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Read Ebook: Jacob Faithful by Marryat Frederick
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Ebook has 586 lines and 39326 words, and 12 pages
"Yes, by the parson: but you are no parson."
"Anyhow, I am something like one just now," replied Tom, who was pulling the foremost oar; "for you are a good clerk, and I am sitting behind you."
"That's not so bad," observed the gentleman in the stern-sheets, whom we had forgotten in the colloquy.
"A waterman would make but a bad parson, sir," replied Tom.
"Why so?"
"He's not likely to practice as he preaches."
"Again, why so?"
"Because all his life he looks one way and pulls another."
"Very good--very good, indeed."
"A puzzle, indeed, to find such a regular chain of repartee in a wherry."
"Well, sir, if I'm a regular chain to-day, I shall be like an irregular watch to-morrow."
"Why so, my lad?"
"Take that, my lad," said the gentleman, tossing half-a-crown to Tom.
"Thanky, sir; when we meet again may you have no more wit than you have now."
"How do you mean?"
"Not wit enough to keep your money, sir--that's all!"
"I presume you think that I have not got much."
"Which, sir; wit or money?"
"Wit, my lad."
"Nay, sir, I think you have both: the first you purchased just now; and you would hardly have bought it, if you had not money to spare."
"But I mean wit of my own."
We pulled into the stairs near London Bridge, and the gentleman paid me his fare. "Good-bye, my lad," said he to Tom.
"Fare-you-well, for well you've paid your fare," replied Tom, holding out his arm to assist him out of the boat. "Well, Jacob, I've made more by my head than by my hands this morning. I wonder, in the long run, which gains most in the world."
"Head, Tom, depend upon it; but they work best together."
Here we were interrupted--"I say, you watermen, have you a mind for a good fare?" cried a dark-looking, not over clean, square-built, short young man, standing on the top of the flight of steps.
"Where to, sir?"
"Gravesend, my jokers, if you ain't afraid of salt water."
"That's a long way, sir," replied Tom; "and for salt water, we must have salt to our porridge."
"So you shall, my lads, and a glass of grog into the bargain."
"Yes; but the bargain a'n't made yet, sir. Jacob, will you go?"
"Yes, but not under a guinea."
"Not under two guineas," replied Tom, aside. "Are you in a great hurry, sir?" continued he, addressing the young man.
"Yes, in a devil of a hurry; I shall lose my ship. What will you take me for?"
"Two guineas, sir."
"Very well. Just come up to the public-house here, and put in my traps."
As soon as we had shaken ourselves a little, we went up the side, and asked one of the officers to send a boat to pick up our wherry.
"Speak to the first lieutenant--there he is," was the reply.
I went up to the person pointed out to me; "If you please, sir--"
"What the devil do you want?"
"A boat, sir, to--"
"A boat! the devil you do!"
"To pick up our wherry, sir," interrupted Tom.
"Pick it up yourself," said the first lieutenant, passing us, and hailing the men aloft. "Maintop, there, hook on your stays. Be smart. Lower away the yards. Marines and after-guard, clear launch. Boatswain's mate."
"Here, sir."
"Pipe marines and after-guard to clear launch."
"Aye, aye, sir."
"But we shall lose our boat, Jacob," said Tom to me. "They stove it in, and they ought to pick it up." Tom then went up to the master's mate, which he had brought on board, and explained our difficulty.
"Upon my soul, I dar'n't say a word. I'm in a scrape for breaking my leave. Why the devil didn't you take care of your wherry, and haul a-head when you saw the launch coming?"
"How could we, when the chest was hoisting out?"
"Very true. Well, I am very sorry for you, but I must look after my chest." So saying, he disappeared down the gangway ladder.
"I'll try it again, anyhow," said Tom, going up to the first lieutenant. "Hard case to lose our boat and our bread, sir," said Tom touching his hat.
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