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diff --git a/22944.txt b/22944.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b9554e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/22944.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3161 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of Little Peter, the Ship Boy, by +W.H.G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The History of Little Peter, the Ship Boy + +Author: W.H.G. Kingston + +Release Date: October 11, 2007 [EBook #22944] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF LITTLE PETER *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Little Peter, the Ship Boy, by W.H.G. Kingston. +________________________________________________________________________ +Peter's mother lies dying in the first chapter, and gives him her own +Bible. Peter's father had already died at sea, and the only family +income had been what Peter earned looking after a farmer's sheep. After +the death the little house had to be sold to settle debts, leaving +virtually nothing. Peter decides to go to sea, and makes his way to a +nearby port, where, against advice, he takes a place as a ship's boy in +a coasting brig carrying cargoes of coals. The Captain is very unkind +to him, as are most of the rest of the crew, but Peter is buoyed up +only by his Bible which he contrives to carry with him at all times. In +a gale the brig starts to sink and the Captain and crew abandon her in +the ship's boat, leaving Peter on board as he had been sent below to get +food for the crew, and was forgotten. However, the sinking brig grounds +inside the tail of a bank, where she is sheltered from the gale. After +a couple of days he is seen and rescued by the crew of the "Primrose", +where he is taken on, again as a ship's boy. + +One of the crew is a grumpy old man called Simon Hixon. After a long +time Peter and Simon become more friendly. There is an accident and the +vessel is cast up on a rock fairly near an island. The Captain is +injured as he had been the last to leave the sinking vessel. + +Eventually there is a rescue by a passing ship, and life begins to go +uphill for Peter after that. We won't spoil the story for you, but it +is a very well told tale, written not long before Kingston's death, at +the very height of his powers. + +________________________________________________________________________ +LITTLE PETER, THE SHIP BOY, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON. + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +PETER'S HOME AND FRIENDS. + +"Are you better, mother, to-day?" asked little Peter, as he went up to +the bed on which Widow Gray lay, in a small chamber of their humble +abode. + +"I trust so, my boy," she answered, in a doubtful tone, as she gazed +fondly on the ruddy, broad, honest face of her only child, and put aside +the mass of light hair which clustered curling over his brow, to imprint +on it a loving kiss. "I tried to get up to help Betsy when she came to +tidy the house, but did not feel strong enough; and the doctor, who +looked in soon after, said I had better stay quiet, and gave me some +stuff which I trust may do me good. Betsy kindly stopped and put +everything to rights, but since she went I have felt lonely, and have +been longing for you to come home." + +Betsy was an old woman who lived nearly half a mile off, on the +hill-side. She had known Mary Gray from her childhood, and came every +day, without fee or reward, to assist her during the grievous illness +from which she had long been suffering, while little Peter was away +tending Farmer Ashton's sheep on the neighbouring downs. + +Widow Gray's cottage stood towards the bottom on the sloping side of +some lofty downs, which extended far away east and west, as well as a +considerable distance southward towards the ocean, which was, as the +crow flies, about ten miles off from the highest point above it. The +hill formed one side of a valley, through which flowed a sparkling +stream bordered by trees, with here and there scattered about the +cottages of the hamlet of Springvale. Far away at the lower end rose +amid the trees the slender spire of the little church. On the other +side of the valley was a further succession of open downs, crossed only +by a single road a considerable distance, off, so that a more secluded +nook than Springvale could not be found for many a mile round. + +The widow's cottage gave signs of decay, though it was evident that such +attempts as required no expense had been made to keep it in repair. The +holes in the roof had been stuffed full of furze and grass, kept down by +heavy stones from being blown off by the wind; the broken panes in the +windows were replaced by pieces of board or stout paper; and rough +stakes filled up the spaces where the once neat palings had given way. +Each foot of the small garden was cultivated, though clearly by an +unscientific hand. Indeed, little Peter was the sole labourer, he +devoting to it every moment he could spare from attendance on his sick +parent after his return from his daily work, patching up many a rent in +the cottage produced by weather and time. + +Peter, indeed, did his very utmost to support his mother, by working +early and late--not a moment was he idle; but do all he could he often +was unable to gain enough to find food for her and for himself, though +he was content with a dry crust and a draught from the bright spring +which bubbled out of the hill-side. The little cottage and garden was +her own, left to her by her father, Simon Field, a hard-working man, who +by temperate habits and industry had been enabled to purchase the ground +and to build the cottage, though that, to be sure, was put up chiefly by +his own hands. Simon Field, however, was more than an industrious man, +he was a pious and enlightened Christian, and had brought up his +children in the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. Mary, the youngest +daughter, had gone to service, and had obtained a situation in the house +of a lately married couple, of whom Simon had heard a good report, and +felt confident that she would be treated with Christian kindness and +consideration. One by one, Simon Field's wife and children were taken +from him, and when Mary's kind mistress also died, she returned home to +live with her father. + +Just at that time Jack Gray, a fine, open-hearted and open-handed +sailor, came to the hamlet, where his widowed mother lived. He made +love to Mary Field, and won her heart, unhappily before she had +ascertained his principles and character. To her simple mind, ignorant +as she was of the world, he appeared all that she could desire. As he +attended church with her, and behaved with propriety and apparent +devotion, she supposed him to be religious, and before he went away to +rejoin his ship she promised, with her father's permission, to be his +wife on his return. + +Soon afterwards Simon Field, who had for some time been ailing, followed +his wife and children to the grave, and Mary became the owner of the +little cottage with its acre of ground. Though she had many suitors, +she remained faithful to Jack Gray. Nearly three years had passed away +before he returned. She then fulfilled her promise and married him, but +before long she could not help confessing to herself that he had changed +for the worse. Instead of being the quiet, well-behaved young seaman he +had before appeared, he was noisy and boisterous, and more than once got +into a broil at the public-house in the hamlet; still, as he was kind +and affectionate to her, her love in no way diminished. He laughingly +replied to her when she entreated him to be more circumspect in his +conduct: + +"Why, old girl, I am quiet as a lamb compared to what I am afloat. They +call me on board `roaring Jack Gray,' and roar I can, I tell you, when I +am doing duty as boatswain's mate." + +Jack Gray, who would not look for employment on shore, in spite of +Mary's entreaties that he would do so, determined when the greater part +of his pay and his prize-money had been expended, again to go afloat. + +Mary's home was certainly quieter when he was gone, though she would +willingly have detained him. She had, however, enough to occupy her in +looking after her new-born child, little Peter, who, when his father +next came home from sea, had grown into a fine, sturdy boy. + +The navy was at this time reduced, and "roaring Jack Gray," who soon +grew tired of a life on shore, had to seek for employment in the +merchant service. All Mary could hear of him was that he had gone away +on a long voyage to foreign parts. The news at length came that the +ship he had sailed in had been lost, and that all the crew had perished. +For some time she lived on in hopes that her husband had escaped, and +might some day return. Not without difficulty was she at length +persuaded by her friends that she was really a widow. + +While her husband was in the navy, she had received a portion of his +pay--now she had to depend entirely on her own exertions for the support +of herself and little Peter. On her child she devoted all her care and +attention, and brought him up faithfully in the nurture and admonition +of the Lord, and when he did wrong corrected him carefully and wisely. +She had taught him especially to love the Book of books, and at an early +age little Peter could read fluently and well. When she fell ill he +repaid her loving care with the most tender devotion. + +"Mother, shall I read to you?" he asked, as he took his accustomed seat +by her side. + +"Do, my boy," she answered, taking a small strongly-bound Bible, +carefully secured in a leathern case, from under her pillow. "I have +been trying to do so, but my eyes are dim, and I could not see the +print; but, praised be God, I can remember parts, and I have been +repeating to myself our merciful Father's blessed promises to us His +children." + +"That's true, mother," said Peter, opening the book at the third chapter +of Saint John's Gospel. + +"`God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that +whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. +For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that +the world through Him might be saved;'" and Peter read on to the end of +the chapter. + +"Shall I read more, mother?" he asked. + +"Read, read," she whispered, "for it will soon be too dark." + +At length Peter could see to read no more, and closing the book, he put +it carefully back into the case. + +"Keep it, my child," said his mother, solemnly; "cherish it, and never +part with it while you live. Put it in your breast-pocket now; I would +like to see it there, next to your heart, where I pray its truths may +find a firm lodgment. It was a gift to me from my dear young mistress +on her deathbed. She had intended it for her own child, and she charged +me, should I ever have one, to instruct him from his earliest days in +its glorious truths. Peter, I have done so, not trusting in my own +strength and knowledge, but with earnest prayer that those truths may be +imparted to you. And oh, Peter, while you take care of the book, make +it a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. Read it with prayer, +seeking the aid of God's Holy Spirit to instruct you in its truths, and +you will not read in vain." + +Mrs Gray spoke with solemn earnestness, and Peter promised to follow +her counsels, uttering a petition to Heaven at the same time that he +might have grace to do so. + +"Peter," she continued, "I am soon to be taken from you, but I die in +peace, for I know that God has heard my prayers, and will watch over you +and guard you from evil, and support and comfort you, but do you +yourself seek comfort and guidance from Him, and you will not be left +destitute." + +She was silent for some minutes. + +"Peter," she said, drawing him closer to her and speaking in a low +voice, "I grieve to part from you, but I grieve more when I think of +your poor father. God knows how earnestly I have prayed for him, and I +cannot even now believe that he was taken out of the world still +ignorant of God's love and free pardon to all who believe in His Son. I +have often dreamed that he has come to me, looking just as he was when +he went away, only paler and more careworn; he seemed to ask me to fetch +him from some far-off land whence he could not escape. It may have been +but an empty dream working on my fancy, and yet I cannot believe that it +was so. Oh, what joy it would bring to my heart could I know that he +loved the Saviour, and that he is yet alive and the door of mercy still +open." + +Peter's heart was too full of sorrow to let him speak. The waning light +prevented him from clearly distinguishing his mother's countenance, but +there seemed to be a strange brightness in her eye as she spoke with +failing voice, and the hopes her dying words expressed were imparted to +him. + +"Bless you, my boy, bless you!" she murmured, in a scarcely audible +voice. + +His hand was in hers, she pressed it as she spoke, and tried to draw him +nearer to her heart. He leant over her, and put his other arm under her +head; gradually he felt her hand relax its loving grasp, but many +minutes passed before the fear came over him that her spirit had fled. + +"Mother, mother!" he earnestly cried; "speak to me." + +There was no answer. He had never been with death before, but he knew +too well that she was indeed gone from him. + +He sat there long with his face on the bedclothes, too much overwhelmed +with grief to move. He longed to go and call Betsy, yet he could not +bear to leave his mother's body. Soon, however, a step was heard, and +the old woman herself entered the room. + +There was still light sufficient to enable her to see at a glance what +had occurred. She stepped up, and closing her dead friend's eyes, +gently led little Peter into the outer room. She had brought a couple +of candles with her, purposing to spend the night at the cottage if she +was required, and lighting them, she left one with Peter, bidding him +sit down while she took up the other. + +"When you feel sleepy, my boy, go to bed; the rest will do you good. +I'll stay with your mother; it will be nothing strange to me. I have +had so many I loved taken from me, that I am accustomed to watch by the +bodies of those who, I hope, went where I am sure she is gone. It's a +blessed thing to know that she is happy in heaven; let that comfort you, +Peter, and don't take on so, boy." + +Saying this, she returned to Mrs Gray's room. + +Peter's head sunk on the table--he wept sorely and long. As he bent +down, he felt the book his mother had just given him, which he had +placed in his bosom. He took it out and began to read it. Promise +after promise beamed forth from its sacred pages on his young soul, +lighted by God's Holy Spirit, for he took God at His word, and was +comforted. After awhile he crept up the ladder to his little attic +room, as Betsy had desired him, and was soon fast asleep. + +He awoke at daybreak, not forgetting his duty to Farmer Ashton's sheep, +and when he got down-stairs he found his kind old friend waiting for him +with a crust of bread and a bit of cheese. + +"You must not disappoint the farmer," she said; "I'll do all that's +wanted for your poor mother." + +"I hadn't forgot the sheep," said Peter; "but, Betsy, may I see her? I +could not go without!" + +Betsy led him into the room. His mother's face looked so calm and +peaceable, just like an angel, he thought; he almost fancied she was +asleep. + +"Now go," said Betsy, after he had gazed at her for some moments. "The +red streaks are already in the sky." + +Peter lingered for a moment, then recollecting his duty, hurried down +the hill to Mr Ashton's farm. + +His mother's funeral took place a few days afterwards, he and Betsy and +two or three other friends being the mourners. + +He found to his dismay that he could not return to live at the cottage. +He had had thoughts of taking up his abode there all by himself. During +Mrs Gray's illness debts had accumulated, and creditors claimed the +little property, which had to be sold, and when his mother's funeral +expenses had been paid, four or five pounds only remained as the young +orphan's inheritance. + +Betsy took him to her cottage, where he shared the bed of one of her +grandchildren, and he continued as before to tend Farmer Ashton's sheep. + +Often, as the motherless boy sat watching his flock on the sunny downs, +he cast his eyes towards the distant blue sea, and wondered what strange +lands might be beyond. The thought of his father would then come across +his mind. His imagination pictured him still living in those far away +unknown regions. What if he could find him and tell him the glorious +gospel news! He should be obeying his mother's most earnest wishes. He +knew but little of geography; he had read of Palestine and Egypt, and +other distant countries, but he had a very indefinite idea as to where +they were situated, and as to the rest of the globe, it was, although +not quite a blank, yet filled up by his own vivid imagination with +strange lands, in which wonders of all sorts existed. + +Day after day, as he gazed in the same direction, his desire to visit +those wondrous regions increased, till he resolved to go on board a +ship, and sail forth over the ocean to visit them. + +Little Peter was in earnest in all things; his faith was earnest, his +speech was earnest; truthfulness beamed from his eyes, he was in earnest +in whatever he was about. Farmer Ashton discovered this by the way he +looked after his sheep. Peter knew every one of them, and reported the +least sign of disease--not a sore foot escaped his vigilant eye. The +farmer offered to increase his wages if he would stop, when Peter told +him he wished to leave his service and go to sea, and was very angry +when, though thanking him kindly, he said that he had made up his mind +on the matter and meant to go. The farmer warned him that he would have +to endure all sorts of dangers and disasters, and was a fool for his +pains. Betsy also had used every argument to dissuade him from his +purpose, but nothing could change it. When she found that all she could +say had no effect, she gave him the money she had charge of, and +assisted him in getting ready some clothes that he might set forth in a +respectable manner to the neighbouring port to which the carrier, who +passed through the hamlet once a week, undertook to convey him. