Just so, Walleye, thems my sentiments. Have you got a father?
No, nor yet a mother, replied Billy. As far as Im aweer of, I wos diskivered on the steps of a city workus, an my first impressions in this life wos the knuckles of the old woman as banged me up. The governor used to talk a lot o balderdash about our bein brought up; but I knows better. I wos banged up; banged up in the mornins, banged to meals, and banged to bed; banged through thick and thin, for everything an for nothin, until I banged myself out o the door one fine mornin, which I banged arter me, an ave bin bangin about, a genlemn at large, ever since.
Ha! got no friends and nothin to do? said Morley Jones.
Jis so.
Well, if you have a mind to take service with me, come along an have a pot o beer.
The man turned on his heel and walked off to a neighbouring public-house, leaving the small boy to follow or not as he pleased, and apparently quite indifferent as to what his decision might be.
Billy Towleralias Walleyelooked after him with an air of uncertainty. He did not like the look of the man, and was about to decide against him, when the jingle of the half-crown in his pocket turned the scale in his favour. Running after him, he quietly said, Im your man, and then began to whistle, at the same time making an abortive effort to keep step with his long-limbed employer, who said nothing in reply, but, entering a public-house, ordered two pots of beer. These, when produced, he and his little companion sat down to discuss in the most retired box in the place, and conversed in low tones.
What was it brought you to Yarmouth, Walleye? asked Mr Jones.
Call me Billy, said the boy, I like it better.
Well, Billyand, by the way, you may call me Morleymy names Jones, but, like yourself, I have a preference. Now, then, what brought you here?
Hm, that involves a storya hanecdote, if I may so speak, replied this precocious youngster with much gravity. You see, some time arter I runnd away from the workus, I felld in with an old genlemn with a bald head an a fat corpus. Do ee happen to know, Mr Morley, ow it is that bald heads an fat corpuses amost always go together?
Morley replied that he felt himself unable to answer that difficult question; but supposed that as good-humour was said to make people fat, perhaps it made them bald also.
I dun know, continued Billy; anyhow, this old genlemn he tookd a fancy to me, an tookd me home to his otel; for he didnt live in Londonwos there only on a wisit at the time he felled in love with me at first sight. Well, he give me a splendacious suit of noo cloes, an ad me put to a school, where I soon larned to read and write; an I do blieve wos on the highroad to be Lord Mayor of London, when the old schoolmaster died, before Id bin two year there, an the noo un wos so fond o the bangin system that I couldnt stand it, an so bid em all a tender farewell, an took to the streets agin. The old genlemn he comed three times from Yarmouth, where he belonged, for to see me arter I wos put to the school, an I had a sort o likin for him, but not knowin his name, and only been aweer that he lived at Yarmouth, I thought Id have no chance o findin him. Over my subsikint career Ill draw a wail; its enough to say I didnt like either it or my pals, so I made up my mind at last to go to Yarmouth an try to find the old genlemn as had adopted methats what he said hed done to me. Wen Id prigged enough o wipes to pay my fare down, I comed away,an here I am.
Have you seen the old gentleman? asked Morley, after a pause.
No, only just arrived this arternoon.
And you dont know his name, nor where he lives?
No.
And how did you expect to escape bein nabbed and put in limbo as a vagrant? inquired Morley.
By gittin employment, of coorse, from some respectable genlemn like yourself, an then runnin away from im wen Id diskivered the old chap wi the bald head.
Morley Jones smiled grimly.
Well, my advice to you is, he said, to fight shy of the old chap, even if you do discover him. Depend upon it the life you would lead under his eye would be one of constant restraint and worry. Hed put you to school again, no doubt, where youd get banged as beforea system I dont approve of at alland be made a milksop and a flunkey, or something o that sortwhereas the life youll lead with me will be a free and easy rollikin manly sort o life. Half on shore and half at sea. Do what you like, go where you will,when business has bin attended tovictuals and clothing free gratis, and pocket-money enough to enable you to enjoy yourself in a moderate sort of way. You see Im not goin to humbug you. It wont be all plain sailin, but what is a man worth if he aint fit to stand a little rough-and-tumble? Besides, rough work makes a fellow take his ease with all the more zest. A life on the ocean wave one week, with hard work, and a run on shore the next week, with just enough to do to prevent one wearyin. Thats the sort o thing for you and me, Billy, eh boy? exclaimed the tempter, growing garrulous in his cups, and giving his small victim a pat on the shoulder, which, although meant to be a facetious touch, well-nigh unseated him.
