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livin' in lodgin's by the dock in New York。 We was as happy； sir； as two
porpusses； which they toil not neither do they spin。 But when I seed the
money gittin' low in the locker…Kitty's starboard stockin'； savin' your
presence； marm…I got down…hearted like； seem' as I should be obleeged to
ship agin； for it didn't seem as I could do much ashore。 An' then the sea
was my nat'ral spear of action。 I wasn't exactly born on it； look you； but I
fell into it the fust time I was let out arter my birth。 My mother slipped her
cable for a heavenly port afore I was old enough to hail her； so I larnt to
look on the ocean for a sort of step…mother…an' a precious hard one she has
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been to me。
〃The idee of leavin' Kitty so soon arter our marriage went agin my
grain considerable。 I cruised along the docks for some…thin' to do in the
way of stevedore： an' though I picked up a stray job here and there； I didn't
am enough to buy ship…bisket for a rat； let alone feedin' two human
mouths。 There wasn't nothin' honest I wouldn't have turned a hand to； but
the 'longshoremen gobbled up all the work； an' a outsider like me didn't
stand a show。
〃Things got from bad to worse； the month's rent took all our cash
except a dollar or so； an' the sky looked kind o' squally fore an' aft。 Well； I
set out one mornin'…that identical unlucky mornin'…determined to come
back an' toss some pay into Kitty's lap； if I had to sell my jacket for it。 I
spied a brig unloadin' coal at pier No。 47…how well I remembers it！ I hailed
the mate； an' offered myself for a coal…heaver。 But I wasn't wanted； as he
told me civilly enough； which was better treatment than usual。 As I turned
off rather glum I was signalled by one of them sleek； smooth…spoken
rascals with a white hat an' a weed on it； as is always goin' about the piers
a…seekin' who they may devower。
〃We sailors know 'em for rascals from stem to starn； but somehow
every fresh one fleeces us jest as his mate did afore him。 We don't lam
nothin' by exper'ence； we're jest no better than a lot of babys with no
brains。
〃'Good mornin'； my man；' sez the chap； as iley as you please。
〃'Mornin'； sir；' sez I。
〃'Lookin' for a job？' sez he。
〃'Through the big end of a telescope；' sez 1…meanin' that the chances
for a job looked very small from my pint of view。
〃'You're the man for my money；' sez the sharper； smilin' as innocent as
a cherubim； 'jest step in here； till we talk it over。'
〃So I goes with him like a nat'ral…born idiot； into a little grocery…shop
near by； where we sets down at a table with a bottle atween us。 Then it
comes out as there is a New Bedford whaler about to start for the fishin'
grounds； an' jest one able…bodied sailor like me is wanted to make up the
crew。 Would I go？ Yes； I wouldn't on no terms。
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〃'I'll bet you fifty dollars；' sez he； 'that you'll come back fust mate。'
〃'I'll bet you a hundred；' sez I； 'that I don't； for I've signed papers as
keeps me ashore； an' the parson has witnessed the deed。'
〃So we sat there； he urgin' me to ship； an' I chaffin' him cheerful over
the bottle。
〃Arter a while I begun to feel a little queer； things got foggy in my
upper works； an' I remembers； faint…like； of signin' a paper； then I
remembers bein' in a small boat； an' then I remembers nothin' until I heard
the mate's whistle pipin' all hands on deck。 I tumbled up with the rest； an'
there I was…on board of a whaler outward bound for a three years' cruise；
an' my dear little lass ashore awaitin' for me。〃
〃Miserable wretch！〃 said Miss Abigail； in a voice that vibrated among
the tin platters on the dresser。 This was Miss Abigail's way of testifying
her sympathy。
〃Thankee； marm；〃 returned Sailor Ben； doubtfully。
〃No talking to the man at the wheel；〃 cried the Captain。 Upon which
we all laughed。 〃Spin！〃 added my grandfather。
Sailor Ben resumed：
〃I leave you to guess the wretchedness as fell upon me； for I've not got
the gift to tell you。 There I was down on the ship's books for a three years'
viage； an' no help for it。 I feel nigh to six hundred years old when I think
how long that viage was。 There isn't no hour…glass as runs slow enough to
keep a tally of the slowness of them fust hours。 But I done my duty like a
man； seem' there wasn't no way of gettin' out of it。 I told my shipmates of
the trick as had been played on me； an they tried to cheer me up a bit； but I
was sore sorrowful for a long spell。 Many a night on watch I put my face
in my hands and sobbed for thinkin' of the little woman left among the
land…sharks； an' no man to have an eye on her； God bless her！〃
Here Kitty softly drew her chair nearer to Sailor Ben； and rested one
hand on his arm。
〃Our adventures among the whales； I take it； doesn't consarn the
present company here assembled。 So I give that the go by。 There's an end
to everythin'； even to a whalin' viage。 My heart all but choked me the day
we put into New Bedford with our cargo of ile。 I got my three years' pay in
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a lump； an' made for New York like a flash of lightuin'。 The people hove to
and looked at me； as I rushed through the streets like a madman； until I
came to the spot where the lodgin'…house stood on West Street。 But； Lord
love ye； there wasn't no sech lodgin'…house there； but a great new brick
shop。
〃I made bold to go in an' ask arter the old place； but nobody knowed
nothin' about it； save as it had been torn down two years or more。 I was
adrift now； for I had reckoned all them days and nights on gittin' word of
Kitty from Dan Shackford； the man as kept the lodgin'。
〃As I stood there with all the wind knocked out of my sails； the idee of
runnin' alongside the perlice…station popped into my head。 The perlice was
likely to know the latitude of a man like Dan Shackford； who wasn't over
an' above respecktible。 They did know…he had died in the Tombs jail that
day twelvemonth。 A coincydunce； wasn't it？ I was ready to drop when they
told me this； howsomever； I bore up an' give the chief a notion of the fix I
was in。 He writ a notice which I put into the newspapers