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +A START IN LIFE. + +The carrier's cart stopped on a height above the little town of Oldport. +Peter gazed with wonder and admiration on the wide ocean spread out +before him, now bright and shining under a blue sky and light summer +breeze. It surpassed his utmost expectations--a beautiful highway it +seemed to those distant regions he had longed to visit, and he fancied +that there could be no impediment in his course till he could reach +them. + +As soon as the carrier had deposited him and his bundle at the inn close +to the harbour, he set out to walk along the quay, and looked at the +vessels whose tall masts rose in a long row above it. As he had never +before seen a vessel, he was unable to judge of their size; to his eyes +they seemed mighty ships, capable of battling with the wildest waves +which could ever rage across the bosom of the deep. They were in +reality colliers or other small coasters, as no vessels of any size +could enter the harbour. He was ready to go on board the first which +would receive him. + +Peter had never had any playmates or young companions. He had lived +alone with his mother, who had taught him to read, and trained him in +the love and fear of God. The Bible was almost the only book he knew. +He was, in consequence, grave beyond his years. The few neighbours used +to laugh at him as "an odd, old-fashioned little fellow," as, indeed, he +was; but everybody respected and trusted him. + +He walked up and down the quay once or twice before he could make up his +mind what to do. At last he determined to address a sailor-looking man +who was leaning against a stout post round which two or three hawsers +from the neighbouring vessels were secured. + +"Is one of those ships there yours?" asked Peter, in a hesitating tone. + +"Why do you want to know, my lad?" inquired the seaman. + +"Because I want to go and be a sailor in one of them," said Peter. + +"Then take my advice, and give up wanting," said the seaman. "Better by +half remain on shore, and tend sheep and cattle, as I have a notion you +have been doing. None of the vessels are mine; I am only mate in the +_John and Mary_, yonder," pointing to a schooner which lay alongside the +quay. "We have got a boy, and I would not have a hand in taking any +youngster away from home unless he knew more about what he would have to +go through than I suspect you do. Now go back, lad, whence you came," +continued the mate, folding his arms and puffing away at the pipe he had +in his mouth. + +One or two other sailors laughed at him or roughly turned aside without +deigning to answer. + +At last he reached a two-masted vessel, in reality a brig, somewhat +larger than the rest, but her deck was black with coal-dust, and +everything about her had a dark, grimy look. A rough, black-bearded, +strongly-built man, better dressed than some of those he had spoken to, +was stepping on shore by the plank which formed a communication between +the vessel and the quay. Peter guessed rightly that he was the captain. +Beginning to feel that his hope of going to sea was less likely to be +accomplished than he had expected, he determined, with a feeling +somewhat akin to desperation, to address him, though the expression of +his countenance was far from encouraging. + +"Do you want a boy on board your ship, sir?" he said, touching his hat, +as his mother had taught him to do when addressing his betters. + +"What, run away from home?" asked the man, stopping, and looking down +upon him. + +"I have no home, sir," answered Peter. + +"What, no father and mother?" + +"No, sir," said Peter. "Mother is dead, and father, they say, is dead, +too." + +"Then you will do for me. As it happens, I do want a boy. Here, Jim," +he said, turning round, and addressing a sailor as rough-looking as he +was himself, but much dirtier, who appeared at the companion-hatch; +"here's a lad for you. You had better keep an eye on him, as maybe he +will change his mind, and run off again. Go aboard, boy," he added, +turning to Peter, "Jim will look after you, and show you what you have +got to do." + +The captain went into the town, and old Jim, who proved to be the mate, +took charge of Peter. + +Old Jim asked him several questions. The answers which Peter gave +appeared to satisfy him. + +Peter inquired the captain's name. + +"Captain Hawkes; and our brig is the _Polly_," answered Jim. "You won't +find a finer craft between this and `No man's land,' if you know where +that is." + +Peter saw that she was the largest vessel in the harbour, and so readily +believed what the mate said. + +The old man asked him if he was hungry, and Peter acknowledging; that +such was the case, he took him down into the cabin, and after giving him +some bread and ham, offered him a tumbler of rum and water. Peter, who +had never tasted spirits, said he would rather not take the rum, whereon +old Jim laughed at him and drank it himself. + +"We shall all get under weigh with the evening tide if the wind holds +fair, for it's off the land you see, and will take us out of the +harbour," he observed. "You had better lie down till then on the locker +and get some sleep, for may be you will find your first night at sea +rather strange to you." + +"Where is the vessel going to?" asked Peter, who fully expected to be +told that it was to the Holy Land, or India, or some of the few other +distant countries of which he had heard. + +"We are bound to Newcastle first to take in coals, and it's more than I +can tell you where we shall go after that." + +"Is Newcastle in a far-off country?" asked Peter. + +"It's a good bit from here," said old Jim; "and if you want to be a +sailor, you will have a fair chance of learning before the voyage is +out, and so take my advice and don't trouble yourself about the matter. +Do as I tell you, just lie down--you would have slept all the sounder if +you had taken the grog, though." + +Old Jim was afraid, perhaps, that Peter would get talking to the rest of +the crew, and hear something about Captain Hawkes which might induce him +to go on shore again, the last boy having run from the ship, though +shoeless and penniless, rather than endure the treatment he had +received. + +Peter, not suspecting old Jim's motive, sat down on the locker in the +cabin. Not feeling disposed to sleep he took up his Bible, as he had +been accustomed to do when tending sheep on the Springvale downs, and +began to read. Old Jim gazed at him with open eyes. To see a +ship's-boy reading a book, and that book the Bible, as he guessed it to +be, was entirely out of his experience. "He must be a curious chap," he +said to himself; "I don't know that he will suit us, after all; but then +he will soon get all that knocked out of him I have a notion." + +Peter, who never failed to pray that God's Holy Spirit would enlighten +his mind when he read the Bible, was so completely absorbed in perusing +the sacred page, that he did not observe old Jim's glances, nor hear his +muttered words. At length, feeling his eyes heavy, he closed the book +and replaced it in his bosom. Then he lay down, as he had been advised, +on the locker, and was soon fast asleep. The fatigue he had gone +through, and the heat of the cabin, made him sleep soundly, and he did +not hear the noise of the men's feet on deck as the warps were cast off, +or their "yeo! yeo! yeos!" as they hoisted the sails. + +The captain, who came into the cabin to deposit his papers and several +articles he had brought on board, did not rouse him up, and the _Polly_ +gliding smoothly out of the harbour, was some distance from the land +before he awoke. + +The sun, a bright ball of fire setting the heavens all ablaze, was +sinking into the ocean astern when Peter made his way on deck; the coast +with its sandy bays, rocky cliffs, and lofty headlands, their western +sides tinged with a ruddy glow appearing on the left, while the calm +ocean of an almost purple tint with a golden hue cast across it, +stretched away to the right. + +Peter felt its beauty and majestic tranquillity far more than he could +have found words to express. The dark sails, the dirty deck, the +begrimed countenances and slovenly dress of the crew contrasted with the +purity of the sky and ocean all around. + +The captain and old Jim his mate were standing aft, speaking to each +other. They were apparently talking about him, for they cast their +glances towards where he stood looking round and uncertain what to do. + +He was aroused by the captain shouting to him: "You are one of the +sleeping order, youngster, I see; you have had a long snooze; you will +have to keep your eyes open in future. What is your name?" + +"Peter Gray, sir," answered the boy. + +"Peter is enough for us," said the captain. "Now go forward; your berth +is in the forepeak, you will understand; and Jim and the cook will find +you work enough. You don't expect to be idle?" + +"No, sir," said Peter, "I came to learn to be a sailor." + +"They will teach you, and fast enough, too, with a rope's-end if you +don't look sharp about you," said the captain, with a laugh, "and soon +make you dip your hands in the tar-bucket and swash-tub. Have you got +any working duds with you?" + +"I don't know what duds mean, sir," answered Peter. + +"Not know what duds mean, and you a sailor's son, as you tell me? +Clothes, to be sure," cried the captain, laughing again. + +"I have got another suit for Sundays, when I go to church, sir," +answered Peter. + +The captain and old Jim laughed in chorus at the reply. + +"We have no Sundays aboard here, and don't carry church steeples at our +mast-heads," cried the former, again laughing at his own wit as he +considered it. + +He and his mate were in a merry mood, for they had just had one +successful voyage, and as the weather was fine they hoped to make +another. The captain himself had taken a parting-glass or two with his +friends on shore. So little Peter found him and his mate in their best +humour. + +"Do you hear, boy?" cried the captain, seeing that Peter did not move; +"go forward and see what they have got for you to do." + +Peter did not know where forward was, but observing the direction in +which the captain was looking, supposed it to be at the other end of the +ship. + +"I left my bundle down-stairs there, sir; shall I take it with me?" he +asked. + +Again the captain and mate laughed. Of course they felt their +superiority to the poor ignorant little shepherd-boy. + +"We have no down-stairs here, no more than we have Sundays; but your +bundle is not to stop in my cabin, I should think. Get it and take it +with you." + +Peter, having got his bundle from below, went forward, accompanied by +old Jim. + +"Now, lads," said the latter to the four unkempt beings who formed the +crew of the _Polly_, "here is a boy for you, and just see he don't go +overboard or run away; the skipper is tired of getting lads to do your +work." + +The men looked at little Peter and grinned. "Now, boy," said old Jim, +turning to Peter, "come below and I'll show you your berth. You must +keep your eyes wide open, or may be you will not see it." + +The mate descended through a small hatchway by an upright ladder into a +dark place, where Peter, as he was bid, followed him. He could hear the +mate's voice, but could not distinguish him in the gloom, which at first +appeared impenetrable. + +"Come here," cried the mate. "What, are you blind?" + +Peter was stretching out his hands trying to grope his way. By degrees +a glimmer of light which came down the hatchway enabled him to +distinguish old Jim, and as his eyes became more accustomed to the +gloom, he discovered that he was in a triangular-shaped place, with +shelves on either side which formed the bunks or standing bed-places of +the crew, the heel of the bowsprit making a division in the fore part. +Some chests were on the floor, and thick coats, sou'-westers, with +numerous other articles, were hung up against the bulk-heads, which +formed the third side of the forepeak. + +"That's your berth," said old Jim, pointing to the foremost +sleeping-place in the bow of the vessel. "The boy who has gone has left +his blankets, so you will have the use of them. And mind when you are +called you turn out pretty quick; we cannot have laggards aboard the +_Polly_." + +"Thank you, sir," said Peter, depositing his bundle in the dark, +close-smelling bunk. "I am accustomed to be afoot by daybreak, to look +after Farmer Ashton's sheep." + +"You will have something different from sheep to look after; and night +and day at sea are the same. All hands don't turn in and sleep till the +sun is up, or the ship would be apt to lose her way." + +A laugh at the mate's wit from some of the other men who had followed +them into the forepeak, was heard out of the darkness. When the mate +was gone, they gathered round Peter and began to amuse themselves at his +expense. He, however, took their jeers quietly, not attempting to +reply; indeed, as he did not clearly understand their meaning, the jokes +generally fell harmless. Finding at length that they could not irritate +him, they told him to go on deck to help Bill. Bill was the man who did +duty as cook. Peter found him in the caboose; he was as black and grimy +as a negro, with grease and coal-dust. + +"They told me you wanted me, Bill," said Peter. + +"Yes," growled Bill, "clean out those pots and wash up the dishes and +plates in that tub. Here is some hot water for you." + +Peter performed the work to the cook's satisfaction. He gave him some +bread and a piece of bacon for his supper, as he had eaten nothing since +the afternoon. + +Peter was standing watching the moon, whose full orb as it rose in the +sky shed a silvery light over the ocean, a spectacle novel and beautiful +to him, when old Jim, in a gruff voice, told him to go and turn in. +Though he would infinitely have preferred remaining on deck, he did as +he was bid. + +He did not omit, before he took off his clothes, to kneel down and pray +for protection for himself and all on board. No one saw the young boy +in the attitude of prayer, or he would not have escaped interruption, +but Peter knew that God saw him and heard him. Young and humble as he +was, and unpromising as were the manners of those among whom he had been +thrown, he felt no fear. His mind was at rest. He climbed into his +berth and was soon asleep. