to put up with much trouble and annoyance 
 from anybody rather than assert himself. But they 
 all knew also that his chum Merritt was of a totally 
 different stamp. They felt that, given what he 
 considered cause, he would as soon kill a man as eat 
 an orange, and they were afraid that if they offended 
 C. B. and Merritt got to know of it, he might suddenly 
 apply his own method of chastisement to the offender. 
 And so the Eliza Adams became a most eminently 
 peaceful as well as hard-working ship. Captain 
 Taber used to gaze admiringly upon the quiet gangs 
 working here and there, with never a voice upraised 
 in anger, and say to his mate, " Winsloe, I've often 
 said that the day of miracles was long past, but I 
 ain't so sure now. You and me always looked upon 
 the old hooker as a good ship, an' by jingo, she was 
 a good ship compared with lots that we've known, a 
 
 166
 
 C. B.'S GREAT TEMPTATION 167 
 
 perfect little galley of angels, but they was a good 
 deal of rough house at times in order to keep her 
 good, now wasn't they ? " 
 
 : ' True 'nough, captain," sententiously assented 
 Winsloe, " men must be kep' in hand." 
 
 " That's just my point, Winsloe," eagerly in- 
 terrupted the skipper. " Ever since the weltin' that 
 Merritt gave Pepe she ain't wanted no keepin' in 
 order, she's been an abode of peace ; y' haven't had 
 t' raise yer voice above a whisper to get everything 
 done on the instant. Whatever is it in this young 
 fellow that makes such a change in everybody that 
 comes near him ? Some fellows hate him like pizen, 
 others freeze to him like Merritt, an' yet he doesn't 
 do or say anythin' except his plain duty." 
 
 " I guess I don't know, sir," yawned Winsloe as if 
 tired of the subject. " S'long as a man does his 
 work 'thout giving trouble I ain't usin' my brains 
 on his character. Don't make no sort o' difference t' 
 me." 
 
 " Ah, I see," murmured the skipper, and turned 
 away, fully convinced in his own mind that Mr. 
 Winsloe did not view C. B. with any favour, in 
 fact, was a man of that strange mind calibre, that 
 praise of any other man, whether affecting him or 
 not, acted upon him like a personal affront. 
 
 Thereafter for a space of three months, during 
 which they continued to cruise the off-shore ground 
 with fair success, taking altogether some four hun- 
 dred barrels of oil, no incident occurred worth making 
 special mention of here. Only it could not escape 
 the notice of any unbiassed observer like the skipper, 
 how, with the exception of the other boat steerers 
 and the three officers above Merritt, all the crew 
 seemed to worship C. B. ; their fares brightened when- 
 ever they saw him. And then there came another
 
 168 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 explosion with Pepe again, who seemed to have grown 
 moodier and more sullen, although he was just as 
 good a whaleman as he had ever been. 
 
 It was during the trying out of some oil, just at 
 the change of watches, that one of C. B.'s boat's crew, 
 coming hurriedly on deck, charged into Pepe, who 
 stood wiping his hands by the mincer, having just 
 relinquished the baler to C. B., standing on the try- 
 works platform. It was a pure accident, due to the 
 quantity of oil on deck. And besides, the man, a 
 Yankee from Vermont, was not in the best of health, 
 for he was suffering from a severe outbreak of 
 painful boils. But Pepe sprang to his feet and 
 seized the unfortunate fellow by the throat, forcing 
 him against the rail, and had already struck him 
 a heavy blow in the face, when C. B. leaped from his 
 place on the platform, and snatching Pepe's just 
 descending arm cried, " Let the man alone ! " 
 
 Pepe turned like a baffled tiger, all teeth and snarl, 
 and grappled C. B., everything forgotten but his 
 present desire to do harm to the one who had got in 
 his way. 
 
 A serious smile was on C. B.'s face as he easily 
 held the furious man who, lost to all sense of danger, 
 strove to get at his knife. Seeing or rather feeling 
 this, C. B. lost his temper and, freeing his right arm, 
 struck at Pepe's face once, twice, with crushing force ; 
 then as if maddened beyond endurance he clasped 
 Pepe in his arms and dashed him against the bulwarks 
 where he lay limp and motionless. C. B.'s anger 
 passed as rapidly as it had kindled, and falling on 
 his knees in the oil by the side of the unconscious 
 man he tore open the breast of his shirt and felt 
 his breast, finding to his immense relief that his 
 heart was beating, though feebly. 
 
 Then rising, he lifted the limp body in his strong
 
 C. B.'S GREAT TEMPTATION 169 
 
 arms and bore it aft out of the way of the oil. He 
 was about to get some restoratives when a hand was 
 laid on his arm, and turning he saw Merritt who 
 said 
 
 " Looky here ! no more foolin' with that nigger. 
 He ain't hurt any worth speakin' of, an' you're only 
 spoilin' him. 'Sides, your pot wants lookin' after. 
 Get back t' yer work and leave him t' learn his 
 lesson." 
 
 C. B. obeyed mechanically, but with a dull feeling 
 of regret at his heart, for he was afraid of that 
 demon that had so suddenly arisen within him, 
 remembering keenly as he did the last occasion when 
 it had done so. And as he went on with his baling, 
 he prayed fervently to be delivered from what he 
 felt was the awful danger of taking a fellow-creature's 
 life in anger. 
 
 All the while he was thus accusing himself the rest 
 of the watch, with the exception of Mr. Spurrell, 
 who was asleep and heard nothing of the fray, were 
 almost beside themselves with joy at the thought 
 that the gentle kindly fellow whom they all loved 
 could on occasion use the great strength they knew 
 he possessed not only in self-defence but for the 
 defence of others. The man whom he had rescued, 
 in particular, was from thenceforward his devoted 
 slave ; no one could say a word even remotely dis- 
 paraging C. B., but he was upon them like a faithful 
 dog in defence of his master. And strangest of all, 
 C. B. never heard another word about it from any- 
 body. Pepe was all right to all appearance at the 
 change of watches, and if the captain knew he never 
 mentioned it. 
 
 Now I fear that there are many good people who 
 will feel that C. B. was woefully lacking in what they 
 consider should be the first attribute of the Christian
 
 170 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 the ability and grace to submit not only to any 
 violence offered to themselves, but to witness 
 any shameful oppression of others with the same 
 meekness of spirit. I verily believe, I must 
 believe, judging from what I read written by these 
 people and what I have heard them say, that if they 
 saw the last extremity of murderous outrage being 
 offered to their nearest and dearest they would 
 only drop upon their knees and pray that God would 
 pardon the perpetrators ; they would not dare to 
 interfere, actively, nor if they were able would they 
 allow others to do so. Nay more, if any person did 
 interfere, and in defence of their children happened 
 to shed the blood of the aggressors, they would be 
 the first to call him or them murderers. 
 
 It is an attitude of mind which I do not pretend 
 to understand, but one that is all too common and 
 widespread to ignore. It is far removed from the 
 spirit of the ancient marytrs, in that its professors are 
 usually the very first to cry out for protection of their 
 own bodies and property by -the forces of the law. 
 And I can only characterize such people by the plain 
 old name of coward. More, I do not believe that 
 God saves a man to make him a coward, but to make 
 him as brave as was the Gentle Saviour when he 
 scourged the infamous rabble out of the Temple, alone 
 and unaided. But our curious weaklings would have 
 reserved their wrath for the scourge wielder, their 
 pity for the scoundrels. Would ! nay do so every 
 day, as the columns of our newspapers bear witness. 
 
 And now the time approaches when C. B. is to 
 endure the heaviest temptation of all. The season 
 was over on the off-shore ground, and the good ship 
 was put under all sail for the Sandwich Islands, it 
 being the captain's intention to visit Honolulu to 
 refit there and replenish with wood and water. As
 
 C. B.'S GREAT TEMPTATION 171 
 
 soon as the news became known all hands went nearly 
 wild with delight, for in those days Honolulu was a 
 place where, in spite of the efforts of the missionaries, 
 scenes of the wildest licence and debauchery took 
 place upon the arrival of a whaleship whose captain 
 was kindly disposed enough to give his crew liberty 
 and money. Reminiscences of former excesses 
 were now on everybody's tongue, even the taciturn 
 Merritt became almost garrulous in describing to his 
 chum what he considered to be the attractions of 
 Honolulu and its environs. 
 
 In his innocence and ignorance C. B. listened 
 greedily to these tales, and asked many questions, 
 which made Merritt grin and wonder loudly that any 
 man should be so fresh and green as he put it. And 
 there was no one to warn, nothing to give any hint as 
 to the foulness of what was coming. More than 
 that, there wasan uneasy sense in C. B.'s mindof being 
 gradually estranged from the high and holy thoughts 
 which had always been his precious possession, even 
 his prayers were becoming perfunctory as the scenes 
 so vividly depicted by the conversation of his fellows 
 rose before his mental vision and his curiosity with 
 regard to them grew stronger. 
 
 They made a very fine and uneventful passage to 
 the islands, arriving off Honolulu in the early dawn 
 of a perfect day, and working into the harbour, where 
 four other whaleships were lying at anchor, in the 
 usual easy seaman-like fashion of those ships. The 
 vessel was moored smartly, and the order given to 
 furl all sail, and in carrying out this order an incident 
 occurred which brings into my story for a little 
 while a man who has not received any but cursory 
 mention and that not by name Mr. Allan the third 
 mate. He was a jovial stocky little man of great 
 vivacity and good temper, who interfered with no-
 
 172 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 body and made no trouble as long as the work went 
 on all right. Being ki the other watch he had never 
 had much to do with C. B., and regarded him as an 
 amiable sort of crank. 
 
 Now it chanced that in the rush to get the sails 
 furled C. B. found himself side by side with Mr. 
 Allan on the main topsail yard, tugging furiously 
 at the sail to get it furled before their rivals forrard, 
 in the usual emulation seen in these vessels at sail 
 furling. Now C. B. being so long and Mr. Allan so 
 short, only about five feet four, the latter could only 
 reach from the foot-rope, and sprang upwards from it 
 grabbing at the sail and missing his hold. He was 
 sliding backwards from the yard with a despairing 
 yell when C. B., letting go the sail, made a grab at his 
 left arm, caught it, and turning, held the whole weight 
 of his body as it fell. The wrench was terrible, and 
 C. B's stout sinews cracked, but exerting all his great 
 strength he drew the third mate upward until he 
 placed him on the foot-rope again in safety, when they 
 both lay gasping across the yard and looked at 
 each other. 
 
 When they had recovered their breath they finished 
 furling the sail, being hopelessly beaten of course by 
 the fellows forrard. But when they reached the 
 deck Mr. Allan held out his hand to C. B. saying, 
 " Put it there, young man, I reckon I owe you a life 
 or so." 
 
 C. B. was about to reply, when Merritt with his 
 dangerous grin on came between them and said 
 
 " Now, Mr. Allan, what's you doin' with my 
 chum ? " 
 
 " Oh, don't bark," replied Allan laconically, " no- 
 body's kidnappin' your chum. But I s'pose you 
 haven't any real objections t' a fellow saying thank 
 ye for having his life saved, have ye ? "
 
 C. B.'S GREAT TEMPTATION 173 
 
 "No, but we'll let it go at that," snarled Merritt. 
 " When I've got a chum I don't want no partners 
 in him, 'n I won't have ' em neither, see. You can 
 thank all ye want to, but no chummin'." And he 
 turned away. 
 
 C. B. looked bewildered from one to the other, and 
 then went on with his work, with a deep sigh of 
 despair at his inability to comprehend this peculiarly 
 selfish form of affection. 
 
 He could see, however, that it behoved him to be 
 careful in his intercourse with others, no matter 
 how friendly they might be, not that he felt the least 
 fear of Merritt, but that he realized to the full that 
 the latter's love for him had humanized and made 
 gentle a nature essentially savage and morose. He 
 felt in a very special measure responsible for Merritt, 
 having an indefinable idea that he might one day be 
 able to hail him not only as a chum but as a brother 
 Christian. Not that C. B. had ever attempted to 
 proselytize ; he had absolutely none of the missionary 
 spirit except that he always did live before his fellows 
 as seeing Him who is invisible, and the example of 
 such a life often preaches louder than any amount 
 of spoken words. And his heart had greatly re- 
 joiced when on several occasions during the night 
 watches Merritt had asked him in a casual off-hand 
 sort of way to tell him what Christianity really 
 was. 
 
 But I am forgetting altogether that the ship is 
 at anchor in the harbour of Honolulu, and that 
 C. B.,in a strange port for the first time in his life, 
 became carried away, quite bewildered by the won- 
 derful scene on deck. For the ship was overrun by 
 both Kanakas from the shore and visitors from the 
 other ships, all manner of island produce for sale 
 was being continually hoisted on board, and all
 
 174 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 round the ship, like so many dusky mermaidens, 
 disported a very shoal of girls, forbidden to come on 
 board by the captain's stern orders. That gentle- 
 man, however, seeing how impossible it was for his 
 men to work under the present conditions, and being 
 moreover of a very kindly disposition, gave orders 
 that as soon as the decks were cleared up work 
 should cease for the remainder of the day, so that 
 the men should be able to enjoy the change without 
 breaking any rules or getting into trouble. Then he 
 called all officers and boat steerers aft and gave them 
 stringent orders to watch that no women or liquor 
 were allowed on board, as he didn't want any gratui- 
 tous trouble. Also to keep a good lookout that 
 nothing of small portable size was left lying about 
 for the natives to steal, and especially that no rope 
 under any pretence was flung to a boat, since it is a 
 frequent trick of theirs played upon unwary sea- 
 farers to haul as much of a rope flung to them as 
 possible into a canoe and then cut it off as high up 
 as they can reach which of course causes serious 
 trouble the first time the rope is let go, if it is, as 
 usual, a portion of the ship's running gear. 
 
 These orders required a great deal of energy and 
 watchfulness to carry out, but nobody seemed to 
 take them seriously except C. B., and in consequence 
 he was kept extremely busy, especially as to his 
 slight annoyance he was continually being addressed 
 in the Kanaka tongue by natives who looked upon 
 him as one of themselves, though not full blood. 
 For the Pitcairn Islanders, handsome as they 
 undoubtedly are, do show and probably always will 
 show, both in complexion and feature, a striking 
 resemblance to the stock from which their maternal 
 ancestors were derived, and this by a well-known 
 peculiarity is far more pronounced in the case of
 
 C. B.'S GREAT TEMPTATION 175 
 
 males than of females. Now C. B. hardly knew 
 a word of Kanaka, for he had not fraternized at all 
 with the natives on board, having been early advised 
 to keep his place, so when these dusky Hawaiians 
 smilingly saluted him with " Aloha," to which he 
 cheerily responded, and then went on to talk to him, 
 his blank stare of non-understanding and his vigor- 
 ous pantomime to that effect puzzled them beyond 
 measure. 
 
 It was evident that they did not believe him at 
 first, by their scornful looks. They took him for a 
 renegade, a half-breed ashamed of his parentage, 
 which is indeed an unpardonable offence in their 
 eyes, they having a vigorous hatred of all forms of 
 snobbery, until presently mixing with the Kanakas 
 forward, they heard such an account of C. B.'s good- 
 ness, his prowess as a fighter and his ability as a 
 whaleman, that they changed their minds concerning 
 him, and were ready to accord him supernatural 
 honours. He, of course, noticed the deference they 
 paid him, the instant obedience to his lightest word, 
 the anxiety to please him manifested on every 
 side, but ascribed it to their innate kindliness, to 
 everything in fact but its true reason. It was not 
 until they began to bring him tribute in the way of 
 presents, fruit, eggs, fowls and vegetables, that he 
 began to wonder whereunto all this was tending, and 
 as he could make but little headway through his 
 want of knowledge of the language he hunted up 
 Merritt, who spoke the language very well, and 
 asked him if he could ascertain the reason. 
 
 Merritt held a palaver, which, by the way, is a West 
 African native word that has passed into our lan- 
 guage, and then did what C. B. had never deemed him 
 capable of, burst into a perfect roar of laughter. 
 To C. B.'s puzzled inquiry as to the cause of this
 
 176 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 sudden hilarity, he presently replied, wiping the 
 tears of merriment from his eyes, in allegory and 
 parable 
 
 " Boys oh ! boys, get sticks and beat the natives. 
 By the great hook block ef this don't beat heavin' the 
 anchor through the hause-pipe. What sh'll I hear 
 next, I persoom ? Well, never mind, this is the way 
 of it. All these kotow, that offerings, them perlite 
 inquiries that you don't savvy means that you're 
 somethin' of a second mate god. I don't know 
 what them Kanakas of ours has been tellin' 'em 
 about ye, but it must a ben a pretty tall yarn, judgin' 
 by what I've heard already. An' this is only the 
 beginnin' of it." 
 
 One of the crew-Kanakas was just shambling aft 
 to the scuttle-butt for a drink of water when Merritt 
 hailed him in his own language and asked him 
 what sort of a game he had been putting up on 
 " Seeby " as they all called our hero forrard. The 
 man told him as truthfully as he knew how what had 
 been said, at which Merritt laughed more than ever, 
 and at last turning to C. B. said 
 
 " Looky here, my boy, ef you ain't careful these 
 yer Kanakas '11 be wiling you away to become the 
 head boss of some new religion of theirs. I guess 
 they hain't ever struck one o' your breed before." 
 
 C. B. tried to laugh, but it was a failure. He had 
 come up against a problem far too heavy for his 
 simple mind to cope with. I know of no subtler 
 form of temptation than this for a good man, unless 
 gifted with an exceptionally large fund of common 
 sense and much experience. Now C. B. was a sensi- 
 ble youth, and his splendid early training as well as 
 his native grit had carried him grandly through his 
 recent fiery trial, but nothing that he had ever heard 
 or learned had prepared him for this.
 
 C. B.'S GREAT TEMPTATION 177 
 
 His mind was chaos for a time, and then there 
 emerged one idea clearly and distinctly, an idea 
 sedulously cultivated by the fine old man McCoy 
 humility. He felt rather than knew that this would 
 save him, this and the steadfast performance of his 
 duty, from being carried off his balance, and unknown 
 to any save his Maker his heart went up in prayer 
 to be kept humble, true and diligent. It was all 
 over in a moment ; then he turned to Merritt with a 
 bright and cheerful smile, saying 
 
 " Please tell these foolish fellows that I am only a 
 boat-steerer, who loves God, and that there's nothing 
 special about me except that I'm a bit bigger and 
 stronger than ordinary men, which I can't help 
 being, you know." 
 
 Merritt still grinning told them something that 
 C. B. did not of course understand ; if he had he would 
 have protested, for it was not at all what he meant to 
 be conveyed to them. It was to the effect that while 
 C. B. was not exactly a godling he was a specially 
 big man highly favoured by God ; that he was half 
 a Kanaka, but had never learned his mother lan- 
 guage, and that the papalangi (white men) were 
 all agreed in honouring him. So if they chose to 
 show their appreciation of the honour done to their 
 race in him it was not for him to baulk them, unless 
 they worried him, when he would speedily inform 
 them of the fact and they must instantly obey him. 
 For Merritt, old in the knowledge of these light- 
 hearted folks, foresaw that to occupy such a posi- 
 tion as C. B. had been involuntarily lifted into meant 
 not only a great lightening of labour for all the 
 officers, but getting the best that life afforded by 
 way of tribute, as a right and without any cost 
 except to the donors. 
 
 In which, of course, Merritt was perfectly right 
 
 M
 
 178 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 from his point of view, and from thenceforward the 
 ease with which discipline was maintained among 
 the visitors was wonderful. Only C. B. felt sorely 
 handicapped by his inability to speak the language, 
 although, as he always had Merritt to fall back upon 
 to interpret for him, that was not so much of a draw- 
 back as he thought it. 
 
 The other boat-steerers and officers soon found 
 that life was very easy for them, and took full advan- 
 tage of the fact without worrying about the reason 
 for it, until on the third day after their arrival the 
 skipper said at dinner : " The Kanakas don't seem 
 to be half as troublesome as usual on board, how is 
 it ? " There was silence for a moment or two until, 
 seeing his seniors said nothing, Mr. Allan, the third 
 mate, replied 
 
 " It's all on account of that extraordinary boat- 
 steerer of ours, sir. He seems to have got hold of 
 the Kanakas in such a way that they'll do anything 
 for him. They don't take a bit of notice of us as far 
 as I can see, but if he so much as winks they're ready 
 to fly. I heard him say to one the other day, ' The 
 captain doesn't want any grog brought aboard and 
 I hope none of you will do it ? ' That was all, but 
 that Kanaka looked as if he had had a message from 
 heaven. An' I don't believe there's ben a drop 
 come in over the rail, an' that without our troubling 
 at all." 
 
 The other officers went on stolidly eating, appar- 
 ently without any interest in what was being said, 
 but the captain, smiting his leg, said with great 
 earnestness 
 
 " In all my fishin' I've never met a man like this 
 fellow. Whatever does it mean ? He don't preach, 
 he don't psalm-sing (I often wish he would after 
 hearin' him that night aboard the Matilda Sayer),
 
 C. B.'S GREAT TEMPTATION 179 
 
 he only just does what we all try to do according to 
 our ability, his duty, an' yet he strikes me as bein' a 
 miracle. I sometimes wonder whether we're lucky 
 in havin' him aboard the ship or not." 
 
 Then Mr. Winsloe lifted his head with a dogged air 
 and remarked 
 
 " Don't see anything particularly lucky in havin' 
 him aboard, sir. We hain't had only an ordinary 
 cruise, we've had two or three nasty rows through 
 him, and a pretty bad smash. I think there's too 
 much fuss bein' made altogether over a half-bred 
 Kanaka who's only a fair average boat-steerer 
 after all." 
 
 There was another silence after this, until presently 
 the skipper said with a half sigh 
 
 " Ah well, I can understand you're not having 
 any praise to waste on him, Winsloe. If I'd ben 
 in your place, an' he'd used up my harponeer as 
 cheaply as he has yours, I sh'd feel 'bout the same I 
 guess. But Pepe hasn't made a good show, now 
 has he ? " 
 
 " Best harponeer I ever saw get into a boat until 
 this 'ere speculation of yours came aboard. Now 
 he ain't wuth a row of pins. I could pick a dozen 
 men out o' the crew as good as him at any time." 
 
 " I think that'll quite do, Mr. Winsloe," answered 
 the skipper quietly, but with a dangerous gleam in his 
 eye. " I don't allow any man to talk t' me as your 
 permittin' yerself to do. I k'n make allowance all 
 right, but you don't need any allowance, you know 
 better. Now don't let it occur agen, an' if Pepe is 
 useless as you say he is, disrate him an' put another 
 man in his place." 
 
 Nothing more was said, but all four men filed 
 out of the little cuddy in silence thinking over the 
 sudden turn affairs had taken. But Captain Taber
 
 i8o A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 was not the man to allow any suspicion of injustice 
 to taint his actions, and so he presently sent for Mr. 
 Winsloe to his cabin, gave him a cigar, took one 
 himself, and when they were well going he said quite 
 casually 
 
 " Looky here, Winsloe, you'n me's got on very 
 well this last three years nearly, an* I ain't goin' t' 
 let any misunderstandin' spoil our relations if I 
 can help it. Nor yet I ain't goin' t' be unjust, to you 
 nor nobody else tain't in me t' put up with it or 
 suffer it. Tell me, what ye got agen that young 
 boat-steerer, 'cause if the matter's serious enough to 
 cause a breach between us on account of him bein' in 
 the ship, I'm goin' t' send him back t' Norfolk ; I ain't 
 goin' t' lose my mate. Though, mind ye, if that 
 meant turnin' a man adrift that had done no wrong 
 just t' save myself trouble an' to please another man 
 who'd taken a dislikin' for him, I wouldn't do it, no, 
 not for the value of ship an' cargo. Now, honest 
 injun, own up, what ye got agen him ? " And 
 lying back, calmly puffing his cigar, the captain 
 awaited the reply. After a long pause it came 
 reluctantly 
 
 " I ain't got nothin' agen him, only I hate the 
 sight of his face " ; and here the speaker became 
 transformed and gave vent to a string of awful 
 blasphemies, which even then seemed quite inade- 
 quate to express the hatred he felt for C. B. Captain 
 Taber watched this exhibition with an abstracted 
 air nor showed any surprise. When the furious 
 man had subsided, though still trembling with utter 
 rage, the skipper said 
 
 " I guess you're in a pretty bad way, Winsloe. 
 You seem to me to be like one of them old-time 
 folks that was possessed with devils. Here's a 
 man that never done you a mite of harm, never give
 
 C. B/S GREAT TEMPTATION 181 
 
 you a word o' sass, nor a minute's trouble, yet if I'm 
 any judge you'd wash yer hands in his blood this 
 minute if y' got a chance, an' feel glad. God help 
 ye, I'm afraid it means that you're right down bad, 
 an' he's about as good as they make 'em. Well, I 
 must see about this." And Winsloe retreated on 
 deck. 
 
 I must close this chapter with just a word of 
 explanation to such dear gentle souls among my 
 readers who, leading sheltered lives, have never had 
 the misfortune to come across these terrible exhibi- 
 tions of hatred without any cause save the natural 
 antagonism of light and darkness. I beg them to 
 believe that I am not exaggerating, but drawing from 
 life, and to be thankful if they have never met such 
 instances of the causeless hatred of the utterly 
 innocent.
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 C. B.'s Narrowest Escape 
 
 THE life now led by C. B. was a most distracting 
 one for him, and stirred his somewhat easy 
 mind to its depths. He gave not one thought to the 
 dark feelings of hatred with which he knew he was 
 regarded by certain of his shipmates in the conscien- 
 tious discharge of duties. He was much ashore and 
 mixed freely with the Kanakas, who abated no jot of 
 the reverence with which they had first heard of 
 his doings upon closest acquaintance with him. It 
 is pleasant to record that he came and went among 
 them blamelessly. All sorts of gifts were pressed 
 upon him, some of them such as we need not inquire 
 into more particularly, but specially of drink and 
 other forms of hospitality. He readily accepted 
 food when he needed it, but kept his abstinence from 
 intoxicants or tobacco without any effort, because 
 having never known their taste he was not disposed 
 to make a trial of them. Doubtless he was virtuous, 
 but if he had been given to self-analysis he would 
 have said that if it was virtue it was entirely 
 unconscious on his part. 
 
 Which gave it its peculiar charm, for few persons 
 are more offensive than the ostentatiously virtuous, 
 who are usually Pharisees of the very worst type. 
 His influence over his men was so great that he 
 could always be depended upon to take a party 
 ashore on a wood and water expedition and get the 
 
 182
 
 C. B.'S NARROWEST ESCAPE 183 
 
 work done without any trouble, while on the several 
 occasions when the other boat-steerers went on 
 similar errands there was always an aftermath 
 of quarrels and fighting due to liquor. Then when 
 the captain intervened and pointed out the difference 
 between the behaviour of the men who went ashore 
 with C. B. and those whose conduct was under 
 review, the debt of hatred steadily accumulated. 
 
 But the work went steadily on until the ship was 
 nearly ready for sea, and the captain gave liberty to 
 the port watch. In it were Pepe and Louis and 
 most of the Portuguese in the fo'c'sle, who, dressed in 
 their best and with money to spend, left the ship 
 early in the morning with leave until twenty-four 
 hours later. C. B. spent a quiet day on board, there 
 being little to do, until just after dark the captain 
 called his boat away, and with C. B. in his usual place 
 was pulled ashore to an evening party. There was 
 the usual little group of loafers at the landing-place, 
 and when the captain, dismissing the boat, ordered 
 C. B. to return for him at eleven o'clock the informa- 
 tion spread. Like a wise commander the skipper 
 saw the boat on its way back to the ship before he 
 left the beach, not that he could not trust C. B. to 
 keep his men together, but from sheer force of habit. 
 "-.Now the gang of Portuguese who were ashore, 
 tired with drink, had waited all day in the hope 
 of catching C. B. when he came ashore, and when 
 they heard of the order given they chuckled hugely, 
 for they felt that if they had luck they could get 
 him out of the way once for all. And they laid their 
 plans carefully to entrap him when he came ashore 
 at eleven and kill him, trusting that under cover of 
 the night none of them would be recognized. C. B., 
 all unconscious of any danger, called away his 
 boat's crew at eleven, and as he was about to step
 
 184 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 into the boat himself he was surpried to find Mr. 
 Menitt at his elbow, who said 
 
 " All right, I'm comin' with you. I've took a 
 fancy t' run ashore." 
 
 C. B. said nothing, although he wondered much 
 whatever Merritt could want ashore at that time 
 of night. However, Merritt was his superior, so he 
 merely said 
 
 " All right, sir, will you steer ? " 
 
 " No, my boy," replied Merritt, " I'll be the 
 admiral for once." And he lay back in the stern 
 sheets with a grand assumption of luxury, of which 
 there is none in a whaleboat, no seat of any kind 
 being provided aft. 
 
 As soon as they swung alongside the little jetty, 
 a Kanaka voice said out of the darkness 
 
 " That Liza Adams boat ? " 
 ' Yes," replied C. B. " what's the matter ? " 
 
 " All right, sir, cappen he say come up house, he 
 want speak you 'bout some things." 
 
 "^All right," responded C. B., "I'll come," and 
 sprang ashore, saying as he did so 
 
 " I'm glad you came now, Merritt." 
 
 " So'm I," muttered the fourth mate, unheard by 
 C. B., as he watched the lithe form striding off into 
 the dark after the Kanaka. He allowed him to get 
 about fifty yards away, then, with a word of caution 
 to the boat's crew, sprang lightly after him and 
 rapidly ran in his track. He was not an instant too 
 soon, for C. B. had only just turned the corner of the 
 first store when he was attacked by a group of men 
 with clubs, who sprang at him as a pack of savage 
 dogs might at a strange animal that had accidentally 
 happened to come in their midst. 
 
 C. B., taken entirely by surprise and absolutely 
 unarmed, did the only thing possible to him : warding
 
 C. B.'S NARROWEST ESCAPE 185 
 
 off the blows with his arms he sprang at the nearest 
 man, caught him round arms and body and used him 
 as a shield. It was a good move, for in their blind 
 fury his assailants showered their blows indiscrimin- 
 ately, and the helpless man in C. B.'s arms came in 
 for the full benefit of them. Then with a yell wild 
 as that of an Indian brave a dark form leapt into the 
 straggling group, and before its savage onslaught 
 three men went down groaning one after the other. 
 " All right, Christmas, my boy," shouted Merritt, 
 for of course it was he, " drop that swine and get a 
 club." Crash, crash went his own as he spoke, 
 each blow accompanied by ear-splitting yells in 
 Kanaka, which brought dim forms rushing from 
 every side into the fray. 
 
 The fracas was very brief, for every one of the 
 assailants had been laid low within two or three 
 minutes. But C. B. also settled down, much to 
 Merritt's dismay, who could not believe that he was 
 badly hurt. Merritt tried to raise him, but found 
 that he was a dead weight in his arms, and in great 
 alarm he shouted for a light. Several Kanakas 
 brought torches, and the inanimate form of C. B. 
 was lifted with tender care and carried into the 
 nearest store. It was there found that he had re- 
 ceived two serious w r ounds, one in the fleshy part 
 of the thigh, which had completely penetrated the 
 great band of muscle and bled profusely, the other 
 in the side laying open the cavity of the abdomen. 
 A surgeon was immediately sent for, and in the 
 meantime Merritt devoted all his skill to stopping 
 the bleeding, at the same time issuing orders that 
 every one of the villains who had committed this 
 outrage should be secured and brought into the store. 
 
 It was done, but it was hardly necessary, for 
 they were all so badly hurt that they could not
 
 186 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 make their escape, Pepe and Louis especially being 
 recognized at once by Merritt, although their features 
 were battered into shapelessness, and their stertorous 
 breathing pointed to brain concussion. Of the other 
 five only one belonged to the ship, the third mate's 
 harponeer Carlo, the rest were beach-combers of the 
 worst repute. There was not a Kanaka among them. 
 As usual the Kanakas crowded around, volubly 
 discussing the affair in all its possible details, but 
 when the news spread among them that the attack 
 had been made upon the man whom they had agreed 
 to honour, almost worship, very ugly sounds began 
 to arise, and but for the arrival of the surgeon, 
 accompanied by the captain and a posse of police, 
 the lives of those murderous wretches would hardly 
 have been worth a moment's purchase. Certainly 
 Merritt would have joyfully egged the Kanakas 
 on to do any deed they thought fit. 
 
 But with the coming of the police order was soon 
 restored and the offenders were carried off under 
 strong guard to the calaboose, or lock-up, where with 
 scantiest ceremony they were flung into a cell and 
 left to recover or not as it might please them. C. B., 
 though almost at the last extremity from loss of 
 blood, made a magnificent rally, and in an hour 
 had so far recovered as to be able to tell the simple 
 story of his waylaying. He could not identify any 
 of his assailants, for the attack had been so sudden 
 and the night was so dark ; but here Merritt stepped 
 in and took up the tale, filling in all the later details of 
 which C. B. had been unconscious, and winding up 
 grimly with the words " An' we've got 'em all 
 by the heels now. Besides, I guess they've got 
 enough punishment to last 'em till next time. But 
 if I'd had my way I'd a killed every last one of 'em. 
 A little killin' 'd do that gang a power of good."
 
 C. B.'S NARROWEST ESCAPE 187 
 
 The captain's sympathy with his wounded har- 
 poneer was very great, but it must be sorrowfully 
 admitted that his annoyance was greater. It would 
 have given him much satisfaction if he could have 
 blamed C. B. or Merritt, but they were both utterly 
 blameless. And so he had no one upon whom he 
 could expend the rage he felt at what he now real- 
 ized would mean considerable delay and expense, 
 as well as alteration in the personnel of his ship. 
 Again and again the cowardly thought arose, " I 
 must get rid of this fellow, I shall never have any 
 peace in this ship until I do," and he remembered 
 Winsloe's attitude as well as that of the now dis- 
 comfited harponeers. But in any case he feared 
 that they would be in no shape to resume the 
 voyage from what he had heard of their injuries. 
 
 Whichever way he looked he could see nothing 
 but trouble, and he weakly put it down to the 
 presence in his ship of a man who, he fretfully mut- 
 tered to himself, was too good for this world. At 
 last, with a sigh, he rose to his feet saying 
 
 " Well, doctor, I s'pose I can leave the patient 
 to you ; you'll oblige me by seeing that he's looked 
 after, an' I'll be ashore again early in the mornin' 
 to see him." 
 
 But before the doctor could reply Merritt stepped 
 forward and said respectfully but firmly 
 
 " I'll stay and look after him, sir, if you please." 
 
 " Ah, certainly not," testily returned the skipper. 
 " I can't have any more of you ashore. It's bad 
 enough as it is. You'll come aboard with me now." 
 
 Merritt looked keenly at his commander and 
 replied in a deeper tone 
 
 " No, sir, I wouldn't leave him to-night for the 
 value of the ship and her cargo. I'm sorry, sir, 
 to go agen your wishes, but he's my chum, an' I
 
 i88 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 
 want to look after his life. Nothing matters to me 
 just now but that." 
 
 Such unexpected opposition on the part of the 
 most docile and quiet of all his officers added to the 
 annoyance he was already feeling nearly maddened 
 the skipper. Besides, he was angry with himself 
 for what he could not but feel was the injustice he 
 was contemplating. He stormed and raged and 
 threatened until the doctor said laconically 
 
 " If you want to kill this man, captain, you can't 
 do better than go on as you're doing." 
 
 That sobered him, and calling up all the self- 
 control he had temporarily lost he replied more 
 quietly 
 
 " Oh, all right, it seems I'm bound to be wrong 
 anyway. But as for you, you yellow image, I'll 
 make you sweat for this. I'll let you see if you'll 
 disobey my orders an' have your own way for 
 nothing " ; but there he stopped dead, for Merritt 
 coming closer to him said 
 
 " Don't talk like that, captain, you ain't thinkin'. 
 You know you ain't got a more willin' man than I 
 am in the ship, an' I know you're too good a man 
 to mean what you say. You wouldn't like this 
 man to be left here at the mercy of a careless 
 Kanaka." 
 
 The captain looked at Merritt doubtfully, and 
 then his better feelings conquered him, and holding 
 out his hand he said 
 
 ' You're right, Merritt, of course. I'm so upset 
 I don't know what I'm sayin'. But I feel that 
 rattled that nothin' 'd please me better than to 
 have a number one row with somebody, an' I only 
 hope Winsloe don't get talkin' to-night. Good- 
 night, I'll be ashore before breakfast." And he 
 departed for the jetty, where his patient boat's crew
 
 C. B.'S NARROWEST ESCAPE 189 
 
 were still sitting, waiting through all the stirring 
 scenes that had transpired. He stepped into the 
 boat, crying, " Shove off ! Pull two stern three, so, 
 give way together," and off flew the boat to the 
 ship. 
 
 Fortunately Mr. Winsloe was not on watch, and 
 Spurrell was far too good a man to be caught napping, 
 so as soon as the captain came alongside the 
 officer was ready to receive him, the hands stood by 
 the fall and the boat was immediately hoisted to her 
 place. And in ten minutes all was quiet again on 
 board, for the captain went straight to his bunk and 
 turned in, determined to sleep off his annoyance. 
 
 During the night the captain had several long 
 intervals of wakefulness, every one of them occupied 
 by reflections upon the happenings of the day. 
 And suddenly he remembered the promise he had 
 made to C. B.'s mother at that meeting which now 
 seemed to be so far away, and his conscience smote 
 him, for that he found himself willing to sacrifice an 
 innocent man to avoid trouble for himself. It is 
 done every day and by people who ordinarily would 
 scorn to do an unjust or unkind action, but under 
 the plea of business exigencies they will perpetrate 
 this basest of all betrayals. I hear now the voice 
 of a good man, a man whose name stands above all 
 possibility of defamation, saying to me 
 
 " Young man, I know that you are perfectly in 
 the right, that your conduct in the matter is above 
 reproach, but you are not indispensable to the 
 business and the man you are in conflict with is. 
 Therefore if he makes the condition that either 
 you or he must go, you will have to go, or hold a 
 candle to the devil." 
 
 I am quoting the exact words, for they seared my 
 soul, and I swore then that at whatever cost I would
 
 igo A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 not do the same mean unrighteous thing : I would 
 rather let the devil have the business than hold a 
 candle to him in that way. 
 
