The Powder Monkey, by George Manville Fenn. ________________________________________________________________________ This is a very short book, probably intended for a younger market thanmost of Fenn's books. An old seaman finds a ragged and hungry youngboy, to whom he talks, finding out that the boy was being brought up byan aunt and her brother. The uncle used to beat the boy too severely tobear, and he had run away from home. The seaman, Jack Jeens, decides totake charge of the boy, but both of them are taken by the press-gang, and end up serving on HMS Victory. The boy, Phil Leigh, gets on wellwith the other seamen, but is especially fond of Jack. At first hedoesn't get on well with the other ship's boys, but one day they arechasing each other round the rigging, and one of the boys, Tom Dodds, falls. Phil is made, as a punishment for causing the fall, to be Tom'snurse, for Tom has broken his leg badly. In the next scene we find ourselves in the midst of the Battle ofTrafalgar, and Phil's protector, Jack, is very badly wounded, so nowPhil has a second person to nurse. In the final scene we are back in Portsmouth, where the Aunt appears, and tells Phil that the Uncle has gone away, and that he should comehome. Phil is unwilling to leave Jack, but the Aunt promises to havehim come with them, and be nursed at her house, so that is where thestory is complete. ________________________________________________________________________ THE POWDER MONKEY, BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN. CHAPTER ONE. "Hi-lo!" The little boy raised his head with a sudden start. "Hilli--hi--ho! What cheer?" The little fellow started to his feet from where he had been sittingupon a sloping bank, and caught at the bars of the gate close by. Hesaid nothing, but stared through the gloom of the autumn evening at thestrange man, who now roared out: "What cheer, I says! What cheer?" The little fellow made an effort to speak, but only sighed at first, before stammering out: "Please, sir, I don't know what you mean. " "You don't?" growled the man, fiercely, as he clapped the palm of hisleft hand upon the front of his waistband, and the back of his righthand level with it behind; then kicking out his right leg behind, hemade a kind of hop on his left, as if to shake himself down into hisclothes, as he hoisted them up. "You don't?" he said again, as he stared at the little fellow. "Whatare you, then? A furrener?" "No, sir, " said the little boy, shrinking; for the man now took a stepforward and clapped a big, brown, tarry hand upon his shoulder. "Then why can't yer understand yer own lingo?" "I do, sir, " said the boy, with a sound like a sob. "Then why did you say you didn't, and make me think you was a Frenchy?" "I didn't know what you meant, sir, by `hilli' something, and `whatcheer. '" "Why, yer young savage!" cried the man. "Arn't yer never been toschool?" "Yes, sir, and had a tutor. " "A tutor, eh? What may that be? But lookye here, my lad; I arn't a_sir_--on'y a marrineer. " "A what, sir?" said the boy, staring. "Marrineer--seaman. Fore the mast man, ship now lying off the port o'Torquay. Whatcher doing there?" "Cry-ying, sir, " came for answer, with a piteous sob. "Cry-hying, you young swab?" roared the man, as if he were speakingthrough a storm. "Here, sop that up. Father been leathering yer?" "No, sir. " "No, Jack Jeens!" yelled the man. "_Sir_, indeed! Jack Jeens--that'smy name. England is my dwellin' place--leastwise, when I arn't offFrance and Spain, or in the 'Terranium leathering the French. Now, then, who has been givin' it to you? Mother, p'r'aps, and turned youout of doors?" "No, sir, " sobbed the boy, with a piteous look, in the gatheringdarkness. "Yah!" came so savagely that the boy started to run; but the grip uponhis shoulder tightened, and he was forced back against the bars of thegate. "Now, just you look here, messmet. You're such a little un thatI don't like to hit yer for fear you should break; but don't youhaggravate me by talking as if I was a hofficer. " "No, sir; please, sir--" stammered the boy. "Hark at him!" growled the man, speaking to one of the stone gate-posts;and then, turning to the other, "Is he a hidgit?" "No, that I'm not!" cried the boy, speaking indignantly now. "I wantedto say that I had no father and no mother. " "Then why didn't you say so at first?" growled the man. "But got nofather nor mother?" "No, s--no, no!" cried the boy. "You're a horphan, mate?" "Yes--Jack Jeens, didn't you say you were?" "Right, boy; and that shows me straight and plain that you ain't ahidgit. Shake hands, mate. I'm just the same as you. I'm a horphan, too, on'y I don't pipe my eye like you do. " The boy held out his hand, which the next moment lay, looking dimlywhite, in the great, hairy paw which seized it. "Leave crying to the women, my lad. Now then, what's the matter?" The tears started to the boy's eyes again and he uttered a kind of gaspas he strove to master the desire to sob aloud, and said in a brokenvoice: "I'm tired and cold and hungry. " "Eh? Then why don't you go home?" "I have no home now, " said the little fellow, sadly. "That's queer agen, " said the sailor, in quite a sympathetic tone now. "You're a horphan like me, and now you've got no home. What, nowhere togo and sleep to-night?" "No--" said the boy, and the word "sir" nearly slipped out again. "Why, you're quite a ship in distress, messmet, and it seems luckyyou've failed in with me. Hungry and out o' water, are yer?" "Very hungry, please, " said the boy; "but I found some water over there, running by the roadside, before it was dark, and I drank some. " "Ah, that's why it came out o' them eyes o' yourn like a shipped waveout o' the scuppers. Well, I got a shot or two yet in the locker, socome along o' me and I'll get yer something to eat, anyhow. Here, hookon to my fin. " The man's tone was so friendly, and he held out his hand in such akindly way, that the little fellow caught at it eagerly, and with thedarkness thickening fast, began to trot beside his new friend as hestrode off, but only to totter breathlessly at the end of a few minutesand then stumble, ready to fall but for the strong arm which dragged himup. "Why, hillo!" cried the man. "What's this