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +PERILS AT SEA. + +The _Polly_ had made good progress on her voyage, the North Foreland had +been rounded, and with a fair breeze under all sail she was running to +the north. There were numerous other colliers, brigs and schooners and +vessels of all sizes, scattered far and wide over the sea, some close at +hand, others mere specks, their loftier canvas just rising above the +clearly-defined horizon. + +Poor Peter had had a hard life of it, ordered about by every one on +board, often receiving an undeserved cuff and kick, or finding the end +of a rope laid sharply across his shoulders when he did not understand +an order which he had never before heard issued. His clothes and face +and hands were now almost as dirty as those of his companions, although +he did his best to keep them clean, but he had received a rope's-ending +from the cook for taking fresh water for the purpose of washing himself, +and he found that the salt water had little effect on his skin. But he +did not complain. He had a source of comfort within him of which those +around knew nothing. What grieved him most was the fearful language he +heard hourly uttered, God's holy name profaned, foul oaths, and obscene +conversation. Whenever he could he endeavoured to escape from it. He +either tried to get on deck when his shipmates were below, or below when +they were on deck--to get anywhere where they were not. Still, so +persistent are depraved human beings under the influence of Satan, in +showing their enmity to those who love God, and to God Himself, that +they often followed him with their ribald shouts, and kept him forcibly +down among them. + +Alas! this is no uncommon scene on board, not only many a collier, but +many a proud ship that sails over the ocean. Still, Peter had not read +his Bible in vain. Influenced by God's Holy Spirit, he knew that he +must return good for evil. Now and then, when a retort rose to his +lips, he sought for grace to repress it, and he either remained silent +or gave a mild reply. He persevered, too, in reading his Bible. Often +when the lantern was lit in the forepeak, and the watch below were +asleep, he would rise from his berth, and by its pale light sit on a +chest beneath it and read from the sacred page, although he could with +difficulty make out the words. At other times he would stow himself +away forward, and opening his beloved book, draw comfort and consolation +from it till he was summoned to some duty by one of his task-masters. +Two or three times he had stolen aloft unnoticed by those on deck, and +read uninterruptedly for an hour or more, but the mate at length +discovering him, called him down. + +"I told you we don't allow idlers aboard," exclaimed old Jim, bestowing +several cuts with a rope's-end on his shoulders. "Don't let me ever +catch you again with your book aloft doing nothing, or overboard it +goes; we don't want psalm-singers or Bible-readers among us. Remember +my words." + +Peter trembled with alarm for the safety of his book. The mate might +put his threat into execution, and what could he do to prevent it? Yet +he would fight hard before he would give it up, of that he was +determined. At the same time he knew that he must obey orders, and he +dare not again venture aloft to read. Even if he read on deck, he might +run the risk of losing his book. Yet read he must. He asked for +guidance and direction from above. The fear which had thus been aroused +of losing his Bible made him consider how he could still better secure +it. Hitherto he had carried it inside his shirt, with his waistcoat +buttoned over it. He now determined to make a canvas case and sling it +round his neck. One of the men had some canvas for mending his clothes. +Peter purchased a piece, together with some twine, with one of the few +shillings he had in his pocket, and borrowed a sail needle from the +mate, who lent it, not knowing the object it was for. Peter had watched +the men at work, and by perseverance manufactured a case to his +satisfaction, with a canvas strap to go round his neck. He could now +carry his Bible night and day, and if summoned suddenly on deck, he +would still have it with him, and should it enter the head of one of his +shipmates to try and take it from his bunk while he was on deck, he +would be disappointed. Peter now felt far more content than heretofore +about the safety of his Bible. He had frequently to go into the +captain's cabin to carry his meals from the caboose and to clean it out. +Generally Captain Hawkes took no notice of him, but one day, being in a +facetious humour, he exclaimed, "Well, boy, have you got through your +book yet?" + +"No, sir," said Peter, "I don't expect to do so for a long time to +come." + +"Look sharp, then," said the captain; "you will never be a sailor till +you have." + +"I am afraid, sir, then, I never will become a sailor," said Peter, +quietly. + +"How so?" asked Captain Hawkes. + +"Because I shall wish to read the book till the last day of my life. I +want to read it to know how to live, and just as much to know how to +die." + +"We can live very well without it, I have a notion," said the captain; +"but as to dying, that may be a different matter." + +"Beg pardon, sir," said Peter, "but I have been taught that it is one +and the same thing. If you like, sir, I'll read to you all about it +from the book." + +"No, no; I want none of your Bible reading," answered the captain. + +"But, sir," said Peter, feeling a bold spirit rise within him, "if the +ship was to go down, and we all were drowned, and had to stand before +God, how those who had the words, `Depart, ye accursed, into everlasting +fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,' spoken to them would wish +that they had listened to God's word, and been prepared to meet Him as +their Judge." + +"Get out of the cabin, you little canting hypocrite," exclaimed the +captain, fiercely, for God's words uttered by the young boy had struck +home to his conscience; but he "loved darkness rather than light, +because his deeds were evil," and he sought to avoid the light. + +Peter went on deck with a feeling of deep sorrow at his heart that the +captain would not listen. He wished, however, that he had spoken to him +rather of God's love to sinners than of his threatenings. "The mention +of that great love might have touched his heart," he thought; "I will +tell him of it another time." + +He often tried when he could speak alone to any of the men to get them +to allow him to read from his book; but he was told to keep it to +himself, no one on board wanted it. He hoped, however, to succeed by +perseverance; and perhaps when they found that he was becoming a smart +and active sailor, and could lay out on the yards and reef and steer as +well as any of them, they would be more ready to listen. He did his +utmost, therefore, to learn his duty as a seaman. Old Jim began to +treat him with less harshness than at first, and in his rough way gave +him instruction in the art he wished to acquire; he taught him to box +the compass and to steer, and even explained why various manoeuvres were +performed. Still, when Peter began to speak about the Bible, or +anything contained in it, he either turned a deaf ear or angrily told +him to mind his own business. + +The Tyne was at last reached, and Peter's wonder was excited by the +large city he saw stretching up the hill, and the numerous other towns +and villages which lined the banks of that important river, but still +more by the numberless vessels taking in their cargoes of coal, shot +down into their holds from the cliffs above them. Much as he wished it +he was not allowed to go on shore, the captain suspecting that, like his +predecessors, he might not return. Though he had harder work than ever, +yet, having fewer task-masters, he was less ill-treated than before. + +The _Polly_ having received her cargo, again put to sea, bound, Peter +heard, for the Thames. + +Hitherto the weather had been fine, and he had escaped sea-sickness and +wet clothes. A few nights after leaving the Tyne it came on to blow +hard, with the wind right ahead, and the _Polly_ began to tumble about +in a way which made Peter feel very miserable. Sometimes, though under +close-reefed topsails, she heeled down so much that he could scarcely +stand on the wet slippery deck, and he fancied that she would go over +altogether. The dark green seas, with their foaming crests, rolled up +on either hand, and frequently broke on board in showers of spray, as +the brig ploughed her way amid them: now she rose to the top of a +mountain billow; now she plunged down on the opposite side, with her +bowsprit almost under water, and now the sea struck her and made her +frame quiver fore and aft. The scene was a terrible one to look at--how +different from that Peter had witnessed the first day he had been at +sea!--still he did not fear; he knew that the same Almighty hand who +guarded him then protected him now, but he did feel that he might at any +moment be summoned into the presence of One he had loved on earth, and +who would, he knew, welcome him in heaven, not on account of any merit +of his own, but because he took Him at His word and trusted His Son, +whom He had sent to save sinners. + +The men, and even the captain and mate, were more silent than usual, +though when they did speak they gave utterance to the same oaths which +had so often issued out of their mouths. + +It was trying work on deck, and when Peter's watch was over, wet and +weary he was glad to go below; but when he lay down in his narrow berth, +the fearful blows which struck again and again on the bows of the ship +prevented him from sleeping. When he did at last drop off he was +quickly aroused by another blow, heavier than the former, which made him +fancy that the brig must have struck a rock; but on she again went, +battling her way across the stormy ocean. + +The gale was increasing. At night, when he had again to go on deck, the +seas, though not so clearly visible as during the day, appeared much +higher, and threatened every instant to roll down upon the deck and +sweep every one off it. The fore-hatch was battened down, the crew +collected aft. When day dawned their faces looked pale and anxious, and +even Captain Hawkes and old Jim seemed to wish that the gale was over. +Peter heard the mate report to the captain that he had sounded the well, +and feared that the brig had sprung a leak. The pumps were rigged, and +the crew set to work on them. The quantity of clear water which came up +left no doubt about the matter. The men grumbled and swore, but worked +away. Peter was ordered to take his spell, and even old Jim and the +captain took theirs. All day long they worked away, and at night also. +No fire could be lighted in the caboose, for the seas broke so heavily +over the bows of the ship that they dashed in upon the fore-hatchway. +Such provisions as could be eaten without cooking were their only fare. +Peter wished to read the Bible to his shipmates, but the spray broke +over them in such dense showers that the leaves would have been wetted +through in an instant. He could recollect, however, many portions, and +great was the comfort they gave him. When he ventured to repeat them +aloud to those crouched down under the bulwarks near him, they told him +to be silent; it was not the time, with a gale blowing, to trouble them +with his notions. + +"But where should we be if the brig does go down?" he asked, for he saw +the too great probability of that event occurring to make him hesitate +about speaking. + +The men told him to hold his tongue and not trouble them. Numbers do +the same when warned of danger not more imminent than that which +threatened the brig's crew. + +"Spell ho!" was the cry, and Peter and those he had spoken to took their +places at the pumps. + +Another day came to an end. During the next night the water gained so +much on the pumps that Captain Hawkes resolved to head the brig in for +the land in the hopes of making some sheltering port. Whereabouts he +was he could not exactly tell. Again and again the well was sounded. +The night was pitchy dark, the wind blew harder than ever, and the +foam-topped seas raged round the hapless brig. The men laboured at the +pumps, the captain and mate working as hard as the rest, for they all +knew that their lives depended on their exertions. + +Hour after hour passed by. Day was approaching. The captain thought +that they must be nearing the land. The men at length cried out that +they could work no more without food. Peter was sent down to get it. +He crept about in the dark searching in the lockers for what could be +found. He felt the water above his knees, but he was so wet that he did +not heed it; it was his duty to get the food, he would not return +without it. He fancied that he heard loud cries and shouting on deck, +though the howling and whistling of the wind and the roar of the sea +almost drowned all other sounds. Presently he was sensible that the +vessel had received a heavy blow. Another and another followed. He had +found the food he was sent for, and was making his way with a heavy load +up the companion ladder, when a sudden heave of the vessel threw it over +him, and he fell to the bottom. He was stunned with the fall and lay +insensible for awhile--how long he could not tell--but he recovered +after some time, and the ladder being jerked back into its place, he +scrambled up on deck. He saw no one. On looking over the side he +discovered the boat, with the captain and crew, pulling away a few +fathoms off. He shouted to them, entreating to be taken in. Old Jim +cried out in return: + +"We will come for you." But either they found it impossible to return, +or feared that the boat would be stove in in making the attempt. Peter +supposed truly that they had quitted the brig, believing that she would +immediately sink. At that moment another sea struck her, and lifting +her up, she once more glided on. Fearing that she would again ground, +and that the next sea might sweep over her deck, he sprang to the main +rigging and climbed up into the top. Scarcely had he left the deck when +the water rushed completely over it. The brig, pressed by the sails +still set, glided slowly on. Lower and lower she sank; as she did so, +Peter climbed up to the topmast-head, and there he clung. He did his +utmost to escape death, though he was prepared to meet it. He caught +sight for a moment of the boat tossing amid the mass of foaming waters; +when he again looked in the direction he had last seen her, she was +nowhere visible. + +In a little while he became conscious that the brig had ceased to sink. + +In the east, towards where the faint streaks of returning day appeared +in the sky, the sea tumbled and tossed as wildly as before, but where +the masts of the brig rose above the surface the water was comparatively +calm. The vessel had indeed driven first on the tail or extreme point +of a bank, and then being forced over it, had drifted inside it some +little distance before she had gone down, being then protected from the +fury of the waves by the bank itself. All Peter knew, however, was that +he was clinging to the mast-head of a sunken vessel, that a storm raged +around him, and no human aid was at hand. He had no food, for he had +lost that when thrown from the ladder, and it was some time since he had +eaten; but he had saved his Bible, and he knew that his Father in heaven +would take care of him. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +ON BOARD THE PRIMROSE. + +As day dawned Peter looked out for the boat, earnestly hoping that the +captain and crew had escaped destruction. It was nowhere to be seen. +Here and there he caught sight of a dark sail just rising above the +horizon, while in the west he could just distinguish a line of low +coast. + +How solitary and wretched he would have felt, how ready to give way to +despair, had he not known that, all alone as he was, God his Father was +watching over him. + +He had thus clung on for some time to the mast, when he became aware +that the wind had greatly moderated; the waves no longer clashed so +savagely over the sand-bank as before. Gradually the sea became calmer +and calmer; the clouds cleared away; the bright sun shone forth and +dried his wet clothes. He felt hungry, but his strength did not desert +him. He descended to the cross-trees, now above water, and seating +himself, searched in his pocket and discovered two biscuits which he had +put into them when in the cabin and had forgotten. He ate one of the +biscuits and felt revived, and then finding that there was no danger of +falling off, he drew forth his beloved Bible and read. How full of +comfort and assurance it was to him who read with an eye of faith! +There was no one to disturb him now. Alas! where were those who had +been wont to interrupt him? What would they now have given to have +trusted to that book, and obeyed its precepts? Peter did not, however, +allow such a thought to enter his mind. He only hoped that they had +escaped, and were making their way to the land; not a particle of bad +feeling was in his heart against those who had so ill-treated him. + +He read and read on till, feeling a drowsiness come over him, he +restored the book to its case, and then once more climbed up the mast to +look round in the hopes of seeing some vessel or boat approaching. + +The sun had completely dried his clothes, and warmed him. A soft air +blew off the land. He knew well that vessels would generally give the +sands a wide berth. "Still, if God thinks fit to send me help He will +direct some craft this way," he said to himself. "Perhaps some +fishing-boats will be passing, or Captain Hawkes may send out to learn +what has become of the brig." + +As he looked northward, he saw afar off a large ship under all sail +standing to the south. Whether or not she was inside or outside the +shoals he could not tell. She came on but slowly, for the wind was +light. He judged, however, that she would not pass at any great +distance from where he was. How beautiful she looked, with her spread +of white canvas shining in the sun. Nearer and nearer she came. He was +convinced at last that she was outside the shoals. + +"Those on board will scarcely notice the thin masts of the brig above +the water," he thought; "still God will turn their eyes this way if He +thinks fit." + +Let no one suppose, that little Peter placed a presumptuous confidence +in God's protecting care of a young boy like himself. He had read that +not a sparrow falls to the ground but He knows it; that the hairs of our +heads are all numbered, and he well knew that he should be offending his +kind Father if he doubted His words. What strength and fearlessness did +this simple faith give him. + +The proud ship glided on, her canvas swelling to the breeze; it seemed +that she would quickly run past him. He could almost distinguish the +people on her deck. He shouted, fancying that his feeble voice would be +borne over the water towards her. Presently he saw the hitherto full +canvas flap against the masts; her courses, and her topsails, and +topgallant sails hung down uselessly; the breeze which had hitherto +fanned his cheeks died away. + +The ship was almost abreast of him, but rather to the southward, so that +those on her deck saw the rays of the sun striking directly on the +brig's masts. Without thinking of this, however, he took off his hat +and waved it again and again. The ship appeared to be drifting in +towards the bank. How eagerly he watched her. Presently he saw a boat +lowered from her quarter; several people jumped in, and with rapid +strokes pulled towards him. The tide had again risen, and scarcely a +ripple was observed on the bank. The