 The outcome of the captain's white night was that 
 he arose in the morning determined to do the right 
 thing no matter what the personal loss might be. 
 And besides there was just the chance that C. B. 
 might die another diabolical temptation to look 
 to that solution of his difficulty as welcome but 
 if he recovered the perpetrators of the outrage 
 should be punished, and the brave, innocent man 
 protected. He went on deck as usual at sunrise 
 for his coffee, and exchanged greetings with Mr. 
 Winsloe, who reported that Mr. Merritt had not 
 returned last night, and had indeed gone ashore 
 without asking leave. 
 
 Then the captain said 
 
 " I know all about Merritt, the service he's ben 
 able to render excuses him from all breach of 
 discipline. An' I gave him leave to stay all night. 
 He's nursing my boat-steerer, who was nearly killed 
 last night by your friend Pepe." 
 
 Strive as Winsloe would, he could not help a 
 momentary gleam of triumph in his eyes, and Captain 
 Taber, keenly observant of him, saw it. The sim- 
 mering wrath within him awoke and, growing pale 
 with rage, he burst out 
 
 " Yes, I know that's pleasant intelligence to you, 
 Winsloe, and I want to tell you right here that, though 
 I don't believe for the honour of our name as Ameri- 
 cans that you were mixed up in this infernal cowardly 
 scheme to kill one of the best fellows that ever lived, 
 I know you would have been glad to hear of his death 
 or disablement or anything that would keep him 
 out of this ship. I've been a bit of a cur myself 
 over this business, though I never suspected it
 
 C. B.'S NARROWEST ESCAPE 191 
 
 before ; but I've got over that, thank God. If that 
 chap gets well he's comin' back here as boat-steerer, 
 an' if you or anybody else aboard dares to pick on 
 him except in th' lawful way of discipline in case 
 of his doin' wrong, you'll have to reckon with me. 
 I never did play no favourites, nor I won't now. 
 But as I don't want to spoil a good ship or a fairly 
 good man (though y' ain't half as good as I thought 
 ye was), I'll give ye yeer option : treat that man 
 square, white man fashion or skip. I won't have 
 ye in my ship if ye can't be a man." 
 
 Winsloe was beaten let us hope that he felt 
 ashamed and he replied after a pause 
 
 " Captain Taber, I own up, I ben goin' wrong. 
 I don't love the feller a bit, but I can't gainsay* 
 that he's a good man, too good for me in fact. If 
 I'd ben skipper I'd ha' give big money t' get rid of 
 him, or I'd ha' driven him out. But I didn't try 
 ner I wouldn't ha' tried, t' kill him, an' I thank ye 
 for exoneratin' me from that. An' I'll put up with 
 him an' try to get over my natural dislike fer a man 
 whose whole life makes ours look bad by comparison. 
 An' I'm ready to apologize for acting ugly t' you, 
 Captain Taber, whom I've worked with and liked 
 so long." 
 
 A hearty handshake was all that followed, but it 
 spoke volumes. Then the skipper called his boat 
 and went ashore, making straight for the store where 
 he had left C. B. and Merritt the previous night. 
 But long before he reached it he was aware of a huge 
 concourse of natives gathered around it, and, wonder- 
 ing greatly what all the excitement was about, he 
 pushed through the crowd and gained the store, to 
 find the German proprietor in a state bordering on 
 frenzy because his trade was being ruined, he said, 
 nobody could get near the shore to do business.
 
 192 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 Inside the captain found Merritt sitting by the 
 side of the patient looking exceedingly dangerous. 
 
 Upon seeing the skipper Merritt's brow lightened 
 a little but still he looked black, and when Captain 
 Taber accosted him, inquiring after the welfare of 
 the patient, he growled 
 
 " He's off his head and no wonder, what with 
 that mob outside and this infernal Dutchman fidget- 
 ing about in here 'cause of his half-cent trade. Let's 
 get him aboard the ship, sir, at once, or he'll be 
 worried to death, an' then I shall have to kill a few 
 of these animals to ease my feelings." 
 
 The skipper looked dubious at this proposition, 
 and yet knowing how immense is the recuperative 
 power of men like C. B. if left to nature's own restora- 
 tive processes, he felt that probably Merritt was 
 right. So at last he said 
 
 " Look here, Merritt, go down to the boat and 
 get aboard as quick as you can. Rig up a stretcher 
 to carry him on an' " 
 
 " Beg pardon, sir," interrupted Merritt, " but 
 they's plenty o' stuff here in the store to do that 
 with, an' I can rig somethin' up in less than a 
 quarter of the time it'd take to fetch it from the 
 ship. An' whatever's to pay let me pay it, sir, if 
 you will; it'd do me good to." 
 
 " All right, all right," assented the skipper testily ; 
 " you're right again as usual. Now I'll go an' have 
 a yarn with the Dutchman an' see if I can't put him 
 in a better humour. Hello, here's the doctor. 
 Good mornin', doc. ; your patient isn't anything to 
 brag about this mornin', he's in a high fever, an' I'm 
 not surprised after the way this gang has been 
 yelling around here all night I'm told. So I'm 
 goin' to shift him aboard the ship as soon as my 
 fourth mate can rig up something to carry him on."
 
 C. B.'S NARROWEST ESCAPE 193 
 
 " Now, my dear sir," interjected the doctor 
 hastily, " you surely don't want to extinguish the 
 feeble flicker of life, do you ? If you move 
 that man in his present condition, he'll die before 
 sunset, now mark my words. But let me see him." 
 And passing in the doctor examined the suffering 
 man, shaking his head gravely at each new symptom. 
 When he had concluded his examination, during which 
 Merritt watched him as if prepared at a moment's 
 notice to fall upon him and do him grievous bodily 
 harm, he turned to the captain and said depreca- 
 tingly 
 
 ' Just as I told you, sir, to move him now must 
 be fatal. He has a good sporting chance of life 
 now ; move him, and it's gone." 
 
 Merritt sprang to the, captain's side and hissed, 
 " Don't take no manner o' notice of him, sir. He 
 don' know th' first thing about it. You know I'd 
 rather die forty times than my chum should, an' I 
 say that his only chance is to get him aboard. I'm 
 willing to risk it, the rig is all ready, an' if you'll 
 let me hire four o' these Kanakas, we'll have him 
 out o' this an' inter a safe place 'thout him bein'a 
 cent the worse for it." 
 
 " All right, Merritt," agreed the skipper ; "I 
 feel sure you're right." 
 
 ' Thank you, captain," sneered the doctor ; " my 
 fee is fifteen dollars, which I'll trouble you for." 
 
 Out came the skipper's wallet on the instant and 
 the money was paid. Not another word was ex- 
 changed between the pair, and the doctor strode off 
 in high dudgeon. 
 
 Meanwhile Merritt had enlisted volunteers, and 
 poor C. B. was lifted gently on to the improvised 
 ambulance and carried down in the midst of a huge 
 procession of natives, alHooking as if they had lost
 
 194 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 their dearest friend. With the tenderest care he 
 was placed in the boat, and presently was laid in 
 Merritt's cabin on board the ship with one of the 
 hands on watch to fan him and keep off the flies, 
 while Merritt went to break his long fast. 
 
 The captain had some difficulty in settling up 
 with the proprietor of the store, and only succeeded 
 in doing so by threatening him that if he did not ac- 
 cept the offer of five dollars for the use of his premises 
 for the night, he would get nothing but by process 
 of law. The money was then taken and they parted 
 unfriends. Then the skipper, feeling considerably 
 easier in his mind, went off to his friends of the night 
 before and enjoyed a substantial breakfast, interest- 
 ing his host, who was the American Consul, mightily 
 in his recital of the stirring circumstances. 
 
 As soon as the meal was over, they went down 
 to the calaboose and learned that the prisoners 
 were in an exceedingly bad way bodily, and quite 
 unlikely to be fit to stand their trial for some time 
 to come. This intelligence decided the skipper on 
 a course of action that had been hazily floating in 
 his mind he would ship three more harponeers 
 (several had offered) , make his season on the Japan 
 grounds, leaving bonds for payment of the shares 
 due to the offenders, and then call back again on his 
 way south. In this resolve the Consul supported 
 him heartily, and within an hour three more har- 
 poneers had been shipped, all of whom, strange to 
 say, were Americans, who from some misfortune or 
 another had got stranded in Oahu. 
 
 The rest of the business took very little time to 
 clear up, and by midday all was in train for the 
 departure of the ship, if only the authorities could be 
 got to agree. This the Consul was able to manage by 
 leaving the charge against the ill doers as only that
 
 C. B.'S NARROWEST ESCAPE 195 
 
 of a drunken brawl, and declaring that he held all 
 funds necessary for payment of their fines and 
 maintenance until they could be shipped away. 
 So expeditiously were matters settled that at sunset 
 that evening the Eliza Adams was under weigh, 
 stealing out of the harbour westward bound for 
 the coast of Japan, and her skipper bearing a lighter 
 heart than he had done for a very long time as regarded 
 the conditions of life on board of his ship. 
 
 When all was settled and shipshape the skipper 
 paid a visit to C. B., finding to his amazement and 
 delight that the patient had taken a long stride 
 towards convalescence. He was sane and cool, 
 and was eating with good relish some boiled rice 
 and molasses with which his nurse was feeding him. 
 So far from being any the worse for his removal in 
 the morning he was demonstrably better, and when 
 the captain sat down by his side and commenced 
 to talk with him, he turned a bright and intelligent 
 eye upon him and listened intently to what he had 
 to say. The captain proceeded to tell him all that 
 had occurred in the short time that had elapsed 
 since the uproar of the previous night, but when he 
 described the parlous condition of the Portuguese 
 aggressors and explained that they had been left 
 behind in prison, C. B. looked away sad, saying 
 
 " I do pity those poor fellows with all my heart, 
 sir. I can't in the least understand why they hated 
 me so, and, of course, I feel very angry that they 
 should have waylaid me as they did, but I expect 
 it was the drink that did it. I really don't believe 
 they would have done it if they had been sober." 
 
 The skipper gave a dissatisfied grunt as he 
 replied 
 
 " Don't, don't ye ? Well, if I should be asked 
 what I think, I should say they had planned the whole
 
 196 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 business long before we got in, an' that they was only 
 waiting their chance to get you out of the way once 
 for all. But now I hope we'll have a happy as well 
 as a smart ship. You've only got to hurry up and 
 get better, because I can't have you laid up now, ye 
 know. We may raise whale at any minute between 
 here and the cruisin' grounds, an' I know it wouldn't 
 be good for you to be lyin' here while we're havin' 
 all the fun. So give your mind to gettin' well." 
 
 The skipper had hardly gone when Merritt ap- 
 peared, and sending the attendant forrard, proceeded 
 to make C. B. comfortable, renew the dressings on 
 his wounds, etc., with infinite patience and tender- 
 ness, looking all the time as grim and savage as if 
 he were meditating murder. At last C. B., laying 
 his hand affectionately upon his friend's arm, said 
 
 " Thank you so much, dear man, for making me 
 so comfortable, but why are you looking so mad ? I 
 wish you wouldn't, it grieves me to see that terrible 
 look in your eyes." 
 
 " All right," growled Merritt, " I'll try and look 
 as pleasant as my ugly mug will let me, for your sake. 
 But when I see how you've been served, I can't help 
 feeling sorry that I didn't put all them Portuguese 
 dogs beyond the possibility of ever doin' any more 
 harm. Anyhow, I got one consolation, they'll prob- 
 ably die as it is. An' if I only knew they would, 
 I'd be easy in my mind." 
 
 " Oh, chum, chum, don't talk like that, you don't 
 know how it hurts me. If I thought you were joking 
 I could smile, dreadful though the words sound. 
 But I know you mean every word you say, and I feel 
 so sorry because because I love you and wish you 
 knew how good a thing, how happy a thing it is to 
 forgive." 
 
 Merritt stared blankly at his patient for a few
 
 C. B.'S NARROWEST ESCAPE 197 
 
 moments and then snorted, " Forgive, hay ! Yes, 
 I'd forgive 'em when they was fixed so's they couldn't 
 do any more harm. But if forgivin' 'em means 
 lettin' 'em loose again to go on the same as before an' 
 murder some chap that's worth a whole regiment 
 of 'em, why then I calls that such silly nonsense that 
 I won't talk about it, not even to you. Never mind, 
 I've often wondered what good I was in the world 
 and now I know to look after a great soft-hearted 
 baby like you, who'd almost lie down and let any- 
 body walk over ye an' thank 'em for doin' it. But 
 that's enough now, you go to sleep an' get better 
 more quicker."
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 A Momentous Passage 
 
 THENCEFORWARD the speed with which the 
 wounded man got better was marvellous 
 except to those who knew how the body of man 
 under primitive conditions and perfectly healthy 
 can recover from what in civilization must be 
 fatal injuries. I have alluded to this in one 
 of the earliest chapters in dealing with the 
 accident to Philip, C. B.'s father, although his 
 injuries were far less dangerous than those that 
 his son had just sustained. But in four days after 
 the ship had left Honolulu, C. B. was able to come on 
 deck without assistance, and to take short walks up 
 and down the deck until pain within, along the 
 track of the newly-healed wound, warned him to 
 rest. 
 
 As the captain had hoped, the ship was now the 
 abode of peace, as far as could be seen, and there 
 was perfect harmony between all hands, even Mr. 
 Winsloe having regained his original placidity of 
 temper. All that now seemed in doubt was the 
 capacity of the new harponeers, who, however, 
 as far as their ship work went, shaped thoroughly 
 well. So day after day slipped away and the 
 vessel drew gradually near the turbulent Japan 
 grounds without as yet a single spout having been 
 seen. 
 
 The captain was just beginning to get fretty,
 
 A MOMENTOUS PASSAGE 199 
 
 for his average was falling faster than he liked, 
 when without intimating that such was his inten- 
 tion C. B. turned up one morning in the gravy-eye 
 watch and told Merritt that he had come to stay. 
 He was a bit trembly and weak still, but felt no 
 pain whatever from his wounds, which had perfectly 
 healed, and he therefore argued that he would be 
 much better at work than lolling about. Merritt fully 
 agreed and at first break of dawn C. B. climbed 
 aloft into the main crow's-nest, Merritt, whose look- 
 out it was with him, staying behind to finish a new 
 lance-cap he had been making. C. B. was some- 
 what surprised to find how the climb made him 
 pant, forgetting the recent strain upon his bodily 
 resources, but got into the rings and, leaning over, 
 began to feast his eyes upon the glory and majesty 
 of the sunrise, nowhere more impressive than when 
 seen from such a vantage point as this. 
 
 He fell into a reverie while gazing, thinking of the 
 splendours of the New Jerusalem, when he was 
 rudely aroused by the mellow call of Merritt far 
 below him " Blo-o-o-o-w." He gazed wildly 
 around endeavouring to see where the sighted 
 whale could be, but it was not until looking down 
 to see if possible in which direction Merritt 
 was looking that he saw to his intense chagrin that 
 there were four whales almost alongside the ship. 
 Then in accordance with custom he added his call 
 to Merritt 's, and the two at the fore joined in the 
 long minor cry. 
 
 Of course the captain was immediately on deck, 
 and at his sharp incisive orders the whole of the 
 ship's company flew into a state of violent activity. 
 Then suddenly his voice was heard pealing upward, 
 " Way down from aloft all but Christmas ! You 
 stop there and look after the signallin' ; I'm goin' t'
 
 200 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 take the boat." It was a bitter pill for C. B. to 
 swallow in spite of his certainty that the skipper 
 was acting in the kindest and most thoughtful 
 way. But he was so keen upon his work and so 
 anxious to show how completely fit he was that 
 for a little while he felt quite unhappy. Then 
 as the boats pushed off and set sail he recovered 
 himself and remembered how important were 
 the duties he had to perform. 
 
 For he was now in sole charge of the ship, being 
 entrusted with the task of keeping her to windward 
 of the school with the aid of the shipkeepers, that 
 is the carpenter and cooper, cook and steward and 
 four hands. There are also many well understood 
 signals to be made by manipulating the upper sails, 
 signals which are eagerly watched by those in charge 
 of boats whose sphere of vision is very limited 
 as compared with that of a man elevated so far 
 above the sea as a ship's topgallant mast-head. 
 These signals tell of the whale's sounding or re- 
 appearance, of the direction in which he heads, in 
 fact, all his or their movements, and of course the 
 watcher is enabled to follow the progress of the 
 work and regulate movements of his ship thereby. 
 Consequently it was no sinecure post that C. B. 
 had been appointed to, but rather one that would 
 test to the full his newly gained acquaintance with 
 the art of ship handling. 
 
 As he stood there watching the departure of the 
 four boats, which from his lofty position looked 
 like tiny specks of white dotting the glittering 
 surface of the sea, he could not help passing mentally 
 in review the events of the past few months. He 
 had recently had many opportunities for intro- 
 spection and reverie, but somehow all his musings 
 had been mixed up, unmethodical and leading
 
 A MOMENTOUS PASSAGE 201 
 
 nowhere. Now, however, realizing as he did the 
 novelty of his position, he was led to trace back- 
 ward step by step the way by which he had been 
 brought thither, and the recollections affected him 
 deeply. A strange sense of exultation seized him, 
 delight in that he had been so signally favoured of 
 God in all his undertakings, gratitude that he had 
 been kept from falling, but never once did he feel 
 puffed up with the false idea that it was his strength 
 of character, his goodness that had kept him. 
 
 That of course was owing to the simple, sensible, 
 Christian training which he had received, drawn 
 direct from the fount of Infinite wisdom. That teach- 
 ing had always been valued by him, but never 
 more than now when he could see whither its 
 results had led him. And then he thought of the 
 miserable men that had assailed him, had hated 
 him without a cause, and remembering how barren 
 their lives must have been of the advantages he had 
 enjoyed, his heart swelled with a great pity for 
 them. 
 
 All this time he watched the boats receding, 
 spreading out as they went, and deeming it time 
 to get a little nearer to them gave the order to 
 keep her away for a little as with the stiff breeze 
 blowing the ship could sail faster than the boats. 
 He watched the whales settle, gave the signal that 
 caused the boats to heave to hove his own ship 
 to, and waited intently watching until they rose 
 again to his great joy quite close to the boats. 
 It was truly wonderful to watch from that height 
 the stern conflict going on, where the combatants 
 were apparently reduced in size to pigmies and 
 specks. So I should imagine would a battle between 
 two armies look from a balloon or a great hunting 
 scene with lions and tigers as the quarry, except
 
 202 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 that here there was nothing to obstruct the view. 
 Presently he saw all four boats starting off in 
 different directions without sails or the use of oars, 
 and he knew that each one had gotten fast to a 
 whale. Now he began to pray for guidance as to 
 what he should do in the event of the whales running 
 like that for long, since the simple rule of keeping 
 to windward would hardly suffice. Then he noticed 
 that one of the boats was being towed by its whale 
 directly towards the ship at such a speed that the 
 monster was raising a great bow wave almost like 
 that ahead of one of our bluff bowed tramps going 
 full speed. 
 
 But also to his amazement and almost consterna- 
 tion he noticed that the fast whale was accompanied 
 by two loose whales, one on either side, who were 
 evidently determined to keep up with him, but 
 whether with the notion of helping him or not it 
 was impossible to tell. C. B. had heard of such 
 things, and had put them aside as we often do the 
 matters we do not know whether to believe or not, 
 but which certainly appear to us incredible. It 
 does not do, however, to be too sceptical with regard 
 to what is done or attempted by whales, because 
 we may thereby lose some hints which may be most 
 useful to us in an emergency. 
 
 Now he saw that the swiftly coming craft was his 
 boat, and that the skipper was in the bow. Nearer, 
 nearer, nearer she came, and C. B'.s pulses quickened 
 as he noted they were heading straight for his 
 broadside. " Hard a starboard," he cried, " let 
 her come right up. Let go starboard main and 
 cro'jack braces, haul all after yards round." And 
 as the ship swung up into the wind, bringing the 
 advancing boat head on to her, C. B. saw Merritt 
 fling the turns off the loggerhead, letting the boat
 
 A MOMENTOUS PASSAGE 203 
 
 fly by only a foot or two clear of the stem. And 
 the ship slowly filled round to the starboard tack, 
 C. B. filling the fore yards as she did so. If any 
 sailor objects that he never heard of tacking ship this 
 way, let me tell him that many acts of seamanship 
 are performed or were performed in whalers that 
 not only were never heard of, but would have 
 been impossible anywhere else, just as it would be 
 impossible for many of our long lean four-posters 
 to back and fill up a river like a Geordie brig on a 
 good flood. 
 
 Keeping his eager eyes upon the scene below him, 
 C. B. noted that rapid as the whale's progress had 
 been on the surface he was now moving very 
 sluggishly downwards and so he turned his attention 
 to the other boats which he found were scattered 
 widely, but all three evidently having some trouble 
 with their whales. He became very anxious as 
 to his position and was about to keep away again 
 when he saw that the whale his skipper was fast to 
 was coming up at a great rate. And when he reached 
 the surface he was still accompanied by the other 
 two whales, who seemed determined to put every 
 obstacle in the way of his being killed that they 
 could. Both Captain Taber and Mr. Merritt were 
 fully alive to the danger of injuring a " loose " 
 whale while fast to another one, but something 
 had to be done, so Captain Taber fired a bomb lance 
 at one of the loose whales which was between him 
 and the whale he was fast to. C. B. heard the 
 crack of the shot and the boom of the exploding 
 bomb, and then saw, just as if a submarine mine had 
 gone off, a tremendous upheaval in the water where 
 it was evident that the intruder had got his mortal 
 wound, and had gone immediately into his death 
 flurry.
 
 204 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 There was no question as to the danger of the 
 situation, danger, too, which no amount of energy 
 or skill could avert. The three huge beasts, 
 apparently maddened by pain and fright, and 
 mixed up with the line, which was a mass of 
 entanglement, fairly surrounded the boat. Even 
 if she had not been threatened with being smashed 
 every moment by the writhings and plungings of 
 the mighty creatures, it was obvious that she was 
 only kept afloat by incessant baling, owing to the 
 immense amount of water which was hurled over 
 her in the struggle. 
 
 The apparently inevitable end came soon after 
 C. B. had shouted from his perch an order to man 
 the spare boat and keep her in instant readiness 
 for lowering. One of the whales rose by the side 
 of the hemmed-in boat with widely extended jaws, 
 fell over upon it sideways, at the same time clashing 
 those awful jaws together. Boatmen and whales 
 disappeared for a moment in a wallow of crimson 
 flecked foam. C. B. waited no longer. Snatching 
 at a backstay, he glided to the deck, shouted as soon 
 as his feet touched the rail 
 
 " Take hold, Chips, an' keep as near me as you 
 can." 
 
 Into the boat and with a whirr of the falls they 
 were off, not a moment too soon. Two whales 
 were dead and a third was still moving about as if 
 unable to leave the spot ; but clinging to fragments 
 of the destroyed boat were the crew, all hurt and 
 hurt badly, and the skipper, sustained by Merritt, 
 looked almost as if he had fought his last fight. 
 
 Disregarding entirely the urgency of securing the 
 whales, all the men were saved and brought on 
 board with utmost speed. Then it was found 
 that three of them were absolutely helpless as far
 
 A MOMENTOUS PASSAGE 205 
 
 as work was concerned, while the skipper needed 
 instant attention if his life was to be saved. Merritt, 
 though sorely bruised and fatigued, took upon 
 himself this duty, and with C. B. to help him they 
 made an examination of the captain's body. They 
 found that his left arm was broken in four places, 
 most of the flesh was torn and lacerated on that 
 side of his body, his left thigh was out and his left 
 foot crushed. Yet so great was the man's vitality, 
 and also because there had been but little loss of 
 blood, that the good fellow was really not so nearly 
 gone as might have been expected. 
 
 " Now, boy," said Merritt, " you got your hands 
 fuller'n ever you had 'em. Git on deck an' sen' 
 me the cook and steward, an' tell 'em t' bring a handy 
 billy with 'em. I must get that thigh in fust off. 
 Then you gotter get hold o' the' whales. Get 'em 
 alongside ; they's two hundred barrel on 'em, I do 
 believe, and then dig out fer the other fellows. 
 They'll be all right, I guess, fer I've noticed that 
 things like these scarcely ever gets too bad for a 
 man to handle. Now git." AndC. B. got, climbed 
 to' his lofty perch again, finding however that when 
 he reached there he had a strange giddiness come over 
 him for a few moments. He sent up a swift prayer 
 for strength under his heavy burden, remembering 
 how recent had been his great weakness. 
 
 Then he sprang up like a giant, and shouted the 
 necessary orders to bring the ship down on the 
 whales, which were lying almost side by side. He 
 did not want to lower a boat, so conned the ship 
 with utmost care, and when he headed straight for 
 them he had the yards backed to deaden her way 
 a little. Then taking an iron prepared with an 
 ordinary towline attached, he darted it as she came 
 near enough, and hauled one whale alongside at
 
 206 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 the same time as one of the shipkeepers performed 
 a similar feat on the whale which lay at the opposite 
 side of the ship. 
 
 Technicalities about any business are bound to 
 become tiresome, no matter how interesting the 
 business may be in itself, or I would explain the 
 enormous amount of labour and skill expended 
 upon getting these two whales properly secured by a 
 length of chain round the small of their bodies and 
 a hawser attached to that. A small cut would 
 explain it better than a page of letterpress. All 
 hands worked nobly (ah, how nobly do the rank 
 and file often work for honourable reasons, knowing 
 that no recognition ever comes their way), and at 
 last the two vast bodies were well secured astern, 
 and C. B. had now to solve the problem of getting 
 his ship to where the other boats were waiting for 
 him, with those two enormous masses hanging to 
 his stern. 
 
 Somewhat wearily he mounted to the crow's-nest 
 again, only remembering as he did so that in the 
 excitement of his manifold duties he had forgotten 
 to eat, and it was now nearly noon. So he hailed 
 the deck and ordered all hands to snatch what bites 
 they could, but be ready to trim sails as needed. 
 He received the usual answer, and went on with his 
 scrutiny of the vast blazing expanse spread out before 
 him. At last to his great relief he located the 
 three boats, each certainly fast to a whale, and as far 
 as he could judge with the whales dead. Fortunately, 
 I had almost said providentially, but remembered 
 C. B's persistent efforts to keep his ship to windward, 
 the boats were all well to loo'ard, which simplified 
 his task considerably. 
 
 But oh ! the weary, weary wait of it all. A 
 whaleship's best gait is slow, with two whales towing
 
 A MOMENTOUS PASSAGE 207 
 
 it is hardly perceptible, and presently with a delight- 
 ful start, as if he had made an original discovery, C. B. 
 decided that he might relieve himself of his duty 
 without any harm or hindrance, having set the 
 course. So he came down and was astonished to find 
 how the food set before him revived him and made 
 him take quite a roseate view of difficulties which 
 a few minutes before seemed almost unsurmountable. 
 
 When he had been thus refreshed he gave orders 
 for all cutting gear to be got ready, knowing that 
 there would be plenty of time and that the hands 
 were all rested. Then he went below, where he 
 found his skipper bandaged and swathed until he 
 looked like a mummy sleeping soundly with only a 
 light flush on his face, and Merritt, a half emptied 
 plate of food by his side, sitting almost bolt upright, 
 fast asleep, but looking as ghastly as a dead man. 
 But then with people of that complexion you never 
 can tell. They are not to be judged by ordinary rules 
 at all. 
 
 Feeling that in both cases the men were better 
 without interference on his part he went on deck 
 again, and seeing the carpenter and cooper standing 
 by, he went up to them and said 
 
 ' The captain and Mr. Merritt are both doing well, 
 they're fast asleep. Have you had your dinner ? 
 They both nodded and he then went on, "I'll look 
 after the ship now if you'd both like a little rest, for I 
 reckon it'll be another hour before we are up to the 
 first boat, and it will be hard enough for us all then." 
 
 The two old tradesmen looked at him and then at 
 each other, finally muttering 
 
 " I guess we'll keep you company. What you can 
 do we can, and anyhow you ain't half a bad chap." 
 That was all, but it meant a good deal. 
 
 Now of the subsequent proceedings in picking
 
 208 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 up the three whales I need not write, except to say 
 that as soon as Mr. Winsloe got on board C. B. 
 handed the control of the ship over to him with 
 a full report of what had happened since he had 
 left the skipper's company. The story of the next 
 week is just one of savage unremitting toil, only to be 
 compared to the way in which men work for the sav- 
 ing of their lives. Mr. Winsloe developed in a 
 direction that C. B. had never suspected him of, he 
 became a bowelless taskmaster, apparently needing 
 no rest himself nor imagining that anybody else could 
 want any. 
 
 Merritt took his place in the fighting line the next 
 day, apparently none the worse for his awful experi- 
 ences, although a keen observer might have seen 
 in his sunken cheeks and hollow eyes indelible signs 
 of the great struggle. But the poor skipper was in 
 evil case. Only the natural vigour of his constitu- 
 tion and the tremendous force of his will pulled 
 him through. For four days he lay alternating 
 between stupor and delirium, never left by night 
 or day, of course, entirely unconscious of how the 
 great business of the voyage was being carried 
 on without him. 
 
 When at last he emerged into the land of sense 
 Winsloe was with him, having snatched a few 
 minutes from the work to come down and have 
 a look at his suffering chief. And when he found 
 that the captain was sane again he felt a great 
 lump in his throat, a weight lifted from his chest, 
 for with all his undoubted faults he loved the skipper 
 and would have felt his loss, in spite of the immediate 
 benefit to himself, as a blow for which there could 
 be no adequate compensation. Captain Taber 
 raised his sadly attenuated hand and groped for 
 that of Mr. Winsloe, saying feebly
 
 A MOMENTOUS PASSAGE 209 
 
 " Well, Winsloe, how goes it ? Are all the other 
 boats back ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir," replied Winsloe, " and nobody hurt to 
 speak of but yourself. But you've had a pretty bad 
 time, sir, an' I guess you don't know that it's the 
 thick end of a week since you was brought aboard. 
 You'll be glad to know, an' I think it'll do you more 
 good than all the doctors' stuff in the world, that 
 we've cut in five whale, an' I'm figurin' that there's 
 between four an' five hundred bar'l of oil very nearly 
 ready to run down. So we ain't done so mighty 
 bad after all." 
 
 The effect upon the wounded man was magical. 
 His eyes sparkled, and he even made one effort to 
 rise, but Winsloe put out a restraining hand. " Well," 
 the captain cried in quite a strong voice, " I feel 
 like shoutin' ' Glory Hallelujah ! ' If that ain't 
 great ! But say, you ain't told me how long this 
 job took ye ? " 
 
 " It's just seven days to an hour since we started, 
 an' pretty late in the day it was, for Christmas was 
 mighty slow in getting down to us, bein' handicapped 
 by your two whale " 
 
 " Two whale," almost yelled the skipper. " D'ye 
 mean t' say that we saved two ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, that's a true bill. I ain't heard all 
 about it, but Merritt can tell ye, or Christmas. They 
 was on in that piece, I was about six mile to looard, 
 an' wonderin' pretty bad what all the waitin' 
 meant. An' before I go, sir, as I don't think you 
 orter be tried too much, I wanter say that these 
 yer new harponeers of ours is the whole thing. I 
 don't want no better men, an' I ain't goin' t' wear 
 mournin' fer Pepe and Louis any longer. Both at 
 strikin' whale and steerin' boat they're the limit, 
 an' as fer work, well, they suit me, an' I ain't the 
 
 o
 
 2io A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 easiest man to please in the matter o' cuttin' in an* 
 fryin' out. Now do try and get a sleep agen, sir, 
 an' don't put in any time worryin', because every- 
 thin's goin' jist as it orter." And he slipped on 
 deck. 
 
 But in spite of the mate's cheery words he was 
 far from satisfied with the condition of things. Both 
 Merritt and C. B., though neither of them made 
 any complaint, showed unmistakable signs of the 
 enormous strain that had been put upon them 
 lately, C. B. especially, who was, as we know, hardly 
 convalescent when the pressure began. Besides 
 that, the other members of the captain's boat's crew 
 were hardly fit to go on much longer, although with 
 rare fortitude they had stuck to their task until 
 work was almost done, and then were given lighter 
 jobs in fact, the general routine of the ship was 
 relaxed in view of the recent great effort. So when 
 Mr. Winsloe took his usual rough sights for position 
 and found that they were only about a couple of 
 days' sail with the present wind from the Bonin 
 Islands, he determined to steer for them, and in the 
 absence of any positive command on the part of the 
 captain, to go in and take a few days' rest. 
 
 And as, in any case, he was not going out of his 
 way, he shaped his course for Peel Island and carried 
 sail to the fair wind then blowing, with the object 
 of making as much headway as possible, although 
 under ordinary circumstances, being now really in 
 the great northern haunt of the cachalot, he would 
 have been in the usual cruising trim which I have 
 described as being pursued on the offshore ground. 
 But much to his relief the captain, though still 
 remaining very weak, kept his faculties and a clear 
 head, so that when Winsloe broached the subject to 
 him of making for Port Lloyd in order to give the
 
 A MOMENTOUS PASSAGE 211 
 
 crew and himself a chance to recover, he gave the 
 plan an emphatic sanction. " For," he said, " I 
 ain't as young as I uster be, an' a smash up such as 
 I've had ain't calculated to make me feel any spryer. 
 And although I've got no shadow of doubt as to your 
 ability t' carry on, Winsloe, t' the end of the chapter, 
 I really should feel happier with the kellick down in 
 the ten fathom hole. Moreover, tain't as if we ain't 
 earned a rest. That last catch of ours hez pulled 
 our average up bully." 
 
 It was therefore with a light heart that Winsloe 
 saw the bold outlines of Peel Island standing out 
 against the clear blue of the sky on the third morning 
 after the above conversation, and he noted with 
 much satisfaction how cheerful all hands seemed 
 to be at the prospect of a few days in harbour 
 anywhere, whether it was possible to get any of 
 the so-called luxuries usually craved by sailors 
 or not. Only two of the crew had been there 
 before, one of them being Merritt, and he showed 
 interest almost amounting to enthusiasm as he 
 described the wonders of the unique harbour to 
 C. B. It was also, he said, almost like his native 
 place to him, for there he would certainly find some 
 people of the same strange mixture of races as he 
 was himself, Chinese, Japanese, Spaniards, Italians, 
 Kanakas, and Americans having settled in the strange 
 place at different times, and their descendants 
 being now fairly numerous. 
 
 Captain Taber being still too weak to be moved 
 with safety, and Mr. Winsloe never having been 
 into the place before, Mr. Merritt became pilot, and 
 C. B., who was well able to criticize, was charmed 
 at the consummate ease with which his chum took 
 the vessel in under all sail in spite of the baffling 
 winds, which necessitated constant attention to
 
 212 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 the braces and halyards. Port Lloyd is nothing 
 but the crater of a mighty volcano, extinct ages 
 ago, and by some awful convulsion of nature sunk 
 down low enough for one breach in it to form the 
 entrance with a general depth of over twenty 
 fathoms, while the remaining sides of the crater 
 tower up to a height of seven or eight hundred 
 feet. As might be expected there are many reefs 
 and ledges within the harbour, but they are easily 
 seen from aloft when coming in, and the central 
 anchorage, into which a vessel must needs be warped 
 by kedges, is a natural dock with an almost level 
 bottom of ten fathoms depth, secure from every 
 wind that blows and with splendid holding ground. 
 
 Into this beautiful nook the Eliza Adams was 
 taken and secured to the immense satisfaction of 
 all on board, and especially to Mr. Winsloe, who 
 now felt able to take that rest which he badly 
 needed, and, as there were several whaleships there, 
 to get advice from other commanders about the 
 state of his captain's health. Besides, it was an 
 ideal place for all those things that a ship like a 
 whaler needs, good water, plenty of fruit and 
 vegetables, and swarms of excellent fish. 
 
 The sails were hardly furled before the captains 
 of three of the whaleships, the Phoenix, the James 
 Arnold, and the Coral were alongside and coming 
 on board were received by Mr. Winsloe with great 
 delight. They heard of the adventure which had 
 laid Captain Taber low with grave faces, and after 
 Mr. Winsloe had first ascertained that Captain 
 Taber was fit to receive them they descended to 
 his cabin and greeted him with that deep cordiality 
 which used to be so marked a feature among these 
 men, brothers in arms, knowing and respecting 
 one another from a thorough knowledge of the
 
 A MOMENTOUS PASSAGE 213 
 
 high qualities that went to make up the complete 
 whaleman. 
 
 But when they saw the wreck of their old friend, 
 and had made a careful examination of his injuries, 
 they decided that although it was nothing short of 
 a miracle that he had made so good a recovery, it 
 was hopeless his attempting to finish the voyage. 
 It was evident, they said, that he must for at least 
 a year to come have complete rest and immunity 
 from worry, and they gave it as their decided opinion 
 that he should give up the ship to Winsloe and go 
 home. And although they did not say so to him, 
 they were also of opinion that George Taber would 
 never again be fit to command a ship in the great 
 and strenuous business of sperm whaling.
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 Farewell to the Ship 
 
 IT would be difficult if not impossible to convey 
 to the reader the consternation that fell upon 
 Captain Taber's mind when the decision of his 
 fellows were made known to him. How he fought 
 against, not only their sentence, but his own con- 
 victions, for during the long hours that he had 
 lain there sensible that the strength and vigour 
 that he once possessed had gone from him and gave 
 no sign of returning, he had been compelled to 
 acknowledge that at last he had, as he put it, come 
 up against a difficulty that he could neither get 
 around nor leap over. And as soon as they were 
 gone, he turned his face to the bulkhead and shed 
 the bitter tears of a strong soul compelled to admit 
 complete defeat. 
 
 And then came a gleam of comfort. In his dire 
 distress of mind he thought of C. B., the gentle 
 Christian man, who without making any special 
 effort had twined round his heart strings, who 
 through great and undeserved trials had still retained 
 his serenity of soul, and he felt that here indeed 
 was a man that he could turn to in his hour of 
 need, one who would be able to impart to him some 
 of that inner calm that seemed proof against all 
 outward disturbance however great. Man fashion 
 he hardly thought of the source of that calm, as we 
 enjoy the warmth of a fire in winter without feeling 
 
 214
 
 FAREWELL TO THE SHIP 215 
 
 grateful to the elements which make the fire possible. 
 But for that we may not blame him, since he is in 
 this respect so completely at one with the great 
 majority of mankind. 
 