here?" "I--I don't know, " said the boy, feebly. "I'm so tired--and my feethurt--and--and--and I can't go any farther, please. Don't be cross withme, sir; I can't help it--I'm obliged to cry. " His legs sank beneath him as he spoke and doubled so that he naturallycame down upon his knees, and raising the hand that was not held, tojoin the other, the boy seemed in the gloom to be praying for mercy tothe big, rough man. "Why, matey, I didn't know you were on your beam ends like this here, "he growled, softly. "Here, I'll help yer. Let me lift yer on to this'ere bank. That's the way. Steady, now, while I turn round. Give'st'other fin. There you are. Heave ho! and you're up and on my back. Now, then, I'll tow you into port where I'm going, and you an' me'llhave a bit o' supper together, and after that--well, look at that now!" As he spoke the sailor had got the boy up on his shoulders, pig-a-backfashion, and began to tramp steadily along the road, not feeling thelight weight, and talking pleasantly to the little fellow all the while, till, in his surprise, he uttered the last words in a low tone, andfollowed them up by exclaiming: "Tired out, poor bairn. I'm blessed if he ain't fast asleep!" The sailor stood in the middle of the road thinking and talking aloud tohimself as if he were someone else. "This here's a pretty set-out, Jack Jeens, " he growled softly, so as notto awaken his load. "Here you are, my lad, just finished your holiday, spent half your arnings along with your friends, and give t'other halfto yer old mother to help her along till you come back from sea again--bless her old heart! On'y I wish when she kisses yer and says, `good-bye, and bless you, my dear boy!' she wouldn't cry quite all overyer. But as I was a-saying, Jack, here you're going back quite comfy tojoin the _Sairy Ann_ schooner, lad, with nothing to do but join yourship, when down upon you comes this here boy, tired and hungry, andcrying as bad as your old mother, my lad. You didn't want a boy, Jack, and now you've got him you don't know what to do with him, nor who heis, nor where he's going, nor where he comes from. Strikes me he don'tknow himself. Take him aboard the _Sairy Ann_, my lad, and show him tothe skipper. `Now, then, ' says you, `here's a boy. ' `So I see, ' saysthe skipper. `Well, what's to be done with him?' says you, and he turnsit over in his mind, and 'fore you know where you are he's settled itall and told you what to do and where to put him. "That's the way to do it, " said Jack Jeens, with a low, soft chuckle. "Poor little bairn! The skipper has got a wife and little uns of hisown, and understands these sort o' things. Shouldn't wonder if he findsa new father and mother for him. " Jack's messmates said nothing, for they never knew, though the roughsailor began to carry out his plan, going onward with the boy fastasleep upon his back, too much wearied out to heed where he was going orto think of the troubles which had befallen one so young. For his sleepgrew deeper and deeper till the lights of Torquay came into sight roundabout the port at the bottom of the hill; and he did not stir when Jack, stopping short at the door of a shabby-looking little inn upon theStrand--a place much frequented by seamen--and the boy did not heed JackJeen's voice when he cried, "What cheer?" to the landlady, and asked fora room and bed for the night with supper to be ready directly. The simple supper was soon placed upon the table of the mean-lookingroom; but the boy could not eat. "Tired out?" said the landlady, sourly. "Ay, ay; that's it, " said Jack. "Here, missus, I'll carry him up andput him to bed. " And this the rough fellow did, carrying his young companion as carefullyas if he were afraid that he would break, and then without attempting toundress him, he laid him down, covered him up, and then went back tohave his supper. After which, weary enough himself, and thinking abouthis work in the early morning, he looked out to where his schooner laymoored to a buoy with a light swinging high in the rigging, and thenwent up to his room. The boy was faster than ever, and as Jack Jeens held a guttering tallowcandle over the sleeper's face, "Poor little chap, " he said, smiling. "Why, if I get tumbling into bed it'll wake him up, and I won't do that. Here, this'll do. " Jack took the candle out of the stick and put it out very untidily byturning it upside down till the flame was choked, and then threw himselfdown upon the floor by the bedside. "Quite as soft--bit softer perhaps--than the schooner's deck, " hemuttered. "Good-night, little un. The skipper'll make it all right foryou in the morning, and--Heigh-ho-ha-hum! My word, I am jolly sleepy, and--" Jack Jeens said no more, but the next instant he gave vent to a snorethat ought to have awakened the boy but did not; and he lay sleepinghard till there was something louder than his own snore upon the stairs. First there was the whispering of voices below; then a rough laugh; thenthe shuffling and stamping of feet, which ceased upon the landingoutside the door, which was roughly tried, and being fastened, kickedin, while a fierce voice cried aloud in tones which made Jack Jeensspring to his feet under the belief that he was at home aboard theschooner and in his bunk. "Ahoy there! Tumble up! Tumble up! In the King's name!" CHAPTER TWO. Jack Jeens and his young companion started up, sitting upon the floor, and both confused and wondering. "Hillo!" ejaculated Jack. "What's that?" said the boy, who could not tell where he was, while atthat moment the window was pushed up a little and the voice of a mansaid softly: "There's a ladder here. Quick, run for it! The pressgang!" "Eh, what? Where?" growled the sailor, excitedly. "Bring a light?Where's the light?" He knew the next moment, for the door was burst open with a crash and aparty of men headed by an officer in uniform rushed into the room, filling it with light, for three of them bore ship's lanthorns, and Jackfound that the warning had come too late, for he was seized by three menbefore he could even think of resisting, and held tightly with his backto the wall. "Only one, my lads?" cried the officer. "Not sure yet, sir, " replied one of the men, who ducked down to bringthe