CHAPTER LIX.
A MAN-OF-WAR BUTTON DIVIDES TWO BROTHERS.
The conduct of Mandeville, in claiming the acquaintance of the FirstLieutenant under such disreputable circumstances was stronglycontrasted by the behaviour of another person on board, placed for atime in a somewhat similar situation.
Among the genteel youths of the after-guard was a lad of about sixteen,a very handsome young fellow, with starry eyes, curly hair of a goldencolour, and a bright, sunshiny complexion: he must have been the son ofsome goldsmith. He was one of the few sailors--not in themain-top--whom I used to single out for occasional conversation. Afterseveral friendly interviews he became quite frank, and communicatedcertain portions of his history. There is some charm in the sea, whichinduces most persons to be very communicative concerning themselves.
We had lain in Rio but a day, when I observed that this lad--whom Ishall here call Frank--wore an unwonted expression of sadness, mixedwith apprehension. I questioned him as to the cause, but he chose toconceal it. Not three days after, he abruptly accosted me on thegun-deck, where I happened to be taking a promenade.
"I can't keep it to myself any more," he said; "I must have aconfidant, or I shall go mad!"
"What is the matter?" said I, in alarm.
"Matter enough--look at this!" and he handed me a torn half sheet of anold New York _Herald_, putting his finger upon a particular word in aparticular paragraph. It was the announcement of the sailing from theBrooklyn Navy-yard of a United States store ship, with provisions forthe squadron in Rio. It was upon a particular name, in the list ofofficers and midshipmen, that Frank's fingers was placed.
"That is my own brother," said he; "he must have got a reefer's warrantsince I left home. Now, White-Jacket, what's to be done? I havecalculated that the store ship may be expected here every day; mybrother will then see me--he an officer and I a miserable sailor thatany moment may be flogged at the gangway, before his very eyes.Heavens! White-Jacket, what shall I do? Would you run? Do you thinkthere is any chance to desert? I won't see him, by Heaven, with thissailor's frock on, and he with the anchor button!"
"Why, Frank," said I, "I do not really see sufficient cause for thisfit you are in. Your brother is an of officer--very good; and you arenothing but a sailor--but that is no disgrace. If he comes on boardhere, go up to him, and take him by the hand; believe me, he will beglad enough to see you!"
Frank started from his desponding attitude, and fixing his eyes fullupon mine, with clasped hands exclaimed, "White-Jacket, I have beenfrom home nearly three years; in that time I have never heard one wordfrom my family, and, though God knows how I love them, yet I swear toyou, that though my brother can tell me whether my sisters are stillalive, yet, rather than accost him in this _lined-frock_, I would goten centuries without hearing one syllable from home?"
Amazed at his earnestness, and hardly able to account for italtogether, I stood silent a moment; then said, "Why, Frank, thismidshipman is your own brother, you say; now, do you really think thatyour own flesh and blood is going to give himself airs over you, simplybecause he sports large brass buttons on his coat? Never believe it. Ifhe does, he can be no brother, and ought to be hanged--that's all!"
"Don't say that again," said Frank, resentfully; "my brother is anoble-hearted fellow; I love him as I do myself. You don't understandme, White-Jacket; don't you see, that when my brother arrives, he mustconsort more or less with our chuckle-headed reefers on board here?There's that namby-pamby Miss Nancy of a white-face, Stribbles, who,the other day, when Mad Jack's back was turned, ordered me to hand himthe spy-glass, as if he were a Commodore. Do you suppose, now, I wantmy brother to see me a lackey abroad here? By Heaven it is enough todrive one distracted! What's to be done?" he cried, fiercely.
Much more passed between us, but all my philosophy was in vain, and atlast Frank departed, his head hanging down in despondency.
For several days after, whenever the quarter-master reported a sailentering the harbour, Frank was foremost in the rigging to observe it.At length, one afternoon, a vessel drawing near was reported to be thelong-expected store ship. I looked round for Frank on the spar-deck,but he was nowhere to be seen. He must have been below, gazing out of aport-hole. The vessel was hailed from our poop, and came to anchorwithin a biscuit's toss of our batteries.
That evening I heard that Frank had ineffectually endeavoured to getremoved from his place as an oarsman in the First-Cutter--a boat which,from its size, is generally employed with the launch in carryingship-stores. When I thought that, the very next day, perhaps, this boatwould be plying between the store ship and our frigate, I was at noloss to account for Frank's attempts to get rid of his oar, and feltheartily grieved at their failure.
Next morning the bugler called away the First-Cutter's crew, and Frankentered the boat with his hat slouched over his eyes. Upon his return,I was all eagerness to learn what had happened, and, as thecommunication of his feelings was a grateful relief, he poured hiswhole story into my ear.
It seemed that, with his comrades, he mounted the store ship's side,and hurried forward to the forecastle. Then, turning anxiously towardthe quarter-deck, he spied two midshipmen leaning against the bulwarks,conversing. One was the officer of his boat--was the other his brother?No; he was too tall--too large. Thank Heaven! it was not him. Andperhaps his brother had not sailed from home, after all; there mighthave been some mistake. But suddenly the strange midshipman laughedaloud, and that laugh Frank had heard a thousand times before. It was afree, hearty laugh--a brother's laugh; but it carried a pang to theheart of poor Frank.
He was now ordered down to the main-deck to assist in removing thestores. The boat being loaded, he was ordered into her, when, lookingtoward the gangway, he perceived the two midshipmen lounging upon eachside of it, so that no one could pass them without brushing theirpersons. But again pulling his hat over his eyes, Frank, dartingbetween them, gained his oar. "How my heart thumped," he said, "when Iactually, felt him so near me; but I wouldn't look at him--no! I'd havedied first!"
To Frank's great relief, the store ship at last moved further up thebay, and it fortunately happened that he saw no more of his brotherwhile in Rio; and while there, he never in any way made himself knownto him.