 A dim indefinite purpose was shaping itself in 
 his mind, but he did not try to bring it into concrete 
 form, he just laid back upon his pillow exhausted 
 and went to sleep, being indeed almost made worse 
 by the mental strain of the last few hours. And 
 Mr. Winsloe, coming down softly to inquire after 
 his welfare, seeing that he was resting, tip-toed up 
 again. He, the mate, was quite insensibly bettered 
 by this series of happenings, for although, like 
 all other mates, he had ambitions, longed to command 
 a ship, he actually forgot all about the possible 
 benefit to himself, forgot the strong words addressed 
 to him by the skipper in Oahu, forgot all his previous 
 bitterness against C. B. in sorrow for the sympathy 
 for his sorely stricken friend. As yet, however, he 
 had refused to contemplate the possibility of 
 Captain Taber becoming a helpless invalid for 
 life. Terrible though he knew his injuries to be, 
 he had been accustomed to seeing so many what we 
 should call miraculous recoveries, that the fact of 
 his skipper being alive and his wounds healed 
 seemed to him the best evidence that presently he 
 would resume command as if nothing had happened. 
 
 None of the visiting skippers had said anything 
 to him about the decision they had come to, so 
 that at the most he only contemplated an enforced 
 holiday for the skipper on shore here while he took 
 the ship for a cruise and came back with a big catch 
 of oil to find the skipper awaiting him in the very 
 prime and vigour of health. These ideas of his 
 were to receive a rude shock that very afternoon. 
 
 While all hands were quietly busy and a party
 
 216 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 ashore were filling casks with water, the soft musical 
 cry of " Sail ho ! " was raised. And round the 
 North Head came one of the dandies of the high 
 seas, a British corvette. She had just paid a visit 
 to this out-of-the-way place in the course of a 
 surveying cruise, because well, because it is neces- 
 sary in the interests of the world's commerce that 
 British men--o'-war shall thus patrol the seas and 
 record their observations, an immense duty imposed 
 upon the British Navy which is all too often for- 
 gotten by its calumniators, and those who clamour 
 for its starvation and eventual abolition. Poor 
 little one-idea'd men, what a pity it is that their 
 power for harm isn't limited as is their power for 
 good. 
 
 She had not been at anchor very long before 
 Captain Swift of the Coral, deputed by his brother- 
 captains, boarded her and begged that her surgeon 
 would have the goodness to visit the Eliza Adams 
 with him, and give an opinion upon the state of her 
 suffering captain. With that ready courtesy so 
 characteristic of British Naval officers, the request 
 was immediately complied with, and presently 
 Mr. Winsloe saw approaching the Coral's boat 
 with the captain of the Coral and a Naval officer, 
 who on mounting the side was introduced to him 
 as Doctor Devine of the British warship Fame, 
 Informed of their errand, Mr. Winsloe gravely led 
 the way below, where the doctor made an exhaustive 
 examination of Captain Taber, at the conclusion 
 of which, and after hearing the history of the 
 accident, he gave it as his opinion that it was 
 hardly short of miraculous that Captain Taber was 
 alive at all, but that he certainly would never be 
 able to pursue his calling again. 
 
 Captain Taber then, in a firm voice, requested
 
 FAREWELL TO THE SHIP 217 
 
 the doctor to tell him how long he had to live. 
 " That, my dear sir, is a question that I would answer 
 you as frankly as you have asked it were it in my 
 power. But I cannot tell. There have been most 
 extensive internal injuries in addition to those 
 that are apparent, and what their effect may be 
 in the future is a matter of conjecture only. You 
 may live to a green old age with great care and 
 attention, and you may only live a week or two. 
 All I can tell you I have told you, and I should 
 certainly advise you to relinquish your command 
 at once and proceed homeward by easy stages and 
 in as much comfort as you can get. I am deeply 
 sorry that I can say nothing more hopeful and 
 pleasant, but I can see that you are a man who is 
 well fortified in the best possible way against any 
 fortune. Good-bye, sir, and may you have a 
 pleasant and easy journey home." And the genial 
 doctor was taken back to his ship with a story for 
 the wardroom that attracted the deepest attention 
 from his fellows. 
 
 He had been gone but a very short time when 
 Captain Taber, having made up his mind, sent for 
 Winsloe and said 
 
 " Now, my dear fellow, I'm going to hand the 
 ship over to you, and hope with all my heart that 
 you'll have a rattling good time for the rest of the 
 cruise. Everything is in order, and you know 
 quite as much about the affairs of the ship as I do, 
 so there is no need for me to worry you or myself 
 with going over them. Next, I want you to send 
 C. B. to me. I feel that as I cannot travel alone 
 there is no one to whom I could more safely entrust 
 myself than him, and I want to arrange with him." 
 
 Winsloe signified assent, and going on deck passed 
 the word for C. B., telling him that the captain
 
 218 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 wished to see him. C. B. obeyed on the instant, 
 and seated himself at the captain's side at his 
 request. 
 
 " Christmas," said the suffering man impressively, 
 " the doctor has confirmed what my friends the 
 captains of the other ships have told me, that I 
 am done, my career as a whaling skipper is over, 
 and I am bound to agree with them ; for I mustn't 
 betray the interests of my owners by spoiling the 
 ship's voyage. They have also told me that the 
 sooner I get home with as little exertion as may 
 be, the better chance I have of life. Now, I can't 
 travel alone, and I sent for you to learn whether you 
 are willing to take the burden of an invalid broken 
 man on your young shoulders, and give up your 
 chance of making a good pay-day here. Will you 
 come with me and look after me for such small 
 pay as I am able to offer you, nothing in comparison 
 with what your services are worth ; but I am a poor 
 man, and I have a wife and three youngsters in 
 Fairhaven, who will need every cent that I can 
 scrape together for the lean years I see before me ? " 
 
 It was some little time before C. B. could answer, 
 for, like all real Christians, he was exceedingly 
 tender-hearted, and the sad spectacle of the suffering 
 man before him touched him very deeply. But he 
 recovered himself and answered 
 
 " Captain Taber, I thought you knew how little 
 store my people set by money. I did not come 
 with you with any idea of making money, only 
 that I felt that I must see the world and at the 
 same time earn my own living. And if by doing 
 what you ask I can repay your kindness to me, 
 money need not be mentioned between us as long 
 as I can get food enough to keep me alive and 
 clothing such as is necessary. I shall be glad and
 
 FAREWELL TO THE SHIP 219 
 
 proud to serve you with all my ability, and though 
 I may be clumsy at first I hope to learn quickly." 
 
 " Ah, my dear fellow," faintly murmured the 
 skipper, " there is far more than just body service 
 I want from you. I want to learn the secret of your 
 quiet happiness and I believe you can teach me. I've 
 watched and wondered at you for a long time, 
 envying you the peace that I saw you always 
 enjoying, the power of living blamelessly in the 
 midst of us ruffians and yet doing your work with 
 the best of us. Perhaps the Almighty has given 
 me this stroke in mercy because He saw that I 
 would not give myself time to learn His ways 
 without it. I don't know, but He knows I'm 
 willing to learn now, and with the prospect of having 
 you with me I am quite resigned to what I at first 
 felt would break my heart. So that's settled. I'll 
 make inquiries now as to the method of getting 
 from here to the States, to San Francisco, and 
 thence across the Continent home, and as soon as I 
 find out I'll let you know. Now, I'm very tired 
 again and I think I could sleep a little. God bless 
 you, my boy, and I thank you with all my 
 heart." 
 
 As C. B. left the cabin to go on deck again he met 
 Merritt, and one glance at his face gave him a feeling 
 of terrible compunction. A flood of recollections 
 rushed into his mind, the stern hatred and bitter 
 jealousy that Merritt had shown to any one who he 
 suspected of coming between him and the man he 
 loved with an affection resembling that of the 
 tigress for her cubs. What would he say ? More 
 painful and important question still, what would 
 he do ? In this trouble he went to his unfailing 
 resource. Sitting down on a spar in a dark corner 
 he buried his face in his hands, and prayed for
 
 220 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 guidance in this most difficult matter, and for 
 poor 'Merritt. He felt a keen pang at the thought 
 that he had never been able to return the affection 
 the fourth mate had lavished upon him in anything 
 like the same measure. He had loved Merritt only 
 as he had loved the skipper and a little more than 
 he had loved any other member of the ship's com- 
 pany, the only difference being that he had cherished 
 a belief that he had been the means of humanizing 
 that stern and vengeful nature by becoming the 
 object of its fierce affection. 
 
 He lifted his head refreshed by his communion, 
 and there, quite near to him, sat Merritt, having 
 stolen up noiselessly. As soon as he looked up 
 Merritt edged towards him and said in a hoarse, 
 constrained voice 
 
 " What's the matter with ye, chum ? Ain't ye 
 feelin' good ? " 
 
 " Oh yes, thanks," replied C. B. somewhat 
 wearily, " but I'm worried about you. I don't 
 know how you'll feel when I'm gone." 
 
 There was a painful pause for at least a minute 
 and then Merritt said 
 
 " Gone ! Then I was right. I thought I heard 
 the skipper say somethin' to ye 'bout comin' with 
 him to look after him. So you're goin', an' I 
 shan't see ye any more. Well, they's one thing about 
 it, you've softened me a lot, my boy, I k'n tell ye 
 that ; for if I was now as I have ben, I'd a killed you 
 fust an' myself after, I wouldn't a ben separated 
 from you. Now I don't feel able to say a crooked 
 word t' ye. But I feel all gone in here, an' I know 
 for certain that I shall peg out mighty quick after 
 you're gone. I hain't got nothing t' live fur an 1 
 I don't want t' live anyhow. When are ye goin' ? " 
 
 " I don't know," answered C. B. ; " it depends
 
 FAREWELL TO THE SHIP 221 
 
 upon the skipper getting a passage, I suppose ; but 
 don't, chum, don't talk like that." 
 
 " Like what ? " inquired Merritt harshly. 
 
 " About dying because I'm going away. It 
 sounds awful ; I can't understand it." 
 
 " Very well, I won't because ye wish it, but as 
 t' yeer understandin' it how should ye ? Never 
 mind. Jest ask yer God t' make it as easy fer me 
 as He can an' keep me tame, fer I feel as if I'd like 
 to die fighting, run amok like a Malay. And for 
 your sake I'd rather not do that." And he rose and 
 walked abruptly away, leaving C. B. bewildered 
 and full of grief, yet on the whole relieved that Merritt 
 had taken the tidings so quietly. And he lifted a 
 heart full of thanksgiving to God. 
 
 Early the next morning Mr. Winsloe was con- 
 siderably startled by seeing a smart boat from the 
 Fame coming alongside, and going to the gangway, 
 he received a gentleman in uniform, who introduced 
 himself as Captain Silchester of the Fame. 
 
 " I would like, sir," said he, " to see your captain, 
 who I regret to hear is so seriously ill." And Mr. 
 Winsloe immediately led the officer below. 
 
 Captain Taber was awake and glad to see his 
 visitor, who, after exchanging compliments, pro- 
 ceeded to state the object of his visit. " My doctor 
 has told me of your sad condition, and I have come 
 to offer you a passage in my ship to Yokohama, 
 which is our next port of call. From thence you 
 will be able to get a steamer to San Francisco." 
 
 Captain Taber smiled wanly and said 
 
 " You are most kind, sir ; you have greatly 
 relieved my mind. I really did not see how I was 
 going to get in the track of a fairly rapid passage 
 home without wasting more of my owners' time, 
 which I am very loth to do. But I have a personal
 
 222 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 friend and attendant who is going with me to look 
 after me in my helplessness, can you extend your 
 hospitality to him ? " he inquired anxiously. 
 
 " Oh, I see no difficulty in that," breezily answered 
 the British captain ; " in fact, I anticipated some- 
 thing of the sort and so was prepared for it. But 
 will you be able to come on board to-morrow, for 
 we sail in the afternoon ? " 
 
 " Oh yes," eagerly assented the skipper, " my 
 preparations are practically all made. And now, 
 sir, if you'll allow me I'll send for my friend, who is 
 one of the finest fellows that ever God made, and 
 let you see him." And blowing a whistle that hung 
 by his side the steward appeared. " Tell Christmas 
 I want him," ordered the skipper. 
 
 " Aye, aye, sir," responded the steward, and in a 
 couple of minutes C. B. stood before them. 
 
 In as short a time the skipper had explained 
 matters to Captain Silchester, who greeted C. B. 
 warmly and said 
 
 " I believe I have seen you before when you were 
 a boy of about ten. My visit to Norfolk Island in 
 one of Her Majesty's schooners is one of the happiest 
 recollections of my life. Your father's name, I 
 believe, is Philip Adams ? " 
 
 C. B.'s face brightened as he gladly answered, 
 " Yes, sir, and did you meet my beautiful mother ? " 
 
 Captain Silchester smiled at the eager, loving 
 question and replied, " Yes, I had that honour and 
 privilege, and I congratulate you upon your parents, 
 young man. They are, I should say, the very salt 
 of the earth. Well, I must not hinder you, sir," to 
 the captain ; " you'll have much to set in order, and 
 I shall expect you on board sometime before 4 p.m. 
 Good-bye." And turning sharply he hastened on deck 
 to avoid being thanked again.
 
 FAREWELL TO THE SHIP 223 
 
 But he was in no hurry, for once on deck he charmed 
 Mr. Winsloe by asking to be shown over the ship and 
 have her strange appliances explained to him, showing 
 so much interest and appreciation that Winsloe was 
 delighted and when he had gone, said to Spurrell, 
 " Well, if all the Britishers was like that one I shouldn't 
 have no quarrel with them, I'm dead sure of that." 
 
 " Ah," said Spurrell, " there's some good Britishers, 
 but there's an awful lot of shysters. Still, there's 
 good and bad of all sorts, I s'pose, and Britishers 
 ain't the worst by any odds." 
 
 Then the whistle blew and Winsloe hurried aft to 
 find the skipper quite excited at the near prospect of 
 beginning his journey home. It took but little time 
 to acquaint the mate with the British captain's 
 courteous offer, and then, with C. B.'s aid, the pre- 
 parations for departure were begun. Neatly and 
 methodically everything belonging to the skipper 
 was packed, except his charts and navigational books, 
 all of which he left to Winsloe. And so swiftly was 
 the work done that by the time the skipper was 
 wearied, that is in about an hour, everything was 
 practically ready, and the two men left him to sleep 
 again. 
 
 As they went softly on deck Mr. Winsloe said," Well, 
 Christmas, I needn't ask you to do your best for 
 the skipper, because I believe that no one could or 
 would do better than you. I've never been able to 
 like ye, for yeer too goody goody for me. But I'm 
 free to admit that if I'd a had ten thousand men to 
 pick and choose from, I'd have chosen you ; this sort 
 o' thing's right in your line. I s'pose your packing 
 won't take long ? " 
 
 "No, sir," cheerily answered C. B.," five minutes '11 
 see me through ; but I'd like if may to go forrard and 
 say good-bye to the boys. I'm very fond of them
 
 224 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 all, and I hope none of them has got anything against 
 me. I'd be very sorry to leave any hard thoughts 
 of me behind." 
 
 " Oh, certainly," said the mate, " go an' hold a 
 prayer meetin' if ye like, I'm sure I don't care 
 now. I can't say that I saw any signs of yer wantin' 
 t' do such a thing before, but if I had I should have 
 stopped it, for I don't want a crew too tender- 
 hearted t' kill a whale in this business. There, get 
 along, boy, an' make the most of yeer time." 
 
 C. B. felt that he hardly understood the mate's 
 curious remarks, but he was glad of the permission, 
 and going forrard he slipped down into the dark 
 triangular space where the crew lived, a funny abode 
 as shore-people would think for thirty-two men to 
 spend all their leisure time in for nearly four years. 
 To his modest surprise he was welcomed as if he had 
 been an admiral, every man trying to show him 
 some attention. And when all had settled down 
 and had riveted their attention on him he said 
 
 " Boys, I'm going to leave you, to look after the 
 poor skipper on his long journey home. But I felt 
 as if I couldn't go without coming into your midst, 
 and telling you how thankful I am to have got on 
 so well with all of you. I feel that I haven't done 
 my duty by you in one respect : I might have tried 
 to tell you something about the God I love, I might 
 have tried to show you how much He loves every 
 one of you and would, if you would let Him, make 
 up to you the loss as you think it of most of the good 
 things that people have ashore. 
 
 " As it's too late to do that now I'll ask you to 
 forgive me for not doing it before, for being so selfish 
 as to enjoy my communion with Him and not try 
 to get others to share it. And if you'll let me I'll 
 kneel down in the midst of you here and pray that
 
 FAREWELL TO THE SHIP 225 
 
 you may all learn from him direct, how good He is 
 in all His ways and how not one of you is forgotten 
 by Him." And without any further preliminary 
 C. B. fell on his knees on the black planks, and 
 said 
 
 " Dear Father God, bless the good shipmates 
 I'm leaving. They come from all parts of Thy 
 world, but whether they know Thee or not, whether 
 any one has ever spoken to them about Thee or not, 
 they are all Thy well beloved children. Show 
 Thyself to them in all Thy love, keep them in the 
 hollow of Thy hand at all times, give them the assur- 
 ance that Thou art their Father, and that Thy dear 
 Son Jesus Christ is their Saviour. Bless all my 
 dear shipmates, for Christ's sake. Amen." 
 
 It was over, and Yankee, Portuguese, and 
 Kanakas stared at C. B. and each other with heavily 
 throbbing hearts, as wondering what this might 
 mean. Evidently they were half expectant, half 
 afraid of some supernatural visitation, but as C. B. 
 rose from his knees with a streaming face and they 
 all followed his example, a big slab-sided Vermonter 
 came over to C. B. and held out his hand saying 
 
 " We're all a lot of heathen, I'm afraid, but you've 
 give us a better idea of God Almighty than any of us 
 ever had or likely to have. This ship's been better 
 for you bein' aboard. We shall be better for your 
 little prayer here to-day. Now we'll bid you good- 
 bye," and turning to the crew he said 
 
 " Boys, all of us can say to him God bless you and 
 keep you the same good clean strong man you've 
 allus been amongst us. Ef you hain't preached or 
 prayed, you'vedonewhat'sharder than either, I guess. 
 You've lived such a life as we've never seen lived 
 before, and if we ain't the better for it, 'tain't any 
 fault of yours. Good-bye and God bless ye." 
 
 P
 
 226 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 C. B. could only brokenly echo the blessing, and 
 shaking hands all round, looked lovingly into 
 each face with their variations of expression or 
 utter want of expression. Then he climbed on deck 
 again, feeling as if he had been through an ordeal 
 of the toughest kind. And then he found he had to 
 face his berthmates, who all appeared strange to 
 him. It was just the old story they had taken 
 but scanty interest in him while he was one of them- 
 selves ; now he was about to leave them they recalled 
 numberless instances of his lovingkindness, patience, 
 courage and industry, and were in danger of going 
 to the opposite extreme. The three Yankee boat 
 steerers shipped in Honolulu held aloof entirely. 
 They knew very little of C. B., and probably felt some 
 little pride of race, looking down on one whom they 
 ignorantly took to be a mere Kanaka. But Chips, 
 the cooper, cook, and steward, were for them un- 
 usually demonstrative, and each pressed upon C. B. 
 some little memento, some piece of scrimshaw work 
 to show that they remembered some act of kindness 
 long ago forgotten by him. 
 
 When this part of his ordeal was over he was 
 tired out and turned in, falling asleep on the instant. 
 But he was aroused almost immediately as it seemed 
 to him, though it was at 3 a.m., by a trembling hand 
 laid upon him. He sprang up in his bunk with 
 his hands outspread, and one of them was seized by 
 the intruder, who said 
 
 " It's me, Merritt. Come on deck, I want t' say 
 good bye t' ye." 
 
 C. B. leaped out of his bunk and hurried after his 
 chum, who drew him to a seat on a spar and said 
 in a hollow strained tone 
 
 ' You're goin' away to-day, and before eight bells 
 to-night I shall know whether the God you're so
 
 FAREWELL TO THE SHIP 227 
 
 fond of talkin' about is as good as you say He is. 
 Now don't be skeered, I ain't goin' t' kill myself, 
 kase why it'd hurt you. But I know I'm goin' 
 out as soon as I've seen the last of you, an' I do 
 think I've got a good opinion of your God because 
 of knowing that. He knows my life ain't worth 
 livin' an' He's takin' it away. If I wasn't a poor 
 ignorant heathen I'd tell Him how thankful I am, 
 but I guess He'll know." 
 
 To attempt any description of the talk that ensued 
 until dawn would be an impertinence, for one of the 
 men, though such a Christian as the greatest exponent 
 of Christianity among us might envy, was, in all his 
 ideas and knowledge, simple as a little child, while 
 the other, deeper in darkness than the most debased 
 Pagan, could only see one fact, for such it was to 
 him, that he was to die immediately after the 
 parting. It did not trouble his thoughts for one 
 moment, any more than it would that of the faithful 
 dog who only lives in his master's life, and dies of a 
 broken heart when that master is removed. 
 "So they sat hand in hand till dawn, they took the 
 five o'clock coffee together, with dim ideas in C. B.'s 
 mind of it being a sort of sacrament, and then as the 
 mate's loud call of " Turn to" echoed along the decks 
 Merritt simply rose from C. B.'s side and said 
 
 " Good-bye, chum. I'll be glad to find that what 
 you say is true, an' that Ish'll see you again in another 
 life. I don't understand it, but it sounds good. 
 Now I shall keep out of yer way till yer gone, so 
 good-bye." 
 
 At three o'clock p.m. the skipper was carried from 
 his bunk well wrapped up, and placed in his boat, 
 which was lowered with her gunwale level with the 
 rail for the purpose. C. B. jumped in by his side and 
 stood by to steady him as the boat was lowered. The
 
 228 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 crew followed and the boat shoved off, but as she did 
 so all hands but one swarmed to the rail and rigging, 
 and gave a round of cheers, at which both the 
 skipper's and C. B.'s eyes brimmed over. But C. B. 
 noted what Captain Taber did not ; that in that 
 crowd of faces Merritt's did not appear. He was 
 found four hours later in his bunk, dead, without a 
 sign about him to show why he had gone.
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 Popularity 
 
 AND now behold C. B. launched upon a totally 
 new series of adventures, but still with that 
 same quiet mind which accepted the events of each 
 new day as being all ordained by God, and conse- 
 quently fraught with blessing, no matter how hard it 
 might be for him to see the benefit at the time. 
 Hitherto I have said nothing about his feelings with 
 regard to those whom he so fondly loved and from 
 whom he had of course heard no word. But when 
 he left them both he and they had resigned themselves 
 to a complete separation without any communica- 
 tion until God should please to reunite them again. 
 Letters never came to that isolated, self-contained 
 little community, who indeed seldom had any interest 
 outside of their own boundaries. 
 
 Yet it must not be supposed that for one day, 
 hardly for a waking hour, he ever forgot them. In 
 his lonely vigils at the mast-head, or when by him- 
 self at night, he looked out over the wide expanse 
 of sea, he always formed a mental picture of the 
 peaceful happy home he had left, saw his mother 
 and father and friends at their simple tasks, heard 
 their united praises arising in the sweet evenings, ima- 
 gined their discussions concerning his whereabouts, 
 until he almost fancied himself among them in 
 spirit, so vivid was his inner vision. And often it 
 was with a physical pang that he came back to his 
 present surroundings. 
 
 229
 
 230 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 It must not for a moment be supposed either 
 that he felt great delight at leaving the ship, for he 
 was in no way weary of his life on board. But he 
 calmly awaited each development as being just the 
 right thing for him, and indeed felt that in this 
 latest move he was likely to be of more use than he 
 had ever been before. Besides, as I have before 
 hinted, he and his fellow-islanders were passionately 
 attached to the mother-country which they had 
 never seen, and had consequently idealized almost 
 out of all reasonable recognition. The nearest 
 approach to realization of Britain that they could 
 get was found in a British man-o'-war, and when he 
 stepped on board of the Fame and saluted the in- 
 visible presence on the quarter deck, he felt strangely 
 uplifted at the thought that he was privileged to 
 sail in one of those wonderful vessels. 
 
 With greatest kindness and courtesy Captain 
 Taber had been carried to a cabin specially prepared 
 for him ; everything that he could want as far as 
 was in their power to supply it was at his disposal, 
 and when C. B. had got him comfortably bestowed 
 and his belongings all safely at hand he said 
 
 " Thank ye, dear fellow, now go and leave me to 
 sleep, for I feel very tired, and you'll be glad, I know, 
 to see what's going on about the deck, all so different 
 to what you've been used to." So C. B. slipped away 
 and watched with a queer feeling of pride, as if he 
 had a share in the great business, the ordered method 
 of getting under weigh, the rapidity which character- 
 ized every evolution and the perfect discipline. 
 
 Seaman-like his fingers itched to be helping, but 
 he knew better than to interfere, and moreover 
 everything was so utterly strange and new. Not 
 the least wonderful of his new surroundings to him 
 was the steam engine. It is hard indeed for us to
 
 POPULARITY 231 
 
 realize what it meant to this intelligent man, British 
 to the back-bone, and in some directions well edu- 
 cated, but in others, notably in the appliances of 
 civilization, as ignorant as any savage from the island 
 homes of his maternal ancestors. 
 
 His gentle ways and pleasant speech soon made 
 him a prime favourite, and though the lower deck 
 was mightily puzzled at his strange dislike to grog 
 and tobacco, they put it down simply to his want of 
 acquaintance with those luxuries. Anyhow they 
 made a great pet of him, and listened to his simple 
 stories of island life and whaling, interspersed as 
 they were with loving reference to the Fatherly 
 care of God and the happiness of knowing Him, with 
 growing interest and appreciation. Nor was this 
 interest confined to the lower deck. The officers 
 were just as keen, and though thoughtless and careless 
 as so many sailors are who feel that religion enters 
 officially into their lives at stated times, but need 
 not be bothered about except then, they all admitted 
 that this young man was to them a new type 
 altogether outside their experience. Some scoffed 
 at the idea of his being genuine, saying that it was all 
 put on for a certain purpose, and watched him 
 keenly to detect hypocrisy. But it was impossible 
 to maintain such an attitude towards him for long, 
 in view of his perfect devotion to his charge and his 
 absolute lack of pose. 
 
 He fell eagerly into his new role of nurse and 
 valet, and the captain grew to lean on him more 
 and more each day, to long for his pleasant words and 
 to enjoy, in a measure that seemed to him amazing 
 when he thought about it, the simple reading of the 
 Bible stories and the common-sense comment, often 
 quaint beyond description, that C. B. indulged in. 
 Only it made the matter real and vivid to the mind
 
 232 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 of the listener as it had never been before, brought 
 him face to face with the actors in the great world 
 drama unfolded in that amazing series of stories, 
 and above all made him wonder how it had been 
 possible for him to live so long in ignorance, and with 
 so much time on his hands, too, of the treasures 
 contained within the covers of the ordinary little 
 volume. For let them deny it who dare, the most 
 talked of and the least intelligently read of any 
 book in the world is the Bible. And from the point 
 of view of literature alone it does not deserve to be 
 so treated. 
 
 In consequence largely of the novelty of the posi- 
 tion to the passengers and the interest felt in them 
 by the crew, the passage of the Fame to Yokohama, 
 though rather long in point of time, was felt to be 
 short by all, so much so that a distinct sense of 
 disappointment was felt by all as the time for parting 
 drew near. The sick man, though the object of 
 devoted attention by the ship's doctor, fully justified 
 that gentleman's prediction by making little or no 
 progress. He could not be said to be any worse, but 
 his strength would not come back, and he had many 
 hours of severe pain internally. But his appetite 
 was fairly good and his spirits had recovered their 
 normal serenity. He had become very much 
 attached to the ship where he had been so kindly 
 welcomed, and endeavoured to express his gratitude, 
 but his genial hosts pooh-poohed the idea of his 
 being under any sort of obligation to them ; they 
 said that his company had been a boon conferred 
 upon them, and that they had learned more of little 
 understood sea-ways since he and C. B. had been 
 with them than they had ever dreamed of being 
 possible. 
 
 And so they parted with the best of good will on
 
 POPULARITY 233 
 
 both sides, and a certain definite effect of goodness 
 impressed upon all hands by their contact with C. B., 
 which none of them were ever able to forget quite 
 as long as they lived. Very gently and tenderly 
 the helpless skipper was conveyed ashore, and to the 
 best hotel in the City, there to await the coming out of 
 the steamer that sailed between Hong Kong, Yoko- 
 hama, and San Francisco. The American Consul had 
 been apprised of Captain Taber's coming, and paid 
 him an early visit of condolence and comfort, 
 promising to do all in his power to aid him, and to 
 convey to Captain Silchester his most cordial thanks 
 for the timely help rendered to his suffering country- 
 man. 
 
 C. B. was full of wonderment at the new and 
 strange scenes around him, but saw little of them, for 
 nothing would persuade him to leave his friend for 
 more than a few minutes at a time. He did not 
 lightly construe the terms of his service, and when 
 ordered with playful vehemence by the skipper to 
 go away and leave him to himself for a few hours 
 he never went beyond an easy call. But he got a 
 great deal of interest in observing the quaint 
 manners of the Japanese, who seemed to him to be 
 almost denizens of another world to that which he 
 had hitherto known. Their courtesy, cleanliness 
 and ability appealed to him very much, but he 
 wondered with painful intensity how they could be 
 apparently so happy and good without knowing 
 anything of God. And then he had an interview 
 with a clerical gentleman belonging to the Established 
 Church, who was on his travels round the world, and 
 being an inmate of the hotel called upon the captain. 
 
 The latter introduced C. B. as his friend as well as 
 personal attendant, and Mr. Vinter, the clergyman, 
 made the almost unpardonable mistake of treating
 
 234 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 our hero as if he was an ignorant Kanaka, that is 
 without a touch of kindliness or sympathy as of a 
 being infinitely high and wise, but without love, to 
 another very low and foolish. C. B. not being at all 
 sensitive and full of reverence for the man of God 
 as he thought him, began to talk freely upon the 
 things of God as he had never been able to do since 
 he left his home, where they were in everybody's 
 mouth as the most frequent topic. To his utter 
 amazement and to the captain's indignation the 
 clergyman listened for a while with a gradually 
 contracting brow, and presently said severely 
 
 " You should be less fluent and more reverent 
 about holy things. You cannot understand them, 
 it is not possible that you should. You must learn 
 to leave such discussion as you have ventured to 
 indulge in to those who like myself are set apart as 
 chosen ministers of the Gospel." 
 
 Had it not been so sad it would have been ludi- 
 crous to see the open-mouthed stare of utter amaze- 
 ment with which C. B. regarded his new mentor. 
 For what he now heard from the mouth of a man 
 whom he was ready to regard as directly commis- 
 sioned by God was to the effect that the whole 
 teaching of his life had been wrong. He dimly felt 
 that this man wished him to understand that so far 
 from a close acquaintance with and an intimate 
 knowledge of God and the things of His kingdom 
 being right and according to His will, it was neces- 
 sary to regard Him as unapproachable except through 
 a certain specially ordained class, and that the sweet 
 familiarity with Jesus which he had always been 
 taught and had understood from his Testament to 
 be the end and the aim of the Saviour's teaching 
 was irreverent and wrong. 
 
 And then, to his great relief, the helpless skipper
 
 POPULARITY 235 
 
 came to his rescue, saying with clear and energetic 
 voice 
 
 " Forgive me, Mr. Vinter, if I seem rude, and 
 allow me the privilege of a man with one foot in the 
 grave. I've learned more of God in a few months' 
 acquaintance with this dear man than in all the rest 
 of my life. You gentlemen talk about God mostly 
 too in language that a plain man can't understand, 
 this man lives Him, has done ever since he came 
 aboard my ship. I'd rather have him with me, 
 as far as the education of my soul is concerned, 
 than all the priests and clergy in the world. And 
 you call him irreverent ! But so I s'pose you 
 would have done Peter an' James an' John, an' 
 as for Paul, well there ! " 
 
 Mr. Vinter made no reply, but rose with majestic 
 gesture as of one who finds the air polluted and 
 passed out, nor did they ever see him again. But 
 the captain said cheerily 
 
 " Git your Bible, Christmas, and read me that 
 beautiful story again, beginning with ' Then drew 
 near all the publicans and sinners for to hear Him ? ' 
 I bet they did. They recognized the real thing 
 same as I do, they'd had enough of Pharisees 
 same as I have. And then people will be foolish 
 enough to wonder why the Gospel don't spread 
 among the heathen ! Why a man like that might 
 easily make heathen, he'd certainly never make a 
 Christian, he doesn't know how to begin. Go on 
 with your reading, dear boy." 
 
 And in the comfort of the reading and the fellow- 
 ship of his friend C. B. felt the wound that had been 
 made in his soul by that foolish and injudicious 
 man heal over. But he often returned to the subject 
 and asked many questions of the skipper concerning 
 the ways of the religious folk in America, and whether
 
 236 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 it was really true that the great bulk of the people 
 could be so foolish as to deny themselves so great 
 a pleasure as he had always found it, and those whom 
 he had grown up with, but was at last compelled to 
 admit that it must be so though it was a profound 
 mystery to him. 
 
 Happy man, knowing nothing of the thousand 
 allurements of the civilized v/orld, its mad rush after 
 fortune and no less mad lavishing of its gettings 
 upon things of no value. Happy in the coarse shirt 
 and trousers, bare headed and shoeless, but well 
 nourished and healthy, how could he understand 
 the myriad artificial cravings that shut out from the 
 soul all desire for true happiness, or how in his perfect 
 faith in the love of God and His creation could he 
 realize the awful fear of eternal punishment that 
 prompted men into excesses of religiousness in order 
 to escape from what they felt was the inevitable 
 due of their misdeeds. Not knowing how great 
 had been his privileges he was entirely unable to 
 comprehend the difficulties of highly civilized man 
 in matters of religion, and so was an ever fresh source 
 of interest to the crippled man dependent upon him, 
 who felt that he had never had leisure to think upon 
 these things until now. 
 
 But gradually and unconsciously, as was his wont, 
 he had endeared himself to all with whom he had 
 come in contact in service at the hotel, so that 
 when the big steamer arrived and the summons 
 came for them to go aboard he had quite an ovation, 
 all the little yellow men and women crowded around 
 him in their gentle courteous fashion to wish him 
 " Sayonara " and to offer him tiny souvenirs of 
 their affection for the big kindly simple man who 
 was so unlike any other stranger they had yet seen. 
 In his modesty and utter absence of self-conscious-
 
 POPULARITY 237 
 
 ness he wondered much at his popularity, the real 
 reason of it never occurring to him, for he had formed 
 no friendships, had gone scarcely anywhere, feeling 
 that his duty was always to be within hail of his 
 beloved skipper. 
 
 And so in leaving he had no regrets, but cheerfully 
 and hopefully assisted to carry Captain Taber on 
 board of the Golden Gate, where by the influence of 
 the Consul a special cabin had been reserved for the 
 pair and all sorts of privileges arranged for also. She 
 had a great many passengers going eastward to 
 the Pacific Coast, wealthy folks travelling for plea- 
 sure, keen business men intent on making money, 
 adventurers, but all apparently flush of money and 
 eager for excitement. Amid this motley throng 
 C. B. secured a good place on deck for his patient's 
 long chair, a point wherefrom the wonderful pano- 
 rama unfolded as the ship steered seawards could 
 be fully enjoyed. Here C. B., standing by the 
 skipper's side, guarded him from inquisitive intrusion 
 and kept him amused by the quaint and original 
 comments he made upon the novel scene. 
 
 But very soon, in spite of C. B.'s earnest efforts, 
 the captain's chair was the centre of a sympathizing 
 and wondering group of Americans, who, having 
 learned the skeleton of his sad story, were keen in 
 their desire to help in any way they could a country- 
 man whom they dimly suspected of being a hero, 
 and that alone is sufficient with the most hero- 
 worshipping people in the world to have made them 
 flock to him. At last their attentions became so 
 importunate and the questions so incessant that 
 Captain Taber, holding up his attenuated hand for 
 silence, said 
 
 " Ladies and gentlemen, as you may see, I am 
 not equal to the strain of satisfying your legitimate
 
 238 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 curiosity, for I'm weaker than I care to admit even 
 to myself. But if you'll let my friend here, who, in 
 spite of his dusky complexion, hasn't got any of the 
 nigger about him, but is a sure enough Englishman 
 of the purest stock, tell you the story just as it 
 happened, I can enjoy it as well as you. An' I 
 guess that he knows a good deal more about it than 
 I do anyhow." 
 
 The young ladies, who, as most people who have been 
 in the United States know, are the usual arbiters in 
 such cases, guessed "it would be perfectly lovely," and 
 with national promptitude settled themselves around 
 at once and looked expectantly at C. B. He looked 
 somewhat imploringly at the skipper, who only 
 beamed on him and replied 
 
 " Part o' your duties ye know, Christmas, an' I 
 guess I don't know anybody better qualified to per- 
 form 'em." 
 
 That was quite sufficient for C. B., who, having 
 seated himself by the skipper's side, commenced 
 the story at the point where he had returned to 
 work. He had not been speaking a minute before 
 he had everybody spellbound, for like so many other 
 simple-minded unselfish men he had a natural gift 
 of plain effective speech, not oratorical or rhetori- 
 cal, but what the Americans call heart to heart 
 talk. 
 
 For upwards of an hour he held the company 
 almost breathless, and when at last he ceased with the 
 simple remark " and so through the goodness of God 
 we are thus far on our long journey," there was a 
 long breath and then an irrepressible burst of 
 applause. Many of the ladies made no attempt to 
 hide the fact that they had to wipe their eyes, and it 
 would have been hard to sav which of the two in 
 their estimation was the greater hero, the skipper
 
 POPULARITY 239 
 
 or C. B. And then the skipper brought matters to 
 a climax by saying 
 
 " You've heard the story, ladies and gentleman, 
 beautifully told as I knew it would be, but far too 
 favourable to me, in spots. As soon as I'm fit I'll 
 tell you the parts 'at he's left out, and a few more 
 things that you oughter know about him. Mean- 
 time let me say before God and this company that I 
 believe the hull earth don't contain a better man, a 
 better Christian, with all that I've learned lately 
 that means, than my dear friend Christmas Bounty 
 Adams." 
 
