FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45  
46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   >>   >|  
d. The boat had got a considerable way up the harbour before Jessie gave signs of returning consciousness. The old captain sat watching her with the affectionate care of a father. With a deep sigh she at length recovered, and a flood of tears relieved her aching heart. She turned her eyes seaward and gazed long and steadfastly at the proud ship which bore Ralph away, till the man-of-war could no longer be distinguished from the crowd of other vessels which surrounded her. The good old captain could fully sympathise with her in her grief, for he himself felt very sad at having his mate, whom he loved as a son, taken so unjustly away from him. As the boat passed the _Amity_, Peter Puddle looked over the side and hailed, "Haven't you got the mate in?" The captain shook his head. "Then I've lost my guinea," cried Peter; "but I mind more about the mate, that I do." "Never mind your guinea, lad. I'll see after you. Stay on board till I come back," answered the captain. They soon reached the shore. Captain Mudge insisted on escorting Jessie home, for he could not bring himself to leave her till he had seen her safe with her grandmother, who would, he fancied, comfort her better than he could. On reaching home, Jessie, throwing herself into her granny's arms, gave way to her tears. "It will do her good, and Ralph won't find fault with her when he hears of it," observed the old captain. "Fine young man, that mate of mine, Mrs Treviss. He's a great loss to me, no doubt about that; but it may turn out for his good after all. Shouldn't be surprised, as I said to Jessie just now, if he was to come back an officer in his Majesty's Service. He'd not be the first pressed man who has risen to be an admiral. We can all pray for him too, you know, Mrs Treviss; and that's a great comfort, isn't it?" Jessie in a short time became calm again, and even looked up and smiled at her kind old friend. Captain Mudge had a good deal of business to attend to, so after a short chat, promising to return soon to see how they were getting on, he took his departure. CHAPTER FIVE. The _Falcon_ sailed down Channel with her convoy of merchantmen. She was to see them safe across the Atlantic to different ports in the West Indies, and then to proceed on her voyage to the East. Early in the morning, Ralph, with the other pressed men, had been sent up on deck and their names duly entered in the ship's books. Still he
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45  
46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

captain

 
Jessie
 

guinea

 
looked
 

Treviss

 

pressed

 
comfort
 

Captain

 

admiral

 

Majesty


Service

 
officer
 

harbour

 

returning

 

observed

 

smiled

 

surprised

 
Shouldn
 

considerable

 

business


proceed

 

voyage

 

Indies

 

Atlantic

 

morning

 
entered
 
return
 

promising

 
friend
 

attend


Channel
 

convoy

 

merchantmen

 

sailed

 
Falcon
 

departure

 

CHAPTER

 

steadfastly

 
hailed
 

seaward


aching

 
relieved
 

turned

 

Puddle

 

longer

 
distinguished
 

surrounded

 
sympathise
 

unjustly

 

passed