Thus saying, the man produced a stout canvas bag, such as a sailor uses
in place of a trunk. The name plainly painted across it, in black
letters, was "Philip Ryder"; but Alaric said he didn't mind that, so he
took the bag, thrust his belongings, including his cherished baseball,
into it, and the two boys left the shop.
"By-the-way," asked Alaric, hesitatingly, "don't I need to get some
brushes and things?"
"What for!"
"Why, to brush my hair, and--"
"Oh no," interrupted the other. "There's a comb on board, and, besides,
we can't stop for anything more. I've been gone so long now that I
expect the old man is madder'n a wet hen by this time."
So Bonny led the way to the wharves, and to a narrow slip between two of
them that just then was occupied by but a single craft. She was a small
sloop, not over forty feet long, though of good beam, evidently very
old, and so dingy that it was hard to believe she had ever been painted.
Her sails, hanging unfurled in lazy jacks, were patched and discolored;
her running rigging was spliced, the standing rigging was sadly in need
of setting up, her iron-work was rusted, and her spars were gray with
age.
"There's the old packet," said Bonny, cheerfully.
"Where?" asked Alaric, gazing vaguely down the slip and utterly ignoring
the disreputable craft close at hand.
"Why, right here," answered the other, a trifle impatiently. "Don't you
see the name _Fancy_ on her stern? She isn't much to look at, I know,
but she's a hummer to go, and a mighty good sea-boat. She's awfully
comfortable, too. Come aboard and I'll show you."
With this the cheery young fellow, who had actually come to a belief
that the shabby old craft was all he claimed for her, tossed his
friend's recent purchase to the deck of the sloop, and began to clamber
after it down a ricketty ladder.
With all his bright visions of a minute before rudely dispelled, and
with a heart so heavy that he could find no words to express his
feelings, Alaric followed him.
[TO BE CONTINUED.]
THE COURAGE AND ENDURANCE OF ARCTIC ANIMALS.
BY THE CHIEF OF THE GREELY EXPEDITION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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