Читать книгу Frank Brown, Sea Apprentice онлайн

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It was in the month of September, and so although the time was the second dog-watch, between six and eight in the evening, it was still light, and as the ship rolled he was able to get a glimpse of the sea with its small waves and a few distant vessels dotted about like little boats, some with a smear of black smoke above them and others showing a glint of white. He began to feel more at ease except when he thought of the den into which he would have to go presently for some additional clothes, for he was shivering with the cold.

But he sat on until he heard four double strokes on the bell, when Williams swaggering up to him said, “Now then, my boy, it’s your watch on deck,” and passing into the house lit a lamp and called Johnson, the other senior apprentice.

Still he sat there stupidly until Johnson coming out said, “Hello, young feller, haven’t you got any more clothes to put on than that? You going to keep watch to-night in only a dungaree suit?”

That roused him, and staggering to his feet he said earnestly, “Won’t you tell me what I’ve got to do?”