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Java Foundations: Introduction to Program Design & Data Structures, 4/e
John Lewis, Peter DePasquale, Joseph Chase
Test Bank: Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Graphical User Interfaces

Multiple Choice Questions:

1) The default layout manager used by the JPanel class is the _______________________ layout.

a) flow
b) border
c) box
d) grid
e) gridBag

Answer: a
Explanation: The flow layout is the default layout manager used by JPanel objects.

2) A(n) ___________________ is an object that defines a screen element used to display information or allow the user to
interact with a program in a certain way.

a) GUI
b) component
c) event
d) listener
e) AWT

Answer: b
Explanation: A component is an object that defines a screen element used to display information or allow the user to
interact with a program in a certain way. A GUI is a graphical user interface. An event is an object that represents some
occurrence in which we may be interested. A listener is an object that waits for an event to occur and responds in some way
when it does. AWT stands for the Abstract Windowing Toolkit, which is a package that contains classes related to Java GUIs.

3) A(n) ____________________ is an object that waits for an event to occur and responds in some way when it does.

a) GUI
b) component
c) listener
d) frame
e) panel

Answer: c
Explanation: A listener is an object that waits for an event to occur and responds in some way when it does. A
component is an object that defines a screen element used to display information or allow the user to interact with a program in a
certain way. A GUI is a graphical user interface. A frame is a container that is used to display GUI-based Java applications. A
panel is also a container, but unlike a frame it cannot be displayed on its own.

1
Pearson © 2017
Java Foundations: Introduction to Program Design & Data Structures, 4/e
John Lewis, Peter DePasquale, Joseph Chase
Test Bank: Chapter 6

4) A GUI is being designed that will detect and respond to a mouse event. How many methods must appear in the listener
object for the event?

a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
e) 5

Answer: e
Explanation: A listener for a mouse event implements the MouseListener interface. The MouseListener
interface contains specifications for five methods to respond to different types of mouse events that can be detected. Each of
these methods must appear in the listener and have a body. If a method is not needed, its body can be an empty set of { }.

5) A container is governed by a(n) __________________, which determines exactly how the components added to the panel
will be displayed.

a) event
b) content pane
c) JFrame object
d) JPanel object
e) layout manager

Answer: e
Explanation: The layout manager determines exactly how the components added to the panel will be displayed. A
content pane's frame is where all visible elements of a Java interface are displayed. The JFrame and JPanel objects are part of
the AWT package. An event is an object that represents some occurrence in which we may be interested.

6) Which of the following components allows the user to enter typed input from the keyboard.

a) check boxes
b) radio buttons
c) sliders
d) combo boxes
e) none of the above

Answer: e
Explanation: None of the listed components allow typed input. A text field allows typed input from the user.

7) Which of the following components allows the user to select one of several options from a "drop down" menu?

a) check boxes
b) radio buttons
c) sliders
d) combo boxes
e) none of the above

Answer: d
Explanation: Combo boxes allow the user to select one of several options from a "drop down" menu.

2
Pearson © 2017
Java Foundations: Introduction to Program Design & Data Structures, 4/e
John Lewis, Peter DePasquale, Joseph Chase
Test Bank: Chapter 6

8) Which of the following layout managers organize the components from left to right, starting new rows as necessary?

a) Border Layout
b) Box Layout
c) Card Layout
d) Flow Layout
e) Grid Layout

Answer: d
Explanation: The flow layout organizes components from left to right, starting new rows as necessary. A border
layout organizes components into five areas: north, south, east, west, and center. The box layout organizes components into a
single row or column. The card layout organizes components into one area such that only one is visible at any time. A grid
layout organizes components into a grid of rows and columns.

9) Which of the following event descriptions best describes the mouse entered event?

a) The mouse button is pressed down

b) The mouse button is pressed down and released without moving the mouse in between
c) The mouse pointer is moved onto a component
d) The mouse button is released
e) The mouse is moved while the mouse button is pressed down

Answer: c
Explanation: The mouse entered event is triggered when the mouse pointer is moved onto a component. Choice a best
describes a mouse pressed event. Choice b best describes a mouse clicked event. Choice d best describes a mouse released event.
Choice e best describes a mouse dragged event.

10) A(n) _______________________ is a graphical window that pops up on top of any currently active window so that the
user can interact with it.

a) component
b) dialog box
c) event
d) listener
e) none of the above

Answer: b
Explanation: The sentence describes a dialog box. Events and listeners are not windows. Components are graphical
elements that appear in windows, but they are not windows.

11) Which of the following is a fundamental idea of good GUI design?

a) Know the user

b) Prevent user errors
c) Optimize user abilities.
d) Be consistent.
e) all of the above

Answer: e
Explanation: All of the choices are fundamental ideas of good GUI design.

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Pearson © 2017
Java Foundations: Introduction to Program Design & Data Structures, 4/e
John Lewis, Peter DePasquale, Joseph Chase
Test Bank: Chapter 6

12) Which of the following best describes a timer component?

a) it starts when a GUI component is first initialized, and ends when it is destroyed
b) it generates action events at regular intervals
c) every object has a timer, and it is implicitly activated in the constructor of the object
d) it determines the amount of time it takes to execute a method
e) a timer cannot be considered a GUI component

Answer: b
Explanation: Choice b is the best description of a timer component. None of the other choices are true statements.

13) Which of the following border styles can make a component appear raised or lowered from the rest of the components?

a) line border
b) etched border
c) bevel border
d) titled border
e) matte border

Answer: c
Explanation: A bevel border can be used to add depth to a component and give it a 3-D appearance.

14) Which of the following represents a dialog box that allows the user to select a file from a disk or other storage medium?

a) color chooser
b) disk chooser
c) tool tip chooser
d) file chooser
e) none of the above

Answer: d
Explanation: A file chooser is a dialog box that allows the user to select a file. A color chooser allows the user to select
a color. There are no dialog boxes in the AWT that represent a tool tip chooser or a disk chooser.

15) Which of the following classes play a role in altering a visual aspect of a component?

a) ColorChooser
b) ToolTip
c) BorderFactory
d) ColorCreator
e) none of the above

Answer: c
Explanation: The BorderFactory class can be used to create borders, and when used with the setBorder()
method, the borders of components can be changed. The other options are not classes that are included with the AWT.

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Pearson © 2017
Java Foundations: Introduction to Program Design & Data Structures, 4/e
John Lewis, Peter DePasquale, Joseph Chase
Test Bank: Chapter 6

True/False Questions:

1) A panel is displayed as a separate window, but a frame can only be displayed as part of another container.
Answer: False
Explanation: A frame is displayed as a separate window, but a panel can only be displayed as part of another container.

2) Layout managers determine how components are visually presented.

Answer: True
Explanation: Every container is managed by a layout manager, which determines how components are visually
presented.

3) Check boxes operate as a group, providing a set of mutually exclusive options.

