Mother Careys Chicken | Page 2

monotony. He is a seaman, and he sees the sea day after day--day after day; rough seas and smooth seas, stormy seas and sunny seas; and enough to do to keep his ship afloat and away from rocks and lee shores. Here, what are you opening your eyes and mouth for in that way, Mark? Do you expect I'm going to tell you about the sea-serpent?"
"No, father," said the lad laughing. "It was because what you said was so interesting."
"Interesting! Nonsense! A sailor's is a wearisome life, full of dangers."
"But you see strange countries, father, and all their wonders."
"No, I do not, boy," said the captain half angrily, "A sailor sees nothing but his ship, and she's all anxiety to him from the time he goes aboard till he comes back. We see strange ports, and precious little in them. Why, Mark, if you were in some places on the other side of the world, you'd find everything so English that you would hardly believe you had left home. No, no, my lad. You be content to get on well with your studies, and some day we'll make a doctor or a lawyer of you. Soldier, if you like, but not a sailor."
"It's my turn to speak now," said Mrs Strong, smiling lovingly at her frank, manly-looking son. "No soldiering."
"I don't want to be a soldier, mother," said Mark gloomily. "I want to travel; and as I have kept to my books as father wished during his last two voyages, and won my certificates, he might give me the prize I worked for."
"Why, you ungrateful young dog," cried the captain, "haven't I given you a first-class watch?"
"Yes, father; but that isn't the prize I want. I say: do take me with you."
"Take you with me!" cried the captain with an impatient snort such as a sea-horse might give. "Here, mother, what have you been doing with this boy?"
"Doing everything I could to set him against the sea, my dear," said Mrs Strong sadly.
"And a nice mess you have made of it," growled the captain. "Pass my tobacco. Well, Mark, my lad; I want my spell ashore to be happy and restful, and when there's a rock ahead I must steer clear of it at once; so here goes, my lad, I may as well say it and have done with it. I know so much of the sea that I shall never consent to your being a sailor. Your mother is with me there. Eh, my dear?"
"Yes, James, thoroughly," said Mrs Strong.
"Now, my lad, you've got to make the best of it."
"But if you would take me for one voyage only, father, I wouldn't ask you to take me again."
"Won't trust you," said the captain. "Hallo, Bruff!" he continued, patting the rough head of a great retriever dog which had just come slouching into the room, carrying the said rough head hanging down as if it were too heavy for its body, an idea endorsed by its act of laying it upon the captain's knee. "Is it you who teaches your young master to be so obstinate?"
The dog uttered a low growl as if of protest.
"Perhaps you'd like me to take you for a voyage, old chap," continued the captain, pausing in his smoking to wipe the corners of the dog's eyes with its ears. "You'd look well sea-sick in a corner of the deck, or swung in a hammock."
Bruff showed the whites of his expressive eyes and uttered a dismal howl.
"Don't be afraid, old fellow," said the captain. "I sha'n't take you, nor your master neither, so you may both make the best of it."
"Don't say that, father," said Mark earnestly. "Take me this once. I do so want to see China!"
"Here, mother," said the captain laughing; "take Mark up stairs and show him your best tea-service, the one I brought home last year. Like to see Japan, too, my lad?"
Mark frowned and bent his head over his book, while Mrs Strong shook her head at her husband.
The captain rose once more, and laid his hand upon his son's shoulder.
"Come, come, my lad, don't fret over it," he said; "you have done well, and I should like to give you a treat, but I can't take you to Hong-Kong for many reasons. Your mother would not like it, I shouldn't like it, and it would do you no good."
"But, father--" began Mark.
"Hear me out, my lad," said the captain gravely. "I say I want to give you a treat, so I tell you what I will do. You and your mother shall come aboard as we're warping out of the dock, or at Gravesend if you like, and I'll take you down Channel with me. I've got to put in at Plymouth, and I'll drop you there, or at