light of the lanthorn he carried beneath the bed, while another ofthe party examined the cupboard, and a companion peeped up the chimney. "No, sir; only one, sir, " said a man who seemed to be a warrant officer;"but here's a nipper on the bed. " "I thought there had been more, " said the leader. "Now, then, my lad, "he continued, to the sailor, "it's of no use to kick against it. Howmany mates had you with you?" "Ne'er a one, " growled Jack, surlily. "What do you want with me?" "Oh, you'll see soon enough. Come along. Mind you don't lose him, mylads. " "Never fear, sir, " came in chorus, while the boy upon seeing that hisnew friend was in trouble slipped off the bed, ran to Jack's side, andgrasped his hand tightly. "You can't press me, " cried Jack, now growing angry, and, as if obeyingan instinct which made him feel it to be his duty to protect the boy, drawing him close to his side. "Can't we, my lad?" said the officer, laughing. "Why, we have pressedyou. " "But I belong to a schooner in the bay, " cried Jack. "You belong to the King now, my lad. " Jack Jeens glanced wildly at the speaker and then at the open window, where a face was seen dimly for a moment or two by the light shed by thelanthorns; and the next moment he would have flung off the men who heldhis arms to right and left, and rushing to the opening, have sprung out. But somehow at that moment the tight grasp of his young companion hadthe effect of making him feel that he could not leave the little fellowwho had so strongly appealed to his better feelings, and he stood fast. The next moment the chance was gone, for one of the gang ran to thewindow, shut it down with a bang, and fastened it securely. "There, bring them along, my lads, " said the leader, and just then theman who seemed to be a warrant officer whispered something. "Eh? What? No, he's too little. " "Powder monkey, sir; and he'll grow. " "To be sure. Of course, " cried the officer; "and it's two instead ofone. Bring him along. " "Here, what yer going to do?" cried Jack, excitedly. "You mustn't touchthis boy; he's--" "That'll do!" roared the officer, and at a sign from him a couple of thegang made a dash at the little fellow to separate them; but at the firsttouch the boy uttered a wild cry and clung tightly to his protector, whomade a desperate effort to defend him, shouting the while for thelandlady to come and take the little fellow. But it was all in vain: Jack and his young companion were torn apart, hurried down the stairs and out on to the Strand, and a few minuteslater the boy was set at liberty, to spring to Jack's side, panting withexcitement as he clung to him tightly; but it was with the waterrippling and pattering against the bows of the boat which was beingrowed rapidly out of the harbour towards the bay. Not long after, asthe coxswain's boat-hook caught a ring, the boat glided against thetowering side of a great line of battleship, and the two prisoners werehurried up on deck, and Jack Jeens in spite of all protestations wasmade one of the crew of _HMS Victory_, and his little companion, theyoungest boy on board, without a chance of setting foot ashore again. For at sunrise the sails were shaken out, and the great man-of-war withits tiers of guns was soon after leading the way down Channel in searchof England's enemies, followed by the British Fleet, while the news thatthe fleet was commanded by Admiral Nelson seemed to Jack Jeens and thelittle fellow with whom he had become so strangely associated only somany empty words. CHAPTER THREE. Jack Jeens sat upon the bottom of an upturned bucket with his elbowsresting upon his knees, gazing down at his young companion of theprevious night's adventure, who was half sitting, half lying, upon thelower deck of the great ship, close to the open port-hole, through whichthe morning light shone upon his face as he went on eating a biscuit, through the edge of which his keen pearly-white teeth passed like thoseof a mouse. It was light enough close to the boy, but all inward was very gloomy, and every here and there a lanthorn was burning dimly, although it wasmorning. There was plenty of noise and bustle going on about the deck where thelanthorns burned, and the trampling of feet, and shouts that soundedlike orders came now and then; but the principal sound just there by theport-hole through which the light came was the _crunch, crunch, crunch_of the biscuit. At last Jack Jeens spoke. "It caps me, " he said. "Seems wonderful. Here you are, just aboardship for the first time, and 'stead o' being badly and sick, eating awaylike a reg'lar biscuit nibbler. " "I was so hungry, " said the little fellow, with a bright smile. "Eat away, then, " said Jack; "but I say, arn't you frightened?" "Not now, " said the boy. "I was when those sailors came and woke meup. " "Course you would be, " said Jack. "Why, it scared me. But arn't youfrightened now?" The boy shook his head and took another bite at the hard biscuit. "Why arn't you frightened?" said Jack, after a good long stare at thebiscuit-nibbler, as he called his companion. "Because you're here, " said the boy. "Yes, I'm here, o' course, " said Jack, staring hard as if puzzled. "I'ma-sitting close to yer; but that don't make no difference because I'm apressed man. " "You'll take care of me and see that no one hurts me, " said the boy, confidently. "Oh, o' course, " said Jack, scratching his head. "That is, while I'mhere, but what's going to become of you when I'm gone?" "Gone?" said the boy, sharply, as he left off eating. "You're not goingaway to leave me, are you?" "Well, no, " said Jack, grimly. "It's you who are going away to leaveme. " "That I sha'n't, " cried the boy, quickly. "I'll never go away from you. I like you. " "That's right, " said Jack Jeens, grinning with satisfaction; "and ofcourse I like you too, youngster. But they'll be setting you ashoresoon, so that you can go back to your folk. " The boy shook his head. "What do you mean by that?" said the sailor, sharply. "Lookye here, younever told me what your name was, nor where you come from. " The little fellow frowned and looked pained. "Got a name, haven't you?" said the sailor. "Yes, of course, " cried the boy. "Phil. " "Phil, eh?" said the sailor. "Phil