 Even this short speech, because it was delivered 
 with rather more energy than usual, exhausted the 
 enfeebled man, and he lay back in his chair breath- 
 less. C. B. immediately attended to him, looking 
 round imploringly at the onlookers, who, taking the 
 hint, at once melted away. But they carried away 
 with them material enough for conversation to 
 last them the passage apparently, the human 
 interest in it entirely eclipsing that of the usual 
 travel talk. But it must be admitted that the chief 
 object of interest was C. B. ; in the absence of accurate 
 information concerning him the ladies formulated 
 all sorts of fantastic theories, the excitement rising 
 almost to fever heat during the luncheon hour. 
 
 At last, when the captain had been conveyed 
 below, one of the girls, the only daughter of an 
 immensely wealthy American, who was travelling 
 with her mother and father, came up to C. B. who 
 was resting himself, looking over the rail at the swiftly 
 receding coast line. With that sweet insouciance 
 which is the most charming feature of the American 
 girl, she said 
 
 " Say, Mr. Christmas, or is it Mr. Adams ? we're 
 all just afire to hear the rest of that story of yours.
 
 240 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 We don't want to trouble that poor captain, it would 
 be too cruel to expect him to talk, but won't you 
 take pity on us and tell us your beautiful story ? " 
 
 C. B. gazed down into the eager face with its big 
 brown eyes and saw no vulgar curiosity there. 
 
 So after a moment or so of hesitation he replied, 
 " Miss " 
 
 " Oh, May Stewart's my name," she hastily 
 remarked. 
 
 " Thank you, Miss Stewart," he gravely interpo- 
 lated and went on : " My dear mother always taught 
 me to try and please people who didn't want me to 
 do anything wrong, and I am sure you don't want me 
 to do anything wrong. So I'll tell you my story as 
 far as I can, on the understanding that I'm free to 
 leave off at any moment my captain wants me, for 
 he is a sacred helpless charge." 
 
 " That's agreed on the instant," she replied, " and 
 I'll bring the crowd along right now. I'm real glad, 
 and I think it's awfully good of you, for I do hate to 
 be kept waiting for something that I feel I ought to 
 know." 
 
 " One moment, Miss Stewart," said C. B., holding 
 up a restraining hand. " If you've been weaving a 
 mighty romance out of my story and making me its 
 hero you'll be gravely disappointed. All right, I'm 
 ready whenever you are." 
 
 Away fled the young lady, while C. B. took the 
 opportunity of visiting his patient's airy cabin to 
 make sure that he was sleeping soundly and that 
 everything about him was comfortable. Then he 
 returned to the promenade deck, where such had 
 been the energy of Miss Stewart that practically 
 every passenger in the ship was present with the 
 exception of half a dozen inveterate poker players 
 who, I believe, would keep on at the monotonous
 
 POPULARITY 241 
 
 business if the first notes of the last trump were 
 ringing in their ears. As soon as Miss Stewart saw 
 C. B. she sprang impetuously towards him, dragged 
 him through the crowd to an elevated seat she had 
 got the quartermaster to prepare for him, and having 
 seen him comfortably installed, sat down on deck 
 by the side of her mother and waited for him to 
 begin. 
 
 You all know the story, but of course as he told 
 it much of the interest attaching to his doings evapo- 
 rated because he would not say I did this or I did 
 that, a modesty which he shared with many far less 
 estimable men. But he did tell them all he could 
 put into words about his lovely island home, his 
 origin, the pursuits of the islanders and their happi- 
 ness under the simple gospel of love. He told this 
 with a manly simple eloquence which captivated his 
 hearers and made even the most cynical and case- 
 hardened of them feel that here was an idyllic 
 state of things which was unknown to their cheap 
 and feverish philosophies wrongly so called. And 
 when at last he finished, so great was the interest 
 that many questions were put to him by the elder 
 men and women, all of which he answered with ease 
 or owned that he didn't know. How long this 
 would have gone on only those who know the insati- 
 able avidity of Americans in acquiring information 
 upon some new topic could imagine, but happily for 
 C. B. there suddenly appeared on the scene a Japanese 
 waiter with the news that the captain was awake. 
 And immediately C. B. slipped away. 
 
 Thenceforward this quiet unassuming child of 
 nature was the idol of the ship. " Guess it's a 
 complete rest-cure to be near him," was the verdict 
 of one sallow owner of about a million dollars, who 
 was fascinated by C. B. to such an extent that he 
 
 Q
 
 242 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 forswore poker, and courted every chance to get a 
 few words with a man whom he felt had the true 
 secret of happiness. " Now," said this keen business 
 man, " ef this chap was advertising himself or 
 startin' a new religion, I'd be on to him in once, bigger 
 'n a elevator. But he ain't, 's far 's he knows he's 
 the most ornery cuss there is around. 'N 's far 's 
 I know he's about the newest breed o' man there is, 
 an' I'd like t' get the recipe for a few more like him." 
 
 But the girls gave C. B. the most trouble. It was 
 hard to convince them that he was not the descend- 
 ant of some dusky island potentate. That he was but 
 the offspring of a common English seaman and some 
 nameless Kanaka woman two or three generations 
 back seemed impossible for them to believe, for they 
 were never tired of descanting upon the stately 
 grace of his form and the perfect unstudied beauty of 
 his language. Secretly too they were all piqued 
 by the fact that he paid none of them any special 
 attention, was only gravely polite in a perfectly 
 general sense. To the men though who sought him 
 out and talked with him he was extremely open and 
 genial, telling them frankly that he felt honoured 
 by their condescension, until one day the captain, 
 hearing him speak like this took him to task about it. 
 
 " Christmas," he said, " they's such a thing as 
 bein' too humble, makin' yerself too cheap. You've 
 no call to be so humble to these men. I ain't got 
 nothing to say against any of 'em, but I should say 
 they ain't one of 'em that's fit to shine the boots of a 
 good man like you are. Why, they don't talk of 
 nothin' else, mornin' noon or night, 'cept they're 
 talkin' t' you, but dollars and cents, how to pile 'em 
 up as fast as they kin no matter by what method. 
 Money's their God, Christmas, and his worship 
 means some practices that you'd shudder at. No,
 
 POPULARITY 243 
 
 keep yer head up, my friend, you'll never git too big 
 fer your boots I'm sure, for I declare you're the equal 
 of any and the superior of most men in this world. 
 And the excited man sank back in his chair exhausted, 
 while C. B. gently reproved him for thus exerting 
 himself, and as soon as he was rested again told him 
 quaintly how bashful he felt before the girls, especi- 
 ally Miss Stewart, who continually sought his com- 
 pany. 
 
 " How should I behave to them ? " he inquired, 
 at which the Captain laughed and replied 
 
 " Ah, there I can't give ye no advice, except to 
 be mighty careful not to fall in love with one of 'em. 
 I guess you wouldn't want no lessons in humility 
 if once you did that. For companionable as all 
 these folks seem to be and eager to make a fuss of 
 ye, if once you lifted your eyes to one of their women 
 folk so as to desire her for a wife, they wouldn't have 
 words enough t' cuss ye in, an' they're pretty glib as 
 a rule." 
 
 " Well, captain," said C. B., "there'll be no occa- 
 sion. I am not at all likely to fall in love, as you call 
 it, until I get back to Norfolk Island again, and cer- 
 tainly not while I have the happy privilege of taking 
 care of you, God bless you."
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 A Troublesome Appreciation 
 
 AFTER all, the most important work of C. B.'s life 
 was steadily progressing without hindrance of 
 any kind, the spiritual education of Captain Taber. 
 That fine man, in spite of his late advice to C. B. 
 about humility, was now exceedingly humble him- 
 self and ready to admit his absolute indebtedness to 
 C. B. for his present peace of mind, and what in 
 religious terminology would be called his growth in 
 grace. He certainly was in some respects an entirely 
 changed man since his accident, although it must 
 not for a moment be supposed that he was ever 
 anything but just, kind and brave. It was only in 
 the one thing needful that he was then lacking, and 
 that had now been supplied through the agency 
 of his friend, so that he had become a centre of 
 spirituality from which continually emanated a 
 sweet aroma of content and love of all mankind. 
 
 The captain and chief officer of the Golden Gate 
 spent much time with Captain Taber, although it 
 must be said that they did not take to C. B. very 
 much. The sea tradition was strong with them, 
 and as they looked upon C. B. as a sort of menial in 
 his personal attendance upon the captain, they felt 
 that discipline forbade them giving him any oppor- 
 tunity to impose. He never noticed their reserve, 
 in fact he was almost impervious to the slights that 
 most of us resent so much, because of his want of
 
 A TROUBLESOME APPRECIATION 245 
 
 self-consciousness, which went a long way to 
 account for his happiness. As soon as either the 
 captain or the mate came to have a yarn with his 
 patient he would, first making sure that all was in 
 order, retire on deck, where he was always in request, 
 and remain there until his friend was alone again. 
 In this way he made the acquaintance of nearly 
 everybody in the ship and enjoyed himself very 
 much, especially when the vessel drew into the bad- 
 weather zone, and gales of wind with heavy seas 
 kept the passengers below. But one afternoon, as he 
 was engaged in earnest conversation with one of the 
 quartermasters whose turn it was to look after the 
 promenade deck, he saw with a thrill of horror 
 a female emerge from the saloon, cross the deck to 
 the lee rail, deliberately mount it and topple over- 
 board. As soon as he had seen her making for the 
 rail he started to run towards her, so that he was on 
 the spot almost in time to catch her by her clothing. 
 He just missed her, however, and with a roar of 
 " Stop the ship ! " that was heard high above the 
 gale, he plunged after her. A few mighty strokes 
 and he was by her side, only just in time to snatch her 
 long hair and fight his way from the ship to avoid the 
 indraught of the propeller, which if not stopped in 
 time means awful mutilation to a body in the water, 
 and the strongest swimmer coming within its 
 vortex is entirely helpless. 
 
 The ship was stopped so promptly that he was but 
 a couple of hundred yards away, but the sea was 
 running very heavily with breaking crests, and 
 great as was his strength and skill, the burden of a 
 woman to support who could still struggle was a 
 task that could not be endured for long. As usual 
 in merchant ships, especially steamers in those days, 
 the boats were secured as if they were never intended
 
 246 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 to be used ; not only so, but because of gross neglect 
 the lashings and gripes were rusted and clogged 
 with paint, while the boats themselves, never having 
 been in the water for months nor having any water in 
 them through being carefully covered in, were leaky 
 as sieves. 
 
 Consequently it was nearly twenty minutes before 
 the boat was in the water, and when she was, for 
 lack of ability to handle her it looked for some time 
 as if her lowering was going to cost several more 
 lives. And all this time Captain Taber in his 
 berth was suffering mental tortures, having been 
 informed of the cause of the uproar by the Japanese 
 berth attendant. Nor was his anxiety selfish. He 
 could not bear the idea of his faithful friend being 
 done to death like that, he to whom the water was as 
 familiar as the dry land. At last in his agony he 
 betook himself to prayer and was immediately com- 
 forted. Not only so but the quiet that had reigned 
 for some time gave place to tramplings overhead 
 and shoutings, showing that something had been 
 or was being done. 
 
 It was fortunate that the vessel had stopped so 
 promptly, as well as that she had such little way on 
 her at the time, steaming as she was head to sea. 
 Otherwise it would have been impossible to save 
 the two lives owing to the bungling in boat handling. 
 As it was, when the boat did reach them C. B. was 
 just at the end of his resources, and when lifted into 
 the boat was almost as far gone as the woman he 
 had saved. Getting back to the ship, although 
 she was handled with much skill, was a series of 
 wonderful escapes, and but for the promptitude of 
 the second mate, who suggested pouring a lot of oil 
 over the lee bow as the boat was brought alongside, 
 which smoothed the turbulent sea and permitted
 
 A TROUBLESOME APPRECIATION 247 
 
 them to hook on the boat with comparative ease, 
 there must have been disaster. 
 
 The two rescued ones were lifted out of the boat 
 in the presence of all the passengers, who had entirely 
 forgotten their seasickness and debility in their 
 anxiety. The bodies were borne below and the 
 doctor worked upon the woman with the greatest 
 perseverance, being at last rewarded by feeling her 
 heart beat and some warmth come from her breast. 
 From thence the task was easy, and the first to 
 convey to the anxiously waiting skipper below 
 was C. B. himself, who apologized for causing his 
 beloved charge so much anxiety, but explained 
 that he could not see the woman drown. 
 
 Then the skipper broke down, for he was very 
 weak, and cried like a child, sobbing out that he 
 had felt that if he had lost his friend he must have 
 died too, and that he could never be sufficiently 
 grateful to God for sparing him. While they were 
 thus enjoying their reunion came the captain of 
 the ship, who was visibly moved, and, holding out his 
 hand to C. B., said 
 
 ' Young man, I'm proud to have you aboard my 
 ship, for you are indeed a man. You may hardly 
 believe it, but the husband of that lady whose life 
 you have saved is only just aware of what has 
 happened. Both he and she have been shockingly 
 ill, for it seems that they are very bad sailors. And 
 she, in addition to horrible seasickness, had a raging 
 toothache, which must have driven her mad for the 
 time. She says that she quite remembers jumping 
 overboard, says it seemed to her to be the only way 
 out of her misery, but she is very sorry indeed to 
 have given so much trouble. Neither she nor her 
 husband realize yet what the trouble has been, but 
 their seasickness has left them and I guess you'll
 
 248 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 hear from them to-morrow. Hope you're none the 
 worse for your anxiety, Taber, now you've got 
 your chum back again. Now I must be off, for the 
 weather's pretty bad still." And he strode away. 
 
 Next morning the weather had become beautiful 
 again and C. B., having seen his patient all right, was 
 about to take a stroll forward when he was seized 
 by a man with red eyes and wild air, who said 
 
 " Are you the hero who preserved my dear one 
 for me ? " 
 
 C. B. was completely taken by surprise and 
 stammered out something, he knew not what in 
 reply. But almost immediately there came bustling 
 round a crowd of the passengers, as full of excitement 
 as if the ship had been on fire, and poor C. B. wished 
 he was anywhere out of it. Still the man who had 
 first accosted him kept hold of his hand, occasionally 
 patting it and murmuring disjointed sentences, 
 until at last the captain of the ship burst into the 
 group, saying 
 
 " Now, ladies and gentlemen, this isn't fair to our 
 friend. As for you, sir," turning to the man who 
 was still holding C. B.'s hand, " you must think of 
 yourself for your wife's sake as well as your own. 
 We shan't be into San Francisco for three days, and 
 you'll have plenty of time between now and then 
 to thank Mr. Christmas all you want." 
 
 C. B. cast a grateful look upon the captain and fled 
 forrard among the crew, where he was received as 
 one of themselves, no fuss being made over him, but 
 lots of questions asked about his swimming powers. 
 Here he was quite at home, for such was the respect 
 that every one down there felt for him that they 
 modified their usual full-flavoured speech because 
 they knew it was unpleasant to him, although the 
 boss of the forecastle, a burly Californian, said after
 
 A TROUBLESOME APPRECIATION 249 
 
 he had gone that he felt quite weak with the strain 
 he had put upon himself in the matter of speech. 
 " But," he added, " I don't grudge it him, for he's 
 the whitest man I've struck for a long, long spell, 
 if he can't stand a cuss word." 
 
 The husband of the rescued lady having perfectly 
 recovered begged to be allowed to meet C. B. again, 
 and tender his thanks in company with his wife. So 
 the meeting came off, when it appeared that they 
 were a wealthy American pair, named Ogden, travel- 
 ling in search of health, childless and most tenderly 
 attached to each other. At first the gentleman's 
 proposal was to adopt C. B. as their son with all the 
 advantages of such a position, but to this our friend 
 returned so decided a negative that it was not again 
 mooted. Then the pair wished to make C. B. a 
 present of a large sum of money, to which he replied 
 that he had no use for it, that he had done nothing 
 that he would not have done for a beggar, and 
 that he hoped they would think no more of the 
 matter. 
 
 Thus coming to a deadlock there was no means of 
 ridding themselves of their almost intolerable burden 
 of gratitude, until C. B. said 
 
 " I cannot take anything from you, not because 
 of pride, but because I don't want money ; I hate the 
 idea of getting fond of it, for I have learned how 
 evil a thing it can be. But if you must do some- 
 thing to please me, help the poor whom I hear so 
 much about and don't know anything of. Our 
 Lord says that the poor ye have always with you, 
 and so you can never be short of means of doing 
 good if you have got a lot of money. In any case, I 
 won't take your money ; I've done nothing for it, 
 and the only thing it could do for me would be to 
 make me discontented with what I now see to be
 
 250 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 the happiest life on earth, that is, my dear island 
 home." 
 
 Gratitude and the business instinct struggled 
 for the mastery in Mr. Ogden's breast, coupled per- 
 haps with a little resentment at C. B.'s attitude, for 
 he was one of those men who hate being under an 
 obligation. At last he went to Captain Taber and 
 asked him to take C. B. in hand and show him the 
 error of his ways. Of course Captain Taber flatly 
 refused, knowing C. B. as he did, while his own fine 
 honest pride gloried in the same quality being 
 possessed by C. B., as he thought. So then Mr. 
 Ogden was compelled to give up, and went about 
 among the other passengers discontentedly airing 
 his grievance and causing much mirth at the unusual 
 spectacle of a man growling because he couldn't 
 get another man to accept his money. 
 
 The passage drew near to its close, andC. B., after 
 rather anxious watching of his patient, came to the 
 conclusion that there was some slight improvement 
 in his strength. In consultation with the doctor that 
 gentleman pronounced him as strong as he could ever 
 expect to be, and that it would entirely depend upon 
 his treatment during the long crossing of the Conti- 
 nent whether he would have a short or a fairly long 
 lease of life with his friends. Upon this information 
 C. B. devoted all his time to getting news about 
 the travelling, best methods, little tips about ac- 
 commodation, hotels, etc., secretly grieving for his 
 lack of experience which might prevent him doing 
 the best possible for his friend. The gentleman to 
 whom he applied for information, purely by accident, 
 was the millionaire father of Miss Stewart, who 
 was apparently delighted to be of service to him. 
 And during their conversation C. B. said in perfect 
 innocence
 
 A TROUBLESOME APPRECIATION 251 
 
 " I hope Miss Stewart is well ; I haven't seen 
 her about the deck lately. I suppose I notice it more 
 because she used to be the life and soul of the ship." 
 
 Old man Stewart bent his shaggy eyebrows 
 upon the speaker and replied very slowly and 
 distinctly 
 
 ' Yes, I guess her health's all right as far as we 
 know. She isn't what she used to be though, an' 
 I'll admit that her keeping down as she has done 
 is more than a little puzzling to her mother and me. 
 And I'd about half made up my mind to ask you 
 if you could give us any idea of what ailed her ? " 
 
 The face that C. B. turned to Mr. Stewart was a 
 study for a picture of complete blank astonishment. 
 For a few moments he could not speak, but sat 
 with his mouth partly open, while Mr. Stewart 
 never relaxed his steady gaze into the young man's 
 face. Then he found his tongue and said with a 
 sort of burst 
 
 " Why, Mr. Stewart, what can you mean ? 
 Except at the outset of the passage, when she 
 arranged for me to tell the story of my life, I have 
 not exchanged a dozen words with your daughter, 
 nor have I for the last fortnight scarcely had her in 
 my mind. It suddenly dawned upon me as I 
 talked with you that I had not seen her about in her 
 usual lively fashion, and on the impulse of the 
 moment I asked you of her health. And now you 
 say you thought of asking me if I had any idea what 
 was ailing her ! " 
 
 Mr. Stewart's brow relaxed, his grim mouth 
 formed a smile, and he said cheerily 
 
 " All right, sonny, I'm glad to see I hain't made no 
 mistake in ye. Forget what I said and put it down 
 to an old man's anxiety for his only child. An' now 
 about that journey of yours, I should recommend "
 
 252 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 and the old gentleman went off into minutest 
 details of trains, hotels, 'etc., in which C. B. fol- 
 lowed painfully after him, feeling at every word 
 how far from this wonderful world of struggle 
 and stress he was removed. But what the reader 
 will think of C. B.'s density with regard to Miss 
 Stewart I do not know. It is hard for us to believe 
 in a fancy free, unconceited youngster now, one 
 who could have such a question put to him by a 
 father concerning his daughter, as Mr. Stewart had 
 just done to C. B., and not feel flattered and more 
 conceited than before. But the old man showed 
 his wonderful knowledge of human nature in dealing 
 with C. B. as he did. In spite of his cynical dis- 
 belief in most, if not all, his fellow-men he paid un- 
 conscious tribute to C. B. in taking the step he did, 
 and when he found his estimate justified he was 
 inclined to be puffed up and say, " I told you so, 
 I knew he was twenty-four carat stamped on every 
 link. My judgment against the world." 
 
 Many people, however, would exercise their 
 privilege of sitting in judgment and call C. B. just 
 plain fool. They are welcome, since such an ex parte 
 statement does not affect the case. I must go on 
 to say that C. B. dismissed the whole matter from 
 his mind, which indeed, as the distance from the 
 Golden Gate of its mamesake was measured by 
 hours, became more full of anxiety concerning his 
 helpless charge than ever he had known it before. 
 Then came the arrival, the breaking up of pleasant 
 little coteries such as are formed in a few days on 
 ship-board, and in many cases the parting from 
 people whom you would long to spend your life 
 with but have to part from and usually see no more. 
 
 In accordance with a pre-arranged plan C. B. 
 made his friend comfortable and did not worry him
 
 A TROUBLESOME APPRECIATION 253 
 
 until the rest of the passengers were out of the 
 vessel, so that he could take a quiet, unhurried fare- 
 well of his friends the officers of the ship. Every- 
 body had gone ; none, however, without a hearty 
 handshake and a pleasant word for C. B., many 
 assuring him of what was really true that they 
 would never forget him, when a shore boat came 
 alongside bearing a man in some sort of a uniform, 
 who as soon as he came aboard inquired for Mr. 
 C. B. Adams. It took some little time for the un- 
 accustomed address to be realized, but at last the 
 message was handed to C. B. and the messenger 
 said with easy nonchalance that he'd wait for an 
 answer. And subsiding into a deck chair produced 
 his toothpick and made himself comfortable. 
 
 The missive was brief and businesslike. It ran 
 
 " Private Car Mary A. Stewart waits at the depot 
 to receive Captain Taber, Mr. C. B. Adams, and any 
 two friends they may select for through transporta- 
 tion to New Bedford, Massachusetts. All charges 
 are paid through to destination, and all railway men 
 are advised to render any aid or service needed. It 
 is advised that the party start with the least possible 
 delay though no time is fixed. OLIVER P. STARBUCK, 
 Gen. Mgr." 
 
 C. B. simply could not believe the plain statement 
 made, though it was impossible to misunderstand 
 it. So he handed the letter to Captain Taber, who 
 read and murmured, " Thank God. You see," 
 he went on to C. B, " that money can do something. 
 I was dreading in every fibre of my bones that awful 
 journey home, and here with a stroke of his pen 
 one of our many wealthy friends, who does not think 
 enough of the act to let us know who he is so that 
 we may thank him, makes the way smooth and
 
 254 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 plain for us from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Ah 
 me, I'm being highly favoured, and I more than half 
 suspect that I ought to thank you for it. Now don't 
 get up on your hind legs and make a fuss, because I 
 feel sure I'm right." 
 
 The skipper of the Golden Gate was called in 
 consultation, and he agreed that this royal courtesy 
 must have been paid by one of the passengers who 
 wished to remain unknown. And he said that he 
 could not help wishing that he was coming with them, 
 for his wife was in Liverpool, and he had not 
 seen her for three years, while such a chance 
 might never occur again as long as he lived. Be 
 sure that C. B. cordially echoed the captain's wish, 
 for he dreaded the ordeal which he felt awaited 
 him more than he had ever feared anything before, 
 but only because of his anxiety for the helpless man 
 under his charge. 
 
 However, as in all such cases, there was little 
 tune for regrets or speculation, the time pressed and 
 departure could not be delayed. So gathering all 
 together C. B. and his charge were conveyed ashore, 
 and through the turbulent life of the city to the 
 station, or depot as it is called in the United States. 
 The driver of the conveyance they chartered upon 
 getting ashore knew his business thoroughly and 
 took them straight to where the private car was 
 standing in lonely majesty, side tracked. And as 
 they drew up alongside of it there appeared, to their 
 intense astonishment, the gaunt form of Mr. Stewart, 
 who was accompanied by his daughter. 
 
 A look of perfect satisfaction was upon both their 
 faces which changed into an amused smile as they 
 noted the stare of perfect bewilderment upon the 
 countenance of C. B. It remained there until Captain 
 Taber said, "Come, Christmas, what's wrong with
 
 A TROUBLESOME APPRECIATION 255 
 
 ye ? have ye seen a ghost ? Then C. B. started, 
 apologized, and explained that somehow he had never 
 expected to see any of the ship's late company again ; 
 he felt that they were scattered far and wide. Then 
 Mr. Stewart, having seen the captain carefully placed 
 within the palatial car and made comfortable on 
 the beautifully upholstered lounge with plenty of 
 soft cushions, sat down by his side, while C. B. stood 
 looking around him in dumbfounded amazement at 
 the somewhat crude splendours of the car. 
 
 Beckoning his daughter to a seat by his side the 
 worthy American began his explanation by saying 
 
 " When I learned that you had been invited to 
 make the journey across the Continent in a private 
 car I hoped that you would have had company that 
 would be helpful to you. And just as I heard that 
 you were going alone I received a telegram from 
 Boston, calling me over there on urgent business, 
 so I calculated that perhaps you wouldn't mind my 
 daughter and myself being your guests for a week. 
 We may be of some use if you can put up with us." 
 
 Captain Taber turned upon the speaker a look of 
 grateful affection and murmured 
 
 " Don't be afraid, Mr. Stewart, that I shall make a 
 fuss, but do let me say God bless you for your 
 lovingkindness in lending us this car, for I knew it 
 was yours as soon as I heard the name, and for 
 watching over us since. He," jerking his thumb 
 in C. B.'s direction, " won't bother you, I know, won't 
 bother his head a little bit to whom the car belongs, 
 looks upon the whole affair as just another instance 
 of God Almighty's particular care. I confess I 
 can't think yet that the Lord looks after me to that 
 extent, and yet I don't know but what I will before 
 long. If anything could make me it would be 
 association with that fellow. He's but there, I
 
 256 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 can't talk about him without kinder choking ! 
 Must be getting weak in the head." 
 
 Then they passed to other topics, Mr. Stewart 
 proving himself to be a golden talker upon an 
 immense variety of subjects, while the car, having 
 been very gently attached to the engine, began 
 to glide out of the station with an easy motion 
 almost akin to that of a ship, the great machine 
 being beautifully balanced upon many springs so 
 that even the casually laid road-bed did not make 
 it jolt, only sway and roll slightly, keeping up the 
 nautical comparison. Meanwhile Miss Stewart had 
 taken C. B. out upon the observation platform and 
 was pointing out to him the various wonders through 
 which they were passing, finding intense enjoyment 
 in his utter bewilderment and childlike curiosity. 
 And when it dawned upon her that he had never 
 even seen a railroad before, hardly realized that such 
 a thing existed, she experienced all the pleasure of a 
 generous nature at being able to give another such 
 a novel series of delightful new sensations. 
 
 And such sensations ! C. B. was always so calm 
 and satisfied with the way that he believed God 
 was leading him that any one, even his intimate 
 friends, might have been forgiven for calling him 
 stolid, unimpressionable, really not competent to 
 feel very much. But then no one could enter into 
 the quiet sanctuary of his mind where sat enthroned 
 his Eternal Friend and Guide. Occasionally, as Miss 
 Stewart pointed out to him some new marvel of 
 Nature, such as travellers have long chanted the 
 praise of, on that wonderful railroad line from San 
 Francisco to New York, he would hold up his hands 
 and murmur 
 
 " How wonderful and glorious are your works, 
 O my Father." And at such times she would gaze
 
 A TROUBLESOME APPRECIATION 257 
 
 upon him with awe as feeling that he was in a very 
 special sense favoured by the Most High. 
 
 Then when the train flew along some swaying 
 cobweb-like trestle bridge with the mist beneath 
 hiding the awful depths and a suggestion of im- 
 palpability, of travelling upon the track of a moon- 
 beam, was impossible to avoid, she would cling to 
 him in real terror, feeling, as all sensitive intelligences 
 must in those situations, how tenuous a thread sepa- 
 rated them from the next world. But she always 
 failed to see any change in the steady gaze of his 
 eye, or to feel any tremor in his firmly knit muscles, 
 not even when they swung out around some tre- 
 mendous curve on the scarp of a mountain and the 
 struts beneath them sprung and complained at their 
 weight. 
 
 At last she felt a little piqued ; it seemed so strange 
 that this entirely inexperienced man could be so 
 free from any apprehension where she who had seen 
 it all so often before trembled to her heart's core. 
 Was it insensibility or inability to grasp the wonder- 
 ful facts, or was it superiority of mind to all things 
 happening upon earth because of intimacy with the 
 Creator of all things ? And so" she asked him why 
 he seemed so unimpressed with all these marvels 
 that all other people held in such awe and reverence ; 
 did he not really think them very wonderful and 
 inspiring ? And he, turning his deep eyes from her, 
 answered 
 
 " My dear young lady, it is all very wonderful, 
 but when I look up at the stars and the sun, or out 
 upon the sea, I feel more impressed at these glorious 
 works of my Father. And I feel very small but very 
 happy ; I think that He who does all these things by 
 the word of His Power condescends to notice me, 
 to assure me that I am precious in His sight. I am 
 
 R
 
 258 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 not unconscious or dense really I do admire and 
 wonder, but I cannot for one moment forget the 
 Glory of God which is to this amazing show as the 
 substance is to the shadow. I feel much more than 
 this, but I cannot say, I only love and worship." 
 
 Alas for Miss Stewart's happiness, she had grown 
 to love this simple stalwart man with an intensity 
 that frightened her, as she had felt that she was 
 absolutely proof against any feeling of the kind. To 
 all her openness and kindness he responded respect- 
 fully yet almost as her equal, but though the in- 
 vitation to do so was almost palpable he never 
 overstepped an invisible line drawn between them. 
 Old man Stewart was indeed wise when he decided 
 that this was a man to be trusted to the limit. 
 
 And so the great car sped on through freezing 
 cold and scorching heat, parched up desert and 
 glowing prairie, until it drew near to the young 
 giant of the West, Chicago, that centre of the marvels 
 of the United States, humming with evil, fragrant 
 with good, but in any case fully, luxuriantly alive.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 A Hero in Spite of Himselr 
 
 IT must not be supposed that in all these long 
 conversations with Miss Stewart, while her 
 father told stories turn about with the contented 
 Captain Taber, C. B. ever forgot his friend for 
 one moment. The memory of Merritt had faded 
 almost entirely, or only came now and then with 
 a little pang of contrition that such devoted love 
 as he had been shown by that strange man had 
 been so little requited. Had he been given to 
 reasoning these things out he would have known 
 that the secret of his love for Captain Taber was 
 that he had been able to give himself up entirely 
 to his service, for it will ever be found that the 
 deepest love is that which gives itself to the beloved 
 object. True love is self-sacrificing, not passively 
 recipient, and so even in this beautiful journey, sur- 
 rounded by all luxury and associated with so charm- 
 ing a personality as that of Miss Stewart, C. B. 
 never for one instant wavered in his deep affection 
 for his charge. 
 
 One night within a hundred miles of Chicago 
 they suddenly felt the flying train slow down, 
 and then with a couple of heavy jolts come to a 
 standstill. C. B. was with the captain at the time 
 rendering him some personal service, and at the 
 shock they both looked inquiringly around and 
 at one another.
 
 260 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 " There's something wrong," said the captain. 
 " I wonder what has happened ? " He had 
 hardly uttered the words when through the un- 
 natural silence there came a faint shriek, and C. B., 
 with one glance at his friend, rushed out into the 
 body of the car and main saloon. 
 
 There were Mr. and Miss Stewart seated in two 
 armchairs with a truculent looking man clad in 
 the picturesque garb of the cowboy standing before 
 them holding a heavy revolver pointed at them, 
 while both man and woman held their hands high 
 above their heads. At the sound of C. B.'s foot- 
 steps the intruder wheeled and shouted, " Stop 
 right there," but he spoke to the wrong individual. 
 Without an instant's hesitation C. B. sprang at 
 him, there was a flash, a stunning report, and a crash 
 of glass, and there upon the floor lay the intruder 
 with C. B. on top of him easily tearing the revolver 
 from him with one hand, while with the other 
 clutching his throat. At the same moment Miss 
 Stewart and her father disappeared. But they 
 returned almost instantly, each armed with a 
 revolver, and Mr. Stewart bringing in addition a 
 length of gay cord torn from the heavy curtain 
 before his sleeping-place. With this C. B. bound 
 the hands of the villainous-looking fellow he had 
 captured so securely that he could not move them 
 and looked around for another piece for the feet. 
 
 But Mr. Stewart said sternly, " Never mind 
 that. Mary, watch him, and if he moves, shoot 
 him. Come, Mr. Christmas, we'll get the others." 
 And at the word C. B. followed where Mr. Stewart 
 led, finding in Miss Stewart's apartment two more 
 men, who caught unawares submitted to be bound 
 as the first one had been,, under cover of Mr. 
 Stewart's revolver.
 
 A HERO IN SPITE OF HIMSELF 261 
 
 " Now," said Mr. Stewart, " we must look out 
 for the rest of the gang, who are probably walking 
 up and down outside. But first, out lights," and 
 touching a switch the whole car was immediately 
 in darkness. But as soon as they stepped out 
 upon the observation platform they heard a couple 
 of shots. Mr. Stewart, fully cognizant of all these 
 Western tactics, carefully marked the direction of 
 the flashes and fired there twice, sinking down at 
 once and dragging C. B. with him. 
 
 After waiting about a minute and hearing a low 
 groan from the darkness, he said 
 
 " I don't think there's any more of 'em about, 
 and we must go and see to the engineer and his 
 fireman," finding them both cruelly tied up. They 
 released them, and Mr. Stewart curtly ordered them 
 to put on all the speed they could for Chicago, where 
 explanations might be made in quiet. Then turn- 
 ing to the car they hunted up the attendants, who 
 they found had all been treated similarly to the 
 engineer. They released them, and putting the 
 captives in charge of the conductor in the baggage 
 car they returned to their quarters, finding Miss 
 Stewart still in charge of the scoundrel they had 
 forgotten. 
 
 She was soon relieved of her watch and then, 
 with a heightened colour, turned to C. B. and said 
 
 " Forgive me for what I said to you." 
 
 C. B. stared at her and asked 
 
 " What can you mean, Miss Stewart ? How can 
 I forgive you when you have never done me wrong? " 
 
 Then the young lady bursting into tears sobbed, 
 " Oh, yes, I have. I thought you were dull, stupid, 
 and hardened because you didn't make a fuss, as 
 I expected you to. And now you act like this 
 its heaping coals of fire on my head."
 
 262 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 At this Mr. Stewart came along and said 
 
 " Come, my girl, get to your bed, we shall be in 
 Chicago in about an hour and you need all the rest 
 you can get." 
 
 She obeyed with a look full of gratitude atC. B., 
 who stood quite bewildered at the sudden and strange 
 march of events. 
 
 He was not relieved when Mr. Stewart, holding out 
 his hand, blurted out, " Mr. Christmas, you're the 
 whitest man I know. And if you can believe me, 
 there isn't anything that lies in my power to do for 
 you that I won't do on the word. So give it a 
 name and let me show my gratitude." 
 
 It was then Mr. Stewart's turn to feel astonished 
 and set back, for C. B. with some dignity replied, 
 " Mr. Stewart, I don't understand you. I really 
 haven't done anything but what any man would 
 have done. I can't imagine what makes you 
 American gentlemen and ladies try and spoil a 
 poor man like me. Surely there is nothing wonder- 
 ful or strange in my behaviour, nothing that any 
 man among you would not have done under the 
 same circumstances." 
 
 " My good boy," answered Mr. Stewart solemnly. 
 " Of course you don't know how your conduct 
 appears to us, any more than we know how to regard 
 you. I can only say that I feel very humble and 
 ordinary alongside of a clean-souled man like you, 
 and I know you're worthy of any appreciation that 
 can be tendered you. But hark, there's the skip- 
 per's bell, he'll be anxious to know all about every- 
 thing and you won't tell him, but I will, whatever 
 you say, so get along with you." And C. B., still 
 in a mental mist of wonder, rushed off to his charge. 
 
 Captain Taber was naturally in a feverish state 
 of excitement through wonder. He had heard the
 
 A HERO IN SPITE OF HIMSELF 263 
 
 shots and the rushing to and fro, imagined all 
 kinds of happenings as he lay there helplessly fret- 
 ting and yet ashamed of his want of confidence in 
 the goodness of God. And now when C. B. came 
 swiftly gliding in, his face all aglow with eagerness, 
 a great wave of thankfulness rushed over him, and 
 he held out both his hands, saying, " Thank God 
 you're all right ; my boy, do tell me what has hap- 
 pened ? " 
 
 Then, first having seen that the captain wanted 
 for nothing, C. B. told him the stirring story in his 
 own quiet, unexaggerated fashion, his simple eyes 
 brightening and his breath coming short as he real- 
 ized the danger they had all gone through and 
 emerged triumphantly from, for their assailants 
 were of that desperate class who value life at less 
 than the smallest coin, are ready to dare anything 
 in order to gratify their desire for plunder, and who 
 in this case felt quite certain of securing a rich booty. 
 They had lashed a huge log across the rails, and 
 erected by its side a pole with a red light upon it, 
 which made the engineer of the train slow up until 
 he brought his engine butt up against the obstruc- 
 tion, and immediately found himself threatened by 
 a couple of revolvers held at his face by desperate- 
 looking men, who threatened him with instant death, 
 unless he obeyed their command. Helpless to 
 resist, he threw up his hands while they bound him 
 and his mate, then boarded the train itself, with the 
 result we know. 
 