Answer: False
Explanation: Radio buttons operate as a group, providing a set of mutually exclusive options. Check boxes are
buttons that can be toggled on or off using the mouse, indicating that a particular boolean condition is set or unset.

4) A dialog box allows the user to select one of several options from a "drop down" menu.
Answer: False
Explanation: A combo box allows the user to select one of several options from a "drop down" menu. A dialog box is
a pop-up window that allows for user interaction.

5) The grid layout organizes components into a grid of rows and columns, and also allows components to span more than one
cell.
Answer: False
Explanation: Both the grid and the GridBag layouts organized components into a grid of rows and columns. Only a
GridBag layout allows components to span more than one cell.

6) The keyHit event is called when a key is pressed.

Answer: False
Explanation: The keyPressed event is called when a key is pressed.

7) A tool tip can be assigned to any Swing component.

Answer: True
Explanation: All Swing components can be assigned a tool tip, which is a short line of text that will appear when the
cursor is rested momentarily on top of the component..

8) A color chooser is a dialog box.

Answer: True
Explanation: A color chooser is a dialog box that allows the user to select a color from a palette or using RGB values.

9) When designing a GUI, the ability of the user is not an important consideration. A GUI should be designed with the lowest
common denominator in mind.
Answer: False
Explanation: It is important to design GUIs that are flexible and that support both skilled and unskilled users.

10) A mnemonic is a short line of text that will appear when the cursor is rested momentarily on top of the component.
Answer: False
Explanation: A mnemonic is a character that allows the user to push a button or make a menu choice using the
keyboard in addition to the mouse. A tool-top is a short line of text that will appear when the cursor is rested momentarily on
top of the component.

5
Pearson © 2017
Java Foundations: Introduction to Program Design & Data Structures, 4/e
John Lewis, Peter DePasquale, Joseph Chase
Test Bank: Chapter 6

Short Answer Questions:

1) Explain the difference between check boxes and radio buttons.

Answer: A check box sets a boolean condition to true or false. Therefore if there are multiple items listed with check
boxes by each, any or all of them can be checked at the same time. A radio button represents a set of mutually exclusive
options. This means that at any given time, only one option can be selected.

2) Explain the difference between a combo box and a dialog box.

Answer: A combo box is a component that allows the user to select one of several options from a "drop down" menu.
A dialog box is a graphical window that pops up on top of any currently active windows so that the user can interact with it.

3) Give an example of a common use of a dialog box.

Answer: A confirm dialog box presents the user with a simple yes-or-no question. A file chooser is a dialog box that
presents the user with a file navigator that can be used to select a file. A color chooser is a dialog box that allows the user to
select an RGB color.

4) What method in what interface is used in a GUI application to detect that a user typed the letter 'Y'?

Answer: The keyPressed() method in the KeyListener interface can be used to determine which key was
typed.

5) Write a keyPressed method that behaves as follows. If the user presses the up arrow, the method should output "You
pressed up" using the System.out.println method. If the user presses the down arrow, the method should output "You
pressed down" using the System.out.println method.

Answer:

public void keyPressed(KeyEvent event) {

switch(event.getKeyCode()) {
case KeyEvent.VK_UP:
System.out.println("You pressed up.");
break;
case KeyEvent.VK_DOWN:
System.out.println("You pressed down.");
break;
}//end switch
}//end method

6) When, if ever, should a component be disabled?

Answer: A component should be disabled whenever it is inappropriate for the user to interact with it. This minimizes
error handling and special cases.

6
Pearson © 2017
Java Foundations: Introduction to Program Design & Data Structures, 4/e
John Lewis, Peter DePasquale, Joseph Chase
Test Bank: Chapter 6

7) Write a segment of code that will use a dialog box to ask a user to enter their age. Their age will then be stored in an int
variable named userAge. Assume that the necessary import statements to support the dialog box are already in place.

Answer:

int userAge;
String ageStr; // used for user's response
ageStr = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("How old are you"?);
userAge = Integer.parseInt(ageStr);

8) Write a short class that represents a panel with a single radio button that has the option "Yes" and the option "No." By
default, the Yes button should be checked.

Answer:

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;

public class RadioPanel extends JPanel {

private JRadioButton yes, no;

public RadioPanel() {
yes = new JRadioButton("Yes", true);
no = new JradioButton("No");

add(yes);
add(no);
} // end constructor

} // end class RadioPanel

9) Suppose we have created a class called MyGUI, which represents a GUI. Write a program that creates a JFrame object,
adds a MyGUI object to the frame and makes it visible.

Answer:

import javax.swing.*;

public class MyGUIDisplayer {

public static void main(String [] args) {
JFrame frame = new Jframe("My GUI");
frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

frame.getContentPane().add(new MyGUI());

frame.pack();
frame.setVisible(true);

} // end main
} // end class MyGUIDisplayer

7
Pearson © 2017
Java Foundations: Introduction to Program Design & Data Structures, 4/e
John Lewis, Peter DePasquale, Joseph Chase
Test Bank: Chapter 6

10) Write a short class that represents a panel with a single slider that has values from 0 to 250, with large tick marks in
increments of 50 and small tick marks in increments of 10.

Answer:

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;

public class SlidePanel extends JPanel {

private JSlider slide;

public SlidePanel() {
slide = new Jslider(JSlider.HORIZONTAL, 0, 255, 0);

slide.setMajorTickSpacing(50);
slide.setMinorTickSpacing(10);
slide.setPaintTicks(true);
slide.setPaintLabels(true);

add(slide);
} // end constructor
} // end class SlidePanel

11) Describe the areas of a border layout.

Answer: Border layout is divided into five areas: North, South, East, West and Center. The North and South areas are
at the top and bottom of the container, respectively, and span the entire width of the container. Sandwiched between them,
from left to right, are the West, Center, and East areas. Any unused area takes up no space, and the others fill in as needed.

12) One of the fundamental ideas of good GUI design is to "know the user". How does "know the user" influence a GUI
design?

Answer: The software has to meet the user's needs. This means not only that it has to do what it is designed to do, but
it also must be software that the user understands how to use. It needs to have an interface that the user is comfortable with in
order to be usable and useful to the user. A person who designs a GUI without an awareness of the user's preferences or skills
is less likely to please the user than someone who takes these into consideration.

13) What is the difference between a mnemonic and a tool tip?

Answer: A mnemonic is a character that allows the user to push a button or make a menu choice using the keyboard in
addition to the mouse. A tool-top is a short line of text that will appear when the cursor is rested momentarily on top of the
component. The difference is that the mnemonic allows for more flexibility on the users end (it allows for multiple methods of
achieving the same task), which a tool-tip is simply a helpful reminder of the role of a particular component and offers no
flexibility on the users end.