boat crossed it, and an +encouraging cheer reached his ears; he waved his hat in return, and +descending the rigging stood ready to step into the boat as soon as she +came. + +"Glad to rescue you, my lad," said the officer, who was steering. "How +long have you been on the mast? What's become of your shipmates?" + +"Since last night," answered Peter; "and I hope they have reached the +shore in the boat." + +"I should think if they have deserted you, you would wish rather that +they had gone to the bottom as they deserve," said the officer. + +"We should wish harm to no one, and do good to our enemies," answered +Peter. + +"Very good," said the officer, "though the other is most natural. But +how were you left behind?" + +"I was in the cabin getting up provisions for them, when, as the brig +appeared to be going down, they, I suppose, shoved off in the boat and +forgot me." + +"Scoundrels! I can only hope their boat was swamped," exclaimed the +officer. "But give way, lads; the ship is closer in to the bank than is +altogether pleasant, and we shall have to tow her head off if the breeze +does not spring up again." + +The boat was quickly alongside, and Peter soon found himself on the deck +of a ship larger than he had ever before seen. He looked round with +astonishment and admiration. Every one was busy in lowering the boats +to tow the ship away from the dangerous proximity to the bank. Peter +was, therefore, for some time left alone. The breeze, however, soon +again returning, filled the sails, and the boats were hoisted in. + +The captain, a fine-looking young man, with a frank countenance, then +called Peter aft, and put to him nearly the same questions the mate had +asked. + +"How came you to escape, my lad? You don't even look much the worse for +your adventure." + +"God took care of me, sir," answered Peter, simply. + +The captain smiled. "Well, I suppose it's something to fancy that," he +observed. + +"But I know it, sir," said Peter firmly. + +The captain cast a somewhat astonished glance at him. "Well, lad, you +must be hungry and sleepy; the steward will give you some food, and find +you a berth forward. If we have an opportunity, we will put you on +shore, that you may return to your friends." + +"I have no friends on shore, sir," answered Peter, "and I want to go to +sea." + +"Then do you wish to remain on board?" asked the captain. + +"Yes, sir, please; I wish to visit foreign lands." + +"Very well, you will have the chance with us, and I'll enter you as one +of the ship's boys," said the captain. "Below there!" he shouted, and +the steward, a black man, appeared. "Give this lad some food, and find +him a berth, Emery," said the captain, in a good-natured tone. Turning +aft he said to himself, "There is stuff in that lad, though he has +evidently been brought up among the Methodists." + +The black steward took Peter into his pantry, and having given him a +good meal, pressing him to eat as much as he wanted, led him forward. +On the way he told him the ship was the _Primrose_, of 600 tons, bound +out to the Mauritius, and that afterwards she was to visit other places +in the Eastern Seas. Entering the seamen's berth, he pointed to one of +the standing bed-places on the side, and told him he might turn in and +go to sleep as long as he liked. Little Peter, who had never before +seen a black man, and fancied that all such were savages, was much +surprised to hear him speak English and address him in so kind a manner. + +"Thank you," said Peter, "I do feel very sleepy, and am glad to go to +bed." + +Before Peter took off his clothes, however, he knelt down, and from the +bottom of his heart returned thanks to God for having preserved his life +and brought him on board so fine a ship. + +If Peter was surprised at the appearance of a black man, much more +astonished was the latter at seeing the boy in the attitude of prayer. +He stood a moment at the door gazing at him. + +"What! the little chap pray and not afraid of being seen!" he muttered +to himself; "that beats anything I ever heard; I can't make it out." +Yet Emery did not feel angry at what he had seen; but as he went aft to +attend to his duties, he kept muttering, "Dat is strange; he not afraid; +can't make it out." + +He was soon afterwards sound asleep, when the men, with a fellow-feeling +for what he had gone through, took care not to arouse him, and he slept +till breakfast time the next day. + +Peter found a considerable difference between the crew of the _Primrose_ +and that of the _Polly_. They were generally a hearty, merry set; but, +alas! he soon heard oaths and curses coming out of the lips of most of +them. Some, too, were morose and ill-tempered and discontented with +their lot, and all seemed utterly indifferent about their souls. + +Peter, however, was treated kindly, though of course he had to perform +the usual duties of a ship's-boy, shared by the two other lads somewhat +older than himself, apprentices on board. + +The first day he got into the berth when no one was there, and was able +to read his Bible without interruption for nearly an hour. He was +thinking that it was time to go out lest he should be wanted, when a +tall handsome lad entered the berth. + +"What! young chap!" exclaimed the latter, "are you a book-worm? I used +to be fond of reading tales and adventures; let us have a look at the +story you have got hold of." + +"It's no story, it's all true," answered Peter; "it is God's word." + +"Is that your style of reading? I have no fancy for it, though each man +to his taste, I say," observed the youth. + +"You would find it a very interesting book, though, Owen Bell," said +Peter, who had heard the youth's name. "I never get tired of it, but I +read it whenever I can; for it's only by reading it that we can know how +to obey Christ, and be prepared to live with Him in heaven." + +"Oh, but I have to live down here and knock about at sea," answered Owen +Bell, with a careless laugh. "It will be time enough when I become an +old chap, like Simon Hixon, to think about matters of that sort." + +"Who is Simon Hixon?" asked Peter. + +"The oldest man on board. You might have heard him growling away and +swearing at the cook, after dinner to-day, because the soup was not +thick enough," answered Bell. + +"Does Simon Hixon read the Bible?" asked Peter. + +"Not he. You had better just try and persuade him to do so, or to +listen to you, for I doubt if he can spell his own name," said Bell. + +"Perhaps when he was young he might have said that he would begin to +read the Bible when he was old, and you see he has not begun yet," +observed Peter. + +"No, because he is such a sulky, swearing old ruffian. If he had been a +decent sort of fellow, I dare say he would have begun, if he had +intended to do so, just like my father, who used to read the Bible to +the day of his death," remarked the lad. + +"But if Simon had begun to read the Bible when he was young, he would +not have become such as you say he now is," observed Peter. "Jesus +Christ would have changed Simon Hixon's heart, and then he could not +have become a sulky, swearing old ruffian." + +"You are too deep for me," said Bell, with a forced laugh. "I never +quarrel with anybody, and don't want to quarrel with you; but let me +advise you not to go on talking in that sort of way to the other chaps +aboard; you won't hear the end of it if you do. The cook was shouting +for you as I came along the deck; just hide away your Bible and go and +see what he wants." + +Peter put his Bible into its case. + +"You will let me read it to you sometimes, Owen?" he said, as he went +out of the berth. + +"Well, I don't mind if I have a spell of it some Sunday," said Bell, +with apparent carelessness. "It would put me in mind of old times at +home; but I should not like to be seen reading it on a week-day. I have +no fancy to be called a Methodist, as you will be if you are found out." + +Peter, going to the caboose, asked the cook what he wanted, and was told +to clean the pots and pans. He set to work with right good will. + +"You have done it handsomely, boy," observed the cook, when he had +finished. "I have not had my pans so bright for many a day." + +The _Primrose_ had a fine run down Channel. On her passage a sudden +squall struck her; the watch on deck flew aloft to shorten sail. Peter, +who was aft, lay out on the mizen top-gallant-sail yard, and taking the +weather earring, succeeded, with Owen Bell and two others, in handling +the fluttering sail. As he reached the deck the captain called to him. + +"You did that smartly, youngster; it's not the first time I have +observed you. I'll keep my eye on you. Go on as you have begun, and +you will make a famous seaman." + +"I thank you, sir," said Peter, touching his hat as he went forward. + +"I didn't expect it from a psalm-singer," observed the captain to the +first-mate with his usual good-natured laugh. + +"There is no harm in the lad for all that," was the answer. + +Peter, however, had his trials. Being placed in a watch, he had to turn +in and out with his watch-mates. The first night, as usual, he knelt +down to say his prayers. He hadn't been long on his knees, before he +was interrupted by a suppressed titter, which soon broke into a peal of +laughter from all hands, and several shoes came flying about him. He +knelt on, however, trying to keep his thoughts calm, and his heart +lifted up to God. + +"Well, that young chap does sleep soundly," cried one; "wake him up, +Bill." + +"Hilloa, Peter! are you acting parson?" cried Bill, one of the wildest +of the crew. + +Peter made no reply, and endeavoured, though it was a hard task, to +continue his prayers. Similar jeers and questions were now showered on +him from all sides. + +"Oh, my Father in heaven," he mentally ejaculated, "help me to continue +to pray and soften the hearts of my shipmates towards me and towards +themselves. May they see what a fearful state they are in when thus +obeying Satan, and strangers to Thee." + +The men and boys, who, prompted by them, had been the worst, were silent +for some minutes, and Peter had nearly finished his prayers, when a +fresh volley of all sorts of articles was hove at him. Still he +persevered. Now his tormentors burst forth afresh with ribald jests and +shouts of laughter. + +"If he stands all that he will stand anything," growled out old Simon +Hixon, who, though not taking so active a part as the rest, had +encouraged them in their conduct. + +Peter at length rose from his knees without saying a word, took off his +clothes, and turned into his berth. Although he never lay down without +commending himself to God, he did not kneel down before turning in after +the middle watch was over, and it was not till the second night he again +went to bed during the first watch. The same conduct as before was +pursued towards him, but although he received two or three severe blows +he persevered. + +"Well, for my part, I shall be ashamed to try him any more," he heard +Owen Bell exclaim as he rose from his knees. "Peter, you are a brave +little chap, and if you had followed my advice this would not have come +upon you," said Owen, addressing him. + +"You meant it kindly," answered Peter; "but as God gives me everything, +and takes care of me, I am sure it is my duty to thank Him night and +morning for all His benefits, and to ask Him to continue them to me. I +would rather not have the things hove at my head, but you know it would +not be right for me to put God aside for fear of what any of you may +choose to do." + +When on another night two or three began the same sort of work, the rest +cried out and told them to let the little psalm-singer alone; even old +Hixon held his tongue, and from that time forward Peter was allowed to +say his prayers in peace. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS. + +When little Peter read his Bible on a Sunday while other men were +mending their clothes, or sleeping, or amusing themselves with old +newspapers or story books, he was generally allowed to do so in peace, +but he wished to study it on week-days, as well, convinced that it was +intended to guide him in every affair of life. On each occasion that he +was found doing so, however, he was sure to be interrupted. The other +boys would play him all sorts of tricks, and the men would send him to +perform some work or other, and if they could think of nothing else, +would despatch him with a pretended message to the man at the helm. +Simon Hixon was his greatest foe, and frequently as Peter passed gave +him a blow with a rope's-end. + +One day as Peter was quietly reading his Bible in the berth, Hixon swore +that if he found him again at it, he would throw the book overboard. + +"It would be a great shame to do that," answered Peter, "and I hope you +won't try. God would, I am sure, not allow you to go unpunished." + +"You see, youngster, if I am not as good as my word," growled Hixon. + +Peter prayed that the old seaman's hard heart might be softened, and +that he might be prevented committing such a crime. + +"I don't think if you read the book you would wish to destroy it," said +Peter. "It is full of such beautiful things, that you would like to +read them over and over again if you were once to begin." + +"I can't read, so there's little chance of that," said Hixon. + +"But will you let me read them to you?" asked Peter. "I shall be very +glad to do that." + +"What! when I have told you that I would heave the book overboard if I +found you reading it?" said the old man. + +"That makes no difference," said Peter, "only just listen to one or +two." + +"Not I. I don't want to hear your yarns," said Hixon, turning away. + +Peter went on reading, and the old man did not further interfere with +him. + +The ship sailed on. When she was crossing the line the usual ceremonies +were performed. Peter heard what was to take place, and, fearing that +his Bible would get wet, hid it away carefully. He felt very anxious, +however, lest any one should suspect what he had done, and look for it. +He and the other young seamen who had not before crossed the line, were +ducked, and had all sorts of tricks played on them by Neptune and his +attendants. Peter took everything in good part, though he was nearly +drowning in a sail triced up on deck and filled with water, when Owen +Bell jumped in and pulled him out. He made his escape as soon as the +amusements were over, and hurried to the berth to look for his book. To +his great joy he found it safe, and immediately hung it again round his +neck. + +Some more weeks passed away. Hitherto Owen Bell, even on a Sunday, had +always made some excuse for not reading with Peter. At length one hot +Sunday, when the ship was becalmed in the tropics, and even Owen felt no +inclination for sky-larking, Peter got him to sit down while most of the +crew were asleep, or occupied in some of the few shady spots they could +find. Peter, opening the book, read the account of the visit of +Nicodemus to the Lord. + +"He was a learned and important man, and yet you see he wanted to be +taught, and the Lord did teach him. He showed him he was a sinner by +nature, as all of us are, and that he must become a new creature." + +"I cannot understand how he could become that of his own accord," said +Bell. "It's hard to tell a man to do what he cannot." + +"The Lord never did that," said Peter, "when He told him that he `must +be born again.' He showed him clearly how it must be brought about. +You remember what He said about the Israelites when bitten by serpents +in the wilderness, and how they were cured immediately they looked on +the brazen serpent, taking Moses at his word when he told them to do so. +So if we only take God at His word, and look to Jesus on the cross +suffering for and bearing our sins, we shall be forgiven, and through +the power of the Holy Spirit be born again. What I am sure God wants us +to do is to take Him at His word, to believe that He will do whatever He +says; and Jesus Himself tells us that he that believeth on the Son hath +everlasting life." + +"What an old-fashioned little chap you are," said Owen, laughing. "You +talk like a book." + +"It seems all very clear to me, and I wish that it did to you, Bell." + +"Well, the truth is, that I have been such a bad fellow, and have so +many sins to answer for, that I don't fancy when God comes to count them +up He can pardon me. Even when I seemed most careless and full of +jokes, I have often had my heart pressed down with the recollection of +all the bad things I have done." + +"But Jesus tells us in another place that `He came not to call the +righteous, but sinners to repentance,' and when He says, `God so loved +the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth +in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,' He means by +`whosoever,' everybody, good people and bad people." + +"But do you think if I was to try and please God and serve Him He would +pardon me?" asked Bell. + +"He doesn't say that," said Peter. "He promises to forgive only those +who trust in Jesus Christ, because Jesus was punished instead of them, +and if one person was punished instead of another He will not punish +that other; it would be unjust to do that. Oh, Bell, why don't you take +God at His word, and believe on Jesus, and then you would be able to +obey Him and serve Him, because He will send you the Holy Spirit to help +you as He has promised?" + +Much more to the same effect the young boy urged on his friend, while he +read numerous portions of Scripture to him to prove his words. + +The