what?" "Leigh, " was the reply. "Phil Leigh, eh? Hard a-lee. Well, where do you live?" "At Greyton, " said the boy, slowly and sadly. "No, I used to livethere, till--till--till--" "Yes, I know, " said Jack, quickly, as he grasped the meaning of theboy's working face. "But why don't you live there now?" "Because uncle came, " said the boy, with a shudder, "and then I--I--Youwon't take me back, will you?" "Dunno yet, " said Jack, sternly. "Boys arn't got no business to runaway from home. Watcher run away for?" "He used to beat me so. " "Beat you--a little un like you?" cried Jack, with a look of disgust. "What with?" "Walking stick. " "Thick un?" said Jack, and the boy nodded. "And didn't nobody stophim?" "Yes, " said the little fellow quickly. "Aunt did. " "Who's aunt?" said Jack, sharply. "Why, my aunt. She said it was a shame. " "Ha! I like her, " said Jack, and he rubbed his hands. "But what did hebeat you for?" "He said I was always crying, " said the boy, piteously. "But I couldn'thelp it. " "Course you couldn't, " said Jack, softly. "You cried a-cause o' thembeing took away, didn't you?" The boy nodded sharply--he did not dare to speak. "Ha!" sighed Jack Jeens, as he rubbed his hands softly together. "Iwish I'd been there. But I say, look here. And so you run away becausehe whipped you?" The boy nodded. "And went on walking till I run again' you?" "Yes, " came like a sigh. "Well, you see, you'll have to go back. " The little fellow dropped the piece of biscuit he held, and it fell witha rap upon the deck, as he started to his feet, glanced out of the openport-hole, and took a quick step or two towards it, darted off into thedarkness of the 'tween decks, the sailor catching a glimpse of him as hepassed the light shed by the lanthorns. "Scared, that's what he is, " muttered Jack. "Why, I do believe that inhis fright he'd ha' jumped into the water and swum for it sooner than besent back. Well, I must find him again; and it don't seem easy in agreat ship like this. Poor little chap, he was 'most ready to jump outof his skin!" Jack took a few steps cautiously in the direction followed by the littlefellow, but he had hardly started before the sound of a shrill whistlerang out, and he and some ten more pressed men were ordered on deck tobe examined by the first lieutenant and some of the other officers, before being informed that they were now King's men, and ordered toreceive their kits, after which they were distributed amongst the crewaccording to whether they were land or sea men, the latter having littleto learn. Jack uttered a grunt as he learned his destination, which was to beunder the order of the captain of one of the big guns on the main deck, and the meaning of that grunt was that he determined to make the best ofit. But his grunt sounded deep, because he had little Phil Leigh uponhis mind, so he addressed one of the officers, and stated his case. "Eh? The boy brought aboard with you when you were pressed?" "Yes, sir, " said Jack. "Run away from home, he did. Uncle thrashedhim. Young gen'leman he is, and I want you to put him in a boat and sethim ashore. " "Oh! do you, my lad?" said the officer, gruffly. "Run away from home, did he?" "Yes, sir, because--" "That'll do, my lad; no more talk. If he has run away from home he hasrun into the very best place to learn how to be a good boy. " "But--" "That'll do, sir. I've no time to listen to you. We want boys. " "But he's such a little un, sir, " pleaded Jack. "Then we'll feed him well and make him grow big. Where is he?" "Dunno, sir. He run away again this morning. " "What, again?" "Yes, sir. " "Ah, well, he can't run far, and we shall find him soon. Set himashore, eh? Next shore we shall see will be somewhere on the coast ofPortugal or Spain, I expect. " The officer said the last words to himself as he tramped away, leavingJack Jeens to stand scratching his head and muttering. "Pore little chap!" he said. "They'll make a powder monkey on him?Well, and a fine thing too. Better than being a boy at home with anuncle who gave him the stick for crying after his father and mother whoare dead. Here, Phil, messmate, where are yer?" he said softly, and hisvoice sounded as if somehow he had a soft place in his rough, honestheart. "Where are yer, little un? I want to tell you that you're goingto be powder monkey aboard Admiral Lord Nelson's ship. " CHAPTER FOUR. Jack Jeens found himself at last piped down below, swinging his hammockand turning in like the rest, to lie listening to the wash of the wavesagainst the rolling sides of the great man-of-war, whose timbers creakedand groaned, for a stiff breeze had sprung up as the fleet began to rundown channel. A rough night at sea did not trouble Jack, but he laythinking about little Phil and wondering whether he could do any good bygetting out of his hammock and trying to find him in the darkness; buthe felt nothing but despair as he knew enough about a man-o'-war besideswhat he had seen during the time he had been on board, to feel sure thatif he began to search he would soon be stopped by the marine sentries orby the watch. "A man can't do as he likes aboard a King's ship, " he said to himselfdismally, as he lay in the black darkness, "but only let me get thisnight over, and they may say what they like, I'll go straight to thecaptain, or to Lord Nelson himself, and ask him to have that littlefellow found. Here, what's that?" He said those last three words half aloud, for he had suddenly feltsomething cold brush across his face. "That you, Jack?" came in a soft whisper. "Yes. That you, little messmet? Hooroar! Give's your fin. " "Promise me you won't send me home, Jack, and I will. " "Send you home, messmet!" growled the rough sailor, whose voice trembledwith emotion. "Why, o' course I won't! You're to stay aboard, and be apowder monkey. My word! Your hands are like ice! Where have you beenall day?" "Down in the dark, and it was so cold, " said the little fellow, shivering. "But you won't send me back, Jack? I can't--I can't go. " "Send yer back? Not me!" growled the sailor. "On'y too glad to get yeragain. Don't I tell yer that you're one o' the King's men now, and aregoing to stop? My word, you are cold! Here, heave ho! That's got you!You snuggle up here