8
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Java Foundations: Introduction to Program Design & Data Structures, 4/e
John Lewis, Peter DePasquale, Joseph Chase
Test Bank: Chapter 6

14) Describe the difference between a heavyweight container and a lightweight container. Give an example of each.

Answer: A heavyweight container is a container that is managed by the underlying operating system on which the
program is run, whereas a lightweight container is managed by the Java program itself. A frame is an example of a heavyweight
container and a panel is a lightweight container.

15) When using a box layout, how is the orientation – horizontal or vertical box – specified?

Answer: The orientation is specified as a parameter to the BoxLayout constructor. BoxLayout.Y-AXIS

indicates a vertical box layout. BoxLayout.X-AXIS indicates a horizontal box layout.

9
Pearson © 2017
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nearly every other ill that flesh is heir to. No; few of us need
persuading that any of these horrors are the unavoidable necessary
concomitants of sport, they are endured because to all appearance
any hunting worthy the name is not to be obtained apart from them.
From all such miseries sport at sea is free. A well-appointed yacht,
built not for speed but for comfort, need not be luxurious to afford
as satisfactory a “hunting-box” as any sportsman could reasonably
desire. And for the question of cost—it may be high enough to
satisfy the craving for squandering felt by the most wealthy
spendthrift, or so low as to become far cheaper than a hunting
expedition to Africa or the Rockies. For a successful sporting voyage
a sailing vessel, or at most an auxiliary screw-steamer of low power,
is best, for the great game of the ocean is full of alarms, and must
needs be approached with the utmost silence and circumspection. As
for the question of equipment, it seems hardly necessary to say that
everything should be of the very best, but not by any means of the
most expensive quality procurable. All such abominations as
harpoon-guns, bombs, &c., should be strictly barred, the object
being sport, not slaughter. Given sufficient outlay, with the resources
of science now at the purchaser’s disposal, it is quite possible to
reduce whaling, for instance, to as tame an affair as a hand-fed
pheasant battue or tame-rabbit coursing, neither of which can surely
by any stretch of courtesy be called sport. The old-fashioned hand
harpoons, the long, slender lances that, except for excellence of
workmanship and material, are essentially the same as used by the
first followers of the vast sea-mammals, these should be the
sportsman’s weapons still if he would taste in its integrity the
primitive delight of the noblest of created beings in the assertion of
his birthright, “Dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl
of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth.”
The best type of vessel for a sporting cruise at sea is what is
known to seamen as a “barquentine,” a vessel, that is to say, of
some 250 tons register, with three masts, square-rigged at the fore
—after the style of the well-known Sunbeam. In her davits she
should carry three whaleboats, such as the Americans of New
Bedford or Rhode Island know so well how to build, the handsomest
and most sea-worthy of all boats ever built. The whaleboats built in
Scotland, though strong and serviceable, are less elegant and handy,
being more fitted for rough handling among ice-floes, into which
rough neighbourhoods the sea-sportsman need never go—should
not go, in fact, for the best display of his powers. The whale-line,
made in the old whaling ports of New England—tow-line as it is
locally termed—cannot be beaten. It possesses all the virtues. Light,
silky, and of amazing strength, it is a perfect example of what rope
should be, and is as much superior to the unkind, harsh hemp-line of
our own islands as could well be imagined. From the same place
should be obtained the services of a few whaling experts,
accustomed, as no other seafarers are, to the chase of the sperm-
whale, the noblest of all sea-monsters. Advice as to fishing-tackle
would be out of place, except the general remark that, as in the
deep seas the angler will meet with the doughtiest opponent of his
skill the ocean contains, he must needs lay in a stock of tackle of the
very strongest and best. Tarpon fishing is a fairly good test of the
trustworthiness of gear, but whoso meets the giant albacore in mid-
ocean, and overcomes him, will have vanquished a fish to which the
tarpon is but as a seven-pound trout to a lordly salmon. All the
appliances known to naturalists for the capture and preservation of
the smaller habitants of the deep sea ought to be carried, for,
although not strictly sport, this work is deeply interesting and useful,
besides affording a pleasant variety of occupation.
But, passing on to the actual conditions of conflict, let us suppose
the sportsman cruising in the North Atlantic between the Cape Verde
Islands and the West Indies—a wide range, truly, but no part of it
barren of the highest possibilities for pleasure. A school of sperm
whales is sighted, the vessel is carefully manœuvred for the
weather-gage of them, and this being obtained, the boats are softly
lowered, sail is set, and, with the fresh trade-wind, away they go
leaping to leeward. The utmost precaution against noise must be
taken, because the natural susceptibility of the whale to sound is as
delicate as the receiver of a telephone. No amount of oral instruction
would here be of any avail without long experience, which, since it
can be hired, there is no need to waste time and patience in
acquiring. Assuming, therefore, that the preliminary difficulty of
approach to the sensitive monsters has been overcome, and there
remains but a few fathoms of rapidly lessening distance between the
boat and the unconscious whale, who could satisfactorily describe
the sensations crowded into those few remaining moments of
absolute quiet, the tension of expectation, the uncertainty of the
result of the approaching conflict? The object of attack is the
mightiest of living animals, he is in his own element, to which the
assailant is but a visitor on sufferance, and he may retaliate in so
fierce and tremendous a fashion that no amount of skill, courage, or
energy shall suffice to protect the aggressor from his fury. But there
is no thought of drawing back, the swift-gliding boat rushes high up
on to the broad bank of flesh, and with a long-pent-up yell the
harpoon is hurled. It enters the black mass noiselessly, the weight of
its pole bends the soft iron shaft over as the attached line stretches
out, and as the boat slowly, so slowly, backs away, the leviathan,
amazed and infuriated, thrashes the quiet sea into masses of hissing
foam, while the thunder of his blows resounds like the uproar of a
distant cannonade. At this time certain necessary rearrangements,
such as furling and stowing sail, make it impossible, even if it were
wise, to approach the indignant whale, and as a general thing by the
time these preparations are complete he has sought the shelter of
the depths beneath, taking out flake after flake of the neatly coiled
line. With ordinary care, especially where only one boat is engaged,
it would seldom happen that all the line would run out, and the
game be lost. Usually, after an interval of about twenty minutes,
during which the line is slacked away as slowly and grudgingly as
possible, it is felt to give, and the slack must be hauled in with the
utmost smartness, a sharp look-out being kept meanwhile upon the
surrounding surface for a sudden white glare beneath—the cavity of
the whale’s throat, as he comes bounding to the surface with his
vast jaws gaping wider than a barn-door. It is at this time that the
true excitement, the joy of battle, begins. For in most cases the
huge animal has come to fight, and being in his turn the aggressor,
his enemies must exert all their skill in boatsmanship, preserve all