boys were now called off to their duty on board, and the +conversation was interrupted. Owen seemed very quiet and serious; but +he had no opportunity of speaking to Peter for some days. At last, when +they were alone together again he said to him: + +"I am sure you are right, Peter; I never before understood that Jesus +died instead of me on account of my sins, and therefore if I believe on +Him I shall be helped to overcome my sins, and shall not be punished for +them, but shall go to heaven, and live with Him in happiness; I see it, +and believe it now. The Bible is no new book to me, Peter, I have heard +it read often and often at home, and have read it myself too, though I +could not understand its meaning." + +After this, Owen Bell took every opportunity of reading with Peter, and +as he was as strong as a man, and respected by the crew, no one +interrupted them. + +One evening they had been reading together, when Owen turned suddenly to +Peter, and said: + +"Do you think if I was to die to-night I should go to be with Jesus?" + +"I know you would, for I am sure you believe on Him." + +"That I do, with all my heart and soul," exclaimed Owen Bell. "And I +wish that I could serve Him and make known His love to others. I feel +it myself, and I have been trying to speak to Emery about it, and though +he is little better than a heathen, he said he should like to know more +about one so good and kind as Jesus must be who died to save others; and +Bill, the cook, was ready to listen. I think, Peter, if you offered to +read to them they would let you, and tell them all about the love of +Jesus, as you told me, and I cannot but fancy that they would trust to +Him as I have done. It will be a hard matter to get at the captain and +mates; but I should not despair of them if they were to hear of the +glorious things which the Gospel contains." + +Peter often afterwards recollected this conversation with Owen Bell. + +That night he was aroused from his sleep by the cry of "All hands +shorten sail!" + +The men rushed on deck half-clothed, for they knew the summons admitted +of no delay. In an instant they were flying aloft. A heavy squall had +struck the ship, and she was heeling over, her masts bending like willow +wands and threatening to go every instant. The sheets were let fly, but +before the sails could be furled there came a crash, and the +fore-topmast with its yard, to which several of the crew were clinging, +was carried away. Their cries were heard as they struggled in the +foaming waters under the lee, but no help could be rendered them. Away +the ship flew. Every effort was made to clear the wreck and to furl the +sails. Some time passed before it could be done. The gale continued to +increase. + +The captain stood back over the spot in the hopes of picking up some who +might have clung to the spars. The names were called over. Among those +who did not answer was Owen Bell. + +"Poor fellow," said several. + +"A fine young lad," said the captain, "I hope we may pick him up." + +Peter hoped so too; but he did not mourn for his friend as his shipmates +did, for he was sure that if Owen Bell was drowned he had gone to be +with the Master, who, though lately found, he had been brought truly to +love. + +The search was vain, the ship wore round and continued her course. +Peter missed Owen Bell greatly. The rest of the men treated him, for +his friend's sake, perhaps, with less unkindness than before, and a more +subdued tone was perceptible among them; even the captain and mates +seemed to feel for the loss of the men, and fewer oaths were heard than +usual. + +Peter found an opportunity of speaking to Emery, the negro. "That just +what Owen Bell say," answered the steward; "If Jesus die for me, and +love me, I ought to love Him." + +"Yes," observed Peter, "but not only that; you must believe that He died +to take away your sins, and that your sins are taken away; that God +looks upon you as free from sin, and will receive you into heaven when +you die." + +"How can that be?" asked the black. + +"Because God says it," answered Peter; "what He says must be true." + +"In that book you read?" asked the black. + +"Yes, that book contains God's messages and promises to man. It is +through this alone, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, that we know +anything about God. Without that we should be worshipping blocks of +stone, just as Owen Bell was telling me the other day your countrymen +do." + +"Yes, and many other people in the world, and in the countries we are +going to," observed Emery. "But I can't stop to listen longer; another +day you tell me more of this." + +Peter gladly promised that he would do so. + +To his surprise one evening, after he had cleaned up the pots and pans, +the cook asked him to come and sit in the caboose, and begged him to +read a chapter or two in the Bible. Peter did so, and explained it to +the best of his power, and frequently after that he spent an hour in the +evening in the same way. + +The ship had now rounded the Cape of Good Hope. The wind was fair, the +weather continued fine. Peter had determined to try again to get Hixon +to let him read to him. It seemed so sad that an old man should +continue to refuse listening to God's message of love. One Sunday he +found him sitting by himself, as he usually did, stitching away on the +sleeve of a jacket. Peter sat down near him and began to read to +himself. Hixon eyed him, but not with that angry look which he +generally cast when Peter was reading. + +"Would you like to hear some of it while you are at your work?" asked +Peter at length. + +"Well, boy, as you are a good sort of chap after all, and axes me so +often, I don't mind hearing one of your yarns out of your book; though I +don't see how it can do me much good," he replied, after a little time. + +This was all Peter wanted. He read the parable of the "Pharisee and +Publican." + +"Which of them do you like the best?" asked Peter. + +"Can't say I care for that proud chap who thought himself better than +anybody else. I like t'other more, a good deal." + +"Because he says, `Lord, be merciful to me a sinner'?" asked Peter. + +"Ay," said Hixon, bending down his head. He had for some time ceased to +ply his needle. + +"Then do you know how God says He alone will be merciful?" Peter asked. + +"No, 'cept to them as be sorry for what they have done bad, and try to +do better." + +"Oh, no, no! God does not say that; Satan is always trying to make +people believe it, because he well knows that if people try to make +themselves better, trusting only in their own strength, they will fail. +God says that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in +Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. By faith ye are +saved." And Peter, in his own simple way, went on to explain that Jesus +Christ, by dying on the cross for our sins, has become our Saviour, and +that if men will lovingly trust to Him, God will not punish them, but, +on the contrary, will look on them as possessed of the righteousness of +Christ. + +"That's wonderful," exclaimed old Hixon, after Peter had explained the +truth in several ways to make him understand it. "I can hardly believe +it; and yet I suppose if one chap deserved a thrashing from me, and a +bigger one said, `Thrash me instead,' and I did thrash him, and well +too, I could not thrash the little one also." + +Hixon continued silent for awhile and said nothing. He was evidently in +deep thought, as though perplexed with something he was trying to make +out, but could not understand. + +"But I suppose a chap must not go and do what he likes after that?" said +old Hixon at length, eagerly fixing his eyes on Peter. + +"No. If he really loves Jesus, which he must do when he knows that +Jesus suffered so much for his sake, and saved him from hell, he will +try and be like Him and serve Him, and turn away from and hate his +sins," was Peter's answer. + +"For my part, I don't feel as how I could ever be good, and give up +swearing, and getting in a rage, or drunk, too, if the liquor came in my +way. I could only cry out--loud enough, too, like the man you were +reading about--`Lord, be merciful to me a sinner!' and I don't think God +would hear such a wicked chap as I have been," muttered the old man. + +"The Bible says that Jesus Christ came into the world to save the worst +of people as well as the best; `I came not to call the righteous, but +sinners to repentance.' These are the words of Jesus Himself. God +promises to hear all who come to Him. He says, `Knock, and it shall be +opened unto you; seek, and ye shall find.'" + +"I will try and ask Him for what He knows I want," said the old man. +"And, Peter, just do you pray for me, and if you see me growing sulky, +come and speak to me those words you spoke just now, `Jesus loves you.' +I don't think I could stand hearing that and go on fighting against Him +as I have been so long doing--though it's wonderful! very wonderful!" + +Peter did not fail to do as Hixon asked him. He seldom had occasion to +repeat the blessed announcement. The old man got into the habit of +saying to himself whenever he found his anger rising, "Jesus loves me, +Jesus loves me," and his ill-feelings were subdued. + +How blessed would be the result if all who read this, and many more, +too, were to act like that rough old sailor. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +SAVED FROM THE WRECK. + +With the exception of the gale spoken of in the last chapter, the +_Primrose_ had enjoyed fine weather for the greater part of the passage. +But dark, heavy clouds now rolled across the sky; the wind blew +fiercely, and the seas rose up in mountainous billows, such as Peter had +never before beheld. The wind, however, was fair, and with her +after-sails furled, and closely-reefed topsails only set, the ship flew +on before it. As Peter stood on deck he watched sea after sea rolling +up astern and threatening to break on board, but with a loud roar, just +as they reached her, their foaming summits came hissing down, and she +glided up the side of a huge billow ahead. For an instant she seemed to +hang on the top of the watery ridge, and then slid down into another +valley, up the opposite side of which she climbed as before. + +She had thus run for some distance when the wind dropped, and she lay +rolling in the trough of the still heavy sea. The sky overhead was dark +and lowering, a drizzling rain fell, and the air was oppressive. The +captain and officers looked anxious. They had cause to be so, for +suddenly the wind again rose, now blowing from one quarter, now from +another, and all hands were kept on deck ready to brace round the yards +as might be required. For several days no observation had been taken, +and old Hixon told Peter that he feared the ship had been driven +considerably out of her course. + +"Will the captain soon be able to get an observation to steer the right +way?" asked Peter. + +"If the sky clears he may, but I have known it to remain like this for +days and weeks together, and though Captain Hauslar is as good a seamen +as I should wish to sail with, he may be out in his reckoning, and there +are some ugly rocks and shoals to the eastward, which on a dark night it +is a hard matter to see till one is right upon them," answered old +Hixon. + +After the ship had been knocking about for some days, the wind again +came fair, though somewhat strong, and the captain, anxious to make up +for the long delay, and hoping to escape all dangers, with the ship +under moderate canvas steered to the eastward, ordering a bright +look-out to be kept. The middle watch had been called, and the fresh +look-outs, rubbing their eyes, had just gone to their posts. It was +Hixon's turn at the wheel. Peter, who was in the same watch, followed +him aft, for the old man had undertaken to give him lessons in steering. +As he stood by his side he frequently quoted passages of Scripture from +his Bible, and sometimes, by the light of the binnacle lamp, he referred +to the book, and read long portions. + +Hixon having just received the course from the man he relieved had taken +hold of the spokes, when there came a sharp cry from the look-out +forward, of "Breakers ahead!" followed quickly by "Land! land!" + +"Down with the helm!" shouted the officer of the watch. "All hands on +deck; brace up the yards!" + +Almost before the ship's course could be altered, a fearful blow was +felt, which made the masts quiver and the ship tremble from stem to +stern--another and another followed. The sea dashed up wildly over her, +throwing her on her beam ends; then came a fearful crash, and the tall +masts fell over her side towards the dark rocks which rose close to her. +The captain and all below had rushed on deck. Awakened suddenly out of +their sleep they stood aghast, expecting instant death. Some seemed to +have lost their senses and cried wildly for help. The captain took his +post by the companion-hatch, gazing around and considering what orders +to issue. + +Hixon, when he found that all hope of the ship moving off the rock was +gone, quitted the helm, and seizing Peter dragged him to the weather +bulwarks. The next instant loud shrieks were heard. A tremendous sea +washing across the deck had carried several of the crew overboard, +sweeping some away as it receded, and dashing others against the rocks. +The stern, which had been driven furthest in, afforded the most secure +place. The captain shouted to the crew to come aft; some heard him, but +the roaring of the breakers drowned his voice. Sea after sea struck the +devoted ship, and the crashing sound which followed each blow showed +that she was breaking up. Still the darkness was so great, and so +fiercely did the waters rage between the ship and the shore, that +destruction appeared to await any who might attempt to reach it. +Already the stern of the ship was quivering under the blows of the +fierce seas. + +"Hold on where you are, Peter," said Hixon; "I will try if there's any +way of getting on shore." + +"But you may be washed off," said Peter. + +"My life is worth little," said the old man, "I am not afraid to die +now, and I may, if I succeed, help to save others." + +Fastening a rope round his waist which he secured to a ring-bolt in the +deck, he struggled to the side of the ship nearest the shore. Peter +could no longer distinguish him. + +The captain was standing still, undecided what to do, with the +third-mate and five or six seamen who had succeeded in getting aft, when +old Hixon was seen making his way along the deck from amid the mass of +wreck which cumbered it. + +"The foot of the mainmast still hangs to the ship and the head rests on +a rock," he said; "what is beyond I cannot tell, it may be water or it +may be land, but the sea does not break over it; it is our only chance +if we can manage to reach it." + +"Well, lads, we had better follow old Hixon's advice," said the captain. +"Those who wish it can go." + +The mate and the other men hung back. + +"Come, Peter," said Hixon, "you and I will set the example then. To my +mind the ship won't hold together many minutes longer; and if we +succeed, as I think we shall, they will follow if there's time. I'll go +sir," he cried to the captain, and grasping Peter, he led him along, +holding on to the rope. They reached the mast, when Peter, keeping +close to his companion, scrambled up it. Alone he felt that he might +have been unable to succeed, but supported by his old friend he made his +way along the mast, which all the time was swayed up and down by the +movement of the ship. He feared lest it should be hurled from its +position, and the rest might be unable to escape by it. + +They gained a rugged rock of some extent, but the water washed round +them and the spray occasionally flew over their heads. They were still +at a distance from the mainland, but for the moment safer than on board +the ship. They shouted as loud as they could to induce the rest to +follow them. Every instant they feared that the mast would give way. +Again and again they shouted. At last they caught sight of some one +moving along the mast. He reached them, and it proved to be Emery, the +black steward. + +"Are the rest coming?" asked Peter eagerly. + +"Hope so; captain tell us to come first," was the answer; and soon +afterwards Bill the cook made his way to the rock. They all shouted +together to give notice of their safe passage. At length several seamen +were seen creeping along the mast, one after the other, as fast as they +could move. + +"The ship is breaking up fast!" said one of them; "and if the skipper +don't make haste he will be lost." + +"Oh, I wish you had all come at once!" cried Peter. "I'll go back and +hasten him." + +"No, no, boy; you will lose your life if you do!" said Hixon. "It's his +own fault if he delays." + +"That is no reason why we should not try to get him to come," said +Peter. + +"You are right, boy," cried Hixon, "but if any one goes, I'll go." + +Hixon was just getting on the mast, when he exclaimed that the skipper +and mate were coming along it. At that moment the end of the mast began +to rise. Hixon threw himself off it. + +"Stand clear of the rigging," cried several voices. The mast moved more +rapidly, the end lifting up in the air, then with a crash came down on +the rock, against which it was at once violently dashed by a sea which +broke over the wreck. One of the poor fellows who had escaped was +dragged off into the seething waters. + +"The captain is gone," cried several voices. + +"I see a man