 Presently, with a clanging of great bells and a 
 hideous jolting over badly laid points, they rolled 
 into the great station, where a little crowd of officials 
 who were awaiting them sprang into the car as it 
 came to a rest, and greeted Mr. Stewart with that 
 mingled air of equality and deference which is so
 
 264 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 peculiarly characteristic of the States between 
 employes and their employers. In a few curt sen- 
 tences Mr. Stewart informed the new-comers of 
 the events of the last couple of hours, and then led 
 the way to where his prisoners were lying, glaring 
 like trapped wolves. In a few minutes they had 
 been removed to a patrol wagon, which rumbled off 
 with them to prison, and then Mr. Stewart turned 
 to confront a couple of night reporters, who, with 
 the keen scent for a story that all their class in the 
 United States are noted for, begged to be " put next " 
 to the adventure, whatever it was. 
 
 With a grim smile Mr. Stewart led them to the 
 main saloon, bade them be seated, ordered a steward 
 to bring them refreshments, and then sent for C. B. 
 When our friend arrived Mr. Stewart introduced him 
 to the reporters as the hero of the night, assured them 
 that he would tell them all about it and, excusing 
 himself, disappeared. 
 
 It is impossible for me to convey any adequate 
 idea of the contrast between C. B. and his inter- 
 locutors, whose picturesque slang, eager faces, 
 and ravenous pencils all seemed to him so strange. 
 He could not imagine their errand, they were 
 equally taken aback by his calm, straight gaze and 
 transparent simplicity. But presently, after a 
 rapier-like question or two, one reporter said to the 
 other : " Hank, we're up against a mighty big 
 scoop. This hold up's only a tail-piece, the story 
 ahead of it's the thing, and our friend here hain't 
 no idea of the height of it. Now less go slow an' 
 take it between us an', hold on a minute He 
 
 darted off and got the attendants to seal up the car 
 to any outsiders, declaring that Mr. Stewart would 
 see nobody till the morning, then returned to the 
 feast.
 
 A HERO IN SPITE OF HIMSELF 265 
 
 So C. B. told his story to the reporters, who took 
 it down with heaven knows what fantastic addi- 
 tions. They had never had such a lovely subject 
 before, a man who answered all their questions 
 straightly and simply, making no reservations. 
 Many times they paused and looked at him, feeling 
 uncertain whether some colossal joke was not being 
 put upon them, but were reassured in spite of their 
 brazen scepticism, and when at last they raced off 
 to their offices with the spoil they both felt that 
 they had had the time of their lives. 
 
 C. B. was rather glad when they went, for he was 
 tired, and went straight to Captain Taber, whom 
 he found sleeping sweetly. And, as all the car was 
 quiet, he too went to his comfortable bed, and, 
 entirely unexcited by the stirring events of the day, 
 fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. When he awoke it 
 was to have thrust into his hand by one of the car 
 attendants two newspapers, each with flaming 
 headlines, describing in American journalese the 
 happenings of the past night. Glancing through 
 the two and a half columns of gush he felt his blood 
 surge up into his head to find himself portrayed as a 
 hero of the highest eminence, his life history sketched 
 out, in fact all his quiet, open talk with those two 
 guileful strangers transmogrified into something that 
 took his breath away. And even then he was unable 
 to grasp more than the remote fringe of the signifi- 
 cance of those two newspaper reports ; he did not 
 dream of the millions who would read his story all 
 over the United States and Canada within the next 
 twenty-four hours, or the fact that within a week or 
 two the whole of the civilized world would be talking 
 about him. 
 
 At present his feeling was one of extreme annoy- 
 ance at seeing his name in print, and making a
 
 266 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 hurried toilet he hastened to his friend, Captain 
 Taber, whom he found propped up in bed eagerly 
 devouring the story, and occasionally chuckling 
 with laughter as he came across some exceptionally 
 turgid piece of description, or a sentence of such 
 extraordinary jargon of slang that even an educated 
 American could hardly translate it. It gave him 
 thrills of great joy, and when he saw the face of 
 C. B. as he stood holding the two papers before 
 him, he laughed as C. B. had never heard him since 
 his disaster. 
 
 When at last he had ceased C. B. said quietly, 
 " I don't know why you are so amused, sir, for 
 I see you have been reading what those two men 
 wrote from what I told them last night. I think 
 it was very wrong of them, and I feel so ashamed 
 of myself. I do wish I had known that they were 
 going to print it, I wouldn't have told them a word. 
 Besides, there's a great deal of it that isn't true at 
 all. It seems that where they couldn't remember 
 what I told them they made up a bit to join the 
 story together. I must say though that it is wonder- 
 ful how they can have done it at all. It seems only 
 a few minutes ago that I was talking to them and 
 here it is all in the newspapers." 
 
 " My dear, innocent Christmas," burst in the 
 captain, " as I've so often told you, you're too good 
 for this world. To think how utterly out of touch 
 with all these things, railways, telegraphs, news- 
 papers, etc., you are. But try and see if you can 
 what a lot of good your story will do. Your life 
 lived without effort in the sight of God has had 
 much more influence than you ever dreamed of or 
 would imagine, think then of the benefits that even 
 this poor presentment of a bit of that life will confer 
 upon millions of people who will read it. I hain't
 
 A HERO IN SPITE OF HIMSELF 267 
 
 afraid that you'll get above yourself by hearing 
 yourself praised, I know to whom you'll give all the 
 glory, but I do hope that you won't refuse to see 
 any more of these fellows, who are sure to be after 
 you directly. And look here, if I know my country- 
 men, an' I think I do a little, they'll be lots of other 
 folks after you to-day. You'll be offered big money 
 to lecture and show yourself but I don't think I 
 can spare you," and the helpless man looked upon 
 him wistfully. 
 
 That brought C. B. to his side in a moment, 
 saying 
 
 " Dear friend, I've often told you that I don't 
 want money, and as for making a show of myself or 
 talking about what I've done the idea's horrible. 
 Since you wish it, I'll see the newspaper men and 
 talk to them, but please remember that I'm not 
 leaving you while you want me, and when I do leave 
 you because you don't need me any more, I'm going 
 straight back home." 
 
 " All right, my boy, I never had any real doubt, 
 only the mere thought of losing you was so dreadful 
 to my poor selfish heart. I've got to lean on you 
 so that I feel I couldn't live without you now. 
 For to-day, anyhow, I'll get one of the attendants 
 to look after me ; you'll be wanted all day long by 
 one person and another. Oh me, I wish this affray 
 had never happened ; I don't know how long we 
 may be kept waiting " 
 
 Just then there was a firm tap at the door, and to 
 the captain's " Come in " Mr. Stewart entered the 
 room. As soon as greetings were exchanged the 
 captain inquired eagerly 
 
 " Is this thing going to delay us long, sir ? I'm 
 so anxious to get home." 
 
 Mr. Stewart's brow contracted as he replied
 
 268 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 " Not if I can help it, captain. It wouldn't 
 hinder you anyhow, because you know nothing of it ; 
 but your friend's a principal witness. Still, I know 
 how knit you are together you can't do without 
 him. My influence is not here what it is in San 
 Francisco, but I'll use what I've got to get the trial 
 expedited for your sake." Then turning to C. B., 
 he said, " Well, Christmas, you've got fame by the 
 bucketful this morning, haven't ye ? How do you 
 like it ? " 
 
 " Not a little bit, Mr. Stewart," interrupted the 
 captain ; " he came in here to me this morning with 
 his face all afire. An' but that I don't think he can 
 get real angry, I believe he would have been mad with 
 me because he found me laughing over the story. 
 However, I've soothed him by telling him what a 
 lot of good it will do, and now, I think, he'll be quite 
 reconciled to the next batch of reporters that comes 
 along." 
 
 " That's principally what I've come in about, 
 captain," said Mr. Stewart. " So far, the report has 
 been all right and there's no harm done, but I'm a 
 bit afraid that the gang that will surely arrive pre- 
 sently will try to mix up Mary's name with it, invent 
 some fool story about her and Christmas that'll 
 hurt us all like the devil. Now, what I wanted to do 
 was to warn you, Christmas, on this one point. 
 Tell those fellows everything you can, for the more 
 you tell 'em the less chance they'll have to invent ; 
 but try and make 'em keep my girl's name out of it, 
 won't ye ? " This last almost imploringly. 
 
 C. B. drew himself up a little as he replied 
 
 " How could I tell them anything about Miss 
 Stewart beyond what has been already printed, 
 unless I told falsehoods, invented a story like a 
 reporter does ? I know nothing, and if I did I
 
 A HERO IN SPITE OF HIMSELF 269 
 
 should refuse to say anything about another per- 
 son's business." 
 
 Mr. Stewart looked doubtfully at him as if mis- 
 trusting, not his truthfulness or honour, but his 
 ability to prevent those reporters from turning him 
 inside out like a glove, and gave a sigh, which 
 Captain Taber noticing, made him remark, " I 
 think, Mr. Stewart, that you can trust C. B.'s 
 invincible honesty and truth to be a match for men 
 who are so accustomed to deal with the opposite 
 qualities that they will be hopelessly overmatched." 
 
 At that moment an attendant knocked at the 
 door, and entering, said 
 
 " Three gentlemen to see Mr. Adams." 
 
 " All right, Billy," answered Mr. Stewart. " Go 
 on, my boy ; we can't do better I'm sure than leave 
 you to yourself in this matter. I was a fool to try 
 and interfere." And he gave C. B. a playful push 
 out of the door. 
 
 The attendant was waiting for him and ushered 
 him into the main saloon, where there sat three of 
 the most divergent types of men one could imagine. 
 One had, in spite of his good, well-cut clothes, an 
 air of seediness about him, want of brushing, cigar 
 ash, up all night kind of appearance ; he was a 
 reporter. The next was obviously a parson of 
 sorts, yet with a keen business air about him too, 
 which rather belied his white tie. The third was the 
 most objectionable person of the three, as far as 
 looks went. He was gross, with a great belly and 
 bulbous nose. His rather dirty hands were loaded 
 with heavy rings, and a massive gold watch-chain 
 lay across the big rotundity of his stomach. His 
 clothes were of a violent pattern check, his broad- 
 brimmed felt hat was worn at the back of his head, 
 a gaudy boutonniere adorned his coat lapel, a fat
 
 270 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 cigar was between his purple lips, he fingered a huge 
 roll of bills ostentatiously, and spat frequently 
 wherever it pleased him. 
 
 As soon as C. B. appeared all three arose and 
 extended their hands in greeting. They all began 
 to talk at once, but the reporter, holding up his 
 hand, said 
 
 " Gentlemen, please less start fair. We can't do 
 a thing like this. I was here first, but I'm willing 
 to meet you any reasonable way, and I propose to 
 shake for the first deal." Before either of the 
 others could reply C. B. said quietly 
 
 " Are all you gentlemen reporters ? " 
 
 " Me every time," answered the reporter gaily, 
 but the other two expressed their feelings at the 
 question by a very decided negative. 
 
 " Then," went on C. B., " I think if this gentle- 
 man," nodding to the reporter, " will have a mo- 
 ment's patience, I can promise him I will not keep 
 him waiting long. What do you wish with me, 
 sir ? " to the parson. That gentleman said imme- 
 diately 
 
 " Oh, my committee have authorized me to 
 
 invite you to preach at our church in Street 
 
 to-night and incidentally tell the story of your late 
 experiences. They are prepared to meet your views 
 as to the honorarium, within limits, of course." 
 
 " Thank you very much," replied C. B. " No. 
 And you ? " turning to the gross man. 
 
 " Wall, I guess I'm the representative of the 
 Mammoth Vaudeville Syndicate of the United States, 
 and I'm prepared to book you for a hundred nights 
 at $100 a night to reel off that yarn of yours on the 
 stage an' " 
 
 ' Thank you," interrupted C. B. " No." 
 
 " And now," turning to the report er* and abso-
 
 A HERO IN SPITE OF HIMSELF 271 
 
 lutely ignoring the other two. " I am at your 
 service." 
 
 The reporter gave a wicked little snigger at the 
 two discomfited competitors and plunged into his 
 business. 
 
 From thenceforward throughout, the whole of 
 the time of C. B. was thus occupied, but to every 
 other class of persons beside reporters he returned 
 the same curt answer " No." All, however, did not 
 take it as the first pair had done, the photographers 
 especially being almost painfully persistent. But, 
 having made up his mind to a certain course of 
 action, believing it to be right, there was no hope of 
 turning C. B. ; he was adamant, although as kind 
 and yielding as could be in anything that he felt 
 did not matter. 
 
 At last, as he was dismissing the fiftieth inter- 
 viewer, Mr. Stewart came in and laying his hand 
 upon C. B.'s shoulder said kindly 
 
 " Come on, dear boy, and have some food, you 
 must need it. Billy, if anybody else calls and 
 wants to see Mr. Adams, tell them that he is engaged 
 until 6 p.m., and that no one is to see him until 
 then. Now you understand what I mean. No 
 one, whatever their business may be." 
 
 ' Yes, sir," replied the attendant, arid C. B. left 
 to wash his face and hands and have a comfortable 
 meal. 
 
 It was, except for C. B., the happiest luncheon 
 any of them had taken for a long time, for C. B.'s 
 solemn description he had hardly any idea of a 
 joke of the various demands of his visitors made 
 them rock with laughter. Especially Captain 
 Taber ; but Miss Stewart was quite sympathetic, 
 except that she could not help smiling at the sim- 
 plicity of C. B.'s supposition that the majority of
 
 272 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 these people would take " No " for an answer. He 
 said 
 
 "We were taught, ' let your yea be yea, and nay, 
 nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of 
 evil ' ; and yet some of these people wouldn't believe 
 me, though I said no as plainly as I could say it 
 more than a dozen times." 
 
 " Ah, well," said Mr. Stewart at last, " your best 
 time is yet to come. This afternoon you are to be 
 at the Court to give evidence at the trial, and then, 
 if I mistake not, there will be fun. Hallo, what's 
 that ? " as an attendant came hurriedly in with a 
 dirty envelope which he handed to C. B., saying 
 
 " I wouldn't have brought it, sir, but the guy 
 that give it me held a gun at me head and said if I 
 didn't he'd empty it into me." 
 
 Not a word was spoken as C. B. opened it and 
 read 
 
 " There's a thousand dollars in gold ready for 
 you if you say in court you never seen the prisoners 
 before, that you don't recognize 'em. There's 
 another thousand if they get acquitted through 
 your evidence. And there's sudden death for the 
 hull gang of you if they get sent up. Bearer 
 waits." 
 
 C. B. then handed the note to Mr. Stewart, who 
 quietly tore it in pieces and handed the little pile to 
 the attendant saying 
 
 " Give him that. And call Simpson in." The 
 man disappeared and a minute later a big pleasant- 
 looking man came in and walked up to Mr. Stewart, 
 who said 
 
 " Simpson, Mr. Adams here has just received an 
 offer of a thousand dollars to refuse identification, 
 two thousand if the road agents are acquitted, and 
 sudden death to all of us if they're not. I've torn
 
 A HERO IN SPITE OF HIMSELF 273 
 
 the note up and given it back to the man, but that 
 doesn't matter, of course. Just attend to it, won't 
 ye." 
 
 And Simpson bowed and retired, while the party 
 resumed their luncheon. But Miss Stewart looked 
 grave and said little, though she looked at C. B. 
 occasionally with keenest concern. Otherwise 
 there was no apparent change of demeanour in any 
 of the men. And after coffee, while the two Ameri- 
 cans smoked, C. B. sat in calmest mood and meditated 
 over the events of the morning.
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 C. B.'s Awakening 
 
 AT 2 p .m . , a hack being in waiting, the two men and 
 Miss Stewart were driven to the Court through 
 the swarming streets, C. B. remarking once or twice 
 that he never thought there were so many people in 
 the world. He also inquired earnestly what they were 
 all hurrying so for, and Mr. Stewart told him that 
 all the people he saw were divided into two classes, 
 the one class rushing after money to add to their 
 already overfat store in order to get more power, 
 the other, and by far the larger class, were being 
 hunted by the gaunt spectre of want. They had to 
 rush or starve, and when one of them fell by the 
 wayside there was little hope of him ever rising 
 again, his fellows would trample him to death. 
 
 C. B. heaved a great sigh and thought sadly of 
 the lot of these poor people as compared with the 
 happiness of his own folk, and a great longing came 
 over him for that peaceful isle. The next moment 
 he repented of the feeling as being cowardly. He 
 thought if these poor folk had to bear the burden 
 of what he took to be intolerant misery, he could 
 surely endure to look upon them doing so. And 
 then they pulled up at the Court. 
 
 Like a man in a dream C. B. was conducted to a 
 place where he and his friends were allowed to seat 
 themselves, and there he gazed around and listened 
 uncomprehendingly, his mind in a whirl of wonder. 
 
 274
 
 C. B.'S AWAKENING 275 
 
 At last their case was called, and the prisoners, 
 each guarded by a warder, stood up for identifica- 
 tion. There was some little trouble about the oath, 
 which Miss Stewart and her father took unhesita- 
 tingly, but which C. B., after having it explained to 
 him two or three times, resolutely refused to utter. 
 His attitude was reported to the judge, who said 
 sharply 
 
 " What religion do you profess ? " 
 
 " Christianity," respectfully replied C. B. 
 
 " Yes, but what sect, branch, or denomination of 
 Christianity do you belong to ? " snapped the judge. 
 
 " I do not know of any," calmly replied C. B. 
 
 " Come, come," the judge went on, growing 
 irritable, we must have no paltering with the time 
 of the Court. If you are a Christian you must 
 take the oath, unless you have any conscientious 
 objections. Why do you object to swear ? " 
 
 A bright ray of intelligence lit up C. B.'s face as 
 he realized the question, and he gravely answered 
 
 " I was taught in the Bible to swear not at all, but 
 to let my yea be yea and my nay nay, for whatsoever 
 is more than these cometh of evil." 
 
 " I see," sneered the judge, and, turning to the 
 Clerk of the Court, " let him affirm. He's only a 
 new kind of crank after all." So C. B. was allowed 
 to make his affirmation to tell the truth, Miss Stewart 
 gazing at him with wonder-filled eyes as she realized 
 how immeasurably above these keen-faced unscrupu- 
 lous men of the world and of law was this quiet 
 young man with the peaceful face standing among 
 them like a visitor from some other world. 
 
 The preliminaries being completed he was asked 
 for his story of the " Hold up," and gave it in a 
 manner that impressed every one in Court, especially 
 the judge, for it was clear, succinct and unbiassed,
 
 276 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 not a needless word or repetition. When he had 
 concluded he was asked if he identified the men 
 before him as the intending robbers, and unhesita- 
 tingly answered yes. Then the prisoner's counsel 
 took him in hand, a man with a great reputation 
 for compelling the most innocent of witnesses to 
 contradict themselves and look like perjurers, a 
 master of that vile practice of making witnesses 
 suffer more than the criminal. But for once he had 
 met his match. To his thundering invective, abuse, 
 sarcasm, and crafty suggestions C. B. presented his 
 unconscious integrity and perfect innocence. He 
 could not be terrified or made contradict himself, 
 and his past life, that bug-bear of so many witnesses 
 who are perfectly honest and truthful as well as 
 desirous of aiding justice, had no dark corners in it. 
 And after a few minutes the loud-voiced advocate 
 retired discomfited, not having been able to shake 
 C. B.'s evidence in the least, but having conclusively 
 directed the attention of the public to the wonderful 
 sincerity of the witness. 
 
 Mr. Stewart's evidence was taken more briefly, 
 as it was in effect but a repetition of C. B.'s, and 
 Miss Stewart, in accordance with the chivalric 
 American custom, was spared as much as possible. 
 In these later days I see that woman is no longer im- 
 mune from insult and contumely as a witness, even in 
 America, but at the time of which I write it would 
 have fared ill there with any lawyer who should 
 have dared to browbeat a woman in a witness box. 
 So that the trial really took very little time. The 
 addresses of counsel were brief, for indeed the 
 abominable gang, of which the three men in the 
 dock formed the principal part, had for long terrorized 
 the district where at last they were caught, and 
 except among their own class, which, however,
 
 C. B.'S AWAKENING 277 
 
 is a very numerous one in Chicago, they had no 
 sympathizers. 
 
 So when the judge rose to deliver his charge to 
 the jury he was brief and incisive. " We have here," 
 he said, " three road agents who have been caught 
 by their intended victims. There is no manner of 
 doubt as to their intentions or identity. They have 
 attempted to bribe the principal witness, and failing 
 in that they have threatened his life if he does his 
 duty to society, both courses, I am glad to say, 
 being signally unsuccessful. I await your verdict 
 with confidence, because it is high time that we in 
 Chicago show the rest of the States that they have 
 no monopoly of justice, a statement which has 
 rather frequently been made of late." 
 
 Without retiring the jury returned a unanimous 
 verdict of guilty, and the judge immediately took 
 up his parable again to the effect that he entirely 
 agreed with the jury's verdict, and that he sentenced 
 all the prisoners to ten years in the State prison. 
 " And," he added, " if either of these innocent 
 persons who have so manfully done their duty here 
 to-day are molested in any way, I trust that the 
 State of Illinois will rise to the occasion and hunt 
 the vermin who would commit such a crime from 
 the face of the earth." 
 
 In ten minutes they were all in the carriage again 
 and driving back to the car, a stranger to C. B. 
 seated beside the driver. Before they had reached 
 the car, however, there was a little tinkling noise 
 in the carriage which made them all look at each 
 other in wonder, until Mr. Stewart pointed quietly 
 with his forefinger to two tiny round holes in the 
 windows, showing the passage of a bullet. Miss 
 Stewart turned very pale, but as she looked at C. B. 
 and saw how absolutely unconcerned he was, her
 
 278 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 colour came back and she softly murmured what 
 had become a sort of litany to her, her thanks for 
 having been privileged to know such a man. 
 
 They reached the car without further incident, to 
 find it besieged by a crowd of people who wanted all 
 sorts of things, principally interviews and photo- 
 graphs, and others who only wanted to gape and 
 shake hands, for which somehow Americans have a 
 mania. But the man on the box, leaping down, 
 made a way through the crowd for the three friends, 
 and as soon as they were within the car Mr. Stewart 
 said 
 
 " As soon as we have ' line clear ' tell the engineer 
 to get out of this, and let us have dinner as soon as 
 you will, with the blinds and shutters down. I don't 
 want any potting at me while I am having my food." 
 
 In ten minutes the attendant returned with the 
 news that the engine was now backing on and that 
 in a few seconds they would be on their way out of 
 the great Lake City at a good rate. 
 
 All this time Captain Taber had been suffering 
 tortures of suspense. He had not learned the secret 
 possessed by his friend. " Thou shalt keep him in 
 perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee." To 
 C. B.'s inquiry how he felt he replied hastily, " Oh, 
 my dear man, don't bother about my health, that's 
 as usual, but I'm et up with longing to know how 
 you got on in the midst of all them Chicago sharks. 
 Do tell me, but say, first, are we gettin' out o' this ? " 
 
 " We're off in a minute, I believe," answered C. B., 
 and as he spoke the car began to move. 
 
 " Thank God," breathed the skipper, and C. B. 
 settled down to the task of telling him the whole 
 story in his easy, simple style. It took but little 
 time in the telling, and as soon as he had finished 
 the skipper, beaming on him with a smile of intense
 
 C. B.'S AWAKENING 279 
 
 satisfaction, pointed to a pile of newspapers lying 
 on a chair, and said with a touch of pride, " There's 
 American enterprise for you, you seem to be the 
 best talked-of man in Chicago to-day." 
 
 C. B. made a small grimace expressive of his utter 
 want of desire to read more about himself and 
 replied 
 
 " I am only grateful to get away. It is all very 
 wonderful, but I don't like it, and I am sure it is not 
 good for you, you don't look nearly as well as when I 
 left you last. Ah, there's nothing like the peace of 
 God for soul and body, and I'm afraid there's little 
 room for it among your people." 
 
 " Don't say that," eagerly interrupted the skipper. 
 " In dear Fairhaven there is peace, and please God 
 we'll soon be there. Then you'll see the difference 
 between the welter of Chicago and a New England 
 village." Just then Mr. Stewart and his daughter 
 walked in, and after warmly greeting the captain, 
 Mr. Stewart said drily 
 
 " Well, we've escaped, and now if we have luck we'll 
 be in Boston in about thirty-six hours. I hope so, 
 for I begin to feel my fingers itch for business again. 
 I haven't got the hang of you fellows' minds quite. 
 I want to be in the midst of it all again. But you 
 wouldn't understand, so I shan't try to explain. 
 Mind, I'm not saying that you're wrong, but I can't 
 feel as you do, that's all." 
 
 Then Miss Stewart chimed in quietly 
 
 " Daddy, you know they are right. What good 
 do we get out of all this fret and hurry ? Mr. Christ- 
 mas seems to me to know better than any of us how 
 to live, and as far as I am concerned I am willing to 
 learn of him both how to live and die." 
 
 " That's all very well," rejoined her father lightly, 
 " but in the meantime in order to live at all we must
 
 2 8o A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 have some food, and I guess it's about ready now. 
 The car's going a good lick, near forty miles an hour, 
 and I don't think the friends of our late guests 
 have got much chance to molest us." And in 
 pleasant mood they all sat down to a comfortable 
 meal. 
 
 After dinner C. B. retired with the captain, leaving 
 Miss Stewart and her father alone. They sat silent 
 for a few minutes, and then Miss Stewart, rising, came 
 over to her father, who sat meditatively puffing at 
 his cigar and murmured 
 
 " Daddy, what shall I do ? " 
 
 " How, my dear ? " responded her father, with a 
 look of deepest love in his eyes as he bent them upon 
 her. " I've always talked to you about everything 
 since ever I can remember, and I am so glad because 
 it helps me to say what I want now, for I could not 
 even say it to mother." 
 
 " Go on, dear one," murmured the old man 
 soothingly. 
 
 " I love that young man, daddy, with all my heart 
 and soul and strength. And I know that I am not 
 doing wrong, because all that I love in him comes 
 direct from God, the God whom he's always talking 
 about and knows so well. But he doesn't love me, 
 I'm afraid, at least he doesn't show any sign that he 
 does, and what am I to do ? " 
 
 Her father looked at her seriously and said nothing 
 for a minute. Then he said 
 
 " My darling girl, you can't throw yourself at a 
 man, not if he was half an angel. I love the young 
 fellow too, and if he came to me and asked me for 
 you, I should forget all about dollars and send him 
 to you. But he hasn't, and if I know anything of him 
 he won't. I don't believe he's ever had a thought 
 about marryin' or givin' in marriage. In fact, I'll
 
 C. B.'S AWAKENING 281 
 
 own to you that I can't make him out. He's a 
 different breed of man to any that I ever met before. 
 However, dear one, believe this, your father's with 
 you, heart and soul, and short of going to him and 
 askin' him if he'll be kind enough to take my daughter 
 for a wife, I'll do anything you ask me. Your 
 happiness, my love, that's what I live for." 
 
 And the train sped relentlessly onward until in 
 thirty-four hours from Chicago the big car rolled 
 easily into the huge station at Boston, where by some 
 mysterious means another coterie of journalists were 
 awaiting them. Again poor C. B. was chosen as the 
 medium whereby the Bostonians could acquire 
 the information that apparently they thirsted for. 
 But as no man can possibly have such an experience 
 as he and remain quite ignorant of the task imposed 
 upon him, so C. B. rose to the occasion, and surprised 
 the interviewers by the astuteness of his answers. 
 Of course he had been coached by both Mr. Stewart 
 and Captain Taber, and something was due also to 
 the difference between the methods of the journalists 
 of Boston and those of Chicago. At any rate an 
 hour after their arrival they were all safely installed 
 in the comfortable Parker House, and feeling more 
 at home than they had done since they left San 
 Francisco or rather the Golden Gate. 
 
 And now for the first time Captain Taber sent a 
 telegram acquainting his wife and children with the 
 fact that he would soon be among them. He had 
 not done so before, so as not to prolong their sus- 
 pense, and as to writing, it had been quite out of the 
 question as they had come more swiftly than a letter 
 could have done. So that now while they were 
 imagining him sailing about looking for whales in 
 some unfrequented ocean on the other side of the 
 world, there suddenly came to them the shock of
 
 282 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 his being quite near, and their hearts sank beneath 
 the apprehension of calamity. 
 
 The news fled from one end of Fairhaven to the 
 other, and over to New Bedford and its environs 
 with great swiftness, for it was felt that something 
 serious must have happened to the ship or her 
 skipper would not have come home. And such 
 excitement as these stern New Englanders ever 
 allow themselves to feel steadily rose until it affected 
 the whole neighbourhood. 
 
 Meanwhile the little group at the Parker House 
 had come to the parting of the ways, and Mr. Stewart, 
 remembering his daughter's earnest appeal, was 
 almost at his wits' end what to do in the matter. 
 He felt that to offer to go farther with the two men 
 would be superfluous and obtrusive, and yet he could 
 not bear to part from them like this. For not only 
 had he his daughter's happiness very near his heart, 
 but he had grown to love the patient suffering 
 skipper, whose career had thus been cut short in the 
 prime of his days, and he felt that now if ever was a 
 time to make some good use of his great wealth. 
 In his perplexity it suddenly occurred to him to do 
 the straight thing, go to the skipper at once and tell 
 him his trouble about his daughter, and then lead 
 from that up to his intentions or desires about the 
 skipper himself. Here was a case he felt where any 
 diplomacy would fail. 
 
 And while he was thus deciding, his daughter in 
 an agony of doubt and apprehension had locked her- 
 self in her cabin. She felt so helpless, so little con- 
 fident that even her good and powerful father would 
 be able to help her, and yet she seemed certain that 
 unless she became the wife of C. B., life for her would 
 be henceforth a dreary blank. And she was no 
 foolish girl, but an extremely level-headed young
 
 C. B.'S AWAKENING 283 
 
 woman, only she had hardly all her life known 
 what it was to have a desire thwarted, and now in 
 what she felt must be the one object of her life there 
 appeared no way of obtaining it. She had seen C. B. 
 put aside with calm dignity offer after offer of wealth, 
 she had listened to the kind level tones of his voice 
 and noted that the ring of passion never came into it, 
 and had sometimes wondered whether he was not 
 an abnormal man in whom love was so diffused 
 that it could never be concentrated upon one single 
 object. Then with a despairing little moan she flung 
 herself on her knees and prayed to God for this good 
 man's love. In this she felt a thrill of sympathy 
 with her beloved one, who in reply to a question of 
 her one evening as to what he did if he wanted some- 
 thing very much and saw no way of getting it, said 
 
 " I should ask God for it, but I should ask Him too 
 not to let me have it if it were not good for me." 
 
 So she prayed with deepest fervour but without 
 the proviso, and never felt that she might be doing 
 so without any warrant, not feeling at all inclined 
 to resign herself to the will of God, but feeling that 
 unless she got what she craved for she was aggrieved. 
 A very common attitude, an easily explainable one 
 too, but oh, how sadly illogical. Because it is 
 certain that if we believe in the Infinite Wisdom 
 as well as Infinite Power of God we must be con- 
 tented to be refused our requests sometimes. And 
 all of us who have prayed earnestly to God for 
 something we wanted very badly as we thought, 
 have known what it is to get our request granted, 
 and afterwards, it may be many years after, to 
 repent bitterly that ever our prayer was heard. 
 It is one of the experiences of all Christians, yet few 
 indeed are there of us who learn to pray with absolute 
 sincerity, " Thy will be done."
 
 284 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 Captain Taber, lying waiting for the summons 
 to the train, recognized the firm tap on the door 
 announcing Mr. Stewart, and cried heartily, " Come 
 in." His friend entered, noting with satisfaction 
 that C. B. was not present he had gone to see 
 about the baggage. So advancing to Captain 
 Taber's side he held out his hand and said 
 
 " I've come to bid you good-bye, my friend, for 
 you are practically at home, and urgent business calls 
 me away. But before I go I want to ask you one or 
 two things in confidence. We know one another 
 pretty well now, and I feel I can trust you with my 
 life if necessary. First my daughter has confessed 
 to me that she's in love with that noble chap who has 
 nursed you all the way home. I sounded him on the 
 subject carefully when I felt inclined to suspect him 
 of having designs, as a money grubber like myself 
 would, and he satisfied me that his soul was as white, 
 his mind as pure of any intention of the kind as an 
 angel's might have been. 
 
 " Then, as you know, I took no further precautions 
 to keep them apart, for I felt I could trust my girl, 
 and I knew he was sound. But she has been in 
 love with him all the time, and at last feeling she was 
 going to lose him came to her old daddy. And her 
 old daddy, who would die for her, can't help her here. 
 The man doesn't seem to understand love as ordinary 
 men understand it. That he's got no money and 
 doesn't want any doesn't matter to me a straw. 
 I've got a good deal more than is good for me, and 
 I know to my cost just how little happiness there 
 is in a lot of money. Tell me, dear man, could you 
 find out for me soon, and let me know whether you 
 think he has any of the love for my daughter that a 
 husband ought to have, and if it is his modesty hold- 
 ing him back ?
 
 C. B.'S AWAKENING 285 
 
 " Then about yourself ! I know you've been a 
 man who has used all the energy and wit you've 
 had to good purpose as far as you were able, and 
 that it's very probable that this disaster that has 
 overtaken you has found you but poorly fixed to 
 face what may be and I hope will be a long life, 
 but of enforced leisure. Now I have often made 
 more money in an hour than you have in all your 
 life by the hardest of hard work, and I am going to 
 ask you as an act of kindness to me to let me do 
 an act of justice, that is to settle upon you a sufficient 
 sum to keep you and your wife in decent comfort 
 all your life." 
 
 Captain Taber was about to speak, but Mr. 
 Stewart raised his hand saying 
 
 " Hold on a minute ! what I am proposing is 
 not, cannot be, at all derogatory to your indepen- 
 dence. It shall be known to none but you, and 
 alas, that I should have to say so, I cannot claim 
 it as a virtue, for in the first place I shall not miss 
 it from my bank account, and in the next it will 
 give me more real pleasure than anything else in 
 the world except seeing my daughter happy. Now 
 then." 
 
 Two big tears rolled quickly out of Captain 
 Taber's eyes and down his cheeks as he strove to 
 speak. At last he said 
 
 " Stewart, I would refuse if I could, but how 
 can I ? I'm a broken man and all I have been 
 able to save, having been a fairly lucky whaleman 
 too, is five thousand dollars. I have three young- 
 sters, two boys and a girl, none old enough to begin 
 the world, and I have been worried about the future. 
 But Christmas taught me to pray and rest in the 
 Lord, and since then I've been happier, feeling 
 that He would see me through in His own way."
 
 286 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 "That's settled then," replied Mr. Stewart 
 going to the bell and touching it. "I'll fix you 
 $750 a year so tight that you can't give it away 
 or lend it to anybody except quarterly, and I guess 
 that'll see you through in Fairhaven without making 
 you feel too wealthy. Now about the other matter. 
 Here I'm in your hands and I feel that there's nothing 
 I wouldn't do to straighten this out. If you can help 
 me to a successful issue I'll feel eternally grateful." 
 
 " Stewart," solemnly responded Captain Taber, 
 " I can assure you that I've often felt that I could 
 pray that your daughter and Christmas would 
 come together. I've watched them together, and 
 I've watched him, and I've watched you, little 
 as you think it, and I've just wore my head thin 
 scheming. But I felt that you wouldn't have it 
 at any price. I wasn't quite sure of Miss Stewart, 
 and as for him, I often felt that I could shake him 
 for not having more get up and git. But oh, Stewart, 
 we need to reconsider our position when we think 
 of him, so brave, kind, gentle and loving I swear 
 I haven't yet been able to lay my finger on a sore 
 spot in him yet, except maybe his temper, which 
 has boiled over twice and made things hum. Now, 
 honest injun, I don't believe he loves your girl a 
 bit more than he does me, and I feel sure that he 
 loves her in the same way. That's no good to 
 her. She wants a husband as well as a friend. I 
 may be wrong, Anyhow, I'll know soon, and as 
 soon as I know you shall. I cannot promise more 
 honestly, because I have no more influence over him 
 than the wind, nor I believe has anybody in this 
 world unless it is some of those folks of his in Norfolk 
 Island." 
 
 Just then there came a tap at the door, and in 
 walked C. B., his face bright and keen, saying
 
 C. B.'S AWAKENING 287 
 
 " All is ready now, Captain Taber, and we've 
 nice time to get to the depot I'm told." 
 
 Mr. Stewart looked up quietly and said 
 
 " Well, you haven't left us much time to bid 
 you good-bye, Christmas ! " 
 
 A look of blank amazement stole over C. B.'s 
 face as he said slowly 
 
 " I had no idea that we were separating, it never 
 occurred to me. Please forgive me," and he looked 
 so distressed that Mr. Stewart said kindly : " Don't 
 worry, of course you didn't know. Captain Taber 
 didn't know until I told him just now. But it's 
 a fact all the same, and anyhow long farewells 
 are bad for anybody. Mary will just come in and 
 say good-bye, and we shall end a very pleasant 
 trip in the usual way." 
 
 C. B. still stood looking like a man who had 
 received a very heavy blow when Miss Stewart 
 came in through the half-open door looking very 
 pale and worn. Her heavy-lidded eyes were full 
 of tears, and the sight of her completed C. B.'s dis- 
 comfiture. Sinking into a chair he covered his 
 face with his hands and sobbed like a boy. " I 
 didn't know, I didn't think," wailed he, "or I would 
 have been kinder, more thoughtful, more thankful. 
 Oh, I am so sorry we are parting." 
 
 Miss Stewart could bear it no longer, but rising 
 swiftly from the chair she had sank into on first 
 entering she rushed across to him flung her arms 
 around his neck and cried 
 
 " We need never separate unless you want to. 
 If you only knew how we, well yes, I, love you. . . ." 
 
 At this the young man lifted his face and looked 
 at her. All his long dormant love towards her 
 awoke at that gaze, and he reached for her with 
 his long powerful arms, while she, blushing crimson
 
 288 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 from her hair to her collar, laid her dear head upon 
 his shoulder. 
 
