CHAPTER XIV THE KEY OF THE KEELSON

The next morning, much to every one’s disappointment, the ship’s departure was delayed by a dead calm, and so the “routine at anchor” continued uninterrupted. Meantime Mr. Jackson was making the most of his opportunities for observing the life on board. After following the instruction of the four sections from one o’clock to half-past two, he promised himself to have a good talk with the Chairman and the Captain when the boys should have gone ashore for their liberty and everything on board would be comparatively quiet.

Billy had his first experience of going over the masthead that morning; and, as he was rather a sedentary boy, the thought of it made him feel a little queer. He did not like climbing or high places particularly, but he simply used his common sense, and told himself that the thing _had to be done_ and that there was no use thinking any more about it. Dick managed to get up just behind him so that he could watch him and give him a word of encouragement, if necessary, and things went on all right until they got nearly to the crosstrees. Then Dick noticed that Billy hesitated, and he reached his own arm well up beside him and whispered to him just where to put his hands and feet. The sound of Dick’s voice was all that little Bill needed, and he rallied immediately and climbed to the top, and then stepped across and began going down the other side.

In the afternoon Mr. Jackson watched the string of white hats and jumpers disappear down the cabin companionway, as the boys went to get some of their money before going ashore; and then the inspection of the same string drawn up in line on deck before they got into the boats at three o’clock. He watched them row away from the ship with the “long boat” a little in advance,--their white hats and jumpers like so many dots, and their oar blades sparkling in the afternoon sun.

As he turned his head away from this cheerful scene, he noticed the Chairman standing by his side and looking in the same direction.

“They’re not a bad lot of youngsters,” said the latter, “and there’s just mischief enough in them to keep us busy.”

“Have they all gone ashore?” asked Mr. Jackson.

“All but a few,” replied the Chairman, and he blew his whistle.

“Dick,” said he, turning to the messenger, who had just run up in answer to the signal, “find out how many boys are left on board.”

In a few minutes Dick returned and gave the result of his search.

“There are five, sir: the Chief ‘B. M.’, reading a book in the jib netting, sir; two forward, scrubbing sails for extra duty; Tom Sheffield and the new boy,--Brown, sir, I think is his name.”

“That makes six, counting you,” said the Chairman.

“Yes, sir, I’m on duty as messenger until the liberty party returns.”

“That’s well! Now go and ask Brown to come up and speak to me.”

Billy clambered up the berth deck ladder, and, as he stood at salute before the Chairman and Mr. Jackson, the latter thought he already saw a change for the better in his bearing.

“Sit down, Brown. This is a slack time, and I thought perhaps you’d like to have a little visit with your uncle.”

“Yes, sir,” answered Billy, and he still spoke with the old-fashioned deliberation that Mr. Wentworth had noticed the evening before at the landing.

As he sat down, Mr. Jackson asked: “Well, how do you like it, Bill, as far as you have got?”

“I like it first rate, uncle; seems to me I’m seeing something new every minute, and I like it, too! I find I get twisted with so many new names of things, but I guess that will get all straightened out in a few days.”

“What do you find hardest, Bill?”

“Well, I guess it’s hardest for me to remember to stand up straight; but that ‘B. M.’ of mine--what’s his name--he’s a pretty good sort of a fellow, and gives me a dig in the ribs now and then; and then there’s Dick--I don’t know his last name--he’s a good ’un! Oh! That reminds me,” exclaimed Billy suddenly, “I had almost forgotten something!”

Then turning to the Chairman:

“Will you please tell me, sir, where I can find the key of the keelson?”

A faint smile played over the Chairman’s face as he asked the boy why he wanted it.

“Well, the quartermaster, I think they call him, told me to get it, because the ‘B. M.’ asked him for it, and he said he had not seen it for some time; so I went and asked the messenger, and he didn’t know where it was, and sent me to the boatswain; and the boatswain, he didn’t know where it was, and sent me to the mate, and the mate sent me to the Officer of the Day, and he said I’d better ask the Chairman of the Committee. It’s a mighty funny thing how a thing like that can get lost on board ship, for I haven’t noticed many things lying around loose.”

The Chairman was silent for a few seconds, and then, “It _is_ a funny thing, Brown,” said he, “but I’ll tell you what you do. The Captain is down in the cabin at this moment. You go and report to him from me, tell him your story, and say that I am sure that he can help you out.”

“Shall I go now, sir?” asked Billy.

“Yes,” said the Chairman, “unless Mr. Jackson has something else to say to you.”

But Mr. Jackson had nothing more to say just then except this:

“When you have found out where the key of the keelson is, Bill, I wish you would ask permission to show it to me, and then--bring the keelson along, too, so that we can examine it carefully and see whether the key really fits.”

There was the slightest possible twinkle in Mr. Jackson’s eyes as he made this remark, and Bill looked at him earnestly, as if to fathom its meaning. He then turned to the cabin companionway and disappeared below.

Just then Mr. Jackson’s eye was arrested by a boy up on the mainmast crosstrees, and he recognized Jack Perkins.

“Why, there’s your chief ‘B. M.’,” said he to the Chairman, “taking a view of the ocean.”

“Yes,” was the reply, “that’s Jack, and he’s having his regular constitutional. It is pretty good exercise for a boy who is as strong as he is, but I should hate to do it myself.”

The Chairman then explained that Jack was in the habit of beginning at the jib stay and climbing up to the foremast crosstrees hand over hand, with only the slight support he could get from his knees and feet. He then would proceed in the same manner over to the mainmast crosstrees, a distance of twenty-seven feet, and finally come down by the main topping lift to the quarter-deck.

“That means a pretty good head,” said Mr. Jackson, “besides good muscle.”

Just then Billy reappeared, and with a broad grin on his face, addressed the Chairman.

“I’m mighty sorry to have troubled you, sir, about that key. I guess the works inside my thinker have run down, sir.” Then, turning to Mr. Jackson, “Perhaps I’d better wait until after the cruise, uncle, and I’ll bring you the keelson in my gripsack!”

“He seems to be the right stuff!” remarked the Chairman as Billy walked off.

Having found out from the Captain the exact position and use of the keelson--to bind the ship’s timbers to the keel--Bill lost no time in spreading the information among the ship’s company after their return on board. He was as much interested in sharing a new piece of information as he was in acquiring it originally; and before supper was over, the story of his investigation and its result had spread from quarter-deck to forecastle.

That evening, after the riding lights were up, two choice spirits were cleaning the sidelights, and, hoping to squeeze a little more fun out of Bill, casually remarked:

“Look--Brown--hurry up, will you, and get me the green oil for the starboard light!”

Billy, in his great desire to help, started toward the companionway, then hesitated, and finally turned back, remarking dryly:

“I guess, Johnnie, if you want to go find it yourself, you’ll find the green oil just alongside the red oil, and you’ll find them both--I should say--in the same locker with the ‘key of the keelson’.”

Soon after this, the Triangle Club met in the jib netting.

“What do you think of the new fellow--Brown?” asked Dick.

“If he goes on asking questions at this rate,” replied Chippie, “his cocoanut’ll bust before long.”

“Not much,” retorted Tom; “he’ll make a good master-at-arms one of these days. He’s good stuff!”