their coolness and watchfulness, since a mistake in tactics or loss of
presence of mind may mean the instant destruction of the boat, if
not the sudden and violent death of some of her crew. As a general
rule, however, after a few savage rushes avoided by wary
manœuvring on the part of the hunters, the whale starts off to
windward at his best speed (from twelve to fourteen knots an hour),
towing the boat or boats after him with the greatest ease. This is a
most exhilarating experience. For the mighty steed, ploughing his
strenuous way through the waves, seems the living embodiment of
force, and yet he is, as it were, harnessed to his exulting foes,
compelled to take them with him in spite of his evident desire to
shake himself free. While he goes at his best speed a near approach
to him is manifestly impossible; but, vast as his energies are, the
enormous mass of his own body carried along so rapidly soon tires
him, and he slows down to five or six knots. Then all hands, except
the one in charge and the helmsman, “tail on” to the line, and do
their best to haul up alongside the whale. The steersman sheers the
boat clear of his labouring flukes as she comes close to him, and
then allows her to point inward towards his broad flank, while the
lance-wielder seeks a vulnerable spot wherein to plunge his long,
slender weapon. It is of little use to dart the lance as the harpoon is
flung; such an action is far more likely to goad the whale into a new
exhibition of energy than to do him any disabling injury. Being at
such close quarters, it is far more sportsmanlike, as well as effectual,
to thrust the lance calmly and steadily into the huge mass of flesh so
near at hand. If the aim has been well taken—say, just abaft and
below the pectoral fin—more than one home-thrust will hardly be
needed, even in a whale of the largest size, and a careful watch
must be kept upon the spout-hole for the first sign of blood
discolouring the monster’s breath. For that is evidence unmistakable
of the beginning of the end. It shows that some vital part has been
pierced, and although the whale-fishers always continue their
“pumping” with the lance up to the very verge of disaster, once the
whale has begun to spout blood it is quite unnecessary to continue
the assault. Still, at this stage of the proceedings the primitive
instincts are usually fully aroused, and nothing seems to satisfy them
but persistent fury of attack, until the actual commencement of the
tremendous death-agony or “flurry” of the noble beast gives even
the most excited hunter warning that it is time to draw off and
endeavour to keep clear of the last Titanic convulsions of the
expiring monster. No other created being ever furnishes such a
display of energy. Involuntarily one compares it with the awful
manifestations of the earthquake, the volcano, or the cyclone. And
when at last the great creature yields up the dregs of his once
amazing vitality, no one possessing a spark of imagination can fail to
be conscious of an under-current of compunction mingling with the
swelling triumph of such a victory.
But the seeker after big sea-game should attack the rorqual if he
would see sport indeed. For this agile monster has such a reputation
for almost supernatural cunning that even if he were as valuable as
he really is valueless commercially, it is highly doubtful if he would
ever be molested. As it is, all the tribe are chartered libertines, since
no whaleman is likely to risk the loss of a boat’s gear for the barren
honour of conquest. And not only so, but the rorquals, whether “fin-
back,” “sulphur-bottom,” or “blue-back,” as well as the “hump-back”
and grampus, make it a point of honour to sink when dead, unlike
the “cachalot” or “Bowhead,” who float awash at first, but ever more
buoyantly as the progress of decay within the immense abdominal
cavity generates an accumulating volume of gas. Any old whaleman
would evolve in the interests of sport no end of dodges for dealing
with the wily rorqual, such as a collection of strongly attached
bladders affixed to the line to stay his downward rush, short but
broad-barbed harpoons, to get a better hold upon the thin coating of
blubber, &c. In this kind of whaling there is quite sufficient danger to
make the sport exciting in the highest degree. Not, however, from
the attack of the animal hunted, but because his evolutions in the
effort to escape are so marvellously vivacious that only the most
expert and cool-headed boatsmanship can prevent a sudden
severance of the nexus between boat and crew. A splendid day’s
sport can be obtained with a school of blackfish. Although seldom
exceeding a ton and a half in weight, these small whales are quite
vigorous enough to make the chase of them as lively an episode as
the most enthusiastic hunter could wish, especially if two or even
three are harpooned one after the other on a single line, as the
whalers’ custom is. The sensation of being harnessed as it were to a
trio of monsters, each about 25 feet long, and 8 feet in girth, every
one anxious to flee in a different direction at the highest speed he
can muster, and in their united gambols making the sea boil like a
pot, is one that, once experienced, is never likely to be forgotten.
The mere memory of that mad frolic over the heaving bosom of the
bright sea makes the blood leap to the face, makes the nerves
twitch, and the heart long to be away from the placid round of
everyday life upon the bright free wave again. Even a school of
porpoises, in default of nobler game, can furnish a lively hour or
two, especially if they be of a fair size, say up to three or four
hundredweight each. But of a truth there need be no fear of a lack
of game. The swift passage from port to port made by passenger
vessels is apt to leave the voyager with the impression that the sea
is a barren waste, but such an idea is wholly false. Even the sailing-
ships, bound though they may be to make the shortest possible time
between ports, are compelled by failure of wind to see enough of
the everyday life of the sea-population to know better than that, and
whoso gives himself up to the glamour of sea-study, making no
haste to rush from place to place, but leisurely loitering along the
wide plains of ocean, shall find each day a new world unfolding itself
before his astonished eyes, a world of marvels, infinitely small, as
well as wondrous great—from the thousand and one miracles that
go to make up the “Plankton” to the antediluvian whale.
Fishing in its more heroic phases is obtainable in deep-sea cruising
as nowhere else. The hungry sailor, perched upon the flying jib-
boom end, drops his line, baited with a fluttering fragment of white
rag, and watches it with eager eyes as it skips from crest to crest of
the foam-tipped wavelets, brushed aside by the advancing hull of his
ship. And although his ideas are wholly centred upon dinner—
something savoury, to replace the incessant round of salt beef and
rancid pork—he cannot help but feel the zest of sport when upward
to his clumsy lure come rushing eagerly dolphin, bonito, or skipjack.
But if—putting all lesser fish to flight—the mighty albacore leaps
majestically at his bait, prudence compels him to withdraw from the
unequal contest; he knows that he stands not the remotest chance
of hauling such a huge trophy up to his lofty perch, or of holding him
there, should he be able to get a grip of him. To the scientific angler,
however, equipped with the latest resources of fishing-tackle
experts, and able to devote all the manipulation of his vessel to the
capture of such a trophy, the fishing of the albacore would be the
acme of all angling experiences. Good sport can be got out of a
school of large dolphin or bonito, their vigorous full-blooded strife
being a revelation to those who only know the lordly salmon or
skittish trout, but the albacore is the supreme test of the angler’s
ability. Shark-fishing is very tame after it. For the shark, though
powerful, has none of the dash and energy which characterise the