 The two men in the background, looking on, felt 
 their hearts swell, their eyes grow moist, and their 
 throats become husky at the scene, but they turned 
 solemnly to each other and shook hands. At 
 that moment there was a loud rap at the door ; it 
 opened and a rough voice said 
 
 " Th' hackman says ye've just got time to get 
 ye're train if yez come now." 
 
 They all sprang to their feet except the captain, 
 and in two minutes were all seated in the hack 
 being rattled at breakneck speed towards the 
 station. On the way Mr. Stewart said 
 
 " Well, I guess that business of mine'll have to wait 
 after all, for I can't leave ye now until I see ye safe 
 in New Bedford. But then I must leave and attend 
 to things. I've neglected them too long already." 
 
 At this all laughed merrily, for the three of them 
 had no idea of the magnitude of the interests involved, 
 and the principal actor, Mr. Stewart, behaved in the 
 fullness of his joy as if a million or so of dollars 
 more or less could make no possible difference to 
 him.
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 C.B.'s Task Concludes 
 
 AS they sped away through the pleasant New 
 England scenery towards New Bedford, 
 Mary Stewart was entirely happy. She sat by her 
 lover's side on one of the seats in the crowded car, 
 entirely oblivious of the admiring glances directed 
 at her by the men and at him by the women. She 
 had all the literature of that stern historic coast 
 at her tongue's end, although this was her first actual 
 visit, and vividly remembered now, as she had never 
 done before, how deeply the story of the Pilgrim 
 Fathers would touch her beloved one. And so 
 she chatted away, interesting him beyond measure, 
 but with all a woman's tact, keeping back the painful 
 side, the cruel intolerance, the witch burnings, 
 whippings and other cruelties practised in the 
 name of the gentle Saviour by a community which 
 had only just escaped from the same sort of treatment. 
 So the time flew by until the train drew up at 
 the funny little old station at New Bedford, much 
 the same then as it is now, for the American railways 
 do not believe in spending much money either on 
 permanent way or stations. And as the train 
 stopped, a bonny but sad-eyed woman pressed her 
 face to the window of the car, and Captain Taber, 
 forgetting his pain, rose up and tried to open the 
 sash, for it was his wife. The effort was too much 
 
 289 ~
 
 290 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 for him and he sank back into C. B.'s arms, ready 
 to receive him, while she, having also recognized 
 her beloved one, though so sadly changed, came 
 gliding round with the swiftness of love up the 
 aisle, and dodging under C. B.'s supporting arms 
 laid the dear head on her breast. " My boy, my 
 love, what have they done to you ? My pet, my 
 own ! " At this sacred scene all eyes turned away, 
 and most of them were wet. 
 
 But C. B., who had only yielded a little from 
 innate delicacy, now said (he had never taken his 
 eyes off his friend's face) 
 
 " Dear lady, your husband is well but weak. 
 Please let us get him home where you can be in 
 comfort together, and then you shall have him all 
 to yourself." 
 
 She turned a grateful eye upon C. B. and said 
 
 " He evidently isn't very well, will you help me 
 to get him to a hack ? " 
 
 C. B. looked round and caught Mr. Stewart's 
 eye, who standing outside the car, made signs that 
 he had engaged a conveyance to take their friend 
 up. So they carried the half-fainting man to the 
 hack, which was roomy and comfortable, and were 
 joined on the way by his eldest son and daughter, 
 a stalwart pair of twelve and fourteen years old 
 respectively. And then C. B., having seen his 
 friend comfortably bestowed, and ascertained that 
 his wife and children would have no difficulty in 
 getting him into their house at their journey's end, 
 stepped aside and allowed them to drive off, his 
 native modesty refusing to allow him to suggest 
 that he might accompany them for fear of seeming 
 to intrude. 
 
 And as he watched them drive away a sense of 
 great loss and loneliness fell upon him. For the
 
 C. B.'S TASK CONCLUDES 291 
 
 moment he forgot his good friends the Stewarts, 
 forgot everything but the salient fact that he had 
 faithfully fulfilled his task, and now at the end of 
 it stood penniless and deserted in a strange town 
 thousands of miles from his home. A man came 
 up to him and asked him if he wanted a hotel, and 
 he shrank back bewildered as he realized that he 
 was in very truth homeless. Then with a joyful 
 tide of recollection he thought of the Stewarts, 
 and turned and rushed back into the de"pot meeting 
 them just coming out. 
 
 And then the beautiful bright face of his beloved 
 looking so searchingly at him as if she knew what 
 he had just felt, and the knowledge of all that he 
 possessed in her made his heart leap and his eyes 
 fill. Mr. Stewart queried kindly, " Have ye dis- 
 posed of our friend satisfactorily handed him 
 over to his folks ? " 
 
 " Yes," replied C. B. " His wife and son and 
 daughter came for him, and as they said they 
 could look after him all right and he was still half 
 unconscious I stepped aside and let them drive 
 away with him. I didn't realize until they were 
 gone how dependent I have been on him in another 
 way. And then I remembered you and Mary 
 here and I was full of gladness, because apart from 
 our love I should have been very lonely in this big 
 town. And I have no money. I am beginning 
 to see that out in the world one must have money, 
 and that it cannot be despised as I thought." 
 
 Mary's face glowed as she caught at C. B.'s arm 
 and cried 
 
 " Ah, you dear unselfish love, I am so glad that 
 you will never need to know the value of money 
 or worry about it. It is a good thing in its place, 
 and I'm never going to run it down, for my dear
 
 292 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 daddy has taken care that I never needed any, only 
 I do know so many people who are eaten up with 
 the love of it, I've seen and heard of so many hor- 
 rible things being done for it, that I dread its 
 power." 
 
 " All very well, my dear," interposed her father 
 drily ; " in the meantime I'd like to suggest that 
 this isn't the most convenient place to hold forth 
 on economic topics. The hack is waiting and we'll 
 get along to the hotel if you don't mind." 
 
 Mary laughingly assented and the old gentleman 
 led the way to the hack, which speedily whirled 
 them off to the comfortable old hostelry on Purchase 
 Street, the Parker House, where in a few minutes 
 they were quite at home, much more so, in fact, 
 than they had been in the immense and luxurious 
 building of the same name in Boston. 
 
 They went to their respective rooms and again 
 C. B. felt the sense of loss that he had experienced 
 when first the captain was taken away from him. 
 He had realized that sooner or later they must 
 separate, but in his constant fashion he had not 
 anticipated trouble of that kind and now it seemed 
 almost as if a limb had been lopped off. It was 
 hard work too to keep down a rising feeling of 
 resentment against those innocent ones who had 
 claimed their own, not being aware what C. B. 
 had been to him. While he thus thought a bell 
 boy came up to him and asked 
 
 " Are you Mr. Adams ? " 
 
 C. B. answered courteously that he was. 
 
 " Then," went on the messenger, " thar's a boy 
 here says he'd like to speak to ye," and turning 
 beckoned into the apartment the same lad whom 
 C. B. had met at the station and known as Captain 
 Taber's son.
 
 C. B.'S TASK CONCLUDES 293 
 
 " Yes, my lad," said C. B. kindly, " what can I 
 do for you ? " 
 
 " Father's better now," responded the youth, 
 " but he's in a terrible takin' about your not 
 comin' to our house, we don't know how t' pacify 
 him. The only thing would do was for me to come 
 off at once and bring you along." 
 
 C. B. immediately decided to go of course, but 
 bade the youth wait while he informed his friends. 
 Having done so and excused himself till dinner, 
 he announced to the lad that he was ready, and 
 in two minutes they were on their way to sweet 
 Fairhaven. As they drove along, the youth, getting 
 better of his shyness, asked question after question, 
 the principal point of which was " How did you 
 save my father's life ? he says he owes his life to 
 you, and talks as if we'd pushed you off our door- 
 step." This last in a somewhat aggrieved tone. 
 
 C. B. was hard put to it to explain to this keen lad 
 all the circumstances of the case, but he did his 
 best, and by the time they reached the captain's 
 modest home the lad knew nearly as much as he 
 did himself about the matter. 
 
 As they pulled up at the porch they heard the 
 captain's voice within crying, " Run, Delia, see if 
 that's him ; Lord, do make haste, do." And Mrs. 
 Taber came rushing out on the veranda with her 
 face flushed, but as she saw C. B. she extended 
 her hand saying 
 
 " If I'd only known, but you didn't let on a word ; 
 to think that in the first hour of that poor dear's 
 home-coming we should nearly quarrel over a 
 stranger. Forgive me, won't ye, I didn't know." 
 And she literally dragged him into the room where, 
 spread out to best advantage, the most valued 
 possessions of the family were displayed. And in
 
 294 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 the midst of it all lay Captain Taber, in an easy 
 chair, a high flush upon his cheeks and a glitter 
 in his eyes that made C. B. look very serious as 
 he came towards him. 
 
 As he stooped over his friend, the skipper made 
 a feeble grab at him with one hand and at his 
 wife with the other, and in a voice broken with tears 
 he exclaimed 
 
 " Here, Delia, look at him ! but for him you'd 
 never seen me again, I know it. He's borne with 
 me with such overflowing, never-failing love from the 
 other side of the world I can't ever tell you what 
 this beloved fellow has been to me. An' then to 
 think that he should be left standin' at the station 
 like a hired man, it's just heart-breakin', that's 
 what it is." 
 
 " Now, dear friend," broke in the gentle voice 
 of C. B., " you're doing yourself harm and giving 
 us all pain for nothing. Nobody was to blame. 
 You were unconscious, your wife didn't know me, 
 we were all anxious that you should be got home 
 as soon as ever it could be done, and of course I 
 couldn't stop to explain. Besides, I set out to 
 bring you back to your wife and children, and once 
 you were there what better thing could I do than 
 step aside and let them rejoice over you ? " 
 
 As he ceased the skipper looked up, his eyes still 
 humid with love, and after gazing for a moment 
 into C. B.'s clear eyes he turned to his wife with a 
 happy sigh and said 
 
 " Darling, don't be hurt, forgive me if I've wounded 
 you, but you can never know all that I and you owe 
 to this man. He's not only brought me back to 
 you, he's brought peace to my soul, he's made me 
 acquainted with God the Father. You know how 
 you used to harp at me to get religion ; you said it
 
 C. B.'S TASK CONCLUDES 295 
 
 was the one thing wantin' to make you happy. Well, 
 I'd never got it your way. I didn't like your 
 preachers, shan't like 'em now any better than before, 
 but I've seen Christ lived from day to day before my 
 eyes, I know what lots of things in the Gospel mean 
 as I never hoped to do, and I'm satisfied to be a child 
 of God. But I'm afraid if I come across any of 
 them cantin', drawlin', fat-mouthed, camp-meetin' 
 religionists I'll have to tell J em what I think of 
 'em. I've seen the real and it's made me more 
 fierce against the false. An' it seems to me that 
 the one thing that I can't learn from this beautiful 
 friend is patience and toleration." 
 
 He sank back exhausted, and Mrs. Taber, looking 
 reproachfully at C. B., said 
 
 " There now, you are making yourself ill again. 
 I wonder your friend, if he's got so much control 
 over you, doesn't stop you from going on like that." 
 
 C. B. was entirely unsophisticated, but his ear 
 detected the note of enmity in the good woman's 
 voice, and he thanked God with all his heart that 
 he had something to fall back upon. Nothing 
 could have induced him to remain where he saw 
 that he would be a daily bone of contention, even 
 had he been as helpless and alone as for a few 
 minutes that afternoon he had felt he was. He 
 did not know, he could not explain, but he could 
 feel that Mrs. Taber, though in other respects as 
 good a woman as ever lived, would forget at once all 
 his services to her husband in the jealousy of him 
 occupying even a remote corner of her husband's 
 heart. And his mind was swiftly made up. Squeez- 
 ing his friend's hand, which indeed he had never 
 released, he said 
 
 " Mrs. Taber and dear friend, my job here is 
 finished. I undertook to bring the captain home
 
 296 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 at his request, and by the help of God and ever so 
 many human agencies He has used I have succeeded. 
 I never could have done it if it had not been for 
 that. And now I must leave you. If the captain 
 needed me God knows I'd stay as long as I could be 
 of any use to him. But he has now some one to look 
 after him far better than I can, his dear wife, and 
 he knows that I have found dear friends, so he has 
 no need to worry about what is to become of me. 
 And I think that now is a good time to bid him good- 
 bye, knowing how safe he is." 
 
 " Stay," cried Captain Taber, whose mind had 
 been working fast as C. B. spoke, " I feel you're 
 right ; I feel, too, that when you go out of this 
 room I'll never see you agen. But before you go 
 pray ; commend my dear wife and children and 
 me to the God you've taught me to know and 
 love." 
 
 In an instant C. B. had slid to his knees, and amid 
 a tense silence he lifted his streaming face and cried 
 
 " O dear Father, take all this household into your 
 loving keeping. Let them always know how good 
 and kind and thoughtful you are, especially how 
 you love them. Keep them in that knowledge day 
 and night until the day dawn and the shadows flee 
 away. Keep them happy, contented and useful, but 
 especially kind and loving to all who are about them. 
 And may we all meet again in the new world where 
 Jesus is the Head of all and all are good like Him. 
 For His sake, dear Father. Amen." 
 
 Then rising to his feet he stooped over his friend 
 and kissed him as men kiss the dying, turned and 
 shook hands with Mrs. Taber and the three children, 
 and turning swiftly left the house before they had 
 so far recovered as to try and stop him. And as he 
 went he knew that his duty to that fine fellow was
 
 C. B.'S TASK CONCLUDES 297 
 
 done and that he would never see him again. We 
 too have done with him, except to note that Mr. 
 Stewart fulfilled his promise to the captain in fullest 
 measure and so put him and his beyond the reach 
 of want or that half dependence which is so painful 
 to a gallant spirit that has to accept it for the sake 
 of its dear ones. 
 
 It is a good step from the middle of Fairhaven 
 back to the Parker House, but C. B.'s long legs made 
 little of it. He was now free of his charge, free to 
 go to the love that awaited him, and he could not 
 help feeling grateful to God that such a termination 
 had been reached, because he saw full well how hard 
 he might have found it but for the Stewarts, how 
 unconsciously he might have become a burden upon 
 those whose load was almost more than they could 
 carry themselves. 
 
 Filled with these reflections he did not notice the 
 distance and reached the hotel before he was aware 
 that he had travelled nearly as far. Mr. and Miss 
 Stewart were sitting on the veranda talking, but 
 Mary's eyes, ever on the alert, saw him coming, and as 
 he strode up the steps she came to meet him with 
 both hands outspread, recognizing with the lightning 
 intuition of love that now he was all her own. For 
 she like Mrs. Taber had unconsciously resented a 
 share in her loved one's heart being held by anybody, 
 although her claim was much slighter. And the first 
 words she said to him were 
 
 " Back so soon ? don't they want you any 
 more ? " 
 
 "No," he replied gaily enough : they can do 
 without me now of course, and I am free. It was a 
 bit of a wrench at first, but I soon felt that it would 
 be a very wrong thing for me to stand for a moment 
 between a man and his wife. So I have bid them
 
 298 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 good-bye, and do not suppose I shall ever see them 
 again." 
 
 By this time they were up to Mr. Stewart, and so 
 she did not reply but squeezed his arm as she re- 
 leased it, in that act saying 
 
 " I am so glad, for now you are all mine, my very 
 own." And yet such a bundle of contradictions 
 are we, that she felt quite indignant that her king 
 of men should, as she thought, be so cavalierly 
 treated, flung off as she felt like an old shoe that is 
 worn out and therefore wanted no longer. But no 
 trace of this was to be seen in the bright face she 
 turned to her father as C. B. sat down by his side. 
 Without giving either of them time to speak she 
 said 
 
 " Just think of it, daddy, Christmas is free, they 
 have bidden him good-bye, and we can leave now if 
 you like." 
 
 Mr. Stewart took a meditative puff at his cigar 
 before he answered, then he said 
 
 " A good motto, dear one, is never to be in a 
 hurry. Don't you know that since Christmas has 
 been away there has been a whole raft of people here 
 wanting to see him, and hear him talk. We've 
 been followed from Boston, and I know he won't 
 want to disappoint all these eager folks who'd like 
 to hear what he's got to say." And the deep-set 
 eyes twinkled beneath their bushy grey lashes. 
 
 " Indeed, Mr. Stewart," broke in C. B., "I don't 
 want to see another reporter. And unless you wish 
 it I won't. All I want now is to be left alone to 
 enjoy the company of Mary and yourself. 
 
 You might have left me out I think without 
 hurting your reputation for truth, but never mind. 
 Now I think as you don't want a lot of newspaper 
 stuff written about you, it's time I admitted that I
 
 C. B.'S TASK CONCLUDES 299 
 
 don't either, and if you are quite willing we'll get 
 back to Boston, or rather New York, by the Fall 
 River boat to-night. I know what these provincial 
 cities are, and although I love New Bedford whole- 
 heartedly, on this occasion I'll be pleased to get 
 away from her." 
 
 This decision of Mr. Stewart's sent the young 
 folks into a silent delight. It would be so good 
 to get away alone, and though neither of them 
 knew what a Fall River boat was like, they were 
 charmed at the idea of going to sea after that weary 
 rail-road time. All the callers were put off, no one 
 was admitted to the privacy of the trio, and so well 
 was the secret kept that when they departed for the 
 station to catch the Fall River train there was nobody 
 about to pester them with inconvenient questions. 
 And when after a short railway journey C. B. walked 
 with Mary on his arm aboard of the palatial vessel 
 which was ready to convey them through the pictur- 
 esque long Island Sound route to New York, she was 
 literally exaltee, for she had not even then realized 
 how unsophisticated he was. 
 
 " Is this a ship ? " he cried in utter amazement. 
 " Dear Lord, what wonderful things men do ! I 
 should never have imagined that such luxury was 
 possible on the sea ! " And when an obsequious 
 negro steward showed him to his beautiful stateroom, 
 with its perfect hotel appointment, he felt as if 
 nothing henceforward could astonish him. But he 
 was wrong. For after a good night's sleep he sprang 
 up shortly after daylight, washed, dressed, and went 
 on deck in time to see the wonderful entrance to New 
 York Harbour. And as he gazed, lost in astonish- 
 ment, at the amazing traffic, at the masses of buildings 
 everywhere, a mighty steamship from England came 
 gliding majestically past, and recognizing the flag
 
 300 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 he took off his hat to it. Just as he did so he felt 
 a light touch upon his arm, and there stood his 
 beloved, radiant as the dawn, a sweet smile of 
 loving greeting upon her beautiful face. No one 
 was near, for they were on the uppermost deck of all, 
 which at that hour is almost deserted. And so they 
 embraced, and their souls went out to each other in 
 a long, loving, lingering kiss. 
 
 Then, unheeding the flight of time, they stood on 
 their lofty platform while the huge craft beneath 
 them, deftly handled by the invisible pilot in the 
 wheelhouse, threaded her way among the host of 
 small craft up to her berth. As she drew nearer 
 C. B.'s amazement deepened, for he saw the train 
 ferries, laden with railway cars, gliding across the 
 wide arm of the sea, noted the wonderful energy 
 manifested on every side, and again and again turned 
 to his lovely companion, saying in short gasps 
 
 " What a struggle, what work to be sure. And all 
 to get money. And when it is got, what then ? 
 Surely God never intended man to struggle so hard 
 for money alone. It does not seem right to me." 
 
 But she, looking up at him shyly,;said in reply, " Per- 
 haps you are right, dear one, but you know that there 
 are animals, insects, that work far harder than man 
 and with apparently far less reason, the ant and the 
 bee for instance." 
 
 But whenever she took him up like that she found 
 that his ignorance of so many things which had al- 
 ways been an open book to her precluded all argu- 
 ment. He was in the primitive stage when every- 
 thing around is new, and consequently was unable 
 to appreciate the difficulties and limitations of 
 civilized man. 
 
 " Come down, dear," said she at last, " father will 
 be seeking us " ; and they descended to witness a scene
 
 C. B.'S TASK CONCLUDES 301 
 
 on the great main-deck that arrested C. B. as if he 
 had been paralysed. It was crammed with people, all 
 ready to go ashore, all apparently full of eagerness 
 to leave the vessel and recommence the struggle. 
 And as he looked upon the swarming crowd his 
 heart was filled with a great pity for them as he 
 thought how intolerable such a life would be to him. 
 But his sweetheart deftly guided him to her father's 
 cabin, where stood the old gentleman, his morning 
 cigar between his lips, calmly surveying the busy 
 scene with the eye of a master and enjoying the 
 stir and bustle. 
 
 He greeted them with curt affection and invited 
 them to come in and rest ; " for," said he, " you 
 must have been on deck a long time." 
 
 " Since daylight, I think, daddy," replied Mary 
 laughingly, " but it hasn't seemed like five minutes ; 
 it's so interesting to watch the absolute wonder of 
 Christmas at everything. I declare I never have known 
 anything more delightful in my life than to witness 
 his amazement and to tell him the most common- 
 place things, which he receives as if they were details 
 of miracles. Oh dear, dad, I never was so happy, 
 never." 
 
 " I'm so glad," rejoined her father, " and now you 
 two young people must just leave things to me, for 
 we're at the wharf. Here, steward ! " and an obse- 
 quious black man came running up, " get our grips 
 and take them down the gangway to a hack. 
 We'll go to the Everett House." 
 
 ' Yes, sir, I'll be there at the hack station waitin' 
 for you when you come down the gangway, sir ; " 
 and off he went. 
 
 Like a man in a dream C. B. followed Mr. Stewart 
 with his beloved on his arm, but guiding him rather 
 than leaning on him, until, in some strange fashion as
 
 302 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 it seemed to him savouring of an enchantment, they 
 found themselves in a very babel of noise of men 
 shouting, horses' hoofs striking fire on the slippery 
 cobbles, clanging of bells and shrill whistlings, seated 
 in the carriage and passing swiftly through a tre- 
 mendous entanglement of traffic between mighty 
 rows of buildings. Tenderly his beloved looked in 
 his bewildered face and sympathized with him, as 
 much out of his element as a fish is out of water, 
 while Mr. Stewart, his square jaw set and his bushy 
 eyebrows frowning, sat opposite them busily weaving 
 plans for their future. 
 
 It was not until they were quietly settled in their 
 comfortable sitting-room at the spacious hotel in 
 Union Square that C. B. began to lose that worried, 
 harassed look which so distressed his sweetheart. 
 Then, when Mr. Stewart had left them, pleading 
 business, she said tenderly 
 
 " My dear one, I know how you hate all this. 
 And so do I for your sake. Now tell me if you can 
 what you would like to do after well, after we are 
 married ? " 
 
 Without a moment's hesitation he answered 
 
 " Why, I would like to take you home. Home 
 to that dear place where all this needless bustle 
 and uproar never conies, where peace and love 
 reign without a break and God is King. Oh, how I 
 long to be there again ! " 
 
 For a moment her brow clouded as she felt that 
 if the choice were to be made by him between 
 living here with her in the vortex of gay society and 
 going back to his island home alone, he would give 
 her up, and the question trembled on her lip. But 
 she dared not ask it. She felt that where he was she 
 could be happy, and that she had chosen rightly in 
 taking such a man for her husband in any case, for
 
 C. B.'S TASK CONCLUDES 303 
 
 although full of spirits and intelligence and so 
 easily first in all the gay companies she had been 
 wont to frequent, she had always longed for the peace 
 and quiet of a country where the absurd conventions 
 of civilization did not count. And she was glad. 
 So she said quietly, " In the words of Ruth, in that 
 book you love so well, ' Whither thou goest I will go, 
 thy people shall be my people, thy God my God. 
 I will leave all for you, dear, and I feel sure that I 
 shall never regret my choice." 
 
 He, simple soul, took all that for granted, and as 
 he had never dreamed that there had been anything 
 heroic in the sacrifice Mr. Stewart was making, or 
 thought about the monetary aspect of the affair, so 
 now it seemed to him the most natural thing in the 
 world that this dear girl, loving him as she said she 
 did, should be glad to throw all the stress and strain 
 of the life she had been used to behind her and follow 
 him. I fear that many will account it callous self- 
 ishness on his part, but it was really not so. In his 
 very soul he felt that it would be best for them both. 
 He remembered the lovely life of his father and 
 mother, and could conceive of nothing happier, more 
 delightful for his beloved. And so his soul was at 
 rest. 
 
 They sat there and talked of their simple future 
 until the waiter came and announced luncheon, which 
 they took together as the father had not returned. 
 And the afternoon slipped away as the morning 
 had done, until the shadows lengthened and still Mr. 
 Stewart did not come. At last, when it was quite 
 dark, he returned, and flung himself into a chair with 
 a sigh of weariness. Immediately his daughter was 
 at his side full of solicitude. 
 
 " Tired, daddy dear ? " she queried gently. 
 
 " Yes, love, and ruined," he answered quietly.
 
 304 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 " There is just enough saved from the wreck to 
 take us out to your lover's island and keep us there 
 till we die. And I don't know that I'm sorry. I 
 can't say that the Lord gave, but I think the Lord 
 has taken away, and I can say I know, that blessed 
 be the name of the Lord."
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 Marriage and Departure 
 
 FOR a little while after Mr. Stewart had com- 
 municated this important news they all sat 
 in perfect stillness : C. B. because he did not in the 
 least understand what had happened, but he could 
 see it was something that had tremendously upset 
 these two people who were so dear to him. Mr. 
 Stewart was the first to speak. 
 
 " I can never feel sufficiently grateful," he said, 
 " for the impulse to fix up that annuity for Taber on 
 the spot and for yielding to it. It was only in the 
 nick of time, for this great crash came yesterday 
 afternoon. Had I been in San Francisco it would 
 
 not have But there, why should I say that, Levy 
 
 is as good and keen and straight a man as I am, and 
 the very best of us get caught sometimes. Even 
 now, if it wasn't for you, my boy, I think I should 
 have turned to and had a fight for it ; but you've 
 kinder infected me with your pleasant doctrines, 
 putting me out of conceit with money grubbing 
 for its own sake." 
 
 Mary here burst in impetuously 
 
 "Oh, dear Daddy, that I should hear you say so 
 makes me so glad. I feel glad to think that we 
 have lost our money if only we can get to this happy 
 land that Christmas is looking forward to so hungrily. 
 I felt almost jealous of it, and now I am as eager as 
 he is." 
 
 Just then a rap came at the door and in walked 
 
 305
 
 306 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 the bell-boy with a telegram. The old gentleman 
 tore it open and fell back in his chair, his face ghastly. 
 Both Mary and C. B. sprang to his assistance, but he 
 roused himself with an effort, and waving them back 
 to their seats said, in a hard, strained voice 
 
 ' ' Mary, my love, you're poor mother couldn't stand 
 the strain, she's dead." 
 
 Mary sat as if stricken to the heart, unable to 
 speak, but she was a girl of great force of character, 
 and she was rallying all her forces to meet this quite 
 unexpected blow. 
 
 So her father resumed, saying, " She always had a 
 weak heart as you know, dear, and besides she always 
 had a dread that we should come to poverty. And 
 so I suppose, when some heartless fool blurted out 
 in her hearing that Levy and Stewart had burst up, 
 the blow was more than she could stand. And so 
 she died far away from me. Poor Mary, dear wife. 
 There's one consolation, she went as she had always 
 wished to go without a long probation of pain, in- 
 stantaneously from one life to another, thank God. 
 And now, dear ones, I'll get you to excuse me. I've 
 been very hard hit and I feel old and tired. I need 
 rest and quiet, and so I'll go to my room and lie 
 down a bit. Christmas, I'll leave you to comfort 
 Mary as no one else can." And he left the room, 
 walking heavily, almost dragging one foot after 
 the other. 
 
 C. B. rose on the instant and strode to Mary's 
 side, where she sat with lips tight shut, her cheeks 
 flushed and her eyes bright and dry. 
 
 " Dearest one," he murmured, taking her in his 
 strong arms, " don't fight against your natural 
 feelings. It is sometimes good to cry, I feel sure 
 it would be good for you now. And if ever any one 
 had reason to cry it is at the loss of a good mother."
 
 MARRIAGE AND DEPARTURE 307 
 
 The last word, softly uttered as it was by her lover, 
 touched the hidden spring of her tears, and they 
 flowed, easily, gently, but copiously, C. B. holding 
 her in his arms and stroking her beautiful hair as if 
 she were a child. And at last she lifted her head 
 and looked him full in the face, saying 
 
 " I do thank God, Christmas, that we've got you 
 in this difficult time. Do you know, I think even 
 poor old dad will come to lean upon you directly as 
 I feel I must do now. Why is it, I wonder ? I suppose 
 because you are really dwelling in the shadow of the 
 Almighty God, and the changes and chances of this 
 mortal life seem such trivial things to you." 
 
 C. B. fondled her hair a moment or two longer 
 before he replied 
 
 "No, darling, they none of them seem trivial, but 
 I know in whom I have believed, and because He is 
 infinitely wise I do not worry, being sure that He 
 will do His part. I only try to do mine without 
 hitting my head against a brick wall, as I now know 
 some people do if they want to get it down, instead 
 of waiting to hear from God whether it is good that 
 the wall shall come down or not." 
 
 "Ah," she said in reply, " I'm afraid I shall never 
 come to your standard. Even now you don't seem 
 to worry at all about getting back home, yet I feel 
 you must be longing to see your mother and father 
 again and all your friends as well. And it is so far 
 away as well as being a difficult place to get to. I 
 have not heard you say one impatient word about 
 getting back, and, do you know, dearest (I'm going 
 to tell you everything), I can't help wondering 
 sometimes whether you are not just a little callous, 
 unfeeling in some things." 
 
 As she said this she looked at him keenly to see 
 how he would take it. His face lit up with a beautiful
 
 308 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 smile as he replied, " No, dearest, I don't think so. 
 I do feel very keenly, more keenly than I wish, all 
 that goes on around me, but if I have understood 
 anything of the character of Jesus, its principal 
 feature was that in His love for others He had no 
 room for thinking about Himself. All that concerned 
 His personal welfare He left to His Father, and in 
 that I do try, I have always tried to imitate Him, 
 because I have found it the easiest thing to do, I 
 suppose. What seems so strange to me is that any 
 one should wonder at me doing this or trying to do it. 
 The Gospels are full of instructions about it, Christi- 
 anity seems to be built on the words ' trust in God,' 
 and yet you, dearest, and others whom I have met 
 who are like-minded, look upon me as a being whom 
 they cannot understand for practising what is so 
 continually preached." 
 
 All she answered was 
 
 " Forgive me, dear, if I can help it I will never 
 allude to it again, but try as hard as I can to imitate 
 the practice, knowing from your example how good 
 it is. But I can tell you one thing that will surprise 
 you," she went on. " If any of my friends, however 
 Christian their profession, had been in our position, 
 you would have heard worrying and weeping enough, 
 I can assure you. People don't cast all their care 
 upon the Lord in practice, only in theory, at least 
 no people that I've ever met but you. And it seems 
 to me that you don't get any care, that is you don't 
 let things become a care to you." 
 
 Just then Mr. Stewart came in, looking perceptibly 
 older and seeming to stoop more. " Now, my 
 children," he said, " it will be best for us to have a 
 consultation. I've quite made up my mind to go 
 with you to Norfolk Island, in fact I had I think 
 before this news came of my double loss. But it
 
 MARRIAGE AND DEPARTURE 309 
 
 would simplify matters considerable if you two 
 were married, as well as save expense. What's 
 your idea, Mary, it's no use asking him, because it's 
 just one of those things that he wouldn't trouble 
 about you'll have to decide that for him after 
 worrying me so to let you have him." 
 
 " Father," said Mary, " would it be right and 
 proper so soon after mother's death ? " 
 
 " I've thought of that," rejoined he, " and unless 
 you care about what people say I don't see where 
 the objection lies. When our dear one was with 
 us she only thought of our happiness, and now she's 
 gone I'm sure her spirit is the same towards us. 
 Besides, if you really care about what people say, 
 remember that nobody knows you here, nor, unless 
 you want to have the usual big show of a wedding, 
 will anybody know. If I was you I'd cut all that 
 business out, and I'm sure that if you consult Christ- 
 mas he'll feel the same about it as I do. Only, my 
 best beloved one, do remember that on this, the 
 greatest occasion of your dear life, I want you to be 
 quite satisfied and happy." 
 
 While this conversation was proceeding C. B. 
 sat and listened with a far-away expression in his 
 eyes, which he always wore when anything was 
 being talked about which he did not understand. 
 And although the subject under consideration was 
 of vital interest to him, he did not in the least com- 
 prehend their observations upon it. And Mary, 
 catching sight of his face, said with a smile 
 
 "Oh, father, it's just too funny us discussing this 
 before him as if he had nothing to do with it at all. 
 It's so strange that he should know nothing of these 
 things. Tell us, dear one " to C. B. " what a 
 wedding is like with your people ? " 
 
 His face brightened directly and he answered
 
 3io A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 " Oh, it is very simple and pretty. We make it 
 a festive occasion throughout the whole community, 
 no work being done on that day except what is 
 necessary. The young people stand up before Mr. 
 McCoy, who has a licence to marry people, and he 
 joins hands pronouncing them man and wife in the 
 sight of God and of all the people. They take one 
 another for husband and wife and they are thus made 
 one. Then we have singing, very much singing 
 and praising God. But before the marriage every- 
 body has helped to build a house and prepare a 
 piece of land for the couple so that they have a place 
 to themselves, I was going to say of their own, but 
 we don't understand anything being our own as 
 other folks do. The idea of having anything which 
 we will not share with others is not known among us." 
 
 " But how about wedding garments ? " queried 
 Mary, with a touch of true femininity." 
 
 " Well, as you know," replied C. B., "we are not 
 troubled with many clothes, but we put on the best 
 we have, as we do on Sunday when we all meet at 
 stated hours to worship God in company. And 
 the girls wear flowers in their hair, which makes them 
 look pretty." 
 
 Mr. Stewart here interposed, saying 
 
 " I don't think I'd pursue the subject any further 
 if I were you, Mary. We can be as simple as C. B.'s 
 folk if we like and I think we had better. As we are 
 going to live like this I think it would be foolish not 
 to begin as early as we can, and I suggest that we 
 go to a parson and let him marry you just as is 
 done in the country by eloping couples," and he 
 laughed aloud, saying immediately after : " Don't 
 think me unfeeling, but the thought of hefty Jim 
 Stewart's daughter getting spliced in such a hole 
 and corner fashion as this makes me. I reckon in
 
 MARRIAGE AND DEPARTURE 311 
 
 the ordinary way your nuptials would have run me 
 into a couple of hundred thousand dollars at the very 
 least, and we'd a made the Pacific Slope hum." 
 For a moment he looked regretful and then his face 
 cleared and he added, " But I hope we've left that 
 costly kind o' tomfoolery behind us for ever, darling, 
 and I'm sure we'll be happier." 
 
 Therefore it came about that the next day, after 
 judicious inquiries made by Mr. Stewart, that the 
 three went over to Brooklyn to a quiet Manse, 
 where Mary Stewart and Christmas Bounty Adams 
 were made one by an aged minister, who behaved as 
 if he fully realized the solemn nature of the ceremony 
 and was in full sympathy with the comely pair. 
 And when Mr. Stewart, with a touch of past lavish- 
 ness would have pressed a fifty-dollar bill on him as 
 a fee, he refused firmly, saying, " My fee is five dollars, 
 and I would not take that but that I have to live. 
 Do not tempt me with much money, friend, for it 
 brings a snare as I know full well." Then he gave 
 them his blessing and they returned to the Everett 
 House, Mr. Stewart introducing the newly wedded 
 pair to the proprietor as Mr. and Mrs. Adams, in order 
 to save explanations and invidious remarks. 
 
 The rest of the afternoon was devoted to clearing 
 up Mr. Stewart's business affairs, a task of no 
 great difficulty, in which he was aided by his daughter. 
 It mainly consisted in surrendering all he possessed, 
 except a sum of twenty thousand dollars or four 
 thousand pounds, to the receivers of his estate. 
 That sum he considered would suffice for all their 
 needs in their new life, and for everything else 
 preliminary to commencing it. And this being all 
 put in train the old gentleman rose with a sigh of 
 relief, collected his papers and put them away. 
 Then he said
 
 312 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 " Love and business are all very well in their 
 way, but we must also eat ; and now I vote that 
 we go down to the restaurant and do so. It is 
 early for the regular diners, so that we shall not be 
 crowded." 
 
 He did not tell them that he had ordered a simple 
 little dinner for the three of them at the far end 
 of the room, where they could be almost in private ; 
 and when C. B. saw the pretty little table decorated 
 with choice flowers, his face lighted up, and with great 
 delight he called his bride's attention to what he 
 considered the kindly behaviour of the proprietor. 
 
 The meal proceeded in the happiest fashion, for 
 though the food was of the simplest and best they 
 all ate but sparingly, for their hearts were full of 
 joy and their minds full of hope. But they could 
 not help noticing that at a table not far from them 
 there was a party of four young men whose behaviour, 
 from being quiet and gentlemanly at the outset, 
 as bottle after bottle of champagne was emptied 
 became boisterous and rude. Presently it became 
 evident that their attention was entirely directed 
 to the table where our friends sat, and as their voices 
 grew louder and louder the epithet " nigger " was 
 frequently heard. Mr. Stewart and Mrs. Adams 
 heard all too clearly, but C. B. was quite unmoved, 
 for although he heard the uproar he did not under- 
 stand its import. At last one of the roysterers 
 rose and shouted for the head waiter, who came in- 
 stantly ; whereupon the young man demanded to 
 know why a nigger, coupling the word with other 
 abuse, was allowed to dine in the same room with 
 white men. 
 
 The head waiter endeavoured to explain, but as 
 he did so the other three joined in the talk, which 
 grew louder and louder until the proprietor was
 
 MARRIAGE AND DEPARTURE 313 
 
 brought up by one of the other waiters. By this 
 time Mr. Stewart was fully alive to what was going 
 on, as was his daughter, and Mary whispered her 
 father that they might slip away. But there was a 
 dangerous look in the old man's eyes now and he 
 indignantly repudiated the suggestion. Then C. B. 
 leaned over and asked him whatever could be the 
 matter, and how the broil at another table could 
 affect them. Stewart looked straight at him for a 
 moment and then said 
 
 " The wine has got into their foolish heads, and 
 they are discussing you as a nigger who has no right 
 to dine in the same room as them. And if I know 
 the signs, unless the proprietor is a man of grit, 
 there's going to be big trouble." 
 
