Read Ebook: Harper's Young People September 13 1881 An Illustrated Weekly by Various

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Ebook has 404 lines and 22698 words, and 9 pages

"I'll tell you what you can do; you can come to my house, an' stay jest as long as you want to."

Tim shook his head; he remembered the invitation given by Sam Simpson, and how it had been seconded by his parents, and he did not care for more of the same experience.

"But you can't stay here, an' let Captain Pratt knock you 'round."

Tim assented to this; but still he did not see how he could prevent it, unless he was willing to risk suffering in another form.

"I s'pose I'll have to go up stairs an' show the Captain that I ain't in bed," he said, as a shudder of seasickness came over him again. "It must be as much as ten minutes since I was there."

"I wouldn't go," said Bobby, stoutly; "I wouldn't let him think I was afraid of him."

"But I am afraid of him, an' so would you be if he was to beat you once the way he has me;" and then he started for the deck again.

This time he did not attempt to enter the wheel-house, but stood by the rail outside, where the Captain could see him, and leaned over the side until it seemed to him that everything he had eaten for the past month was thrown to the fishes.

It was impossible for him to have waited on the Captain at the table that day, even if he had been called upon so to do; but Mr. Rankin had told him that he need not come into the cabin until he had recovered, and he was truly thankful for that permission to remain away.

The steamer had sailed at eleven o'clock in the fore-noon, and by two o'clock Tim was so sick that the very worst punishment Captain Pratt could have devised would not have troubled him in the least.

During the remainder of that day, and all the night, Tim lay in his berth wondering why it was he did not die, since he was so sick, and expecting each moment that the steamer would go to the bottom. He almost forgot Tip, save once or twice when he asked Bobby to see whether the dog was feeling as badly as he was, and when he was told that Tip was apparently enjoying very good health, he felt a sense of injury because his pet did not share his sickness with him.

When Tim awakened on the following morning--for he did get some sleep that night--the steamer was yet pitching around wildly as though she was mad, but he had recovered from his sickness, and felt weak and hungry. He looked as pale as though he had been confined to his bed for a week, and he imagined that he was so thin the sun would shine right through him; but in this he was mistaken.

Of course his first visit was to Tip, and after he had petted him to his heart's content, given him a hearty breakfast--thanks to old Mose's generosity--he went below to report to Mr. Rankin for duty.

There was plenty of work to be done, and now that he had paid his "tribute to the sea," the steward showed that while he could be kind when there was reason for it, he also believed in making boys useful.

Tim was impatient to get through with his work, so that he could talk with Bobby a few moments, and when Mr. Rankin told him that he was at liberty until dinner-time, he went at once to Tip's narrow quarters, believing he would find the boy from Minchin's Island there.

Nor was he mistaken, for there was Bobby examining the dog very carefully, measuring his legs and the stump of his tail, in order that he might give accurate information regarding him to his friends at home.

Although the boys were very glad to see each other, the meeting was not a particularly affectionate one.

"Hello, Bob," cried Tim; and Bobby answered,

"Hello, Tim."

"What are you doin' to Tip?"

"I was only kinder lookin' him over, to see if he was all right for the bears when he an' you come down to see me."

"Oh, he can take care of the bears fast enough, but I'm afraid he won't get down to your house."

The idea that Bobby's father was one of the town officials appeared to put the matter in a different light, and Tim began to have great hopes that the visit might really be made.

Then the chance of catching a bear, or of getting near enough for Tip to catch one, was discussed. Tip was unfastened in order that all his beautiful proportions might be seen more distinctly, and the boys grew so excited over the subject that they forgot the flight of time, until the steamer's whistle aroused them from thoughts of bear-killing.

"Gracious!" exclaimed Bobby, "here we've got home, an' I'd forgotten we was so near."

"Was it Minchin's Island the boat was whistlin' for?"

"Yes. That's the first place she stops at after she leaves the city. Come quick, so's we can get my valise out of the kitchen."

Bobby's valise with its precious contents was still in the care of Mose, its owner not having looked after it more than once each hour, and now he was very uneasy lest he should not be able to get it in time.