albacore, and would soon be an object of scorn to a fisherman who
had succeeded in catching the monarch of the mackerel tribe. But if
the fisherman, cruising near the confines of the Caribbean Sea,
should come across one of those nightmares known as alligator-
guards or devil-fish, a species of ray often one hundred and twenty
feet in area, he would find a new sensation in its chase and capture,
besides being the possessor of such a marine specimen as is at
present lacking to any museum in the world.
And this brings the reflection, which may fittingly draw this article
to a close, that not the least of the delights which such a cruise must
bring to one fortunate enough to enjoy it would be the incalculable
service rendered to marine natural history. This branch of science
offers an almost illimitable field to the student. It is nearly a new
world awaiting its Columbus, and it is not difficult to foresee that
before very long it will have found its votaries among men of wealth,
leisure, and energy, delighted to enter into the joy of a happy
hunting-ground of boundless extent and inexhaustible fecundity.
 A SEA CHANGE
Night was unfolding her wings over the quiet sea. Purple, dark and
smooth, the circling expanse of glassy stillness met the sky rim all
round in an unbroken line, like the edge of some cloud-towering
plateau, inaccessible to all the rest of the world. A few lingering
streaks of fading glory laced the western verge, reflecting splashes
of subdued colour half-way across the circle, and occasionally
catching with splendid but momentary effect the rounded shoulder
of an almost imperceptible swell. Their departure was being noted
with wistful eyes by a little company of men and one woman, who,
without haste and a hushed solemnity as of mourners at the burial
of a dear one, were leaving their vessel and bestowing themselves in
a small boat which lay almost motionless alongside. There was no
need for haste, for the situation had been long developing. The brig
was an old one, whose owner was poor and unable to spare
sufficient from her scanty earnings for her proper upkeep. So she
had been gradually going from bad to worse, not having been
strongly built of hard wood at first, but pinned together hastily by
some farmer-shipbuilder-fisherman up the Bay of Fundy, mortgaged
strake by strake, like a suburban villa, and finally sold by auction for
the price of the timber in her. Still, being a smart model and newly
painted, she looked rather attractive when Captain South first saw
her lying in lonely dignity at an otherwise deserted quay in the St.
Katharine’s Docks. Poor man, the command of her meant so much to
him. Long out of employment, friendless and poor, he had invested a
tiny legacy, just fallen to his wife, in the vessel as the only means
whereby he could obtain command of even such a poor specimen of
a vessel as the Dorothea. And the shrewd old man who owned her
drove a hard bargain. For the small privilege of the skipper carrying
his wife with him 50s. per month was deducted from the scanty
wage at first agreed upon. But in spite of these drawbacks the
anxious master felt a pleasant glow of satisfaction thrill him as he
thought that soon he would be once more afloat, the monarch of his
tiny realm, and free for several peaceful months from the harassing
uncertainties of shore-life.
In order to avoid expense he lived on board while in dock, and
made himself happily busy rigging up all sorts of cunning additions
to the little cuddy, with an eye to the comfort of his wife. While thus
engaged came a thunderclap, the first piece of bad news. The
Dorothea was chartered to carry a cargo of railway iron and
machinery to Buenos Ayres. Had he been going alone the thing
would have annoyed him, but he would have got over that with a
good old-fashioned British growl or so. But with Mary on board—the
thought was paralysing. For there is only one cargo that tries a ship
more than railway metal, copper ore badly stowed. Its effect upon a
staunch steel-built ship is to make her motion abominable—to take
all the sea-kindness out of her. A wooden vessel, even of the best
build, burdened with those rigid lengths of solid metal, is like a living
creature on the rack, in spite of the most careful stowage. Every
timber in her complains, every bend and strake is wrenched and
strained, so that, be her record for “tightness” never so good, one
ordinary gale will make frequent exercise at the pump an established
institution. And Captain South already knew that the Dorothea was
far from being staunch and well-built, although, happily for his small
remaining peace of mind, he did not know how walty and
unseaworthy she really was. A few minutes’ bitter meditation, over
this latest crook in his lot, and the man in him rose to the occasion,
determined to make the best of it and hope steadily for a fine run
into the trades. He superintended her stowing himself, much to the
disgust of the stevedores, who are never over particular unless
closely watched, although so much depends upon the way their
work is done. At any rate, he had the satisfaction of knowing that
the ugly stuff was as handsomely bestowed as experience could
suggest, and, with a sigh of relief, he saw the main hatches put on
and battened down for a full due.
 In the selection of his crew he had been unusually careful. Five
A.B.’s were all that he was allowed, the vessel being only 500 tons
burden, two officers besides himself, and one man for the double
function of cook and steward. Therefore, he sought to secure the
best possible according to his judgment, and really succeeded in
getting together a sturdy little band. His chief comfort, however, was
in his second mate, who was a Finn—one of that phlegmatic race
from the eastern shore of the Baltic who seem to inherit not only a
natural aptitude for a sea life, but also the ability to build ships,
make sails and rigging, do blacksmithing, &c.—all, in fact, that there
is to a ship, as our cousins say. Slow, but reliable to the core, and a
perfect godsend in a small ship. In Olaf Svensen, then, the skipper
felt he had a tower of strength. The mate was a young Londoner,
smart and trustworthy—not too independent to thrust his arms into
the tarpot when necessary, and amiable withal. The other six
members of the crew—two Englishmen and three Scandinavians—
were good seamen, all sailors—there wasn’t a steamboat man
among them—and, from the first day when in the dock they all
arrived sober and ready for work, matters went smoothly and salt-
water fashion.
It was late in October when they sailed, and they had no sooner
been cast adrift by the grimy little “jackal” that towed them down to
the Nore than they were greeted by a bitter nor’-wester that gave
them a sorry time of it getting round the Foreland. The short, vicious
Channel sea made the loosely-knit frame of the brig sing a mournful
song as she jumped at it, braced sharp up, and many were the
ominous remarks exchanged in the close, wedge-shaped fo’c’s’le on
her behaviour in these comparatively smooth waters, coupled with
gloomy speculations as to what sort of a fist she would make of the
Western Ocean waves presently. Clinkety-clank, bang, bang went the
pumps for fifteen minutes out of every two hours, the water rising
clear, as though drawn from overside, and a deeper shade settled on
the skipper’s brow. For a merry fourteen days they fought their way
inch by inch down Channel, getting their first slant between Ushant
and Scilly in the shape of a hard nor’-easter, that drove them clear of
the land and 300 miles out into the Atlantic. Then it fell a calm, with
a golden haze all round the horizon by day, and a sweet, balmy feel
in the air—a touch of Indian summer on the sea. Three days it lasted
—days that brought no comfort to the skipper, who could hardly hold
his patience when his wife blessed the lovely weather, in her happy
ignorance of what might be expected as the price presently to be
paid for it. Then one evening there began to rise in the west the