alongside me. King's man! Why, you're not muchbigger than a frog, and just as cold. My hammock feel warm?" "Oh, so warm--so warm, Jack!" came in a whisper, as two little handswere passed round the rough fellow's neck. "That's right, little un. But are you hungry?" "No, not very; only cold and tired, Jack. But I don't mind now you'renot going to send me home. Oh, Jack, I do feel so happy andcomfortable!" "That's right, but I say, little un, it's making you cry again. Thatdon't seem so very happy, do it?" "Yes, it's because I'm so very, very happy, Jack; but don't speak to mefor a bit. " "Right, but what's the matter? You're not going to get out again, areyou?" "No, but don't speak, please, " whispered the little follow. "I'm afraidsome of the other men will hear. " Jack Jeens, the rough sailor, drew a deep breath, as he held on toPhil's jacket to make sure that he did not fall out, as he struggled upat the side of the hammock; and then for some little time he did notstir, while the huge vessel rolled and creaked and groaned, throughwhich sounds came the heavy breathing of the men swinging in theirhammocks. But at last the future powder monkey crept softly back into his oldplace and passed his arms round the rough sailor's neck, and a curiousthrill of satisfaction ran straight to Jack Jeens' heart as he felt twolittle lips press his cheek, and heard a pleasant, soft voice whisper: "Good-night, Jack. God bless you!" It was not many minutes afterwards, and while the light from theswinging lanthorn close up to the companion ladder by the marine sentryhad turned so dim that the man had opened the half transparent door tosnuff the candle within, that Jack Jeens, whose eyes in the gloom felt alittle moist, muttered to himself. "He said `good-night. God bless you, Jack!' he did. And on'y think ofit--him amongst all these rough chaps a-sleeping here in the dark--kneels up in my hammock, he did, poor little chap, and says hisprayers!" CHAPTER FIVE. Phil sprang out of the hammock at the first sound of a whistle, lookingrested and quite content, as he readily answered Jack's question aboutsleeping well. Then followed other questions put by half-awake sailors as to who he wasand how he came there--questions which began to trouble the littlefellow, till Jack Jeens came to his help. "Who is he?" cried the big bluff sailor. "Why, he's my boy. He waspressed along with me, and he's going to be a powder monkey. " "Rather a little un, eh?" said one joker. "Why, youngster, you'll do toget in and sponge out the guns, only you must mind and not get stuck inthe touch-holes. " But Phil's appearance was enough to make all the men his friends, andalmost made Jack their enemy, for a strange kind of jealousy sprang upas the crew made efforts to entice the little fellow away from hiscompanion. But the ill feeling soon died out, for though Phil had asmile and a bright look for everyone, Jack Jeens was his greatattraction, and he was never happier than when he was at the big, roughfellow's side. The novelty of such a little fellow becoming one of the crew soon diedout, and in a few days he was so much at home, that the men treated himas one of themselves, while the officers soon took his presence as amatter of course, and had a nod or a smile for the active little fellowwho had become the pet of the ship. "Why, you've quite put the tabby Tom cat's nose out of joint, " said Jackone day, with a grin. "Has he scratted you yet?" "No, of course not, " cried Phil. "He follows me wherever I go. " "Humph!" grunted Jack. "Everybody and everything seems to like you, oldchap. " Phil said nothing, but he thought a good deal, knowing only too well ashe did that his friend Jack was not right. For there were several otherboys on board who, seeing the favour in which the little new-comerstood, were not long in trying to make his young life a burden. All farbigger and stronger, they soon began to persecute him when they found achance, one of their favourite plans being to, as they called it, "chivvy him" and hunt him about the vessel. Soon after dawn one morning Phil had crept on deck to stand looking overthe bulwark through the soft grey light at the scattered vessels sailingslowly along, when all at once a faint _whish_ caught his ear, andturning sharply he saw one of his persecutors creeping cautiouslytowards him, followed by half-a-dozen more, while a couple had crossedthe deck and were ready to cut him off if he attempted to retreat inthat direction. Phil glanced towards the forecastle hatch, but there was a boy risingfrom the square opening, and he turned to look aft, but only to see thatother lads were waiting there. For the enemy had taken steps to cut himoff in every direction, and the little fellow looked wildly round for away of escape, and then made a rush to pass through his tormentors, whocut him off at once and with a cry of delight dashed in. It was all very quickly done; first one and then another of the ladsnearly had him, but active as a monkey that has no dealings with powder, Phil dodged, feinted, and dodged again, brushing by the foremost of hispursuers, making for the starboard bulwark, and reaching the foremastshrouds before the first boy could recover himself. The last was after him, though, directly, but too late; for with a boundPhil had sprung up, caught at the nearest rope, swung himself on to therail, and then begun swarming up the rigging, a mere morsel of a fellow, as he dragged himself up from ratline to ratline, mounting higher andhigher towards the foretop. Sure of him now, the boys uttered a low cry of delight, and while twomade for the starboard shrouds to follow him, a couple more made for thelarboard, or port, as they call them now, while the rest gathered below. "Take a turn round him with the halyards!" whispered one boy, from thedeck, "and then send him down to us. " Phil heard, and climbed on breathlessly, looking up the while at the topand thinking that if his enemies followed him there he could climbhigher. The fore top was reached, but this proved no sanctuary, and Phil had toclimb higher still, for one boy in particular, the most active anddaring of the party, followed fast and with such good effect, that toPhil's horror just before he reached the