Billy Towler recovered himself, however, and received it as it was meant, in perfect good humour. The beer had mounted to his own little brain, and his large eyes glowed with more than natural light as he sat gazing into his companions rugged face, listening with delight to the description of a mode of life which he thought admirably suited to his tastes and capabilities. He was, however, a shrewd little creature. Sad and very rough experience of life had taught him to be uncommonly circumspect for his years.
Whats your business, Morley? he demanded eagerly.
Ive a lot of businesses, said Mr Jones with a drunken leer, but my principal one is fishcuring. Im a sort of shipowner too. Leastwise Ive got two craftone bein a sloop, the other a boat. Moreover, I charter no end of vessels, an do a good deal in the insurance way. But youll understand more about these things all in good time, Billy. I live, while Im at home, in Gravesend, but Ive got a daughter and a mother livin at Yarmouth, so I may say Ive got a home at both places. Its a convenient sort o thing, you see,a town residence and a country villa, as it were. Come, Ill take you to the villa now, and introduce ee to the women.
So saying, this rascal paid for the poison he had been administering in large doses to himself and his apprentice, and, taking Billys dirty little hand in his large horny fist, led him towards the centre of the town.
Poor Billy little knew the nature of the awful gulf of sin and misery into which he was now plunging with a headlong hilarious vivacity peculiarly his own. He was, indeed, well enough aware of the fact that he was a thief, and an outcast from society, and that he was a habitual breaker of the laws of God and man, but he was naturally ignorant of the extent of his guilt, as well as of the certain and terrible end to which it pointed, and, above all, he had not the most remote conception of the almost hopeless slavery to which he was doomed when once fairly secured in the baleful net which Morley Jones had begun to twine around him.
But a higher Power was leading the poor child in a way that he knew nota way that was little suspected by his temptera way that has been the means of snatching many and many a little one from destruction in time past, and that will certainly save many more in time to comeas long as Christian men and women band together to unite their prayers and powers for the rescue of perishing souls.
But a higher Power was leading the poor child in a way that he knew nota way that was little suspected by his temptera way that has been the means of snatching many and many a little one from destruction in time past, and that will certainly save many more in time to comeas long as Christian men and women band together to unite their prayers and powers for the rescue of perishing souls.
Traversing several streets with unsteady gaitfor he was now much the worse of drinkMr Jones led his willing captive down one of those innumerable narrow streets, or passages, termed rows, which bear some resemblance to the closes of the Scottish capital. In width they are much the same, but in cleanliness there is a vast difference, for whereas the closes of the northern capital are notorious for dirt, the rows of Yarmouth are celebrated for their neat tidy aspect. What the cause of the neatness of the latter may be we cannot tell, but we can bear the testimony of an eye-witness to the fact thatconsidering the class of inhabitants who dwell in them, their laborious lives and limited meansthe rows are wondrously clean. Nearly all of them are paved with pebbles or bricks. The square courts opening out of them on right and left, although ridiculously small, are so thoroughly scoured and swept that one might roll on their floors with white garments and remain unsoiled. In each court may be observed a water-bucket and scrubbing-brush wet, usually, from recent use, also a green painted box-garden of dimensions corresponding to the court, full of well-tended flowers. Almost every door has a wooden or stone step, and each step is worn and white with repeated scrubbingsinsomuch that one is irresistibly led to suspect that the Bloaters must have a strong infusion of the Dutch element in their nature.
Emerging at the lower end of the row, Mr Jones and his small companion hastened along the centre of a narrow street which led them into one of much wider dimensions, named Friars Lane. Proceeding along this for some time, they diverged to the right into another of the rows not far from the old city-wall, at a place where one of the massive towers still rears its rugged head as a picturesque ruin. The moon sailed out from under a mass of clouds at this point, giving to objects the distinctness of daylight. Hitherto Billy Towler had retained some idea of the direction in which he was being led, but this last turn threw his topographical ideas into utter confusion.