close at hand," said Peter. "Will any one pass a rope +round my waist? I am sure I could clutch him." + +There were several ropes scattered about the rock. Old Hixon did not +hear Peter, but two or three of the other men did. One of them fastened +a rope as he requested. While they held on, Peter sprung off from the +rock into the water close to where the person he saw was floating. He +clutched him tightly. The next sea which came roaring up would have +clashed him against the rock, and his burden must have been torn from +him had not his companions, roused by the example set by the young boy, +whom they had been in the habit of laughing at, rushed forward and +dragged them both up together. + +"It is the captain," cried one. "But I am afraid he is gone," exclaimed +another. + +"No! I trust he is still alive," said Peter, sitting down by the +captain's side, and taking his head on his lap. "He is breathing; he +will come to, I hope." + +Peter rubbed the captain's chest while the steward and Bill moved his +arms gently up and down. He uttered a groan; it showed that he was in +pain, and had been injured against the rocks, but it was an encouraging +sign. They persevered, and at length the captain spoke in a low voice, +asking where he was. + +"You are safe on a rock," answered Emery. "We shall know better when +sun rise." + +Just then a voice was heard at no great distance, shouting. + +Hixon hailed in return, "Where are you?" + +"On an island of some sort," was the answer. "Many more saved?" + +Hixon replied that the captain and ten men had escaped. + +Although the channel between the rock and the land might be deep, with +the help of a man on the latter, if a rope could be passed to him, they +might all cross in safety. + +They waited anxiously till daylight. The wind had gone down by that +time, and the sea was much calmer. A rocky island of some height rose +before them, but as the sea rushed in and out in the intervening space, +even a good swimmer might have hesitated to cross. + +The larger portion of their gallant ship had disappeared, but the +afterpart still remained entire. + +Several lengths of rope were cut from the rigging of the mainmast, which +had been thrown back on the rock. They were eager to get across, for +they had no food and no water on the rock. Several attempts were made +to heave a rope to the man on the island, but in vain, the distance was +too great. At length a short piece of a spar was fastened to the end of +the signal halyards. How eagerly it was watched, as it floated now in +one direction, now in another; gradually it drew out the line; it was +hoped that it might be drifted by some surge towards the man, who was +eagerly on the watch to catch it. + +"We must not despair," said Peter to Hixon, who had come to see how the +captain was getting on. "If we pray that God will send the spar to +shore He is certain to hear us, and He will do it if He thinks fit." + +"What you say is true, I know," observed the old man; and together they +knelt and prayed that a way to serve them might be found. + +The captain, who had returned to consciousness, looked at them with +astonishment, but said nothing. In a short time a shout came from the +men who held the line on the inner side of the rock that the spar had +reached the shore, and that Tom had hold of it. A stronger rope was +soon hauled across, and then one which could bear the weight of two or +three people at a time, if necessary. That was secured between the rock +and the mainland. First one man made his way along it, then another and +another, and all were going, with the exception of Emery and Bill, who, +with Peter and old Hixon, stayed by the captain. The latter, seeing +this, cried out, "Shame, lads; would you desert the captain when he is +unable to help himself?" The men, however, did not heed him: they were +eager to get hold of a cask of provisions which, with another of water, +Tom told them had been thrown up on the island. The news made even +Emery and Bill inclined to go. + +"Go, if you wish it," said the captain; "only come back and bring me +some water, for I am fearfully thirsty." + +This made the men no longer hesitate. Peter sat still. + +"Are you not going?" asked the captain. + +"I could not leave you, sir, while you are suffering," said Peter. + +"But you want food and water as much as they do," said the captain. + +"They will bring it to me, sir," answered Peter. + +Notwithstanding what the captain said, neither Peter nor old Hixon would +leave him. The latter was busily hauling pieces of planking and rope. +Having collected enough for his purpose, he set to work to manufacture a +cradle sufficiently large to contain the captain. Having arranged his +plan he shouted to the other men to come and assist him. Two only, +however, responded, Bill and the black; the remainder were wandering +along the shore, looking out for whatever might be washed up. The black +set the example. Bill followed him back to the rock, but they brought +only a small piece of salted tongue and some biscuits, almost soaked +through, but no water. The captain could only taste a very little, but +there was enough to satisfy Hixon's and Peter's appetites. In vain the +poor captain cried out for water--nothing had been found to carry it in. + +"The more reason we should make haste with the cradle," observed Hixon. + +It was at length placed on the rope, with a line attached, which Bill +carried across. Peter volunteered to go in it, and safely passed over. +It was then hauled back, and the captain was drawn across. Hixon and +the black followed. By this time the rest of the men had disappeared. +The captain was soon sufficiently revived by the water which had been +obtained to look about him. He told his companions that he believed +they were on one of the many wild rocky islets which exist in that part +of the ocean, and that they must carefully husband the water, as +possibly no spring might be found. + +As the captain wished to ascertain whether his surmises were correct, +Peter volunteered to climb to the summit of the height above them. It +was fatiguing and very dangerous work, but he succeeded at length. On +looking around him, he found that they were nearly at one end of a rocky +island, which extended for three or four miles to the eastward. Not a +tree, or scarcely a shrub, was to be seen. In every direction all was +desolation and barrenness. He returned, not without difficulty. + +"I thought I was right," said the captain. "You must do your best, my +men, to collect all you can from the wreck; we shall need it; and, Gray, +I have a word to say to you. You saved my life, I am told; if we ever +get away from this, I will prove your friend." + +"I only did my duty, sir," said Peter. "I thought I could save you, and +God helped me." + +"You seem to have great trust in God." + +"Yes, sir," said Peter. "He is a very present help in time of trouble, +and we all have reason to trust Him." + +"I have never done so before," whispered the captain; "but I will try in +future." + +In the meantime the other three men were collecting fragments of sails +and spars, pieces of rope, and several things which formed part of the +cargo, a bale of cloth and another of clothing--the latter was +especially acceptable to all the party, who, with the exception of Hixon +and Peter, had little on when they left the ship; but of still greater +value was a cask of biscuits, another of herrings, and a few pieces of +pork. What the rest of the crew might have discovered they could not +tell. + +As the captain could not move, a hut was built of the pieces of sail and +spars, and a bed having been made up beneath it with some dry grass and +a piece of canvas for the captain to lie on, he and his companions +prepared to pass the first night of their sojourn on the desolate rock. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +LIFE ON THE ROCK. + +When morning broke the gale had entirely ceased, but no part of the ship +hung together, and all hope of obtaining any provisions from her, except +such as might be washed up on the shore, was lost. The captain's +condition also caused his companions much anxiety; he was suffering +greatly, and appeared to be weaker than on the previous day. They had +breakfasted on a small portion of biscuit and tongue, but their scanty +supply of water was almost exhausted at their first meal. Peter gave +the captain the larger part of his share, and having drunk a little +himself, entreated that the remainder might be reserved for him, as he +complained greatly of thirst. + +None of the rest of the crew had returned. Peter offered to stay by the +captain if the three other men would go in search of them, and ascertain +whether any water was to be found. + +"If we are to live we must do so," said Hixon; "come along, mates; I +know Peter will look after the captain," and they set off. + +After Peter had moistened the captain's lips, and made his bed as +comfortable as he could, he said, "Shall I read to you, sir?" + +"What have you got to read? How can you have any books here?" asked the +captain. + +Peter drew his Bible out of the canvas slung round his neck, and showed +it to the captain. The cover, of course, was drenched with sea-water, +but the inside was quite dry. + +"Yes, you may," was the answer; "when a man is sick as I am it is a good +book to listen to, and I am fit for nothing else." + +Peter made no reply, but began to read. He came to the account of +Lazarus and the rich man. + +"What does Abraham's bosom mean?" asked the captain. + +"Heaven, sir," answered Peter; "it must be a glorious place, for Christ +has gone before to prepare it for those who love Him." + +"I hope when I die I shall go there," murmured the captain, more to +himself than Peter; "I have not been a bad man, or done much harm to any +one, and have tried to do my duty, and have never got drunk at sea; and +I hope I have done some good in my time, so I should think God would let +me into heaven." + +Peter prayed that he might give a right answer. "God says, sir, in His +book, that `there is none that doeth good, no, not one,' and that `He +gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not +perish, but have everlasting life.' The rich man we have been reading +about does not seem to have done much harm, and very likely he thought +himself pretty good, and yet he went to hell." + +"Then how is a man ever to get to heaven?" asked the captain, somewhat +petulantly. + +"God says, `Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' +He wants us to take Him at His word. He tells us that our own good +deeds are as filthy rags, and that we must trust to the sacrifice of +Christ, to His blood shed for us; and thus we shall be clothed with His +righteousness, with His pure and spotless robe; and so God will not look +upon our iniquities, because He has accepted Christ's punishment instead +of what we deserved, and we shall therefore not be punished." + +Thus Peter continued to place the loving Gospel before his captain. The +latter listened, often asking some more questions. At last he put his +hands before his eyes, and murmured, "It's wonderful that a mere boy +should know all this, and be able to explain it so clearly. It's true; +yes, I am sure of that." + +"Let us pray, sir, that God's Holy Spirit will bring it home to your +heart," said Peter, as if the remark had been made to him. "God has +said we shall not ask in vain." + +The captain's eye brightened; a new hope, new thoughts and feelings, +rose in his bosom. + +Peter again turned to his book. He read many portions, the captain +appearing in no way wearied. + +He was so employed when a shout reached their ears, and Peter, going out +of the tent, saw old Hixon making his way down the rocks. He brought +his sou'-wester full of water. + +"Praised be God, we have found a spring two miles off. There was +nothing else to bring it in but this," he said, offering the water to +the captain and Peter. "The rest of the men collected near it, but when +I told them that they ought to come and help to carry you up the hill, +captain, they said they were free now, and didn't acknowledge any man's +authority." + +"I should have thought, Hixon, from what I know of you, that you would +have been among them," observed the captain. + +"So I should, sir, a few weeks ago, but Peter there, out of his Bible, +showed me what a sinner I was, and how I must love Jesus Christ and obey +Him, and I know He would not have left any man to perish, and so, sir, +as long as you live--and I hope we shall escape from this rock--I will +not leave you." + +"Thank you, Hixon," said the captain; "I am sure you speak the truth. +But what has become of Emery and Bill?" + +"They said they would stop and have some food, and then come back and +try and get you up to the spring, which is a warmer and pleasanter place +than this." + +In a short time the other men appeared, but the captain felt so much +pain when they attempted to move him, that he begged them to let him +remain where he was. + +"I am afraid, sir, they will soon have eaten up all their provisions, +and then they will be coming down to get what we have collected," +observed Bill. "Perhaps, if you are among them, you might persuade them +to put themselves on an allowance." + +The captain sent a message by Hixon, but the men only laughed at him, +and replied that a ship was sure soon to appear, and take them off, +though they took no pains to make their situation known. The captain, +however, told Hixon and the rest to form a flag-staff out of the spars +which had been cast ashore, and to erect it on the highest point with a +piece of the cloth which they had found, as a flag. They did so. + +Day after day passed by, and though one or the other was constantly on +the look-out, no distant sail met their anxious gaze. + +Peter was thankful that the captain appeared to be slowly recovering his +strength, though still unable to move. By husbanding their provisions, +the little party on the shore hoped to support existence for some weeks +to come. + +When Hixon arrived one day with their usual supply of water, he brought +word that the rest of the crew had deserted the spring and were nowhere +to be seen. He thought probably that they had gone down to the shore to +try and catch fish, or collect mussels, or anything that might have been +thrown up. He and his companions were searching about for the same +object, that they might eke out the diminishing store of their more +nutritive food, and give the captain a larger supply. Peter, when not +thus employed, read to the captain, as also to the other men, and Bill +and the black were well pleased to listen, as were the captain and +Hixon. Indeed, the light of God's blessed truth shone on the small +shipwrecked party, and shed on them its warmth and healing influence. +It never occurred to young Peter to pride himself that the light shone +from the lamp he carried within him. + +The weather had again changed, and instead of a balmy breeze and +sunshine, a fierce gale was blowing, and heavy showers came down upon +their heads. + +They were sitting beneath the shelter of their tent, while Peter was +reading to them, when voices were heard, and several of the crew +appeared. They looked wretched, and nearly starved. + +"Hilloa!" cried one of them, seeing the cask of provisions near the +entrance of the hut. "What, have you still got food? We thought that +you must be as badly off as we are." + +The rest came up, and though the captain, with his friends, +expostulated, and promised to give the men a small portion, they took +possession of more than half of the remaining provisions. With the +supply of food they had thus obtained, they returned to their former +camp near the spring. The captain was deeply grieved. + +"It would have killed me with rage a short time ago, but I feel more +sorry for them now; and I am afraid the food will only prolong their +lives a day or two, while the want of it may shorten ours." + +As was to be expected, in a couple of days they returned for more. Bill +proposed fighting as he saw them coming, rather than give it up. + +"It would only make matters worse," observed the captain, "as they would +be sure to overpower us. We must trust that God will find some way for +our escape." + +The captain told Bill to give to each of them the same rations which +they allowed for themselves, though it was not more than just sufficient +to support life. Each day they came for their allowance, but still did +not offer to assist in removing the captain. Hixon and the rest were +very indignant. + +The captain, however, quieted them, and insisted upon the provisions +being equally shared amongst all the survivors from the shipwrecked +crew. + +At length, although their allowance had been still further reduced, no +biscuits nor meat remained. A few herrings and some cabbages which had +been washed up, and were wellnigh rotten, were the only articles of food +they still had. Bill, however, came back with some birds' eggs and he +thought that soon more might be obtained should the weather clear, and +the birds visit the island in greater numbers. + +Peter had, with the rest, taken his turn in watching by the flag-staff. +He was casting his eyes around when they fell on the sails of a vessel +just rising above the horizon. He watched her eagerly--she was drawing +near. He ran down the hill to give the joyful intelligence to his +friends. They quickly returned with him, the captain telling them to +leave him alone, as he felt quite well enough to remain by