top gallant cross-trees, hispursuer was so close behind that he made a dash at his quarry's ankle, and grasped it; and in his horror Phil made a spring which took him outof his enemy's reach and proved disastrous. For the boy had thrown so much energy into his action that as Phil'sankle glided through his hand, he failed to clutch the ratline beneath, swung round, and unable to get a fresh hold, began to fall from rope toyard, to rope again, and then came heavily on the fore yard, whichpartially broke his fall, but after a moment or two he came down heavilyupon the deck, making his companions there scatter and then make for theforecastle hatch, while those aloft scuttled down as hard as they could. As for Phil, white with horror, and feeling strongly that he was thecause of the accident, he clung to the shrouds, looking wildly down fora few moments, before seizing the halyards and sliding gradually down toreach the fallen boy lying alone, and began to feel him all over insilence, before his hand came in contact with the insensible lad's legin such a way that the little fellow uttered a shriek of horror whichbrought the men of the watch to his side. Phil turned sick as he stood there listening to what was said; but hefought it back and walked with them as they raised the insensible boyfrom the deck and bore him to the cockpit, where the surgeon was soonbusy setting and bandaging, and talking sourly the while in hisill-humour at being roused from his morning's sleep. His words consisted of scoldings and questionings. "You young dog, " he said to Phil, who was the only boy allowed to bepresent. "Skylarking in the rigging before breakfast! What could youexpect? Well, my young shrimp, you have the satisfaction of knowingthat you've broken your companion's leg, and you'll have to be hisnurse. Do you hear?" "Yes, sir, " said Phil; "but he won't die, will he?" "Not if I know it, boy. Ah, he's coming-to now. " For the injured lad opened his eyes, to stare about him, trying tounderstand what it all meant, and grinning as he saw Phil. "I say, " he whispered, "I caught you!" "That you didn't!" said Phil, indignantly. "Well, nearly. But what's the matter with my leg?" "Broke, " said Phil, in a whisper. "That all?" said the boy, coolly. "Well, then, I sha'n't be able towalk. " "No, " said Phil, in a hurried whisper. "You're to be in hospital, andhe says I'm to be your nurse. " "Who? The doctor?" "Yes, sir, " said that individual, sharply. "Your right leg's brokenjust below the knee, and you may think yourself very lucky it wasn'tyour neck. " Phil turned upon him an indignant look which made the doctor stare. "Be a warning to you both not to play such monkey tricks again, " headded, sourly. "There, little one, stop with him, and I'll tell one ofthe men to bring you some breakfast here. " CHAPTER SIX. That mishap and the boy's illness worked a complete change. Hiscompanions were not allowed to come to what was called the sick bay, butsomehow they soon came to know that Phil had been appointed nurse, andthat he was constant in his attendance, and doing everything he could tohelp the sufferer. Possibly they heard a good deal from Jack Jeens, whodid manage to steal a few minutes with Phil once a day. So did theship's boys whenever Phil showed himself on deck. He tried to avoidthem at first, but they cut him off, and to his surprise instead ofplying him with blows they wanted to shake hands, while ever after theywere the best of friends. "Why is it?" Phil asked Jack Jeens, who laughed, and said he supposedit was because he tended the injured lad so well. But Phil found that there was other work for him besides nursing a boywith a broken leg, for at certain times he was called up on deck whenthe men were working the guns, and he had to learn what was requiredfrom him in connection with the great gun to which Jack Jeens belonged, and in his quick way Phil soon did what was required, and that was, torun down to the magazine and fetch a flannel bag that seemed to be fullof sand up on deck ready for the crew of the gun to push into the mouthof the gun, where it was rammed down with a long rod, before a big shotwas taken out of the rack close by, and rammed down the gun in turn, which was then fired. It was all new to Phil, and he saw neither harm nor danger in it. Itwas nothing to him but going below to fetch that flannel bag, and he wasin profound ignorance of the fact that if it went near a light he wouldbe blown to pieces, while he could not have had a more dangerous taskthan that of the powder monkey who fetched up the charges from themagazine, where if a spark should fall the vessel would be blown toatoms and sunk. Phil was not afraid, for he could not see the danger, and he laughed andliked to run up and down from the powder magazine to the main deck, because the big bluff men always laughed and said pleasant things tohim. He was not afraid either on that day when Jack Jeens looked veryserious and sponged his face for him over a bucket of water. "Why, you're as black as a sweep with the powder, " said Jack. "I say, didn't you feel frightened when the guns roared?" "No, " said Phil; "I only felt as if I should like to put my fingers inmy ears. That gun did make a noise. " Just at that moment a little serious-looking officer in uniform, withonly one eye and one arm, stopped short, took off his cocked hat, andafter putting it on again, laid the telescope he carried upon Phil'sshoulder. "Why, you're the little fellow they call Phil, arn't you?" he said. Phil nodded shortly. "You're the little powder monkey, they tell me. " "Yes, " said Phil, looking at the little man wonderingly. "And you've been bravely nursing the boy who broke his leg, eh?" "Oh, it isn't brave, " said Phil, laughing and showing his white teeth. "His leg hurts him very badly sometimes, and he likes me to read to himthen and tell him stories. " "Oh, " said the officer; "then you read to him and tell him stories?" "Yes, " said Phil, "but I sha'n't read half so well as I should like; butI am trying very hard. " "To be sure, " said the little officer. "You are the sort of boy whowould. And you can tell stories?" "Yes, three--I mean four; and Tom Dodds likes to hear them all over andover again. " "Bravo!" said