 He had hardly uttered the words before a big raw- 
 boned youth sprang to his feet and shouted 
 
 " It's an outrage to have to sit in the same room 
 with a nigger, and you are a beast to allow it. But 
 I'm going to have him out of it as you haven't got 
 the grit, and so here goes." 
 
 With that the crazy creature leapt across the room 
 knocking his chair half a dozen feet away, and seized 
 the unconscious C. B. by the collar and arm, at the 
 same time yelling foul abuse. There was a shriek 
 from Mary, but her father held her arm as she was 
 about to spring to her husband's rescue. 
 
 " Keep quiet," he said, " this is where your 
 husband comes in." 
 
 Indeed it was, for C. B., as quietly as if he had been 
 invited to look at something, rose from his seat and 
 winding his arms around the frantic youth placed 
 him helpless on the floor. This unexpected defeat 
 of their champion enraged the other three, who rushed 
 to the rescue, but were in their turn, attacked by the 
 waiters, who at the proprietor's bidding charged on
 
 314 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 them in force, and succeeded in overpowering 
 them. 
 
 Then C. B. lifted his prostrate enemy into a chair, 
 and holding him with one hand as if he had been 
 a child waited while Mr. Stewart said 
 
 " You shameless brutes to behave like this. 
 Lucky for you that the English gentleman you've 
 attacked is as good a Christian as you are bad citizens, 
 or some of you would have been broken all up. 
 You Americans ! I know ye by the back, and you're 
 a lot of dirt that brings shame upon the name of 
 American. Take 'em away," he said to the waiters, 
 "and put 'em on the pavement. It isn't worth having 
 them arrested, for better folks than them would be 
 hurt. Now, sir," turning to the proprietor who 
 stood looking anxious, " what do you think of 
 this ? " 
 
 " Well, sir," replied the proprietor, " I think you 
 and your son-in-law and his wife had better go as 
 soon as ever you can. You see I've got my living to 
 get and I can't run counter to public opinion. I've 
 no doubt that Mr. Adams is a perfect gentleman, 
 but he is a bit dark, and, well, I needn't explain to 
 you, you know all about it. I shall be glad if you'll 
 go to-night, for I don't think you'd like to hurt a 
 man that hasn't harmed you." 
 
 Stewart gave him a look of withering contempt, 
 and then bidding C. B. and his daughter see to their 
 packing went out, returning in half an hour with the 
 news that he had secured rooms in a good family 
 hotel, and concealing the fact that he had arranged 
 for them to have their meals in private during their 
 stay. An hour later saw them transferred, Mr. 
 Stewart saying to the proprietor as he took his leave : 
 " I bear you no ill will, my friend, but if you knew 
 the kind of man you've turned out of your house to
 
 MARRIAGE AND DEPARTURE 315 
 
 night you'd be sorry for having done so. He's 
 worth a whole city full of such empty-headed dregs 
 as those who insulted him." 
 
 " I fully believe it, Mr. Stewart," answered theman, 
 " but there's no sentiment in business, and I can't 
 afford to shut my hotel up because the presence of a 
 good man in it is objected to. In fact we hotel 
 proprietors make our living mostly out of the bad 
 men, and we must look after their interest or go 
 out of the business." 
 
 Stewart was so angry that he could not answer, and 
 as soon as possible they left those inhospitable walls 
 and took up their quarters in their new abode, 
 feeling, if the truth be told, almost like fugitives from 
 justice. Then when they had settled down they 
 began to think about getting away, and for the first 
 time since they had known him C. B. began to show 
 signs of enthusiasm. It was no easy matter to find 
 any vessel that was going near their destination, but 
 at last they heard of a large Boston barque that was 
 bound to Sydney, New South Wales, with kerosene 
 oil in cases, and they went down to see her. She was 
 a fine powerful vessel of about 1,300 tons, but by 
 no means intended to carry passengers. But like 
 most ships of her type she had been built with due 
 regard to the comfort of her officers as far as accom- 
 modation went, and in her roomy saloon there were 
 two cabins vacant which Mr. Stewart and C. B. 
 pronounced to be just the thing for them. 
 
 So they arranged a passage to Sydney for the 
 three of them for four hundred dollars, the captain, 
 a shrewd down-easter by the name of Eldridge, 
 agreeing to lay in extra stores so that they should 
 fare well on the long passage. Also Mr. Stewart de- 
 cided to have the cabins comfortably fitted up, for 
 they looked very bare, and having made his arrange-
 
 316 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 ments and learned that the Julia D. South was to 
 sail in ten days' time they returned to their temporary 
 home well pleased with their day's work. 
 
 To Mr. Stewart's earnest inquiries C. B. replied 
 that he could give a list of everything that was most 
 needed by his friends on the island, for as Mr. 
 Stewart said, it would look mean to go there, intend- 
 ing to stay for life, empty handed, especially when 
 coming from a land where all the necessaries as well 
 as the luxuries of life could be so readily procured. 
 So for the next few days C. B. and his wife were very 
 busily engaged collecting goods to take with them 
 and having them carefully packed for sending to 
 the ship. And when at last the sailing day came they 
 went on board with the full assurance that nothing 
 had been forgotten, and that they were besides as 
 well equipped for the long passage before them as it 
 was possible for them to be. 
 
 C. B. as the time drew near for leaving America 
 grew steadily more lively and happy looking, indeed, 
 as his wife said affectionately, he seemed quite 
 transformed. Her spirits rose with his, for she had 
 been somewhat depressed at the near prospect of 
 leaving the land of her birth as she felt for ever. In 
 spite of her deep and true love for her husband and the 
 certainty she felt that she could know no happiness 
 apart from him, such feelings were perfectly natural 
 and to be expected. But when she saw how sedately 
 happy her father seemed to be, and how bright her 
 husband was, she resolutely put aside all regrets and 
 determined henceforth to look forward only. 
 
 Punctually to the day the Julia D. South cast off 
 her moorings and in tow of a small tug went swiftly 
 seaward, her three passengers standing on the mon- 
 key poop and watching the fast receding shores 
 with keen interest. C. B., however, was not long
 
 MARRIAGE AND DEPARTURE 317 
 
 before all his attention was claimed by the working 
 of the ship. It seemed to him so very long since he 
 had taken his part in what had become his profession 
 that he watched with keenest appreciation every bit 
 of work done, his fingers itching to have a share in 
 it. At last, at the hoisting of the topsails, he could 
 restrain himself no longer, seeing how great a task 
 it was for her numerically weak crew, and rushing 
 along to the halyards he caught hold high above the 
 hands of the two men who were pulling before the 
 block, and in an instant they felt the benefit of his 
 vigorous assistance. 
 
 Then he forgot all about his being a passenger 
 and to his wife and Mr. Stewart's unfeigned amuse- 
 ment joined in heart and soul with the crew at their 
 work, making his presence most helpfully felt in 
 everything he touched. As he was doing so the 
 skipper drew near Mr. Stewart and his daughter, 
 saying 
 
 " Our friend's been a sailor man, I should say, 
 from the way he handles himself ! " 
 
 " You may well say that," replied Mr. Stewart. 
 " He was a boat steerer or harponeer in a South Sea 
 whaler, and according to what his old skipper said 
 the very best in the ship. I've never seen him at his 
 work before, but judging from what I know of him I 
 should say he would be extra good at anything he 
 undertook. He's that kind of a man, isn't he, 
 dear ? " 
 
 " Indeed he is," replied Mary, and oh, I'm so glad 
 that he's found something that he likes to do. I 
 know how he has been suffering for exercise 
 lately." 
 
 When presently C. B. rejoined them, looking with 
 an air of comic ruefulness at his hands, they roasted 
 him unmercifully for forgetting his dignity as a
 
 318 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 cuddy passenger at which he only smiled and 
 replied 
 
 " See what a lazy life does for a man. My hands 
 have got that soft that it is most painful for me to 
 hold a rope. They feel as if they were all red hot." 
 And the skipper, who was listening, laughed loudly 
 before he remarked that it sounded so familiar to 
 him who had suffered much in the same way himself. 
 
 They had an excellent slant of wind right from the 
 start, which was most fortunate, for the crew were a 
 poor lot and needed licking into shape according to 
 Yankee ideas before they were fit to do all that was 
 required of them. This same drilling hurt C. B. 
 horribly, but recognizing his position he did not 
 venture to interfere in any way, even when his gentle 
 wife expressed her indignation at the harsh treat- 
 ment the men were receiving. After all, as he 
 explained to her, there was little real cruelty, it was 
 little more than drill, though he thought unneces- 
 sarily harsh, and he told her of several incidents on 
 board the Eliza Adams which amazed her. 
 
 So that by the time they had reached the equator she 
 was a smart ship and C. B. with his willing hands, his 
 ready smile and his perfect habit of non-interference 
 except to help with his great strength was a highly 
 popular favourite fore and aft. But I regret to say 
 that he was also taken as soft because of his unfailing 
 good humour, looked upon as a man you might 
 safely impose upon, and many were the sarcastic 
 remarks passed upon the hard luck as they called it 
 of his wife, to be tied to a man who seemed to be 
 utterly devoid of pluck, although they put it much 
 more coarsely after the manner of seamen. The 
 two aspects in which he was regarded seemed contra- 
 dictory, I know, but I have had much experience 
 of similar cases I am sorry to say.
 
 MARRIAGE AND DEPARTURE 319 
 
 But the worst offender was the captain. When 
 once a sailing ship is well started on a long passage 
 the life of her master, unless he be a man with a 
 good hobby of some kind, is a very lazy one. He has 
 literally nothing to do except find the ship's position 
 at noon each day, and I have often wondered how it 
 is that our sailing ship masters having so much 
 time on their hands have not turned out a number 
 of fam us literary men from their ranks instead of 
 being represented as they are, but by one giant, and 
 he a foreigner, Mr. Joseph Conrad. In captain 
 Eldridge's case the old adage about Satan's oppor- 
 tunity for idle hands held good, and he began to 
 amuse himself by paying assiduous court to Mrs. 
 Adams, yet in so polite and insidious a manner that 
 only her feminine wit divined his true intent ; even 
 her father, immersed in books, tryin' to catch up on 
 to his readin' as he termed it, failed to notice 
 anything wrong. And Mary could do nothing, for 
 she had nothing definite to complain of, and she did 
 not wish to make any unpleasantness. 
 
 C. B. went on his happy way, spending much of 
 his time at work and not noticing in the least that 
 he was leaving his beloved wife too much to the 
 attentions of the skipper. Indeed his true and 
 honest mind was clear and incapable of suspicion, 
 and had any one hinted their ideas of the wrong 
 drift of things he would have been unspeakably 
 shocked as well as amazed. And so the clouds 
 thickened insensibly about them as the good ship 
 sped on.
 
 CHAPTER XXII 
 Back to Primitive Things 
 
 MANY harsh and ignorant things have been 
 written concerning the masters of ships, 
 principally, I think, because of the crimes committed 
 by a few of them. Therefore I feel that it ought 
 to be plainly stated that, remembering the tempta- 
 tion a shipmaster in a sailing ship on a long voyage 
 is subjected to daily, it speaks well for human nature 
 in general, and for seafarers in particular, that those 
 crimes have been so few, so very few in porportion 
 to the number of individuals who have been tempted 
 to the commission of them. It is too often forgotten 
 by those who ignorantly write upon this subject 
 how free from all restraint save that of his own 
 conscience is the master of a sailing ship at sea on a 
 long passage. If he be a cruel, brave bully and 
 tyrant and believe me the bully is not always 
 a coward as is generally supposed he finds abundant 
 opportunity to gratify his propensities and is almost 
 sure of immunity from retribution when the vessel 
 reaches port from the well-known careless character 
 of his victims. 
 
 Where he has a few passengers another side of him 
 may develop, as with Captain Eldridge, a side that 
 must be touched very lightly upon but which all 
 will understand, and many have been the tragedies 
 resulting from his lack of gentlemanly self-restraint. 
 And in the present case all the indications pointed 
 
 320
 
 BACK TO PRIMITIVE THINGS 321 
 
 to a tragedy fast approaching as the captain, en- 
 couraged by the apparently entire indifference of 
 the two male passengers, pressed his unwelcome 
 attentions daily with more perseverance upon the 
 young wife. She, poor girl, took great care never 
 to be alone ; when her father remained in his cabin she 
 remained in hers, C. B. being always fully occupied 
 with work among the seamen. But Captain El- 
 dridge lay in wait for her, and as soon as she appeared 
 on deck with her father he took all sorts of interest 
 in placing chairs, getting wraps, etc., and then when 
 they were settled seating himself by the lady's side 
 and paying her all sorts of odious compliments in a 
 low voice while ogling her in a peculiarly bold and 
 insolent manner. 
 
 With all the desire in the world to keep the peace 
 and natural fear of the consequences of any action 
 being taken on her part, Mary felt that she must do 
 something soon. She could not ask her husband to 
 remain with her always, for she loved to see him 
 exercising his mighty limbs at really hard work, and 
 knew how much he felt the need of exercise. Not 
 only so, but she hated to disturb his quiet serenity 
 of mind by the hideous suggestion that the captain 
 was paying assiduous court to his wife, and besides 
 she had nothing definite to go upon, even her father 
 would have been unable to substantiate a complaint. 
 
 Presently the matter was taken out of her hands 
 in a quite unexpected manner. The chief mate, 
 a very keen young Philadelphian named Haynes, 
 keeping his eye upon his chief as all mates do, was 
 disgusted to see how Mrs. Adams was persecuted by 
 him. He himself scarcely ever had a chance to 
 speak to her, and there may well have been a spice 
 of jealousy in his mind, but in any case he was 
 very angry with his skipper and contemptuous of 
 
 x
 
 322 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 C. B.'s want of perception. Yet he had grown very 
 fond of C. B., as indeed everybody had but the 
 skipper, and the more he grew to like him the less 
 could he understand his apparent neglect of his wife, 
 leaving her to be pestered continually by the 
 skipper. 
 
 At last he could restrain himself no longer, and 
 calling C. B. into his berth one afternoon watch 
 below, he said, after fidgeting about a bit 
 
 " Look here, old man, I've got very fond of you I 
 believe you're about as good as they make 'em, but 
 I'm hanged if I can understand how you allow 
 Eldridge to persecute your wife as he does. He 
 never lets her alone. And if you had any eyes in 
 your head you'd see how peaky she's gettin' with 
 all the worry of it. I don't want to make trouble, 
 I've got my living to get, but I honestly couldn't 
 see this cruel game going on any longer without 
 warnin' you, as you don't seem able to see a hole 
 through a ladder." And all the time the mate was 
 speaking he watched C. B.'s face. It showed no 
 signs of change except that the lips tightened up a 
 bit and the dark eyes glowed with a sombre fire. 
 At last he spoke. 
 
 " Thank you very much, Haynes, I'll see to it at 
 once. I'm afraid I am guilty of neglect, and I can 
 never forgive myself for being so selfish. I thought 
 she was happy with her books and her work and her 
 father, and that I was pleasing her by working about 
 the ship. I didn't dream of anything of this kind 
 happening. But," and he rose, holding out his 
 hand, " I'm very grateful to you, Haynes, for your 
 warning, which I'm going to act upon now." And he 
 strode out of the cabin, Haynes watching him with a 
 queer sensation of wonder as to how the storm would 
 burst, for burst it would he felt sure,
 
 BACK TO PRIMITIVE THINGS 323 
 
 C. B. went straight to his cabin, but his wife was 
 not there. From thence he ascended to the deck, 
 where he saw, as if it had been arranged for him, a 
 tableau such as the mate had been speaking about. 
 There was his father-in-law asleep with an open 
 book in his hand in one deck chair, his wife in 
 another next to the old gentleman, and seated on a 
 cushion at her feet the skipper, whose face, distinctly 
 visible to C. B.'s eagle vision from where he was, bore 
 an expression entirely evil. His wife's face he could 
 not see, but he went quickly towards her, saying 
 
 " Mary, dear, will you come down for a moment, 
 I want to speak to you." 
 
 She rose immediately, turning towards him as she 
 did so, and he saw that her dear face was pale and 
 drawn and that her eyes were full of tears. Choking 
 down the awful wrath he felt rising within him at 
 the sight, he assisted her into their cabin, closed the 
 door, and said 
 
 " Mary, dear, forgive me, I never dreamed of 
 neglecting you, but I see that I have. And I fear that I 
 have subj ected you to persecution of a very bad kind. 
 Tell me, dear, what has the captain done ? " 
 
 She looked doubtfully at him for a moment as if 
 wondering what the outcome would be, but she 
 was too much akin to him in soul to palter with the 
 truth through fear, so she said 
 
 " Dear love, he has been very offensive for 
 some time now. His actual words have had little 
 meaning in them for me, though I know they all 
 had a double intention, but his eyes and his looks 
 generally have filled me with horror. I have felt 
 again and again that I must tell you, but, dear one, 
 I dreaded a scene, I find I don't know you well 
 enough even yet, and then there was nothing 
 actually to complain about except his looks. But
 
 324 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 he certainly has made me very unhappy, and there 
 could be no mistake as to his meaning." 
 
 Again C. B. said with grave penitence 
 
 " Forgive me, dear, I had not imagined that men 
 could be so vile. I suppose to them I must look 
 like a semi-idiot. However, you shall have no more 
 of this. I will go to him now." 
 
 The captain was just then coming down into his 
 stateroom whistling dreamily, and C. B., following 
 him to the door, said 
 
 " I should like a few words with you, Captain 
 Eldridge." 
 
 " Oh ! " returned the skipper insolently, " what 
 about ? " 
 
 " About your behaviour to my wife, which, I'm 
 sorry to say, has been entirely rude and distressing 
 to her, making her feel quite ill. It has I find been 
 a topic of general conversation in the ship, but I, 
 being exceedingly unsuspicious and never dreaming 
 that a gentleman could behave so, have left her more 
 than I ought to have done, and you have taken 
 advantage of this simplicity of mine to behave as you 
 have. Now my eyes are opened, I tell you this must 
 cease." 
 
 While C. B. was speaking Captain Eldridge's 
 face grew almost livid with rage, his eyebrows 
 contracted until they met across the bridge of his 
 nose, and as soon as C. B. had finished he snarled 
 out 
 
 " Looky here, Mr. Educated Coon, I'll allow no 
 nigger to talk to me like that on board my ship, 
 and if you open your head to me again on the subject, 
 I'll shoot ye : understand that. Now get out o' 
 my stateroom an' keep yer squaw out o' my way." 
 
 C. B. retreated, keeping his eyes fixed upon the 
 scoundrel, who doubtless at that moment would
 
 BACK TO PRIMITIVE THINGS 325 
 
 have carried out his threat, so mad was he. As 
 soon as C. B. reached his cabin, where he was awaited 
 by his wife, he entered, closed the door and fell upon 
 his knees, crying in agony of soul, " Lord, keep my 
 hands, keep my temper, save me from doing wrong. 
 Don't let that man try me beyond endurance, and 
 see right done." 
 
 Then he sprang up, calm again, and told his wife 
 all that had happened, only leaving out the op- 
 probrious epithet applied to her by the captain. 
 As soon as he had done so he went on deck 
 and sought Mr. Stewart, to whom he told the story. 
 The old gentleman listened with compressed lips 
 and lowering brows until it was finished, then said 
 with a sigh, " Well, I guess we're in the hands of a 
 deep-dyed scoundrel, and we shall not have much of 
 a gaudy time from this out. Now we shall all have 
 to learn from you how to bring God into all our 
 troubles, or else feel pretty miserable." 
 
 Indeed he was right, for from thenceforth no 
 indignity that it was in Captain Eldridge's power to 
 inflict upon them was omitted. He really seemed 
 as if he laid awake at night thinking over new ways 
 of annoying them. And the poor wretch did not 
 know that only by constant prayer and watchfulness 
 did C. B. restrain himself from slaying him with 
 his bare hands. Coincidently with this develop- 
 ment another arose. Every member of the crew 
 knew of what had happened in the mysterious way 
 that news spreads on board ship, and especially 
 resented the way in which the skipper continually 
 vented his wrath and disappointment upon them. 
 Not only the foremast hands but the officers were 
 thus disaffected, and undoubtedly the ship was 
 getting fully ripe for mutiny. 
 
 Every time that C. B. came on deck it seemed as
 
 326 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 if the skipper was waiting for him, and insults and 
 provocations came thick and fast. With his hand 
 in his hip pocket where his revolver lay, the dastard 
 (for a man must be a dastard who insults and abuses 
 an unarmed man, having himself a lethal weapon) 
 would hurl every epithet of contumely that he could 
 invent at the great fellow, who took not the slightest 
 notice of him until one day, maddened by the 
 comtemptuous silence as he deemed it of the passen- 
 ger, he hurled a foul and filthy insult at Mary. With 
 a leap like a tiger's C. B. was upon him in spite 
 of the quick shots fired, had torn the revolver from 
 his grip and flung it overboard, and then, forcing him 
 to his knees, said in a voice that was terrible in its 
 deep calm 
 
 " You bad man, you don't know how near you 
 have been to hell. Abuse me all you care to, it's 
 better than praise from a man like you ; but if you 
 value your life, don't say a syllable against the good 
 woman who is my wife. She is no subject for your 
 foul lips." 
 
 With that C. B. released him and he staggered 
 to his feet, all his crew looking on at his discomfiture. 
 If there be a greater punishment for a man than he 
 then endured without possibility of retaliation I 
 do not know of it. He had no second revolver, or 
 he would assuredly have gone and loaded it and 
 laid for C. B., and shot him from some secure 
 hiding-place, after the most approved American 
 methods. He staggered into his cabin, shouted for 
 his steward, and when that trembler appeared, he 
 said 
 
 " Go an' get a revolver from either Mr. Haynes' 
 cabin or Mr. Fisher's (the second mate), I don't care 
 which ; but get me one or I'll smash yer face 
 in."
 
 BACK TO PRIMITIVE THINGS 327 
 
 The steward fled on deck and, seeing the mate, 
 almost screamed 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Haynes, the skipper wants yer revolver, 
 says he'll kill me if I don't get it for him. I believe 
 he's gone mad. Oh dear, oh dear, whatever I'll 
 do I don't know." 
 
 The mate's face darkened, and, turning contempt- 
 uously away from the steward, he went below and 
 rapped sharply at the skipper's stateroom door. 
 
 " Come in," was snapped at him, and pushing 
 back the door he looked in at the skipper, who was 
 standing like a wolf at bay. 
 
 " What you want ? " he snarled, and the mate 
 replied 
 
 " I understand you sent the steward to search 
 my room for my revolver. Now see here, what's 
 in that room's mine, and don't you dare to meddle 
 with it or there'll be bigger trouble than you want. 
 I'm at your service on deck, but my room's mine and 
 no man's coming into it without my leave." With 
 that the mate turned on his heel and made for the 
 deck again. 
 
 Now although the atmosphere seemed surcharged 
 with electricity nothing happened. Stewart and 
 his daughter both implored C. B. to be very wary 
 and careful of the skipper, but he smiled placidly as 
 usual, and replied that a greater care than he could 
 exercise was being manifested for all of them : and 
 went on his usual way. 
 
 They were now getting down into the " roaring 
 Forties," and the stern weather characteristic of 
 those immense southern spaces had set in. Need- 
 less to say the vessel was handled in seamanlike fash- 
 ion, because she was a Yankee clipper, and it is not 
 possible to imagine them being handled otherwise. 
 So as the great west wind rushed out of its lair,
 
 328 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 they trimmed their yards to it, set up preventer 
 backstays, swayed up all halyards and tautened all 
 sheets, while the beautiful craft, like a high-mettled 
 steed, laid herself down to her mighty race over the 
 six-thousand-mile course. 
 
 Great was the temptation to C. B. to help in these 
 hard doings, to join in the work when she was 
 shipping green seas over all, but he dared not leave 
 his wife again for one minute, for he feared what the 
 malevolent ingenuity of the skipper might effect. 
 And he dared not trust his father-in-law, who 
 seemed to have developed a strange habit for him 
 of reading himself off to sleep at any hour of 
 the day. It looked as if the stimulus of money 
 getting having been removed, he was sinking into a 
 lethargy from which it would need something very 
 urgent to arouse him. And as he was only sixty- 
 two that was a bad sign. 
 
 Eastward, at three hundred miles a day, the good 
 ship sped, the wind and sea holding steady and true. 
 C. B. and his wife watched her flying over the 
 immense combers with unconquerable energy, not 
 lightly as the sprite-like wanderers of the ocean that 
 floated above, but as if in full crashing triumph 
 over all obstacles and dangers. Neither of them 
 had ever such an expecience before, but it appealed 
 most to C. B., whose recollections of the leisurely 
 movements of the old whaler were entirely at 
 variance with this wonderful utilization of the wind's 
 power. Hour after hour they would sit watching 
 the beautiful fabric, noting every forceful bound 
 and lurch, their ears attuned to the great sea music, 
 the blended chorus of wind and sea and ship all 
 working amicably together, but all strung up to 
 concert pitch of highest energy. 
 
 Never since that remarkable day when C. B.
 
 BACK TO PRIMITIVE THINGS 329 
 
 disarmed him had the skipper made a sign of either 
 enmity or friendship he had simply ignored their 
 presence on board. But this unnatural quiet had 
 the effect of making C. B. doubly watchful because 
 he could not understand it, and he lived as we say a 
 dog's life, that is, he always seemed to have one 
 eye open : which for a man with a poor physique 
 and weak nerves would have been fatal, but had 
 little or no effect upon this perfectly healthy and 
 natural man. Still, there was one thing which 
 troubled him, the absolute disregard of attention to 
 the boats. As an ex-whaleman, of course, he had to 
 look upon the boats as being always in readiness. 
 Pretty they certainly looked, with their sword-mat 
 gripes and their gaily painted covers, but how they 
 were to be got out puzzled him, for there were no 
 davits shipped. 
 
 And when he mentioned his fears to the mate, 
 who in utter defiance of the skipper continually 
 chummed up with him, that worthy said 
 
 " Well, I guess it's about the same in all merchant 
 ships of all nations ; we don't go much on boats 
 because we ain't got much confidence in 'em. I know 
 there have been boat voyages that make you gasp 
 as you read about them, but you take the average 
 sailor and he don't think much of boats. And I'm 
 a pretty average sailor too." 
 
 This did not content C. B.,but he kept his ideas 
 to himself, saying that bad as the skipper might be, 
 he was a No. i seaman, and that it was most 
 unlikely that any harm could come to the ship. 
 
 And no one seemed to remember the nature of the 
 cargo ! 
 
 That was why, I suppose, when during the second 
 dog-watch of a particularly strenuous day, when the 
 ship was doing fully fifteen knots an hour on her
 
 330 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 course, nobody took any notice of C. B.'s remark 
 that there was a smoky lamp somewhere. His keen 
 scent had noticed it but none of the others could, 
 being used moreover to the unpleasant fumes 
 emitted by a kerosene lamp when it is turned 
 down too low. Still, every now and then he would 
 utter his complaint, until suddenly there was a cry 
 from forrard that quickened the heart-beats of the 
 listeners 
 
 " There's smoke comin' up the forehatch." 
 And everybody remembered that the ship had 
 164,000 cases of kerosene stowed in her hold, 
 realized that they were in the midst of the 
 stormiest, remotest ocean in the world, afloat upon 
 a volcano due to burst, and quailed. No blame 
 to any of them. From the outside we may pass 
 judgment upon what men do in such crises, but we 
 should be chary of so doing : it is an awful test of 
 manhood. 
 
 The mate rose to the occasion. " Call all hands ! " 
 he cried, " and pass the hose along." Then he 
 sought the skipper and reported to him, at the same 
 time reminding him of the state of the boats. The 
 skipper received the news in the same curious, careless 
 way that he had treated everything of late, but to 
 the mate's remark about the boats he made no reply 
 whatever. This angered the mate, who repeated 
 the remark in a raised tone and asked for orders 
 concerning them. In a strange, unnatural voice the 
 captain replied that he could do what he liked, it 
 would not matter. Of what use were boats "here, 
 and he waved his hand around over the desperate 
 sea. For a moment the mate hesitated, then 
 shouting " I can't waste time with you," he 
 rushed forrard, intending to give orders to have 
 the boats cleared, when he saw C. B. and two hands
 
 BACK TO PRIMITIVE THINGS 331 
 
 working away at them, the rest being busy at the 
 forehatch with a monkey pump. 
 
 It was a sad business but heroic in the extreme, 
 that little group of men engaged in the hopeless 
 task of trying to subdue the flames below among 
 that terrible cargo, and aft one of their number 
 steadily pursuing his task of steering the doomed ship 
 on her course through the darkness. Suddenly 
 the mate roared 
 
 " Drop those buckets and get the boats clear, 
 what's the use of wasting work ? " and, obedient to 
 his cry, all hands rushed to the boats, realizing in a 
 dazed sort of way what the neglect of this slender 
 chance of life might mean. But C. B. and his two 
 companions had toiled at the biggest boat on the 
 skids to good advantage, for they already had her 
 clear, her gear all sorted out and water put in 
 her. 
 
 Then C. B., hurriedly whispering to his helpers 
 to get such food as they could out of the cabin, 
 caught up his wife and placed her in the stern of the 
 boat. Next he settled his father-in-law by her 
 side and bade them remain where they were. They 
 obeyed him implicitly, for at that moment he seemed 
 to them to be gifted with amazing power and fore- 
 sight. But he was at his wits' end because the ship 
 was still running before the gale like a hunted thing, 
 and the very act of heaving her to, that is, bringing 
 her round to the wind and stopping her way, was 
 fraught with the utmost danger, yet it had to be 
 done if the boats were to be launched. And the 
 captain made no sign. 
 
 At last the mate, able to bear it no longer, rushed 
 off to where the captain stood by the helmsman, and 
 shouted so as to be heard above the roar of the 
 gale
 
 332 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 " We've only moments left ; the fire may burst up 
 through all hatches at once at any time now." 
 
 " All right," said the skipper wearily, as if the 
 matter did not concern him very much. 
 
 " All, all hands to shorten sail." He had hardly 
 uttered the words when with a roar that dumbed 
 the gale a column of fire burst upwards from the fore 
 hatch as wide as that opening and as high as the 
 topsail yards. The man at the wheel, paralysed at 
 the sight, let the spokes slip from his nerveless 
 grasp, and the vessel gave a tremendous sheer up 
 into the wind. She was of course carrying a press 
 of canvas, and the weight of it caught aback, heeled 
 her over, until she was on her beam ends. One 
 gigantic sea towered above her like a wall, then swept 
 down and tore everything movable from her decks 
 over the lee side which was now under water. 
 
 C. B. standing by the boat in which was all that 
 he held dear felt her heel and saw the sea coming. 
 He clutched at the boat's gunwale just as the wave 
 overwhelmed the ship, and was swept with her out 
 and away into the tormented sea, clinging with all 
 his great strength to her as she went. Presently 
 he found the strain upon his arms ease, realized that 
 the boat was still afloat, and climbed into her. She 
 was half full of water, but his dear ones were still 
 safe cowering hi the stern sheets. He uttered a 
 fervent, " Thank God ! " and feeling all his vigour 
 return got an oar out and tried to get the boat's head 
 round before the sea so that she would ride easier. 
 But it was an impossible task for one man, however 
 strong and skilful, and he realized it directly, resigning 
 himself to the mercy of God. But full of hope 
 even then. 
 
 He had just settled down by the side of his wife 
 and grasped her clammy hand when the whole of the
 
 BACK TO PRIMITIVE THINGS 333 
 
 wild heavens were lit up by a tremendous glare, in 
 which every detail of the ship close at hand was 
 manifest, an awful though a glorious sight. For 
 the space of a couple of minutes the mighty mass of 
 flames soared heavenwards, lighting up the whole 
 expanse and revealing the heaving waste of ocean 
 all dotted with wreckage. But it showed also that 
 the sea was smoothened greatly, as was inevitable 
 from the enormous quantity of oil which had been 
 liberated. C. B. did not think of the cause of this 
 relief, but he seized the opportunity to get the mast 
 stepped and the jib set by means of which he could 
 keep the boat under control. And within the next 
 five minutes before the glare died down and the last 
 sign of the ship disappeared, three men were rescued 
 from the watery wild around, the mate, the cook, and 
 one seaman. Then the light went out and darkness 
 most profound swallowed them up. 
 
 Throughout that terrible night the boat, managed 
 with consummate skill by C. B., rode gallantly and 
 easily over the tremendous billows. But the strain 
 of watching was intense, and when day dawned at 
 last on the tormented breadths of ocean the effect 
 of it upon C. B. was painfully manifest. Nestling 
 side by side at his feet were his wife and her father, 
 sheltered as well as was possible, and marvellous to 
 state, sleeping soundly. The rescued men, however, 
 did not appear to have been able to sleep, they knew 
 the danger too well, and besides, they were in a 
 miserable plight with wet and cold. Bad as they 
 were, however, Mr. Haynes, looking at C. B. and 
 noting the effect that his ceaseless watch had had 
 upon him, at once offered to relieve him at the helm 
 so that he could rest a little if sleep was impossible. 
 Very gratefully C. B. accepted his offer, handed the 
 tiller to him, and slipping down by the side of his
 
 334 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 wife had only just time to murmur a few words of 
 thanks when he fell fast asleep. 
 
 When he awoke the weather had become finer, and 
 Haynes had managed to get the mainsail set with a 
 couple of reefs in it, so that something of a course 
 to the northward could be made. There were still 
 heavy masses of clouds marching swiftly up from the 
 west, and occasionally obscuring the pale blue that 
 looked so hopeful, and the waves were still huge and 
 threatening, but the boat was now making good 
 progress without shipping any water to speak of, 
 and the sun diffused some warmth through their 
 chilled frames. So that as C. B. looked around he 
 felt a great wave of thankfulness surge over him, and 
 kneeling he invited all hands to join with him in 
 praising God for their wonderful deliverance. Very 
 solemnly and heartily they all agreed, and some of 
 them for the first time in their lives honestly and 
 unreservedly recognized God as the Lord by praising 
 him for that their lives had been spared. 
 
 Then a meal was taken, the provisions having been 
 examined and apportioned with the utmost care, and 
 Mary looking up into her husband's face with eyes 
 of deepest affection, said 
 
 " Only to think, Christmas, that so short a time 
 ago we were your patrons, showing off the power of 
 wealth, I'm afraid, and now we are like little children 
 in your hands." And Mr. Stewart chimed in laconi- 
 cally 
 
 " I guess it's good for a man to get down to the 
 beginning of things occasionally. I ain't a bit 
 comfortable, nor I wouldn't be here if I could 
 help it, but somehow I feel glad to think I am 
 here and getting along almost as well as the next 
 man." 
 
 And C. B., refreshed in body as well as exalted in
 
 BACK TO PRIMITIVE THINGS 335 
 
 mind, raised his voice in the grand strains of "Oh 
 God of Bethel by whose hand," to the manifest 
 wonder of all his companions, but also to their 
 exceeding comfort.
 
 CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 Saved from the Sea 
 
 NOT a word was spoken by any of his companions 
 until he had finished his song, then his wife, 
 looking up at him with streaming eyes, said 
 
 " My dear love, how is it that I never knew of 
 this wonderful gift of yours ? I could sit and hear 
 you sing all day, forgetting everything else in the 
 world. How could you hide such a talent as that ? " 
 
 For a little while C. B. hardly knew what to say, 
 for he actually felt shy as if he had done something 
 wrong. And at last all he could say was 
 
 " I'm sorry, dear, if you like it so much, that I 
 haven't sung before. I'll make it up to you now. 
 But first of all I'd like to ask our chief here what he's 
 proposing to do. 
 
 Haynes immediately suggested that C. B. should 
 take charge as being the most experienced boatman, 
 but C. B. would not hear of it, say ing that as long as 
 any particle of the late ship's furniture remained 
 upon which they had to depend the senior officer of 
 the ship should be in charge of it, " and I," concluded 
 C. B. " am only too glad to be at your orders." 
 
 "Well, then, "said Haynes, "my idea is this. We're 
 about midway between Prince Edward Island and 
 the Crozets, that is in about 46 S. We dassent keep 
 on east for we can't stand the weather, and anyhow 
 if we did fetch the Crozets there's nothing there, we 
 might all starve to death or remain in misery for 
 
 336
 
 SAVED FROM THE SEA 337 
 
 many months. I think then we'd best stand on as 
 we're doin', about north-east by east as near as I 
 can figure it, hoping to be sighted by some of the 
 clippers running east who won't go very far south at 
 this time of the year because of the ice. An' I guess 
 you'd better keep your pray-machine going, for 
 as I figure it we've only got provisions enough with 
 the utmost economy to keep us going for fourteen 
 days. Fortunately an old fad of mine comes in 
 handy now. I always did keep a couple of fishing 
 lines and some hooks in one of the boats, and it 
 happens to be in this one. It's the first time I've 
 ever known any good to come of it, but it may now 
 mean the saving of all our lives." 
 
 " Thank you," said C. B., " as I know very little 
 of geography and nothing at all of navigation I 
 have no doubt you are right, and now if you like I'll 
 give you another song." Without waiting he plunged 
 into another sweet old melody and followed it up by 
 another and another from the rich stores of his memory 
 until he himself called a halt. Everybody was 
 gratified, not merely by the sweet sounds but by 
 the words which now for the first time meant so 
 much to them. As for Mary and her father, it is 
 impossible to say what their feelings were. It was a 
 new side of their beloved one that they had not 
 suspected. Oh ! I know of no more poignant 
 pleasure than to find that one you love and honour 
 and trust goes on to develop new excellencies un- 
 dreamed of before. Not merely that they do not 
 fail you in your need, but that they rise to heights 
 undreamed of by you. It is certainly a foretaste 
 of heaven, as the failure of those you have lavished 
 stores of love and trust upon to justify any con- 
 fidence at all is misery not to be explained. 
 