familiar sign so dear to homeward-bounders, so dreaded by
outward-going ships—the dense dome of cloud uplifted to receive
the setting sun. The skipper watched its growth as if fascinated by
the sight, watched it until at midnight it had risen to be a vast
convex screen, hiding one-half of the deep blue sky. At the changing
of the watch he had her shortened down to the two lower topsails
and fore-topmast staysail, and having thus snugged her, went below
to snatch, fully dressed, a few minutes’ sleep. The first moaning
breath of the coming gale roused him almost as soon as it reached
the ship, and as the watchful Svensen gave his first order, “Lee fore
brace!” the skipper appeared at the companion hatch, peering
anxiously to windward, where the centre of that gloomy veil seemed
to be worn thin. The only light left was just a little segment of blue
low down on the eastern horizon, to which, in spite of themselves,
the eyes of the travailing watch turned wistfully. But whatever shape
the surging thoughts may take in the minds of seamen, the exertion
of the moment effectually prevents any development of them into
despair in the case of our own countrymen. So, in obedience to the
hoarse cries of Mr. Svensen, they strove to get the Dorothea into
that position where she would be best able to stem the rising sea,
and fore-reach over the hissing sullenness of the long, creaming
rollers, that as they came surging past swept her, a mile at a blow,
sideways to leeward, leaving a whirling, broadside wake of curling
eddies. Silent and anxious, Captain South hung with one elbow over
the edge of the companion, his keen hearing taking note of every
complaint made by the trembling timbers beneath his feet, whose
querulous voices permeated the deeper note of the storm.
 All that his long experience could suggest for the safety of his
vessel was put into practice. One by one the scanty show of sail was
taken in and secured with extra gasket turns, lest any of them
should, showing a loose corner, be ripped adrift by the snarling
tempest. By eight bells (4 a.m.) the brig showed nothing to the bleak
darkness above but the two gaunt masts, with their ten bare yards
tightly braced up against the lee backstays, and the long peaked
forefinger of the jibboom reaching out over the pale foam. A tiny
weather-cloth of canvas only a yard square was stopped in the
weather main rigging, its small area amply sufficing to keep the
brig’s head up in the wind except when, momentarily becalmed by a
hill of black water rearing its head to windward, it relaxed its
steadfast thrust and suffered the vessel to fall off helplessly into the
trough between two huge waves. Now commenced the long unequal
struggle between a weakly-constructed hull, unfairly handicapped by
the wrench of a dead mass of iron within that met every natural
scend of her frame with unyielding brutality of resistance, and the
wise old sea, kindly indeed to ships whose construction and cargo
enable them to meet its masses with the easy grace of its own
inhabitants, but pitiless destroyer of all vessels that do not greet its
curving assault with yielding grace, its mighty stride with sinuous
deference of retreat. The useless wheel, held almost hard down,
thumped slowly under the hands of the listless helmsman with the
regularity of a nearly worn-out clock, while the oakum began to
bulge upward from the deck seams. As if weary even unto death,
the brig cowered before the untiring onslaught of the waves,
allowing them to rise high above the weather rail, and break apart
with terrible uproar, filling the decks rail-high from poop to
forecastle. Pumping was incessant, yet Svensen found each time he
dropped the slender sounding-rod down the tube a longer wetness
upon it, until its two feet became insufficient, and the mark of doom
crept up the line. And besides the ever-increasing inlet of the sea,
men stayed by the pumps only at imminent risk of being dashed to
pieces, for they were, as always, situated in the middle of the main
deck, where the heaviest seas usually break aboard. There was little
said, and but few looks exchanged. The skipper had, indeed, to
meet the wan face of his wife, but she dared not put her fear into
words, or he bring himself to tell her that except for a miracle their
case was hopeless. He seldom left the deck, as if the wide grey
hopelessness around had an irresistible fascination for him, and he
watched with unspeculative eyes the pretty gambols of those tiny
elves of the sea, the Mother Carey’s chickens, as they fluttered
incessantly to and fro across the wake of his groaning vessel.
So passed a night and a day of such length that the ceaseless
tumult of wind and wave had become normal, and slighter sounds
could be easily distinguished because the ear had become attuned
to the elemental din. Unobtrusively the impassive Svensen had been
preparing their only serviceable boat by stocking her with food,
water, &c. The skipper had watched him with a dull eye, as if his
proceedings were devoid of interest, but felt a glimmer of
satisfaction at the evidence of his second mate’s forethought. For all
hope of the Dorothea’s weathering the gale was now completely
gone. Even the blue patches breaking through the heavy cloud-pall
to leeward could not revive it. For she was now only wallowing, with
a muffled roar of turbid water within as it sullenly swept from side to
side with the sinking vessel’s heavy roll. The gale died away
peacefully, the sea smoothed its wrinkled plain, and the grave stars
peered out one by one, as if to reassure the anxious watchers.
Midnight brought a calm, as deep as if wind had not yet been made,
but the old swell still came marching on, making the doomed brig
heave clumsily as it passed her. The day broke in perfect splendour,
cloudless and pure, the wide heavens bared their solemn emptiness,
and the glowing sun in lonely glory showered such radiance on the
sea that it blazed with a myriad dazzling hues. But into that solitary
circle, whereof the brig was the pathetic centre, came no friendly
glint of sails, no welcome stain of trailing smoke across the clear
blue. But the benevolent calm gave opportunity for a careful
launching of the boat, and as she lay quietly alongside the few
finishing touches were given to her equipment. As the sun went
down the vessel’s motion ceased—she was now nearly level with the
smooth surface of the ocean, which impassively awaited her farewell
to the light. Hardly a word was spoken as the little company left her
side and entered the boat. When all were safely bestowed the
skipper said, “Cut that painter forrard there,” and his voice sounded
hollowly across the burdening silence. A few faint splashes were
heard as the oars rose and fell, and the boat glided away. At a
cable’s length they ceased pulling, and with every eye turned upon
the brig they waited. In a painful, strained hush, they saw her bow
as if in stately adieu, and as if with an embrace the placid sea
enfolded her. Silently she disappeared, the dim outlines of her spars
lingering, as if loth to leave, against the deepening violet of the
night.
With one arm around his wife, the skipper sat at the tiller, a small
compass before him, by the aid of which he kept her head toward
Madeira, but, anxious to husband energy, he warned his men not to
pull too strenuously. Very peacefully passed the night, no sound
invading the stillness except the regular plash of the oars and an
occasional querulous cry from a belated sea-bird aroused from its
sleep by the passage of the boat. At dawn rowing ceased for a time,
and those who were awake watched in a perfect silence, such as no
other situation upon this planet can afford, the entry of the new day.
Not one of them but felt like men strangely separated from mundane
things, and face to face with the inexpressible mysteries of the
timeless state. But it was Svensen who broke that sacred quiet by a
sonorous shout of “Sail-ho!” With a transition like a wrench from