the little officer, tapping Phil on the shoulder with thetelescope. "There, be a good boy, and you'll get on and be somethingbetter than a powder monkey one of these days. " "Who's that?" said Phil, as the little man walked forward and ascendedthe companion ladder. "I like him, Jack, almost as much as I do you. " "And so you ought, " said Jack, gruffly, "for that's our admiral, LordNelson, the greatest man in the world. " CHAPTER SEVEN. It was not long after that Phil was between decks, talking to his newfriend, the crippled boy, whose face always expanded into a grin ofsatisfaction when his nurse appeared. "Here, I wanted you, " he cried. "I've got some news. The doctor toldme--" "Did he say that you might soon try to walk?" cried Phil, eagerly. "No; he said that my leg was going on well, but I was not to try to useit for a long time yet. He told me that we are going to have a bigfight with the French. Isn't it a bother? For I sha'n't be able to goto my gun. " "Jack Jeens said he didn't think we should have a fight, " replied Phil. "He doesn't know anything about it, " said the lame boy, impatiently. "But I say, I shall be obliged to stop below; you might come and stopwith me. " "Jack said I should be sent below if there was a fight, so I will. " "That's right, " said the boy, with a sigh of relief. "I didn't want foryou to see it and me stop below. " Phil looked at him in rather a puzzled way, for he did not know whetherhe was disappointed or pleased--whether he would like to see the battleor prefer to go below. But he was not to choose, and a few days later he was quite forgotten inthe excitement of the great incident. For he had been trained tocertain duties in connection with one of the guns, and when the orderswere given for the different crews to take their places, he ran to hisnaturally enough, perfectly ignorant of the fact that the British Fleetwas in "Trafalgar's Bay, " with the Frenchmen before them, while theBritish sailors, wild with excitement, were eagerly awaiting the ordersthat should set hundreds of guns bellowing like thunder as they pouredtheir broadsides of shot into the enemy's sides. All that little Phil knew was that his ears were deafened by the roar, his throat throbbing and suffering from the dense clouds of smoke whichdarkened the sky, and that he could hardly see Jack Jeens, who, like therest of the crew, was stripped to the waist, as he helped to load theirgun, which grew hotter and hotter, and finally leapt from the deck atevery discharge. He could only see dimly for the sulphurous mist before his eyes, butthere was was Jack Jeens close at hand, always watching him anxiouslyand ready to make a sign to him from time to time--a sign which meant"More powder, " and sent him running to the hatch-way and down to themagazine, from which he soon returned, heedless of the fact that if hestopped near a patch of burning tinder or wood the bag of flannel whichhe carried might explode in his hand. It was all wild noise and confusion, in the midst of which Phil, blackened and besmirched by the smoke and powder amongst which he moved, had eyes for nothing but his friend, who divided his time betweentoiling at the gun to which he was attached and watching his little_protege_, trembling for his safety when he had gone towards the openingin the deck through which he had to descend, and only breathing freelyagain when he saw the boy come panting back with his charge. Like therest of the crew, Jack Jeens knew nothing of how the battle went. Hehad his duty to do, and he did it, till all at once, just as he turnedhis head aside to give Phil a welcoming look through the gloom, he wasconscious of the tremendous shock of a sickening blow. Then all was blank for a time, till the darkness by which he wassurrounded opened a little and he found himself lying upon the deck, with Phil looking horrified as he knelt beside him holding a tin ofwater to his lips. Poor Jack could not hear what Phil said for the roaring of the guns, buthe could read the little fellow's lips as he pressed him to drink, andsick to the heart and suffering from the terrible wound which had struckhim down, he raised his hand to the tin to steady it and drink, but onlyto see it fall upon the deck, a splinter having struck it from the boy'shand. Jack's wild eyes seemed to say, Are you hurt? But he too made no sound, for at that moment a little group assembled upon the deck, opened out, and both he and Phil saw the figure of their great commander being bornetowards them on his way to the spot where he breathed his last. Hiseyes were open and he was looking wildly round as if in search ofsomething to guide him as to the progress of the great battle, when allat once they rested upon the childlike face of Phil, as the boy kneltbeside his wounded and bleeding friend. A change came over Nelson's face; the wildly anxious look died out, andas his eyes met those of the boy he smiled at him sadly, and Phil rosequickly to his feet, carried away by the childlike feeling of pity forthe dying hero. It was almost momentary. Then the little group closed in again andpassed along the deck, while with the horror and confusion increasingonce more, Phil found himself following Jack Jeens, who was beingcarried below to where the surgeon and his helpmates were busy overtheir terrible task, and all that the powder monkey saw more of theBattle of Trafalgar was a dim lanthorn swinging by a hammock in whichlay poor Jack Jeens, badly wounded, but with energy enough left to smileat his nurse, who was watching by his side. It was the next morning when, after a stupor-like sleep, Jack opened hiseyes, which brightened a little as he saw who was still with him. "Are you better, Jack?" whispered Phil, anxiously. "Lots, boy, " was the reply; "only I want to know. Tell me--who won?No, don't, if it was the French. " "No, it wasn't them, " was the quick reply. "We beat, and everyone saysit is a great--great--yes, victory--that's it. " "Hoo-roar!" came in a faint whisper from Jack Jeens' lips, and a smileof thankfulness lit up his face for a few moments. But for a few moments only, for like a shadow came the recollection ofsomething he had seen before he had fainted away from loss of blood. He lay for