In my own berth, as I may call it, I said to the steward, pointing to the bundle in the upper bunk: ‘That can be left there. It will not be in the way.’
‘What is it?’ said he. ‘Oh, it was brought aboard just afore we started, and the captain gave it to me, thinking it might belong to some of the soldiers or their wives as’d presently be claiming it. It’s a herror,’ said he, looking at the parcel, ‘though the name of this vessel’s wrote big enough for a monkey to read without glasses. Let it lie. It’s out of the ways here.’ Then, looking around him, he lost his temper. ‘Here’s a pretty go!’ he cried. ‘To think of a Woolwich stowaway berthed in such a beautiful bedroom as this here! It’s a-flying in the face of right, and it’s a-courting and caressing of wickedness to make any one as has done wrong so comfortable. If this gets wind, suffocate me if stowaways won’t breed thick as fleas in vessels’ holds! But you’ll have to work.’
‘I’ll work, and work well,’ said I, smiling; ‘and as you treat me so shall your reward be.’
He held the lantern to my face and said: ‘Where?’
‘There’s no use a-dangling that sort of fly,’ said he; ‘I’m no one-eyed fish. When I rise, it’s to summat juicy, with ne’er a hook in its inside. Never you mind about Hobart Town, but turn to and get your supper.’
I went to the pantry, where I found Frank. We supped off a dish that had come from the cabin table. Frank informed me that had the captain sent me to live before the mast, I should never have beheld or tasted such a dish even in my dreams. ‘They starfs you,’ said he; ‘pork dot vhas deadt of der measles, und beef dot vhas a horse until dey salt her down into casks.’ Again he endeavoured to ascertain who I was and what I meant to do on my arrival in Hobart Town. He said, if my connections were flourishing people, he’d be very grateful if I’d put in a good word for him. He was not born to this sort of life; he had seen better days, wrote a good hand, and could correspond in three tongues. He had signed articles for the round voyage, but was ready to run from the ship if a chance offered.
I looked mysterious and smiled knowingly, and said I guessed that when my friends heard my story they would be glad to do a kindness to any one who had proved a friend to me during the passage. He put oil into my cabin-lamp and showed me how to trim it, and assured me that any little conveniences which he possessed were at my service. I learned that my work ended at nine. At half-past eight, the materials for grog were placed upon the cabin table, and at two bells I was at liberty to go to bed.