 Now the life of a castaway boat's crew in the
 
 338 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 middle of a mighty ocean is a fascinating subject, but 
 one that requires much room and great care in 
 handling. Principally, I think if dealt with faith- 
 fully from the inside, it would reveal the true character 
 of each individual, because every one of the people 
 involved has ever before them the spectre of an awful 
 struggle to exist, a struggle wherein body and soul 
 come to death grips, but where, thank God, it has 
 so often been proved that soul is the stronger, con- 
 quering the primal longings of the body and vindi- 
 cating its supremacy. 
 
 But somehow in this boat's crew, although priva- 
 tion and suffering from exposure had full course, no 
 one was really unhappy. When the awful vision 
 of the end as it might be came before any of their 
 minds, it was only able to affright them for a moment ; 
 then its effect departed, its place being taken by a 
 sense of trust in God akin to that of a little child 
 in its parents, which, I think, is the most precious 
 instance of faith that we have. But the privations 
 endured by them were not so terrible as some that 
 have been recorded, for the weather having grown 
 finer remained steadily so, much to the disgust of 
 many of the captains of the great clippers, who by 
 the failure of the heavy western winds felt that their 
 chance of making a record passage that trip was being 
 completely spoilt. They never dreamed of a little 
 company of fellow-men being in such straits quite 
 near them that they blessed God with their whole 
 hearts because the usual sturdy winds had moder- 
 ated their rugged force, and the great swelling seas of 
 the south were rolling quietly, almost as the waters of 
 an inland lake, the vast swell affecting them not at 
 aU. 
 
 Twelve days since they saw the last of the ship and 
 only two day's rations remaining, because in that
 
 SAVED FROM THE SEA 339 
 
 part of the ocean Mr. Haynes' fishing line was of 
 practically no use. Only the roughest of dead 
 reckoning had been kept, for not only was there no 
 sextant or chart in the boat but there was no com- 
 pass, and Mr. Haynes' course of NE. by E. was 
 merely the expression of habit. So that although 
 they hoped to be drawing near to St. Paul's Island 
 they could not know with any certainty. And 
 cheeks grew thinner, eyes more hollow and sunken, 
 but, thank God, as yet no word of complaint or 
 anger. Nor had there as yet been any discussion as 
 to what might happen if they sighted neither land 
 nor ship, and all their food and water were gone. 
 Not a word, yet it was in every one's mind, coupled 
 with the thought that having endured the pangs of 
 semi-starvation for so long, starvation itself could 
 not be so bad to bear. 
 
 On the morning of the thirteenth day C. B., 
 standing up to stretch himself as his custom was on 
 waking, took a searching glance all around the horizon. 
 And his eyes lighted upon a dazzling speck of white 
 upon the western verge of the horizon. It did not 
 need a second look to tell him that the blessed vision 
 was the fore royal of a ship lit up by the first gleam 
 of the rising sun. But he said nothing, just waited 
 till the morning prayer was made and the tiny meal 
 was served and eaten. Then he raised himself up 
 again, his heart full of unspoken pleading for those 
 with him, lest a disappointment should await them, 
 and there she was evidently steering in a line with 
 them and coming at such a rate that now her courses 
 or lower square sails were plainly visible. Then 
 C. B. said quietly 
 
 " Dear friends, there's a ship steering straight for 
 us, and if they are keeping anything of a lookout on 
 board of her they should have seen us by this time.
 
 340 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 Only we are not so easy to make out as they are, 
 being on the wrong side of the sun." 
 
 No need to ask where, his outstretched arm told 
 them, and all saw her like some mighty angel swoop- 
 ing down on them, and from unaccustomed lips 
 came gently the gracious words, " Thank God." 
 She fascinated them as she came nearer, a fine full- 
 rigged ship, her stately beauty growing upon them 
 with every scend she made. And now they knew 
 she must see them, for she still steered right for them, 
 and C. B. declared he could see men on the foreyard. 
 Nearer, nearer still, until suddenly she swung up 
 into the wind, showing a broad band of white along 
 her side which had black above and slate colour 
 beneath, stamping her for all the seafaring world as 
 one of the fine ships of the great firm of Messrs. T. & 
 J. Brocklebank of Liverpool. 
 
 The yards on the main swung round in fine style, 
 and she lay motionless but for the gentle heave and 
 sway of the sea. " Out oars," shouted Haynes, " we 
 mustn't keep him waiting. Lord, what a lovely 
 ship ! " So the oars were shipped and all hands 
 pulled lustily until they got alongside, where they 
 found a whip with a basket already rigged for the 
 hoisting inboard of any too feeble to climb. Mary 
 and her father went up in this way, but the rest of 
 them, in spite of their feebleness, climbed on board 
 pilot fashion up the swaying man ropes. And the 
 boat, like many another good servant that has out- 
 lived his usefulness, was turned adrift, much to 
 C. B.'s sorrow. 
 
 The genial captain came to meet them and wel- 
 come them on board the Majestic. He had over 
 twenty passengers on board and was, of course, bound 
 to Calcutta. Whoever heard of a Brocklebank ship 
 going anywhere else in those days ? The lady
 
 SAVED FROM THE SEA 341 
 
 passengers captured Mary and carried her off, their 
 gentle hearts full of compassion for her sad plight, 
 for in spite of her courage and the calm heroism with 
 which she had endured the misfortune that had 
 befallen them, her sunken cheeks and hollow eyes 
 and wasted arms told their own tale of privation. 
 Her father too, who had borne up amazingly with 
 the dogged courage indeed of the genuine American 
 of the better class, now looked frail and very old, 
 while C. B. and the members of the crew, though thin 
 and haggard, were not nearly so bad as might have 
 been expected. 
 
 Hospitality of every kind was shown them, 
 but food and drink were given judiciously, after 
 the well-known rule for fasting persons, and so 
 rapidly did they recover that the next evening they 
 were all, except of course the cook and the sea- 
 man, able to come to the well spread saloon dinner 
 table, where they were made very much of. They 
 were indeed a great acquisition to the ship, for swift 
 as her passage had been (those vessels usually made 
 the run out from Liverpool to Calcutta in from eighty 
 to ninety days), the passengers as usual began to 
 feel the tedium of the voyage, as they termed it, 
 hang very heavily upon them. Consequently this 
 romantic break in the monotony was welcomed with 
 great joy by them all, and as they heard more and 
 more of the strange adventures of one at least of 
 their guests, their interest rose to a very high pitch 
 indeed. 
 
 It was Saturday, and after dinner the patriarchal 
 skipper announced that he would hold the usual 
 prayer meeting, for he was a Christian indeed, and 
 endeavoured to provide the means of worship for all, 
 while obliging none to attend. And he said, " We 
 shall be able to-night to turn it into a praise meeting
 
 342 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 for that the Lord has been so good as to let us 
 rescue the perishing." 
 
 C. B. looked up at him wonderingly. He could 
 hardly believe his ears. But there was no mistake 
 at all. He presently realized that for the first time 
 since he had left his beloved home he was going to 
 enjoy what to him was the most precious privilege 
 of life, that of meeting with the Lord's people in 
 prayer and praise. His eyes sparkled and his face 
 flushed so that his wife, looking up at him, felt the 
 influence and bowed her head in silent thankfulness. 
 
 Partly from curiosity, but in some cases in pure 
 reverence, most of the passengers attended the 
 meeting in the saloon that night, also a few of the 
 crew. The grand old skipper presided, and after a 
 hymn had been sung, in which C. B.'s glorious tenor 
 electrified them all, he read a chapter, the stirring 
 story of Paul's shipwreck by Luke. And then he 
 prayed, being indeed accustomed to take all the 
 parts himself, since up till now no one of his crew 
 or passengers had ever accepted his invariable 
 invitation, " Will any brother or sister lead us in 
 prayer ? " There was no change in this evening's 
 exercises, except that the dear old man was a little 
 less stereotyped than usual, especially when he 
 thanked God for permitting the crew of the Majestic 
 to be the means of rescuing their perishing brothers 
 and sisters. 
 
 And then he uttered his invitation, at which C. B. 
 immediately sprang to his feet and poured out his 
 very soul. What a prayer that was to be sure ! 
 It flooded the hearts of the hearers with a sense of 
 the presence of the Divine in their midst, it es- 
 tablished with a certainty that nothing could shake 
 the connexion between the man and his heavenly 
 father. Whe/n at last he ceased, and be sure that he
 
 SAVED FROM THE SEA 343 
 
 did not pray long, there was a strange sensation among 
 them all as if they expected something to happen. 
 And then the sweet voice of Mary rose, never sweeter 
 than now, following her husband. Never before 
 had she raised her voice in prayer in public, but now 
 the inspiration seized her and she could not refrain. 
 Sweetly and gladly she praised the Lord, and the 
 people who had felt strange tremors while C. B. was 
 praying now owned to a peace that passed all their 
 understanding stealing over them. She ceased and, 
 wonder of wonders, the hard rugged old citizen, 
 the keen fighter in the business arena, Old Man 
 Stewart of the San Francisco Stock Exchange, lifted 
 up his voice. I have not dared to give a sample 
 of either C. B.'s or Mary's out-pourings, but Mr. 
 Stewart's was so new and vigorous and eminently 
 common-sense that I cannot refrain. 
 
 " Almighty God, in the name of Jesus Christ I 
 thank you for all the mercy you've shown me and 
 my daughter and her husband. You've saved us 
 from a horrible death, you've brought us among good 
 people, and you've made me see as I never did before 
 the glory and majesty that is yours. If I knew, how 
 I'd compete with the angels in praising you for 
 what you've been and done to me lately, but I don't, 
 and I guess 'tain't necessary either. So I'll just say 
 thank you, great God, for my dear son and his good 
 influence, thank you for savin' us, thank you for 
 the lovingkindness of this good ship's company and 
 all, and all. ..." Then the rugged voice faltered, 
 the tall form trembled, subsided into a seat, and he 
 buried his face in his hands sobbing. 
 
 And C. B. sprang to his feet, singing with his 
 soul in his voice, " All hail the power of Jesu's 
 Name." They all sang it through, following him 
 verse by verse, and^then when the voices died away
 
 344 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 the old skipper solemnly pronounced the benediction, 
 closing what he afterwards declared was the most 
 memorable prayer meeting he had ever attended. 
 And after the folks had dispersed in chastened mood 
 to talk over the strange happenings of the evening, 
 he called C. B. and his wife to him to ask of them 
 certain things. He needed, as he explained, to be 
 strengthened in his soul by the conversation of such 
 natural Christians as he felt sure they were. 
 
 His communion with them was of mutual benefit 
 and much pleasure, and C. B. felt happier than he 
 had done for a long time, not that he was ever un- 
 happy, but that being a man he had sadly missed 
 the pleasure he had renewed this night. Then when 
 the old skipper had bidden them good night C. B. 
 and his wife and Mr. Stewart sat and talked over 
 the amazing happenings of the past month, the 
 strange ways in which it was pleasing the Lord to 
 lead them. And gradually the talk came round, as 
 it must do, to ways and means. They were now 
 bound to Calcutta, and as Mr. Stewart had remitted 
 the balance of his money to Sydney except for the 
 trifle they had brought on board with them, all of 
 which had been lost, they were practically beg- 
 gared ; still they could not talk with C. B. and feel 
 that, for his cheery optimism was entirely proof 
 against any such depressing thoughts. He would 
 only quote the simile of the sparrows and smile 
 contentedly. 
 
 Next day they swung round the island of St. 
 Paul's, had set the course northward for Calcutta. 
 And as soon as the yards had been trimmed the 
 captain called C. B. to him and said that there was 
 just a chance of them meeting a ship bound South 
 to Sydney or Melbourne which had been to Calcutta 
 with horses, then a very lucrative trade and one that
 
 SAVED FROM THE SEA 345 
 
 gave employment to a good many vessels. Then he 
 said 
 
 " If we do, I will signal to her and try to get 
 them to take you on board, for much as I should 
 like to take you on to Calcutta with me I know how 
 hard it would be for you in your present penniless 
 condition to land in a port so very far away from 
 where you are bound to. And none of our passengers 
 here are wealthy, they are all people who have their 
 living to earn, or I know they would help. So we 
 will pray that a vessel may be sighted into which 
 you can be transhipped and thus the way made 
 clear for you." 
 
 C. B. thanked him and withdrew to the society of 
 the dear ones, whom he found seated among a 
 delighted group of the passengers who were listening 
 spell-bound to some story Mr. Stewart was telling 
 them. And as C. B. approached they hailed him 
 gladly and made room for him in their midst, while 
 Mr. Stewart said laconically 
 
 " Now I guess I'll turn the story over to him, for 
 not only was he there and knows the whole thing, 
 but he's the boss story-teller there is, lays clean over 
 any spinner of yarns I ever heard of, and what is 
 best of all, you can bank your entire substance that 
 he'll never tell you anything that isn't exactly so 
 to an actual dot." 
 
 C. B. laughingly inquired what this was they 
 were getting up for him now, and learned that it was 
 the story of poor Captain Taber's breaking up, which, 
 although Mr. Stewart and Mary had heard several 
 times, they could not possibly tell as he could. And 
 yet, having heard Captain Taber's side of the yarn, 
 Mary was able to put her oar in occasionally in order 
 to prevent her husband's modesty from entirely cover- 
 ing up his good part in the great business. For like a
 
 346 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 thoroughly good wife she loved to have her husband 
 praised. His glory was hers, everything that was 
 spoken of him truly and gratefully warmed her very 
 heart, for he was part of herself and her typical 
 hero. 
 
 So C. B. told the story and more also, and in such 
 pleasant ways the time sped on until they had been 
 a week on board and felt as if it had been but one 
 day. There was no more respite for C. B.'s voice 
 now, especially as the Majestic had a piano in her 
 saloon, and C. B. now discovered to his boundless 
 delight what he had never dreamed of before, that 
 Mary could play beautifully : a born musician, she 
 could accompany anybody with or without the 
 music as soon as she got the air. And how they did 
 sing ! It seemed as if they could have thus poured 
 out their very souls. Mr. Stewart made a mental 
 note that whatever they decided to do without in 
 their new simplicity at Norfolk Island when they 
 got there, a piano or an American organ certainly 
 would not be one of the things, since it was a source 
 of such great delight and innocent pleasure. 
 
 This pleasant time came to an end with great 
 suddenness. A sail was sighted coming towards 
 them and the captain shaped his course to meet her 
 closely. As she drew nearer it was seen that she 
 was a fine full-rigged ship, and the flags soon revealed 
 that she was the Ben Ledi from Calcutta to Sydney, 
 thirty-one days out. To the signal " I wish to 
 communicate by boat" the stranger backed her 
 maintopsail and lay to expectantly, while the captain 
 of the Majestic invited the three to accompany his 
 chief officer to the boat to the other ship, wisely 
 remarking that if she would take them so much time 
 would be saved, if not there was no harm done. 
 Of course the three hands of the late Julia D. South' $
 
 SAVED FROM THE SEA 347 
 
 crew would go on to Calcutta ; being sailors, one port 
 was as good to them as another. 
 
 Hurried and fervent farewells were made and 
 many tears were shed, for the trio had made them- 
 selves much beloved during the short time of their 
 stay ; then laden with good wishes and a substantial 
 outfit of clothing generously contributed by all the 
 passengers they dropped into the boat and departed. 
 As only a mile separated the two ships but a very 
 short time elapsed before they were alongside the 
 Ben Ledi, and the mate of the Majestic who had 
 accompanied them climbed nimbly on board and 
 briefly stated their case to the captain, offering in 
 their name to pay whatever should be considered 
 fair for a passage to Sydney. 
 
 No difficulty whatever was made, for the Ben 
 Ledi was also a big ship with good accommodation, 
 and the captain, though a cautious business-like 
 Scotchman, said that he was happy to be of service, 
 and as for the passage money, that could be settled 
 by the agents in Sydney. So a whip was rigged for 
 Mrs. Adams and her father, they were lightly lifted 
 on board, C. B. sprang up the side ladder, the mate 
 after a hearty handshake all round leaped into his 
 boat, shoved off, and away they went. 
 
 As soon as ever the boat was clear the captain 
 shouted 
 
 " Fill away ye'ere main yard. Come up on the 
 poop, friends, and wave good-bye to your ship." 
 And with swelling hearts they watched the hospitable 
 Majestic dipping her flag in farewell as the Ben Ledi 
 gathered way and began to slip through the water 
 southward bound. The captain, introducing himself 
 as " James Mclntyre, at your service," made no 
 attempt to persuade them to come below until the 
 Majestic was hull down, and then gently suggested
 
 348 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 that they might be glad to see their cabins, like a 
 courteous host doing the honours of his house to 
 distinguished visitors. And so they became pas- 
 sengers in yet another ship on this curious tortuous 
 journey of theirs to the lonely lovely isle of their hopes. 
 
 They found to their astonishment that this 
 ship was scarcely less sumptuously fitted than the 
 last, that the cabins were roomy if less comfortable, 
 and that an air of quiet ordered peace reigned on 
 board. And Mr. Stewart said emphatically 
 
 " How is it, I wonder, that people will tell such 
 needless lies about this thing ? Now I'd always 
 believed the Britishers were hoggish, unsociable, 
 et up with pride. That British ships were dirty, 
 no account tubs, where life was hardly worth living 
 and comfort was unknown. I've heard the term 
 lime-juicer applied to them all and felt that it meant 
 all that was contemptible and worthless. And now 
 1 find everything the exact opposite, and I'm filled 
 with shame that I ever believed such lying slanders. 
 Ah well, there must be some evil spirit at work tryin' 
 to keep the two countries enemies. As for me, I'll 
 bless a Britisher as long as I live if it's only for the 
 way I've been treated and seen folks behave under 
 that flag lately." 
 
 You can hardly imagine how C. B.'s heart thrilled 
 with joy at hearing his father-in-law say this. For 
 he, like all the rest of his island brethren, was 
 passionately patriotic, and praise of the dear land 
 they had never seen was only second to praise of 
 the Lord and His glorious kingdom in their innocent 
 ignorant minds. Perhaps it was as well that they 
 had no opportunities to become disillusioned, for 
 Heaven knows the latter process is easy enough to 
 even our most fervent admirers who visit us and 
 take the trouble to inquire into things.
 
 SAVED FROM THE SEA 349 
 
 Truly the old gentleman's encomia were well 
 deserved in this case, for while the Julia D. South was 
 certainly far from being a fair representative of 
 American packets generally of that day, both the 
 Majestic and the Ben Ledi were among the very 
 best of their class, magnificently built and equipped, 
 and in the hands of men who were a credit to their 
 profession. Of course the Ben Ledi was not so 
 comfortable in some respects as the Majestic, for 
 she was not carrying passengers, but that did not 
 trouble our friends, who were grateful and delighted 
 at the thought that they were once more on the 
 direct track for their last but one port. 
 
 The passage was entirely uneventful, for no ex- 
 traordinary weather was experienced, and while 
 every man in the ship knew his duty and did it well, 
 they were an exceedingly taciturn lot, being nearly 
 all pawky Scotchmen. Having given their guests 
 the best reception in their power and treated them 
 in every way as first-class passengers, they left it at 
 that, as if they felt that it was no part of their duty 
 to amuse and entertain their guests as well. And 
 doubtless they were perfectly justified in their own 
 eyes, but for my part, having been in a few of them, I 
 detest a silent ship. It always seems as if every- 
 body was sullen or as if some trouble was brewing. 
 
 Certainly it did so here to our friends, for Mary 
 said to her husband on the third day 
 
 " Whatever can be the matter with these folks, 
 they go about like automata, and whenever I have 
 spoken to one of the officers or the captain they 
 have seemed so embarrassed and troubled that I 
 have felt quite guilty, though for the life of me I can't 
 think of what. Their whole stock of conversation 
 seems to consist of ' ay,' long drawn out, or a funny 
 noise that they make with their mouths shut, all
 
 350 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 m's. The chief officer did say the other day when I 
 remarked how beautiful the weather was, ' that's 
 a faact, mem,' but he got quite red in the face over 
 it." 
 
 C. B. laughingly reproved her for her criticism, 
 and reminded her how the silent folks were almost 
 always those who did most. And in any case if their 
 hosts were silent the ship was as near perfection in 
 every respect as a ship could be. 
 
 And so she remained. Through the dreaded 
 waters of the Great Australian Bight, where she 
 fought out a tremendous easterly gale in splendid 
 fashion, through the intricate navigation of Bass's 
 Straits, where she behaved like a yacht against light, 
 baffling winds and unfavourable currents, and then 
 as with a howling " Southerly buster " behind her 
 she flew north at the rate of fourteen knots an hour, 
 she won the most whole-hearted and lavish admiration 
 from her guests. Mr. Stewart waxed enthusiastic, 
 a rare thing for him, and going up to the captain, 
 who was standing with impassive face near the 
 binnacle, he burst into praise of the ship and her 
 many superb qualities as far as he could tell, having 
 travelled a good deal at sea. To which the captain 
 rejoined drily, " Aye, she's no' a bad ship." 
 
 Presently they opened up the wonderful harbour 
 of Port Jackson, so cunningly concealed as to its 
 entrance that our greatest navigator sailed right 
 past it unsuspectingly, and after picking up a pilot 
 filled away again and sailed up to the crowded 
 anchorage like some mighty bird settling down to 
 its nest and gradually folding its wings. There was 
 a crash and a tremor all through the ship as the 
 anchor fell, and there she lay, another passage safely 
 accomplished, and her passengers' hearts full of joy.
 
 CHAPTER XXIV 
 Home at Last 
 
 IN one hour from the time the Ben Ledi's anchor 
 was dropped off Sydney Cove, C. B., Mary 
 and Mr. Stewart were in the fine offices of the firm 
 with which the latter gentleman had deposited 
 the small remainder of his fortune, and explaining 
 as briefly as possible the vicissitudes which had 
 attended their journeying thither. They were 
 welcomed with great cordiality by the head of the 
 firm, Mr. Oliphant, who at once invited them to come 
 and be his guests in his beautiful home on the shores 
 of Wooloomoolloo Bay, where they could rest and 
 refresh themselves while they made their preparations 
 for the last stage of their journey. They all smiled 
 at the idea of their needing either rest or refreshment 
 after the luxurious life they had been leading of late, 
 but gratefully accepted the good man's offer never- 
 theless. 
 
 Now visitors to the Queen City of the South are 
 usually captivated at once by her charms, especially 
 with the wondrous beauty of her glorious harbour, 
 and their enjoyment is always heightened by the 
 delightful hospitality of the citizens. But although 
 neither of the three friends could be said to be in- 
 sensible to either the beauties of nature or the wonders 
 of man's handiwork, they were all filled with a great 
 longing for the home about which C. B. had spoken 
 so lovingly, and whose simple delights he had so 
 
 351
 
 352 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 often pictured to them. And therefore, when Mr. 
 Oliphant at his cheerful table that night produced 
 a programme of visits and sightseeing that he and 
 his wife had arranged for their guests, he received 
 somewhat of a shock to find that they manifested 
 not the slightest desire to avail themselves of his 
 thoughtful kindness. 
 
 He had been amazed at the refusal of his guests to 
 taste the costly wines he had set before them, won- 
 dered too at the extreme simplicity of their tastes, 
 which made them neglect nearly all the carefully pre- 
 pared dishes on the table and content themselves 
 with the plainest fare, but now to find that they 
 were careless of the wonders of Sydney, both natural 
 and artificial well, it was incomprehensible to him, 
 and his wife's chagrin was so great that she could 
 hardly conceal her vexation. Now the guests knew 
 that as they were people of practically no importance 
 socially, for Mr. Oliphant had no idea that Mr. 
 Stewart had so recently been a millionaire, this 
 solicitude for their comfort and pleasure could only 
 arise from sheer kindness of heart, so they hastened 
 to explain. The task of doing so fell upon Mr. 
 Stewart, for C. B. had been strangely reticent of 
 late, his usual fluency of speech seemed to have 
 deserted him. 
 
 " Dear host and hostess," said the old gentleman, 
 " nine months ago when I was hastening home to 
 San Francisco from a world-tour with my dear 
 daughter here and her mother, now with God, had 
 anyone told me that I should turn a cold shoulder to 
 hospitality such as you offer us I should have laughed 
 in their faces. For we were all very keen on sightseeing, 
 and I was besides a business man to my finger-tips ; in 
 fact it seemed to me almost the only thing that made 
 life worth living, for to make money rapidly and
 
 HOME AT LAST 353 
 
 spend it royally. I do not feel inclined to tell you 
 all the story now, and indeed it would take too long, 
 of how thoroughly my views and my whole life have 
 been changed. 
 
 " I have lost my dear wife and almost the whole of 
 my fortune, but I am to-day a happier man than I 
 have ever been in my whole life. I have learned 
 from that dear fellow there what it is to really live, 
 and how little we really need in this world in order 
 to be truly happy. I am more glad that he is my 
 daughter's husband than I should be if she were 
 the wife of a reigning sovereign, and I am looking 
 forward with great longing to spend the rest of my 
 days in his peaceful home on Norfolk Island, a place 
 which perhaps you know something about ? " 
 
 " I know there is such a place at no great distance 
 from here, less than 1,000 miles anyway, and I know 
 too that it has had an awful history as a convict 
 settlement, but since that black stain has been wiped 
 out from our Australasian Colonies I cannot say 
 that I know anything of its history. I know at 
 any rate that we have no trade with it, so if there is 
 a settlement there it must be self-supporting, I should 
 think." 
 
 Then C. B., being appealed to by the gentle eyes 
 of his wife, told his host and hostess the story of the 
 emigration to Norfolk Island of a large number of 
 the Pitcairn Island folk, descendants of the mutineers 
 of the Bounty, while they sat in dumb surprise. 
 
 But when the recital was over Mrs. Oliphant looked 
 at her husband, and, shrugging her shoulders, said 
 
 " There's no accounting for tastes, Harry, but I 
 think such a life as that would drive me mad within 
 a month. How can people go back to such barbarism 
 as that when once they have escaped from it ? 
 That's wonderful, but it's ten times more wonderful
 
 354 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 that people like you," nodding at Mr. Stewart and 
 his daughter, " should be attracted by such a life 
 and leave all the delights of civilization for it. 
 However, it's no business of ours to try and persuade 
 you, presumably you have decided fully on your 
 course ? " 
 
 " Indeed we have, ma'am," said Mary ; " and you 
 see, although we are fully persuaded ourselves, we 
 do not seek to make converts to our way of thinking, 
 nor are we following any new religion. We ourselves 
 have been converted mainly by the spectacle of a 
 good life that of my husband whom if you knew, 
 you would say of him as nearly every one else says, 
 that he is a man after God's own mind. Now we 
 should not have told you these things because we 
 felt we should be misunderstood, but we wanted you 
 to know that it was not churlishness nor ingratitude 
 that made us refuse your very kind and generous 
 offer." 
 
 Mr. Oliphant made a gesture as if washing his 
 hands of the whole affair, as if indeed he felt frankly 
 that it was quite beyond him, and said, " Well 
 then, Mr. Stewart, perhaps you will tell me in what 
 way as your agent here I can serve you ? " 
 
 " That I can," responded Mr. Stewart cheerfully. 
 " First of all, I want the captain of the Ben Ledi 
 paid for our passage hither from where he took us 
 on board. I do not believe he will ask exorbitant 
 rates, but I must tell you that we have had first- 
 class accommodation, and I should not consider 
 $350 too dear. I should object to paying more 
 than that. Secondly, I want you to find us either a 
 vessel that we can charter at a low rate, a schooner, 
 say, to convey us to Norfolk Island, or perhaps for 
 less money you may be able to induce some owner 
 to let his vessel, bound somewhere else among the
 
 HOME AT LAST 355 
 
 islands, go out of her way a little to 'land us there. 
 Lastly, we wish to buy rather a large quantity of 
 goods, tools of various kinds, clothing, books, and 
 above all, a first-class American organ. And I 
 think that is all. Only of course we should like 
 despatch." 
 
 Mr. Oliphant, who had made notes while Mr. 
 Stewart was speaking, turned and replied 
 
 " I think I have all your instructions now, sir, and 
 you may rely upon me to put your business through 
 as soon as I can. And if there is anything else I can 
 do or my wife can do for Mrs. Adams command us. 
 We can and do honour and respect you for your 
 opinions, even though we totally disagree with 
 them. And now perhaps you would like to retire, 
 as it is getting late." 
 
 C. B. looked wistfully at his wife and father-in- 
 law, and then said meekly, but as if he could not help 
 speaking 
 
 " Have you any objection, sir, and Mrs. Oliphant, 
 to our having a little prayer together before we 
 part for the night ? " 
 
 A look of consternation came over the lady's 
 face, almost of terror, and she turned appealingly 
 to her husband, who replied immediately, " I'm sure 
 you'll excuse us. That sort of thing is not at all 
 in our line. This is Liberty Hall and of course you 
 may do what pleases you, but we could not take part 
 in your exercises, it would be hypocrisy." 
 
 C. B. rose at once bowing courteously and saying 
 " I hope you'll forgive me for mentioning the matter, 
 I have no wish to intrude our views upon you. Good- 
 night " ; and with mutual expressions of good will 
 they separated. But as soon as Mrs. Oliphant and 
 her husband reached their chamber the lady's indig- 
 nation broke forth, and she said many bitter things
 
 356 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 about the impudence of these strangers suggesting 
 such a thing in a house where they were guests. 
 
 This difference however did not affect her hospit- 
 able attentions to her guests for, as if repentant of her 
 feelings towards them, she really toiled hard during 
 the week of their stay to make them as comfortable 
 as could be, while her husband was certainly as good 
 as his word. So strenuously did he exert himself 
 that by that day week he had arranged everything 
 for them, the goods they needed were all packed in 
 convenient parcels for transhipment, C. B. being the 
 director of this part of the business, and a handy 
 brigantine, the Lady Head, bound to Fiji, was char- 
 tered to land them and their belongings at Norfolk 
 Island with the least possible delay. 
 
 The morning of their departure broke bright 
 and clear, with a fresh westerly breeze, and they 
 bade Mrs. Oliphant and her three dear children an 
 affectionate and grateful farewell. But nothing 
 could blind them to the fact that she was almost 
 nervously anxious to have them gone, for as she 
 afterwards confessed to a few chosen acquaintances, 
 they made her feel strangely uneasy, made her feel as 
 if she were a godless wicked creature, while all the 
 time behaving themselves with the utmost meekness 
 and courtesy. And they on their part were hungry 
 for the place that C. B. was never tired of telling 
 them about, and reminding them that God might 
 there be worshipped continually without its being 
 thought a strange thing to do, where no one felt 
 bound to dislike you because you admitted that 
 the love of God was the chief factor in your life and 
 where, while living an active happy life with all 
 your God-given faculties in full play there was no 
 brutal collision at every turn with the forces of evil 
 regnant in the world.
 
 HOME AT LAST 357 
 
 The Lady Head with all sail set sped swiftly 
 seaward, our three friends sitting on her little poop 
 with no eyes for the beauty of the shores they were 
 leaving. Every day brought Mary and her father to 
 a clearer understanding of the thorny way C. B. 
 must have travelled since leaving his home, for even 
 Mr. Oliphant, honest, courteous and urbane as he had 
 been, was obviously glad to see them go. They felt 
 that for men and women truly filled with the love of 
 God there was no room in the world that hated 
 the Master. The thought that there was anything 
 cowardly in thus fleeing from the scene of conflict 
 did not occur to them as perhaps it should have 
 done : I do not know. They only knew that they 
 were going to a place of peace and that sufficed them. 
 
 They had no pleasant passage. The vessel was 
 small, the crew were rough and brutal, and the 
 language they heard around them hurt them very 
 much, but nothing could disturb the serenity of 
 their souls. So deeply had they become imbued 
 with the spirit that C. B. had always manifested 
 that they had no doubts, they felt that they were 
 going home. And it was with something of a shock 
 that they learned from C. B. that since his depart- 
 ure in the Eliza Adams, he had heard no word of 
 his people. It was but slight though, one look at his 
 face with its calm assurance of all being well gave 
 them a mild rebuke. Of course all would be well. 
 
 Contrary winds and heavy weather delayed them 
 a good deal, but the little vessel if uncomfortable 
 was staunch, and they were proof against bodily 
 discomfort. Yet when on the fourteenth day from 
 Sydney Heads they sighted the well-known bay (to 
 C. B.) , Mary and her father were seized with a strange 
 trembling, and the stern old man, so wonderfully 
 softened, could not help a tear now and then stealing
 
 358 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 down his ruddy cheeks. They stood in, and when 
 within easy distance of the shore hove to, C. B.'s 
 keen glance detecting a boat putting off before any 
 one else did. Swiftly it came towards them, while 
 C. B., holding his wife with one hand and his father- 
 in-law with the other, bade them observe how she was 
 handled. 
 
 Suddenly he gave a joyful shout, " My father ! Oh, 
 thank God, thank God ! " Yes, it was Philip, 
 with all his old vigour handling the steer oar, and, 
 as he skilfully swung the boat alongside, he looked 
 up and recognized his firstborn. He snatched at a 
 rope flung to him, sprang on board and folded his 
 son to his breast in a silent ecstasy, while Mary and 
 Mr. Stewart stood back trembling and waited till 
 the sacred greeting was over. 
 
 Suddenly C. B. sprang away from his father's 
 arms and, seizing Mary, cried, " Here, father, here's 
 another daughter for you : this is my darling wife ; 
 and here is her father, a brother for you." 
 
 Philip gravely embraced his daughter-in-law, his 
 clear eyes appearing to search out her very soul. 
 She, poor girl, now that she was where she had so 
 longed to be, was for a moment just a little dismayed 
 at the aspect of Philip. While her whole heart cried 
 shame at the thought, it was there, that this noble- 
 looking man's rough sleeveless shirt, coarse short 
 pants and bare gnarled feet were repugnant to her. 
 Life-long prejudices are indeed hard to overcome. 
 
 Surely then it should be accounted unto her for 
 righteousness that she bravely took those ignoble 
 feelings by the throat and choked them, envying her 
 father as she did so the ease and grace with which he 
 greeted the roughly clad man before him. But then 
 he had long ago known the true value of clothes, and 
 being besides a rare judge of a man when he saw
 
 HOME AT LAST 359 
 
 him he had mentally appraised Philip at once as 
 being another C. B. only more so. 
 
 But neither C. B. nor his father thought of these 
 things. C. B. indeed, shaken out of his usual calm, 
 could hardly restrain himself sufficiently to explain 
 about the goods they had brought with them ; he was 
 so impatient to bring Mary and his mother together. 
 But it was certain that one boat could not possibly 
 carry the boat load that was waiting, and so it was 
 decided that Philip and Mr. Stewart should remain 
 on board while C. B. took Mary ashore and sent the 
 two boats back. Such a precaution was necessary, 
 for the character of neither skipper nor crew of the 
 Lady Head stood very high, and it was quite possible 
 that in the absence of the owners of the freight they 
 might take it into their heads to up helm and be off 
 in a fit of absent-mindedness as it were. Such things 
 have happened in those latitudes before now. 
 
 So Mary was carefully assisted into the boat, and 
 crouching low in the stern sheets she gazed upwards 
 with loving admiration of the noble form of her 
 husband as erect at the great steer-oar he swung the 
 boat's head landward. Every stroke of the way she 
 watched him, nor blenched for a breath, even when the 
 enormous shoreward rushing billow poised the craft 
 like a feather upon its foaming crest, a vast green 
 slope before and behind, down one of which it seemed 
 that they must roll and be swallowed up. 
 
 Presently the boat touched the beach, the crew 
 sprang out, dug their feet into the shingle as the wave 
 receded, and then with a great cry of delight as the 
 next billow came in ran her up with it high and dry. 
 And C. B. sprang out, turned, lifted his wife like a 
 babe in his powerful arms, and running up the slope 
 with her placed her in the arms of his mother. 
 Grace took Mary to her bosom while her son said
 
 360 A BOUNTY BOY 
 
 with tears streaming down, " Mother, I have brought 
 you home a daughter, my dear wife." 
 
 And the friends catching the word shouted aloud 
 for joy, while Grace, holding her new daughter a little 
 way from her, looked in her sweet face and mur- 
 mured 
 
 " Dear one, may God abundantly bless you and 
 make your married life as happy as mine has been. 
 Come home and see your brothers and sisters, they 
 will all welcome you to their hearts as I do. Come, 
 you are tired and excited, but in our home you will 
 find peace and rest." And Mary went with her 
 mother, her mind all awhirl. In those few moments 
 she realized how fully she had severed herself from 
 all the past, and with Grace's strong arm round her 
 and her husband striding by her side knew of a 
 certainty that she had done well. 
 
 That was the most exciting day in the history of 
 the little community. What with the landing of 
 the very necessary and welcome consignment, listen- 
 ing to the tale C. B. had to tell, welcoming the fine old 
 American gentleman Mr. Stewart, and occasionally 
 breaking out into songs of praise, it was midnight 
 before the friends sought their homes, and even then 
 there were many who did not sleep until morning. 
 
 My story is really done, for although in novels 
 generally the story ends with the marriage of the 
 lovers, mine has not done so, but has carried them 
 on through the trials and developments that always 
 follow marriage, which after all is to most people 
 but the beginning of a life story. It would be quite 
 easy to spend many pages in describing how the 
 new-comers were introduced to the many quiet 
 sweet joys of their chosen home, as easy as it would be 
 to find fault with them for quitting the world of 
 effort for this peaceful nook. But to do so would
 
 HOME AT LAST 361 
 
 be merely repeating the earlier descriptions in the 
 book, and so I do what seems to me the right thing, 
 merely record that with an ease that was marvellous 
 Mary and her father slipped into their allotted places 
 in the simple island scheme of existence. 
 
 And presently they wondered how they had ever 
 been able to bear the burden of so-called civilization, 
 and the thousand and one miseries which the posses- 
 sion of wealth and the maintaining of a place in 
 society, supposed to be incumbent upon the wealthy, 
 brings in its train. Mary summed up her feelings 
 upon the subject to her father one Sunday night when 
 after the usual united meeting for prayer and praise 
 they all sat upon the verdant hillside in the warm 
 moonlight by saying 
 
 " Daddy dear, I do not believe we ever knew what 
 it really was to live, and I am sure that we had no 
 conception of the lovingkindness of God until I met 
 my Bounty Boy." 
 
 THE END