A queer place this, he remarked, as they emerged from the narrowest passage they had yet traversed into a neat, snug, and most unexpected little square, with a garden in the middle of it, and a flagstaff in one corner.
Adam-and-Eve gardens, they call it, said Mr Jones; were pretty nigh home now.
I wonder they didnt call it Eden at once, observed Billy; it would have been shorter and comes to the same thing.
Here we are at last, said Mr Jones, stumbling against a small door in one of the network of rows that surrounded this Yarmouth paradise. Hope the women are in, he added, attempting to lift the latch, but, finding that the door was locked, he hammered at it with foot and fist violently.
Hallo! shouted the deep voice of a man within.
Hallo, indeed! Who may you be? growled Mr Jones with an angry oath. Open the door, will you?
The door was opened at once by James Welton, who stood aside to let the other pass.
Oh! its you, is it? said Mr Jones. Didnt recognise your voice through the door. I thought you couldnt have got the sloop made snug so soon. Well, lass, how are ee; and hows the old ooman?
As the man made these inquiries in a half-hearty voice, he advanced into a poorly-furnished apartment, so small and low that it seemed a couple of sizes too small for him, and bestowed a kiss first upon the cheek of his old mother, who sat cowering over the fire, but brightened up on hearing his voice, and then upon the forehead of his daughter Nora, the cheerfulness of whose greeting, however, was somewhat checked when she observed the intoxicated state of her father.
Nora had a face which, though not absolutely pretty, was intensely winsome in consequence of an air of quiet womanly tenderness which surrounded it as with a halo. She was barely eighteen, but her soft eyes possessed a look of sorrow and suffering which, if not natural to them, had, at all events, become habitual.
Who is this little boy, father? she said, turning towards Billy Towler, who still stood in the doorway a silent but acute observer of all that went on.
Oh, that? whyathats my noo prentice just come down from Gravesend. Hes been helpin for some time in the hang (by which Mr Jones meant the place where his fish were cured), and Im goin to take him to sea with me next trip. Come in, Billy, and make yourself at home.
The boy obeyed with alacrity, and made no objection to a cup of tea and slice of bread and butter which Nora placed before himsupper being just then in progress.
Youd better get aboard as soon as may be, said Jones to Jim Welton somewhat sternly. I didnt expect you to leave the sloop tonight.
And I didnt intend to leave her, replied Jim, taking no notice of the tone in which this was said; but I thought Id come up to ask if you wished me to begin dischargin early to-morrow morning.
No, were not going to discharge, returned Jones.
Not going to discharge! echoed Jim in surprise. No. I find that its not worth while discharging any part of the cargo here. On the contrary, I mean to fill up with bloaters and run over with them to the coast of France; so you can go and stow the top tier of casks more firmly, and get ready for the noo ones. Good-night.
The tone in which this was said left no excuse for Jim to linger, so he bade the household good-night and departed.
He had not gone far, however, when he was arrested by the sound of a light footstep. It was that of Nora, who had followed him.
Nora! exclaimed the young sailor in surprise, returning quickly and taking one of the girls hands in both of his.
Oh, Jim! said Nora, with a look and tone of earnest entreaty, dont, dont forsake him just nowif the love which you have so often professed for me be true, dont forsake him, I beseech you.
Jim protested in the most emphatic terms that he had no intention of forsaking anybody, and made a great many more protestations, in the midst of which there were numerous ardent and more or less appropriate references to hearts that never deserted their colours, sheet-anchors that held on through thick and thin, and needles that pointed, without the smallest shadow of variation, to the pole.
But what makes you think Im going to leave him? he asked, at the end of one of those flights.
Because he is so rough to ee, Jim, replied the girl, leaning her head on her lovers shoulder; he spoke so gruff even now, and I thought you went away huffed. Oh, Jim, you are the only one that has any influence over him
Not the only one, returned Jim, quietly smoothing the fair girls hair with his hard strong hand.
Well, the only man, at any rate, continued Nora, especially when he is overcome with that dreadful drink. Dear Jim, you wont forsake him, will you, even though he should insult, even though he should strike you?
No, never! Because he is your father, Nora, Ill stick by him in spite of all he can say or do to me, and try, God helping me, to save him. But I cannot stick by him if