girl,
We're bound to Rio Grande."
It didn't matter, of course, where they were bound to, this ditty was
the farewell song; and it always had the desired effect of melting
the bystanders, especially the females, though Jack himself showed no
really soft emotion. Not that they were not sentimental, but theirs
seemed always to be a frolicsome sentimentality.
The eldest apprentice of the _Pacific_ was in his eighteenth year. He
was a fine, broad-shouldered, fair-haired, medium-sized youth. He had
been dividing his attentions amongst a number of girl admirers, and
was told to come aboard to unmoor and give the tug the tow-rope. While
these orders were being carried out the lad caught sight of a young
girl who had just arrived in a great state of excitement. She was
dressed in dazzling finery, and carrying something in a basket. The
boy sprang on to the dock wall, and created much merriment with his
elephantine caresses. They shouted to him from the vessel to jump
aboard or he would lose his passage. He made a running spring for the
main rigging as she was being towed from her berth. A wild cheer went
up from the crowd when they saw the smart thing that had been done,
and that he was safe. The devoted female who had caused him to dare so
much, in the luxuriance of grief, shouted to him--
"Good-bye, Jim! You've always been a rare good pal to a girl. Take
care of yourself; and mind, no sweethearts at every port!" The latter
communication was made almost inarticulate with sobbing. Her last
words were, "Don't forget, Jim!" To which he replied, "You bet, I
won't!"
Soon the attractive craft, and her equally attractive crew were lost
sight of amidst the haze of the gathering night. A quiet, easterly air
was fitfully blowing in the Channel, and when full sail was set, the
pilot and tug left. All night she trailed sinuously over the peaceful
sea, and as the cold dawn was breaking she slid past the south end of
Lundy Island with a freshening breeze at her stern. In a few days the
north-east trade winds which blow gently over the bosom of the ocean
were reached, and every stitch of canvas was hung up. The sailors had
got over their monotony, and began to entertain themselves during the
dog-watches from six to eight. The imperious commander was never happy
himself, and was angry at the sight of mirth in anybody. He forthwith
commenced a system that was well calculated to breed revolt, and which
did ultimately do so. Orders
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