a while gazing at Phil as if afraid to speak. Then summoningup his courage he whispered: "Phil, boy, when I was shot down and you held the water for me to drink, did I dream something?" Phil gazed back in his eyes, but did not speak, for he with therecollection fresh upon him knew what his poor messmate meant. And so they rested for a few moments looking in each other's eyes, tillJack's slowly closed, and he uttered a low groan. "I hoped it was a dream, " he said, "and all fancy. But tell me now, Phil, boy; is it true?" "Yes, " said the little fellow, softly, and there was a choking sound inhis fresh young voice as he whispered the words in the wounded sailor'sear: "Yes; Lord Nelson is dead. " CHAPTER EIGHT. It was about a fortnight after the _Victory_ had returned to port, thata lady in deep mourning came off in a shore boat asking for the captain, but in his absence having to see the first lieutenant instead. This officer listened to her rather impatiently at first; but after aminute or two he began to take a good deal of interest in the statementshe made. "Oh, yes, " he said, at last; "we have such a boy on board. He came withone of the men who were pressed; but it was just at a time wheneveryone's attention was taken up by our sailing. There was some talkof the little fellow having been left an orphan and then being soill-used that he ran away. Was this so, madam?" "There is, I am sorry to say, a good deal of truth in it, for thoughwell-meaning, my brother was so stern and harsh that the poor littlefellow was afraid of him, and took that very foolish step. It was longenough before I was able to trace him, and found the woman who kept theinn from which he was taken. " "And now, madam, " said the first lieutenant, "I presume that your visitmeans that you have come to claim the boy?" "Oh, yes, " cried the lady, eagerly. "He is my little nephew, my deardead brother's child. " "Exactly; but he is quite happy and settled down with our men, and Idon't know that we should be justified in giving him up. " "You don't mean, " cried the lady, indignantly, "that you would keep himhere to become a common sailor?" "I beg your pardon, madam, " said the officer, stiffly, "but I was notaware that there was anything common about a sailor. " "Oh, I did not mean that, " said the lady, flushing. "And what is more, I feel sure that our captain would not allow ourlittle powder monkey--" "Powder monkey!" cried the lady, aghast. "Only a sailor's playful term, madam, " said the lieutenant. "I say ourcaptain would not give up our brave little fellow to go back to a lifeof ill-treatment. " "He would come back to no ill-treatment, " cried the lady, with the tearsbrimming in her eyes. "I love my dead brother's son. He would be withme, as his father expressly desired in his will. My other brother wouldhave nothing whatever to do with him. Pray, pray let me see the littlefellow, and I can prove to you that he would be happy. " "Oh, he is no prisoner, madam, " said the lieutenant. "Will you comewith me? You will find him doing duty in what we term the sick bay--theinfirmary--where are several of our wounded men. " The lady uttered a faint sob, and looking more and more troubled, suffered herself to be led to where poor Jack Jeens, looking very whiteand thin, lay back close to an open port-hole, listening to somethingPhil was reading from a book. Unseen at first, the visitor stopped short, gazing wonderingly at herlittle nephew neatly rigged up in nautical style, bending over the bookhe held, and evidently enjoying his task. "Phil!" whispered the lady; but the boy did not look up, only went onreading. But Jack Jeens heard, and he started where he lay, guessed the object ofthe visit, and stretched out a hand to seize the boy. "I'm not tired, Jack, " cried Phil. "I can go on reading for--O, Auntie!" he shouted joyously, and dropping the book as he sprang up, hebounded into the lady's arms, to begin kissing her passionately againand again. "Phil--my darling!" she sobbed. "Have I found you again?" "Yes, Auntie dear, " cried the little fellow, "but--" He struggled fromher embrace and darted behind Jack Jeens, gazing wildly around. "Is Uncle there?" he whispered, hoarsely. "No, my boy; he has gone, and you will not see him again. " "Ah, " cried Phil; "and have you come to fetch me home?" "My darling, yes, " cried the visitor, and as the boy sprang to her armsagain she held him tightly to her breast and turned proudly upon thelieutenant. "Now, sir, " she cried, "do you think he will be ill-used?" "I am satisfied, madam, " said the officer, smiling. "So, then, we areto lose our little powder monkey? You are going away, then, sir?" "Yes, " cried the boy, eagerly; "along with Auntie. No, " he cried, excitedly--"no! I can't go and leave poor Jack. Auntie, dear, oh, hehas been so good to me, you don't know. No, I can't come away now. Besides, they wouldn't let me come. I'm a sailor, serving the King. But I'll come sometimes and see you. " "O, Phil, my darling!" sobbed his aunt. "You don't know what he has done for me. No, Jack, I won't go away nowyou're so weak and ill. " "Weak--ill--with wounds?" cried Phil's aunt eagerly, as she turned tothe lieutenant. "Yes, madam; one of our brave seamen, badly wounded at Trafalgar. " "But ought he not to be ashore where he could be properly nursed?" criedPhil's aunt. "I nurse him, " said Phil, proudly, "and feed him too. He can't use hisarms, Auntie. " "Then why not bring him home, Phil, dear, where he could be well nursedback to health, and then--" That was the way it was settled, for an hour later Jack Jeens was beingcarefully slung down into the gig and then rowed ashore, while as Phil, after his aunt had taken her place, slid down one of the falls to jointhem, pretty well the whole crew was on deck to cheer the powder monkeytill he was out of sight. Years passed before Phil stepped on board a King's ship again, and thenit was in the uniform of a middy--the middy of one of the smartestfrigates in the Navy. "Yes, Master Phil, sir, the very smartest frigate in the sarvice, andI'm glad to welcome you aboard, and so's all the crew. I'm bo'sun, sir, and I've told all the lads how you and me served the King under AdmiralLord Nelson at _Traffle-gar_. "