Tim was so excited by his companion's fears that he fastened Tip as quickly as possible, not noticing in his haste that the knot was only half tied, and could easily be unloosened.

The valise, with apparently as much in it as when it was intrusted to the old darky's care, was soon in Bobby's possession, and the two boys went on the upper deck, from which the landing was to be made.

Here, standing by the rail, Bobby pointed out the various objects of interest on the island, not forgetting the woods in which he was positive Tip would one day roam in search of the ferocious bear.

Captain Pratt was standing near them, but he was so much engaged in giving orders for the proper landing of the boat that he did not notice his cabin-boy, who was breaking one of the rules of the steamer by loitering on that deck.

The boat was still quite a distance from the shore, and Bobby was pointing out his father's house, when they heard a furious barking, and before they could turn, Tip was jumping up around them. He had found no difficulty in escaping from the half-tied rope, and after that was done it was an easy matter for him to find his young master.

Captain Pratt had heard Tip's joyful greeting also, and as he turned to see the cause of it, the dog, who was in such high spirits at having escaped from his imprisonment that he was ready to show his good-will for every one, left the boys, and fawned upon the Captain as if he was his best friend. Captain Pratt showed very little consideration for the dog, even while he thought he belonged to one of the passengers, and gave him such a kick as sent him half the length of the deck, changing his note of joy to loud yelps of pain.

"Whose dog is that?" roared the Captain, as he surveyed the damage done.

"He's mine," answered Tim, who, at the first blow struck his pet, had jumped toward the poor brute, and taken him to his bosom to soothe him.

Then it was that the Captain first saw his cabin-boy on the forbidden ground of the upper deck, and it is positive that if he had had the time just then he would have given him a painful intimation of the mistake he had made. As it was, he walked up to Tim quickly, seized poor Tip by the neck, and flung him as far as possible into the water.

"Now you go below," he said, in a low, angry tone, to Tim, "and after we make this landing I'll settle with you."

Tim paid no more attention to the Captain's words than if they had been uttered by a boy smaller than himself, but rushed frantically to the rail as if he was about to jump after his pet.

The steamer was already so near the wharf that Captain Pratt had no time to see if his order was obeyed, but was obliged to give all his attention to the management of the boat.

It was fortunate for Tip that the Captain was very angry when he threw him into the water, since he, using all his strength, had tossed him so far from the steamer's side that he was in no danger of being drawn under the wheel, as would have been the case had less vigor been used in the cruel deed.

Tip acted like a very sensible dog under the circumstances; he held his head up and struck out boldly for the shore, urged on by a crowd of boys on the wharf.

Tim was almost frantic with grief, believing his pet was perishing before his eyes, and he powerless to save him. It is quite possible that he would have obeyed his first impulse and leaped into the water to try to save Tip, if a passenger had not taken a firm hold of him.

"It's a wicked shame. I'd jest like to take that Captain an' do to him jest as he has done to Tip, an' he such a nice bear dog too," said Bobby, who stood by Tim's side watching Tip's battle for life.

"Do you s'pose he'll drown?" asked Tim, the great tear-drops rolling down his cheeks.

"I dunno," was the cautious reply. "It seems to me his legs is rather short for swimmin' very far, an' then, you see, he ain't got any tail to steer hisself by."

Tim was just giving way to a fresh outburst of grief at these words, which seemed to sound Tip's death-knell, when a gentleman said:

"There isn't the slightest danger of his drowning. It will take him some time to reach the shore, for he's not swimming directly toward it; but he'll come out all right, and it won't do him the least harm."

"An' jest as soon as I get ashore I'll run 'round an' call him in, an' bring him to you," said Bobby, anxious to do something toward saving the life of an animal as valuable as he believed Tip to be.

The dog was yet some distance from the shore when the boat was made fast to the wharf, and Bobby rushed on shore, going toward the point where Tip must land, wholly regardless of his parents, who were waiting to greet him.

Tim started to follow him, bent only on saving his pet, and forgetting that there was such a person in the world as Captain Pratt, when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder.

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