himself. +Each man carried a bundle of drift-wood, some dry grass, or branches +from the numerous low bushes they found in sheltered spots, to assist in +lighting a beacon, should the vessel not draw near till nightfall. A +tinder-box had enabled the other party to obtain a light. Bill went for +it. When he told them of the ship being seen, they would not believe +him. + +"Get up and have a look at her," he answered. + +One of them did so. On being convinced, some showed their satisfaction +by leaping about and shouting, others growled out that she would not +come near the land, but none thought of praying that she might be +directed towards them, or showed any gratitude at the prospect of +deliverance. + +On came the ship, but as she neared the island the shades of evening +concealed her from sight. The beacon was immediately lighted, but they +had to remain all night in the uncertainty whether it had been seen. + +How anxiously they waited for the return of morning, and how eagerly +they cast their straining eyes in the direction she had last appeared as +daylight broke on the world of waters. As the light increased, she was +seen standing for the island. A shout rose from their throats, but they +themselves were startled by the hollowness of the sound. + +The wind had been increasing. As she drew near, it raged furiously, and +a heavy surf beat everywhere on the shore. With sinking hearts, they +saw the ship haul her wind, and again stand off the dangerous rock. + +"We are deserted," cried several voices, and loud complaints were made +of the stranger's indifference to their sufferings. They watched till +she was lost to sight, and most of them declared she would not return. + +"If he is a Christian man I am sure he will," said Peter, who had been +sent up by the captain to ascertain how things stood. He returned with +his report. + +"Don't be down-hearted, sir; God, you know, will take care of us. And +even if that ship sails away, He can send another," said Peter. + +The flag was kept flying all day, and the beacon fire lighted again at +night. + +A few herrings and some almost rotten cabbages now alone remained; +starvation threatened to overtake the shipwrecked mariners. Most of the +crew gave way to despair. One or two had become almost delirious from +hunger and talked of rushing into the sea and drowning themselves. + +"If you do, mates, you will go into the presence of God Almighty with +another great sin unrepented of on your heads, besides those you have +already committed," said old Hixon. "Let us pray to God to help and +deliver us; we have no other hope." + +His words had great effect among his late shipmates; for some time they +were far more orderly and quiet than they had been hitherto. + +Another day passed and the gale continued blowing furiously, and the +stranger did not re-appear. Again they were on the look-out. At +daybreak she was not to be seen; the wind, however, had abated. As the +day drew on, Peter, who was on the look-out, caught sight of a small +speck in the south-east; it grew larger and larger. + +"The ship; the ship!" he shouted out. The cry was taken up by those +scattered about on the rock, and passed on from one to the other. They +hurried away along the island in the direction she was seen. Peter +waited till he was sure there could be no mistake, and then hastened +down to the captain, feeling that the good news would cheer him up. +Bill and the black steward were on the opposite shore collecting +mussels. Hixon stood gazing at the stranger for some minutes, and then +said to himself, "I had better go too, or maybe they will not tell of +the captain and the rest." + +As he neared the further end of the rock he found the ship hove-to and a +boat approaching the shore. On reaching the little bay into which the +boat had put, he found that the starving people had tumbled into her, +and that she had already shoved off. He shouted loudly. The boat put +back. The captain of the ship, who had himself come in the boat with +provisions and water, having heard his account, expressed his +indignation at the men who would have allowed their shipmates to be left +behind. They replied that they were afraid it would come on to blow +again, and that the ship might be driven off and they left behind. + +"I would not desert them if I had to remain a week or a month more," +answered the captain, ordering two of his crew to accompany him, and to +bring a boat-sail with two spars. + +"It's some miles from here, sir," observed Hixon. + +"Never mind; if it were ten miles we will bring your sick captain with +us," was the reply. + +The men told Hixon that their ship was the _Myrtle_, bound out to New +South Wales, and their captain's name was Barrow. + +It was nearly dark when Captain Barrow reached the hut, and was +thankfully welcomed by poor Captain Hauslar. + +"I am afraid that for my sake you will expose your ship to risk," +observed the latter during their conversation. + +"Do not trouble yourself about that, my friend; my first-mate is an +excellent seamen, and my crew obedient and trustworthy. It's too dark +to go aboard to-night; we will start to-morrow, if, as I trust, you can +bear the journey after a night's rest and some food." + +The fire was quickly lighted, and a meal prepared such as the +shipwrecked party had not partaken of for many a day. + +"I will join you and your people in offering thanksgiving to God for His +many mercies," said Captain Barrow. "You, I trust, acknowledge Him in +all your ways?" + +"I did not till lately," was the answer. And then Captain Hauslar told +him that he was indebted to young Peter for being brought to the truth. + +"I should like to have that boy with me, then," observed Captain Barrow. +"One youngster like that can exert a wonderful influence for good among +a crew. I frequently get rough characters, and it takes long before +they can be brought into order. Every assistance is of value." + +The journey to the boat was performed the next morning, Captain Barrow +assisting in carrying his brother commander. Although the wind blew +heavily, the ship was reached in safety, and she was once more put on +her course. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +PETER RISES IN THE WORLD. + +Captain Hauslar expressed his astonishment at the good order which +prevailed on board the _Myrtle_. + +"I have several old hands who have sailed with me for years," observed +her captain; "but many of the rest were rough enough when they joined. +However, by firmness and gentleness, and treating them as fellow-beings +with immortal souls, they now cheerfully do their duty, and many have +been brought to know Christ and serve Him." + +Every morning and evening, when the weather permitted it, prayers were +read; the men were allowed certain hours in the week for mending their +clothes, and no work was permitted on Sundays except what was absolutely +necessary; Captain Barrow, however, took care it should not be spent in +idleness. Those who could not read were taught, and books were provided +for those who could make use of them. + +"Every ship that sails on the ocean might be like mine," observed +Captain Barrow. + +"Yes," was Captain Hauslar's answer, "if every master was a Christian. +Missionaries may benefit the men partially, but until the masters and +officers set them a good example I fear that they will remain much as +they are." + +Captain Barrow spoke frequently to Peter and old Hixon, and when the +ship reached Sydney he invited them to remain on board and return with +him. Both Bill and Emery also gladly entered among her crew, while +Captain Hauslar took a passage back in her to England. + +After this Peter made several voyages in the _Myrtle_; Captain Barrow +gave him instruction in navigation, for which he showed so much +aptitude, that after one or two voyages he was appointed third-mate, and +on the next he was raised a step higher. + +He had not got over his idea that his father was still alive, but where +to seek for him was the question. He earnestly prayed that he might be +led to find his father if he were yet alive, and he told Captain Barrow +what he was so anxious about. + +"There are few coasts from which a man cannot escape, except perhaps +from some of the rocks in the Indian seas, or from the islands in the +Pacific, which are rarely visited," observed Captain Barrow. "I would +help you if I could, though I should be sorry to part from you. I would +advise you, if you still hold to your idea, to get a berth on board a +ship making a roving voyage among the islands in those seas, and you +might make inquiries at every place you touch at. You can but do your +best, and if it is God's will you should find him, He, depend on it, +will lead you." + +However, Peter made another voyage with Captain Barrow. His first-mate +having got the command of a ship, Peter obtained his berth. His Bible +had ever been his constant companion, and he had not failed to make good +use of it. + +The _Myrtle_ had just returned home. She required extensive repairs, +and as many months would pass before she would be ready for sea, Captain +Barrow told Peter that he could obtain for him the command of a vessel +bound out to the Mediterranean. He was about to accept the offer when +he heard that a ship, the _Edgar_, was to sail to the Pacific, with the +master of which Captain Barrow was acquainted. The master, Captain +Sandford, having no first-mate, gladly agreed, when he heard Peter +Gray's character, to give him the berth. + +"I am thankful to have my first-officer a Christian," he said; "for I +have too often been defeated in my attempts to bring my crew to the +truth by the indifference or hostility of my mates. Three of my men +have sailed with me for years, and I can trust them; but the rest are of +the ordinary stamp, though I have hopes that by our example and +exhortations they may be brought in the way they should go. Ah, Mr +Gray, Christians enjoy a happiness and freedom from anxiety which no +others possess. I leave my family, knowing that, as His dear children, +they are under God's protection, and they, while I am tossing about on +the ocean, are supported by the same faith, being sure that if I am +called hence we shall meet again in heaven. When I part from my beloved +wife and daughter I can always remind them of that, and the truth cheers +all our hearts." + +The _Edgar_ had a fine run down Channel, and there was so much to do in +getting things in order, that there was little time for conversation. + +The second-mate, Tom Berge, had never sailed with Captain Sandford +before. He was a bold, hardy seaman of the rough-and-ready school, and +seemed much astonished at the customs of his new captain. + +"Our skipper is a good sort of man," he observed to Peter one day, "but +I don't like so much praying and preaching. I cannot help fancying +something is going to happen." + +"We want a great many things, and it seems reasonable to me that we +should pray for them to God, who gives us everything." + +"But you don't mean to say that He hears such prayers as rough chaps +like me and others aboard here could say?" + +"I am sure He hears the prayers of the youngest as well as the oldest of +sailors as well as of landsmen," said Peter. "Jesus Christ says He came +`not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance;' and also God +says, `The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin;' so of course +He will listen to the roughest sinner who turns to Him." + +"Would He hear my prayers now?" asked the second-mate. + +"If you turn from your sins and seek Him, certainly," answered Peter; +"for He has said, `Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be +opened unto you,' and that was said to all." + +At length Berge not only consented to let Peter read the Bible to him, +but gladly accepted a copy of which the captain made him a present, and, +becoming a diligent reader himself, before the _Edgar_ rounded Cape +Horn, could say, "I rejoice in the blood of my risen Saviour." + +There is no part of the ocean in which storms are more frequent or more +terrible than off Cape Horn. Just as the _Edgar_ sighted the Cape, she +encountered a heavy gale, the seas rising in mountain billows around +her. + +There was on board a young lad in whom Berge had from the first taken +great interest, and who had lately been brought to know Christ. As the +gale was seen approaching, the order was given to close reef the +topsails, and the lad, with others, flew aloft. He was on the lee +yard-arm. The wind struck the ship with unexpected fury. As she heeled +over, he lost his hold and fell into the foaming waters. He was a good +swimmer, and struck out boldly. + +"He must be saved!" cried Berge. "Who will go with me?" and, running to +the falls, prepared to lower a boat. + +Captain Sandford, though seeing the danger, was unwilling to stop him. +While the rest hung back, the four Christian men who have been spoken of +sprang to the assistance of the mate, and the ship being brought to the +wind, the boat was lowered. Now she rose to the top of a foaming +billow, and now she was lost to sight. Boldly she made her way towards +where the youth was struggling in the waves. Just then a dark squall +with tremendous force struck the ship, and a heavy sea washed over her. +She escaped damage; but when the squall cleared away, the boat was +nowhere to be seen! In vain those on board waited her return. + +"They have been summoned hence," said the captain; "God's will be done, +they were all prepared to meet Him. For that let us be thankful." + +For several days the ship heeled to and fro, till the wind, coming fair, +she once more stood on her course, and entered the bright waters of the +Pacific. + +Peter observed that the captain felt greatly the loss of the brave mate +and his companions. His health had been for some time failing. + +One morning, when the lofty Andes had just appeared in sight, he +summoned his first-mate to his bedside. + +"Gray," he said, "I feel that I shall not live out the day. I should +first wish to see all the crew, and then I would have a word with you." + +The men came, one after the other, and the captain spoke affectionately +and earnestly to each, urging them to seek the Saviour while He might be +found, and recommending them to listen to the first-mate, who would +explain the truth to them. + +"Gray," he said, when they had left him, "I must ask you to visit my +wife and daughter when you get home, and bear my last message of love to +them. Take this letter and deliver it, if you can, with your own hands. +Send them the property I leave on board; I know that I can trust you; +with things of this world I have nothing more to do. And now read some +of God's word and pray with me." + +Peter remained with the captain till the last, and with sincere sorrow +closed his eyes. + +Next day the ship entered the harbour of Valparaiso, where the captain +was attended to his grave by most of his own crew and those of several +other English merchantmen in harbour. + +Peter had much felt the want of Christian sympathy in his sorrow. Among +those who had attended the funeral of his late captain, he observed a +tall fine-looking man with grey hair. A second glance convinced him +that he was his old captain, Mr Hauslar. + +"What, Gray?" exclaimed the latter, when Peter spoke to him. "I +remember you now. Come on board with me; my ship lies close to yours." + +Peter had the satisfaction of finding that his former friend continued a +faithful believer. Delightful to both was the conversation they had +together. + +The next day Captain Hauslar accompanied Peter to the agents, and from +his recommendation they directed him to take command of the _Edgar_. A +young Christian man, whose ship had been lost, but the crew rescued by +Captain Hauslar, was appointed to serve as second-mate, and came +accompanied by four South Sea Islanders, who were considered good +seamen. + +While the _Edgar_ was getting in her stores Peter enjoyed the company of +his friend, and with renewed spirits and hopes he sailed on his voyage. + +The beautiful island of Otaheite and several others were visited. He +then, according to his order, sailed northward, to call at the Sandwich +Islands, thence to proceed to Japan and through the Indian Seas round +the Cape of Good Hope homewards. + +Calm as the Pacific is at times, fearful gales sweep across it. To one +of these the _Edgar_ was exposed for several days, and Peter had to +exert all his skill and seamanship to preserve his ship. He did his +best, and putting his trust in God, sought His protection. The gale had +driven the ship considerably out of her course. For some days no +observation could be taken; an anxious look-out was kept, for coral +reefs and islands were near at hand, and with little warning the ship +might be driven on one of them. + +The night was unusually dark. Peter and his mates had never left the +deck. Just as morning was about to break a cry was heard of "Land! on +the lee bow!" The ship was put about, and scarcely had she come round +when breakers were seen rising in a foaming wall astern. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +A STRANGE DISCOVERY. + +As the day dawned an island, covered with the richest vegetation, +appeared rising to a considerable height, with a calm lagoon between it +and the circling reef. A tempting passage was also seen leading from +the stormy ocean into the lagoon. + +One of the natives coming aft said that he knew it well. It was his +native island, and he offered to pilot in the ship. Should the gale +increase, the danger of attempting to beat off that lee shore would be +great. Peter therefore at once accepted the offer. The _Edgar_ was +headed in for the lagoon. The foaming breakers roared upon either side +as she shot between them, and in another minute she was gliding calmly +over the smooth water of the lagoon. Piloted by the native in a short +time she brought up in a beautiful bay, where she might ride securely. + +Scarcely had she dropped her anchor when several canoes paddled +alongside. The native hailed one of them, and the people in her came on +board. They were soon affectionately greeting him, while the rest of +the crew were engaged in buying fruits and vegetables and various +articles which the others had brought. + +In a short time he came aft to Captain Gray. The information he gave +was satisfactory. When he had left the island the people had been +heathens, and he had expected to find them in the same condition. Two +native catechists had, however, been for some time among them, and an +English missionary had a few months before arrived, whose house was +situated on the shores of another bay at a little distance; he had been +sent for, and would probably, ere long, be on board. Peter, knowing the +treacherous character borne by many of the South Sea Islanders, had +resolved not to allow his crew to go on shore, or permit more than a few +natives at a time on board; he had now, however, no fears for the safety +of his ship. + +Peter was in his cabin, when a message was brought him that a canoe was +coming off, with a white man in her. + +"He must be the missionary," he said, and hurried on deck to welcome +him. The canoe came alongside, and an old man in a seaman's dress, with +white hair streaming from under his hat, stepped on board. Peter, +shaking him by the hand, inquired whether he was the missionary he was +led to expect would pay him a visit. + +"Oh, no, sir! he is a very different sort of man to me; I only wish I +was him," was the answer. "He will be here soon, I doubt not. I came +aboard to ask whether the ship was homeward bound, and you would let me +work my passage in her; I have got some strength left in my old arms +yet." + +"I'll gladly give you a passage, my man," said Peter, "if you desire to +return to England. Have you been long out in these parts?" + +"Ay, sir, many a year--I forget how many, for I lost all count of time +when I lived among the savages, but I reckon it carefully now since I +have been brought to my right mind by Mr Wilson, the missionary you +have heard tell of." + +"I should have thought that at your age you would have been content to +remain with him and lend him a helping hand," answered Peter, trying to +restrain hopes and feelings rising in his breast which he feared might +be disappointed. "The assistance of a Christian white man would be of +great value to him." + +"That maybe, sir," answered the old man, "but there are those at home I +long to see again. I left them years ago, and was shipwrecked upon +these islands. For some time I had no chance of escaping. Living among +the savages here, I grew to live as they lived, and forgot my home and +friends. Since I have learned to love God I have been longing to see my +family again, but I have not been able to get back, for I have been away +on the other side of the island each time a ship has touched here. If +you had left a wife and a little boy at home as I have, you would wish +to get back to set your eyes again on them, and hold them in your arms." + +"A wife and a little boy!" exclaimed Peter, unable longer to restrain +his eagerness to learn who the old man was. "Tell me their names, and +where they lived." + +"It was at a place, maybe, you have not been to nor heard of either, +seeing it's of no great size," answered the old man; "it's called +Springvale, and is not far from the little town of Oldport; and my name +is Gray, sir, at your service." + +"Gray!" exclaimed Peter, taking the old man's hand, and scarcely able to +speak. "Come into my cabin, I wish to tell you more about your wife and +son." + +Peter had no longer any doubt that his long-lost father stood before +him, but he was unwilling to make himself known in sight of his crew, +fearing also the effect the announcement would have on the old man. + +Conducting the old sailor, whose countenance wore an expression of +astonishment, down into the cabin, he closed the door, and placing him +respectfully on a sofa, still holding his hand, sat himself down by his +side. + +"You were telling me," he said, "that you have learned the truth, and +you know, therefore, God's love and mercy, and that He orders all things +for the best. You have been very many years from home, and must be +aware that though your son when you saw him last was a little boy, he +must now be a grown man; your wife, too, would be an old woman. Have +you ever thought of the hardships and trials to which she would probably +have been exposed, left all alone to struggle with the hard world, and +still having to go through them? But suppose God in His mercy had taken +her to Himself, and you knew that she had been spending all these years +in happiness unspeakable, would you not have cause to rejoice?" + +The old sailor gazed at the young captain, scarcely able to comprehend +him clearly. + +"God is very merciful; He loves me, though I am a sinner, and orders all +for the best. I know that is what Mr Wilson says, and he speaks the +truth, for he turned me from little better than a savage into a +Christian man," answered the old sailor. + +As he spoke his eyes fell on Peter's Bible, which lay on the table with +the leathern case beside it. + +"What are you driving at, sir?" he exclaimed in an agitated tone. "I +remember that book, as if I had seen it but yesterday; it was my wife's. +Do you know her? tell me, tell me." + +Peter placed his arm so that the old man's head might rest on it. "My +name is Gray, sir," he said. "That book was indeed your wife's, my +mother's, and I am very sure that I am your son." + +"You Peter, my little boy?" exclaimed the old man, gazing in his +countenance. "You captain of this ship, and I have found you after +these long years! God be praised! And your mother, tell me about her." + +"I tried to prepare you, sir, for what I have to say," said Peter. "She +has been among the blessed for many years, and her last prayer on earth +was that I might find you that you might be brought to know the Saviour +in whom she trusted." + +"God's will be done! God's will be done!" murmured the old man, letting +his head fall on his son's shoulder. "He knows what is best. In His +mercy He took her; and I all the time living like a savage, but He found +me--He found me; and He has sent you, and all through His love, to tell +me about her. I began to fear that she might be poor and suffering, and +you living a hard life, or sent maybe to the workhouse, but He orders +all things for the best. Praise His name!" + +The old man could say no more. His feelings overcoming him, he bent his +head and wept like a child. + +No one would have recognised the once "roaring Jack Gray," and for some +time the wild, half-clad savage, in the now venerable-looking old +Christian man, who sat at supper with the young captain and the +missionary who had now arrived. + +"I fear that I shall lose your assistance, friend Gray," said Mr +Wilson, "though I rejoice that you have found your son." + +"I have been casting the matter in my mind, sir," answered the old +sailor, "and asking God to direct me, and, now she has gone whom I +longed to see, and my son in His mercy has been sent to me, I am very +sure that He does not want me to go away from this place. I should be a +stranger in England, of no use to any one, and a burden to my son, and +here you tell me that I am of help to you among the natives, and I think +I am, as I can speak their language, and tell them about the love and +mercy of God, who found them out as He found me out, and has sent His +blessed Gospel of peace to them." + +"I am very sure Captain Gray will agree with me that, although he may +wish to have you with him to look after you in your old age, you are +more certain to enjoy happiness here, knowing that you are of use to +your fellow-creatures, than you would be in returning to the land you +have so long left." + +"I do not wish to bias my father," said Peter, "and I am very sure that, +seeking direction from God, he will be directed aright." + +"It is settled then, my son," said the old sailor, looking up, "I'll +remain with Mr Wilson, and help him. I can say with old Israel, about +whom he was reading to me the other day, when he saw Joseph, `Now let me +die since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.'" + +Peter agreed that his father was right in the resolution he had come to. + +The first-mate, and several of the crew who had visited old Mr Gray in +his hut, begged that they might be allowed to put up a more comfortable +dwelling for him. Peter thankfully accepted their offer, and several of +the natives, finding what they proposed doing, gave their assistance. +In a short time a neat cottage was erected in the shelter of a cocoanut +grove, with a verandah in front and a garden fenced in on one side. +Peter had also the satisfaction of taking on shore some clothing and a +number of articles which he thought might be of use to his father, as +well as a store of provisions such as were likely to keep in that +climate. + +"Peter, you are over-generous to me," said the old man, when the gifts +arrived, "I never did anything for you." + +"You must consider them as God's gifts; if He had not bestowed them on +me I could not have offered them to you," answered Peter. + +"I see, I see," said the old man; "He orders all for the best, praise +His name." + +Peter paid several visits to Mr Wilson, who, with his wife, had now +been nearly a year on the island. He disclaimed any part in the +conversion of the old sailor, that having been brought about by the +instrumentality of the two native catechists who had preceded him. By +that time a large number of the inhabitants of that part of the island +had burned their idols, and become nominal Christians, while a very +considerable portion were communicants, and evidently endeavouring to +walk in the footsteps of the Master they professed to serve. + +"There is still, however, a wide field for our labours," observed Mr +Wilson, "for which I trust your father will be spared many years with +me." + +Stormy weather, and the necessity of refitting and making certain +repairs which the _Edgar_ required, and for which the sheltered harbour +afforded peculiar facilities, kept her there for upwards of a fortnight; +when parting from his father, Peter proceeded on his voyage to England. + +The _Edgar_ arrived in safety in England. Peter had made a successful +voyage, and found himself the possessor of more money than he had ever +expected to receive. + +As soon as the ship was safe in dock, and he had performed all the +duties required of him, he left her in charge of the first-mate and +proceeded to pay the promised visit to his late captain's widow and +daughter. He found them living in a neat little cottage near London. +Mrs Sandford had heard of her husband's death, and cordially welcomed +Captain Gray. She was anxious to receive an account of the last days of +his life, which he alone could afford. + +"He died as he lived, trusting to the all-sufficient merits of Jesus +Christ his Saviour," said Peter; "it is a blessed thing, Mrs Sandford, +that God's promises are sure, and that those who thus die are taken to +be with Him." + +"Indeed it is, Captain Gray; I know that I shall meet my dear husband in +His glorious presence, and my daughter enjoys the same certain hope. +That confidence has taken away the sting of grief which we should +otherwise have felt. It was he who led us to the truth, and constantly +charged us to be prepared for what has occurred: he, indeed, seemed to +be aware that he should be taken during one of his voyages, yet none the +less did he trust in God that all would be well." + +Mrs Sandford, after some further conversation, asked whether he +intended going home or taking up his residence in London while he +remained on shore, "because," she added, "as our means are limited, I +purpose taking lodgers, if such offer as I should be willing to +receive." + +"I have no home," said Peter, and he gave her an outline of his history; +"if, therefore, you can accommodate me I shall be very glad to remain +here." + +Soon after this, Mrs Sandford's daughter Susan entered the room. She +was a pleasing, quiet, gentle girl, and appeared fully to share her +mother's faith; and when Peter had talked with her for some time, he +felt sure from the remarks she made that she was a true and earnest +Christian. Peter had thought and read a good deal. Captain Sandford +had left a well-selected library on board. His knowledge had become +greatly enlarged, without in any way having his simple faith weakened. +The little shepherd-boy was now the thoughtful, intelligent, and +gentlemanly man, not possessed, perhaps, of the polish which mixing in +the great world gives, but that far more enduring refinement which +constant communion with Christ affords. Worldly people, though +acknowledging the benefit of Christianity, know not its true source, and +are surprised to find Christ's humble disciples so free from coarseness, +and so gentle and courteous in their manners. + +Susan had been taught in the same school. + +Several weeks passed away. Peter came to the conclusion that he should +wish to marry no other woman than Susan Sandford. Perhaps Susan had +discovered this, for he was not a person who could well hide his +feelings; at all events he ventured to tell her so, and she promised to +become his wife. He would gladly have married before going to sea, but +Mrs Sandford, who was a prudent woman, insisted on his waiting till he +had returned from his next voyage. + +That voyage was a long one, for the owners again sent the _Edgar_ into +the Pacific. Peter was able to pay a visit to his father, whom he found +labouring with devoted zeal as a catechist among the natives, and +submitting humbly to the directions he received from Mr Wilson, the +missionary. The old man was delighted to hear of his son's intended +marriage, and begged him if he could to bring out his wife to see him. + +"The utmost desire of my heart will then be fulfilled," he exclaimed; +"and, oh! how loving has God been to me by bringing me in His great +mercy out of darkness into His glorious light! Every day I live I +wonder more and more; and, Peter, it is my belief I shall go on +wondering through all eternity, because I am sure we shall never +understand the love and mercy of Jesus, the author and finisher of our +faith, in all its fulness." + +Peter willingly promised to do as the old man wished. Had he still been +the rough ignorant sailor Jack Gray once was, he might have felt an +unwillingness to introduce his wife to him, even though he was his +father; but now how different was the case when he was to bring her to +the venerable Christian, patriarchal in appearance, and mild in manners, +so gentle and loving to all around! It was a pleasure to see the +natives come up and speak to him, they all evidently holding him in +great respect. + +Again the _Edgar_ had a prosperous voyage, and Peter having yet further +increased his means of supporting a wife, Mrs Sandford no longer +hesitated to allow her daughter to marry. She had a further reason; her +own health was failing, and before the _Edgar_ was ready for sea Susan +lost her mother. + +When Peter proposed that his wife should accompany him, she gladly +consented, and as the natives among whom his father lived had promised +to collect a large quantity of cocoanut oil to ship on board the +_Edgar_, Peter was once more able to visit the island. + +He was told on his arrival that his father was ill. + +The old man's eyes brightened up at the sight of his sweet-looking +daughter-in-law and son. He blessed them both, and entreated that they +would spend the evening at his house. He spoke cheerfully, and with +great thankfulness, of the progress of the Gospel in the island. Peter +hoped that he might yet be spared to spend many more years in his useful +labours among the dark-skinned natives. + +The following day, however, a relapse occurred, and holding his daughter +with one hand, his head resting on his son's arm, and his faithful +friend Mr Wilson and the two catechists standing by, the old sailor +breathed his last--a heavenly smile resting on the face of the once +"roaring Jack Gray." + +Peter made many voyages accompanied by his loving wife, and by foresight +and prudence having realised a little independence, added to what her +father had left Susan, he was able to purchase the plot of ground on +which his mother's cottage stood with several acres around. Here having +built a neat house, he settled down, and making his Bible a light to his +path and a lamp to his feet, his abode was truly as a light set on a +hill, he and his family proving a blessing to all around. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of Little Peter, the Ship +Boy, by W.H.G. Kingston + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF LITTLE PETER *** + +***** This file should be named 22944.txt or 22944.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/9/4/22944/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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