I will tell you presently how I was so fortunate as to be apprenticed to so fine a craft as _The Lady of Lynn_. Just now it is enough to set down that she was the finest vessel in the little fleet of ships belonging to my young mistress, Molly Miller, ward of Captain Crowle. There were eight ships, all her own: _The Lady of Lynn_, the ship in which I served my apprenticeship; the _Jolly Miller_, named after her father; the _Lovely Molly_, after herself; the _Joseph and Jennifer_, after her parents; the _Pride of Lynn_, the _Beauty of Lynn_, the _Glory of Lynn_, and the _Honour of Lynn_, all of which you may take, if you like, as named after their owner. Molly owned them all.
I have to tell you, in this place, why one day in especial must ever be remembered by me as the most surprising and the happiest that I had ever known.
I was, therefore, on the quarter-deck on duty when the boy came up the companion saying that the captain wanted to speak to me. So I followed, little thinking of what they had to say, expecting no more than some question about log or cargo, such as the skipper is always putting to his officers.
In the captain's cabin, however, I found sitting at the table not only Captain Jaggard himself, but my old friend and patron, Captain Crowle. His jolly face was full of satisfaction and good humour, so that it gave one pleasure only to look at him. But he sat upright and assumed the air of dignity which spoke of the quarter-deck. A man who has walked that part of the ship in command doth never lose the look of authority.
"John Pentecrosse," he began, "I have sent for you in order to inform you that on the recommendation of Captain Jaggard here--" Captain Jaggard gravely inclined his head in acquiescence, "and with the consent of Miss Molly Miller, sole proprietor of this good ship, _The Lady of Lynn_, I have promoted you to the rank of chief officer."
"Sir!" I cried, overwhelmed, for indeed, I had no reason to expect this promotion for another two or three years. "What can I say?"
"We don't want you to say anything, Jack, my lad,"--the captain came down from the quarter-deck and became my old friend again. "Give me your hand. You're young, but there's never a better sailor afloat, is there, Captain Jaggard?"