death to life, all started into eager questioning; and all presently
saw, with the vigilant Finn, the unmistakable outlines of a vessel
branded upon the broad, bright semi-circle of the half-risen sun. No
order was given or needed. Double-banked, the oars gripped the
water, and with a steady rush the boat sped eastward towards that
beatific vision of salvation. Even the skipper’s face lost its dull shade
of hopelessness, in spite of his loss, as he saw the haggard lines
relax from Mary’s face. Quite a cheerful buzz of chat arose.
Unweariedly, hour after hour, the boat sped onward over the bright
smoothness, though the sun poured down his stores of heat and the
sweat ran in steady streams down the brick-red faces of the toiling
rowers. After four hours of unremitting labour they were near
enough to their goal to see that she was a steamer lying still, with
no trace of smoke from her funnel. As they drew nearer they saw
that she had a heavy list to port, and presently came the suggestion
that she was deserted. Hopes began to rise, visions of recompense
for all their labour beyond anything they could have ever dreamed
possible. The skipper’s nostrils dilated, and a faint blush rose to his
cheeks. Weariness was forgotten, and the oars rose and fell as if
driven by steam, until, panting and breathless, they rounded to
under the stern of a schooner-rigged steamer of about 2000 tons
burden, without a boat in her davits, and her lee rail nearly at the
water’s edge. Running alongside, a rope trailing overboard was
caught, and the boat made fast. In two minutes every man but the
skipper was on board, and a purchase was being rigged for the
shipment of Mrs. South. No sooner was she also in safety than
investigation commenced. The discovery was soon made that,
although the decks had been swept and the cargo evidently shifted,
there was nothing wrong with the engines or boilers except that
there was a good deal of water in the stokehold. She was evidently
Italian by her name, without the addition of Genoa, the Luigi C.,
being painted on the harness casks and buckets, and her crew must
have deserted her in a sudden panic.
Like men intoxicated, they toiled to get things shipshape on board
their prize, hardly pausing for sleep or food. And when they found
the engines throbbing beneath their feet they were almost delirious
with joy. Opening the hatches, they found that the cargo of grain
had shifted, but not beyond their ability to trim, so they went at it
with the same savage vigour they had manifested ever since they
first flung themselves on board. And when, after five days of almost
incessant labour, they took the pilot off Dungeness, and steamed up
the Thames to London again, not one of them gave a second
thought to the hapless Dorothea. Twelve thousand pounds were
divided among them by the Judge’s orders, and Captain South found
himself able to command a magnificent cargo steamer of more than
3000 tons register before he was a month older.
 T H E LAS T V OYA G E O F T H E
“ SA R A H JA N E ”
There was no gainsaying the fact that the Sarah Jane was a very fine
barge. Old Cheesy Morgan, whose Prairie Flower she had outreached
in the annual barge regatta by half a mile, owned up frankly that the
Sarah Jane, if she had been built out of the wreckage of a sunken
steamboat looted by the miserly old mudlark who owned her, could
lay over any of his fleet, and when he gave in as far as that you
might look upon the discussion as closed. Her skipper and mate,
Trabby Goodjer and Skee Goss, were always ready (when in
company) to punch any single man’s head who said a word against
her, and many sore bones had been carried away from the “Long
Reach House” in consequence. Not that these two worthies were
ever sparing of their extensive vocabulary of abuse of their
command when working up or down the Thames, especially when
she missed stays and hooked herself up on a mudbank about the
first of the ebb, making them lose a whole day.
Ever since her launching she had been regularly employed in the
Margate trade from London with general merchandise and returning
empty. Even this double expense for single freight paid the Margate
shopkeepers better than submission to the extortionate railway
charges, while their enterprise was a golden streak of luck for the
owner of the Sarah Jane, and her consorts. When she commenced
the memorable voyage of which this is the veracious log, she had for
crew, besides the two mariners already named, a youngster of some
fifteen years of age as near as he could guess, but so stunted in
growth from early hardships that he did not look more than twelve.
He answered to any name generally that sounded abusive or
threatening, from long habit, but his usual title was the generic one
for boys in north-country ships—Peedee. He had already seen a
couple of years’ service in deep-water vessels, getting far more than
his rightful share of adventurous mishaps, besides having done a
fairly comprehensive amount of vagabondage in the streets of
London and Liverpool. But being so diminutive for his years he found
it difficult to get a berth in a decent-sized ship, and in consequence
it was often no easy matter for him to fill even his small belly, for all
his precocious wits. Fate, supplemented by his own fears, had
hitherto been kind enough to keep him out of a Geordie collier or a
North Sea trawler, but on the day he met Trabby Goodjer outside the
“King’s Arms” in Thames Street, and asked him if he wanted a boy,
his evil genius must have been in the ascendant. He hadn’t tasted
food for two days with the exception of a fistful of gritty currants he
had raked out of a corner on Fresh Wharf, and as the keen spring
wind shrieking round the greasy bacon-reeking warehouses searched
his small body to the marrow he grew desperate. Thus it was that he
became the crew of the Sarah Jane. Properly, she should have
carried another man, but following the example of their betters in
the Mercantile Marine the skipper and mate trusted to luck, and
found under-manning pay. The owner lived at Rochester, and rarely
saw his vessel except through a pair of glasses at long intervals as
she passed the entrance to the Medway. So the payment of the crew
was in the skipper’s hands entirely, left to him by the London agent
who “managed” her. By sailing her a man short, and giving a boy
10s. a month instead of a pound, Captain Goodjer and chief officer
Goss were able to enjoy many cheap drunks, and have thrown in, as
it were, the additional enjoyment of ill-using something that was
quite unable to turn the tables unpleasantly.
Between this delightful pair therefore, whose luck in getting
backwards and forwards to Margate and London was phenomenal,
Peedee had a lively time. Especially so when, from some unforeseen
delay or extra thirst, the supply of liquor in the big stone jar kept at
the head of the skipper’s bunk ran short and they were perforce
compelled to exchange their usual swinish condition of uncertain
good-humour for an irritable restlessness that sought relief by
exercising ingenious forms of cruelty upon their hapless crew.
Occasionally they had a rough-and-tumble between themselves,
once indeed they both rolled over the side in a cat-like scrimmage,
but there was nothing like the solace to be got out of that
amusement that there was in beating Peedee. But he,
preternaturally wise, was only biding his time. The score against his
persecutors was growing very long, but a revenge that should be at
once pleasant, enduring, and final, slowly shaped itself in his mind.
Accident rather than design matured his plans prematurely, but still
he showed real genius by rising to the occasion that thus presented
itself and utilising it in a truly remarkable manner.
One Friday evening in the middle of October the Sarah Jane was
loosed from the wharf where she had received her miscellaneous
freight, and with the usual amount of river compliments and
collisions with the motley crowd of craft all in an apparently hopeless
tangle in the crowded Pool, began her voyage on the first of the
