In the Great Deep. Sea stories

Front matter

IN THE GREAT DEEP IN THE GREAT DEEP SEA STORIES BY JOHN ARTHUR BARRY AUTHOR OF " STEVE BROWN'S BUNYIP" METHUEN & CO. 36 ESSEX STREET, W.C. LONDON CONTENTS PAOE A BLOCKADE RUNNER 9 MY MAD MESSMATE 33 WITH THE FIRST TEA OF THE SEASON 6l A CRUISE IN A CUTTER 94 CHRISTMAS SEAGIVEN 128 A DERELICT . 157 MY FIRST VOYAGE 192 THE MASTER OF THE "MARATHON" 224 HOW WE LOST THE "SCHOOLBOY SCHOONER" . 261 IN THE GREAT DEEP A BLOCKADE RUNNER " 1\.T 0> I can't say that I ever had but one ■L exciting trip," replied the first mate to my question, as he puffed at his cigar and glanced aloft amongst the shadows, where yawned the dusky hollows of rigid sails, piling up towards the stars. " It's twenty-five years now," he continued, " since I first went to sea, and, with that one exception, all my voyages have been pretty well the same old record of gales and calms, with, at intervals, the loss of a few spars or sails to vary the monotony.

No, I haven't even been wrecked. But the affair I mentioned had fun enough, of a sort, to last one right through. I don't hanker after any more of the same quality, I can assure you." And the chief officer of one of the biggest of the " City " liners laughed as he got off the sky light, and took a look first into the binnacle and then at the sinuous phosphorescent track which the vessel left behind as she tore along to the steady hum of the south-east Trades. " Yes, if you like, I'll tell you about it," said he, returning to my side. " It'll help to pass the watch away." And, settling himself com fortably, the chief began — " I was just out of my time, and had got through my exam, for second mate all right. But I discovered that getting a billet as such was a very different matter. Tired at last of hawking my brand-new certificate about, I decided to take the first thing that offered.

You see, funds were so low that I had to do like many more j'ust then — pocket my dignity. Well, I went up to Tower-hill and had a look round. " The place was full of men, and presently out of the shipping-master's office came the heaviest sea -swell I ever clapped eyes on. Black frock-coat, white waistcoat, bell-topper, patent leather boots, slate-coloured kid gloves ; and, to crown all, he carried a gold-mounted cane, and sported a flower in his buttonhole. He was a tall, handsome fellow of about six or seven and twenty, and the very look of him seemed to brighten up the dirty old hole. " Lighting a cigar, he gave a sharp glance over the crowd and spoke to a few of them, whilst the rest stared with all their eyes at this dashing specimen of a skipper. " Presently, coming to me, he asked me whether I wanted a ship.