ebb. The skipper and the mate were both more than ordinarily
muzzy, but intuitively they succeeded in getting her away from the
ruck without receiving more than her fair share of hard knocks. Once
in the fairway the big sprit-sail and jib were hove up to what little
wind there was, and away she went at a fairly good pace. Peedee
did most of the steering as he did of everything else that was
possible to him, receiving as his due many pretty bargee-
compliments from his superiors as they sprawled at their ease by the
bogie funnel. They reached Greenhithe at slack water, where, the
wind veering ahead, they anchored for the night at no great distance
from the reformatory ship Cornwall. The sails were furled after a
fashion, and with many a blood-curdling threat to Peedee should he
fail to keep a good look-out, Trabby and his mate went below into
their stuffy den to sleep. Somewhere about midnight the shivering
boy awoke with a start, that nearly tumbled him off his perch on the
windlass, to see two white figures clambering on board out of the
river. Wide awake on the instant he saw they were boys like himself,
and whispered, “All right, mates, here y’are.” Noiselessly he showed
them the fo’c’s’le scuttle, where they might get below and hide.
When they had disappeared he crept to the side of the darksome
hole and held a whispered conversation with the visitors, finding that
they were runaways from the Cornwall, and immediately his active
brain saw splendid possibilities in this accession of strength if only he
could conceal their presence from his enemies aft. For the present,
however, there was nothing to be done but lie quietly and wait
events. Daring the risk of awakening the “officers” he made a raid
upon the grub-locker aft, securing half a loaf and a lump of Dutch
cheese, which he carried forward to the shivering stowaways. His
own wardrobe being on his back he could not lend them any clothes,
but they comforted themselves with the thought that they would
soon be dry. And assisted by Peedee they made a snug lair in the
gritty convolutions of a worn-out mainsail that was stowed in their
hiding-place, finding warmth and speedy oblivion in spite of their
terrors.
The slack arrived some little time before the pale, cheerless dawn,
and with it a small breeze fair for their passage down. Unwillingly
enough Peedee aroused his masters from their fetid hole, getting by
way of reward for his vigilant obedience of orders a perfectly tropical
squall of curses. Nevertheless they were soon on deck, having
turned in like horses, “all standing.” Without speaking a word to each
other, they proceeded to get the anchor, but so out of humour were
they that Peedee had much more than his usual allowance of fresh
cuts and bruises before the barge was fairly aweigh. Gradually the
wind freshened as if assisted by the oncoming light, so that before
the red disc of the sun peeped over the edge of London’s great
gloom behind them, the Sarah Jane was making grand progress.
Again Peedee took the wheel, while the skipper and mate retired to
the cabin for a drink. Suddenly sounds of woe arose therefrom. The
agonising discovery had been made that the precious jar was empty.
It had been capsized during the night, and the bung, being but
loosely inserted, had fallen out. Its contents now lay in a sticky pool
behind the stove, mixed with the accumulated filth of two or three
days. It was a sight too harrowing for ordinary speech. They glared
at one another for a few seconds in silence, until Trabby with a
vicious set of his ugly mouth growled, “Thet—— young mudlawk.”
“Ar,” said the mate, with an air of having found what he wanted, “I’ll
—— well skin ’im w’en I goo on deck.” But though the thought was
pleasant and some relief to their feelings, they remembered, being
sober, that if they were not a little less demonstrative in their
attentions to the boy they would certainly have to do his work
themselves. That gave them pause, and they discussed with much
gravity how they might deal with him without inconvenience to
themselves, until breakfast time. When they had in hoggish fashion
satisfied their hunger (their thirst no amount of coffee could quench)
they lit their pipes and lay back to get such solace as tobacco could
afford, and ruminate also upon the possibility of replenishing the
stone jar. Peedee steered on steadily, breakfastless, and likely to
remain so. Swiftly the barge sped down the reaches in company with
a whole fleet of her fellows “cluttering up the river,” as an angry
Geordie skipper, who had just shaved close by one of them,
remarked, “like a school o’ fat swine in a tatty field.” So they fared
for the whole forenoon without incident, until with a savage curse
and a blow Trabby took the wheel from the hungry lad, bidding him
go and get their dinner ready. While he was thus engaged a thick
mist gradually closed in upon the crowded river, reducing its vivid
panorama to an unreal expanse of white cloudiness through which
phantom shapes slowly glided to an accompaniment of unearthly
sounds. Suddenly to Peedee’s amazement the big sail overhead
began to flap, the jib-sheet rattled on the “traveller,” and Skee Goss,
striding forward, let go the anchor. Then the two men brailed in the
mainsail, allowed the jib to run down, and without saying a word to
the wondering boy, shoved the boat over the side, jumped into her,
and were swallowed up in the fog. The instant they disappeared
Peedee stood motionless, his ears acutely strained for the measured
play of the oars as the skipper and mate pulled lustily shorewards.
When at last he could hear them no longer, he rushed to the scuttle
forward, and dropping on his knees by its side, called down, “Below
there! ’r y’ sleep? On deck with ye ’s quick ’s the devil’ll let ye.” Up
they came, looking scared to death. Without wasting a word, under
Peedee’s direction the three hove the anchor up, although Peedee
was artful enough to lift the solitary pawl so that it could make no
noise. By the time they got the anchor they were all three streaming
with sweat, but without a moment’s pause Peedee dropped the
pawl, and taking a turn with the chain round the windlass end in
case of accidents, cast off the brails, letting the great brown sail
belly out to the fresh breeze. Having got the sheet aft with a
tremendous struggle, he took the wheel, saying, “Now you two
fellers, git forrard ’n histe thet jib up, ’n look lively too ’less you want
ter be dam well murdered.” In utter bewilderment as to what was
happening the two lads blundered forward, and guided by the
energetic directions of their self-appointed commander, soon got the
sail set. Fully under control at last, the Sarah Jane sped away
seaward before a breeze that, freshening every minute, bade fair to
be blowing a gale before night.
But Peedee, transformed into a man by his sudden resolve and its
successful execution, called his crew to him, and while he skilfully
guided the barge down the strangely quiet river, endeavoured to
explain to them what he had done and why; together with his plans
for the future. He was utterly contemptuous of their seafaring
abilities, telling them that “he’d teach ’em more in two days than
they’d learn aboard that ugly old hulk in a year,” and although they
were each quite a head and shoulders taller than himself, he treated
them as if they were mere infants and he was an old salt. And there
was a light in his eye, an elasticity in his movements that impressed
them more than all his words. Woe betide them had they dared to
cross him! For in that small body was bubbling and fermenting the
sweet must of satisfied revenge, strengthened by conscious power
and utterly unadulterated by any sense of future difficulty or
responsibility. Higher rose the wind, driving the mist before it and
revealing the broad mouth of the river all white with foam as the
conflicting forces of storm and tide battled over the labyrinth of
banks. Obviously the first thing to do was the instruction of his crew
in steering, for as soon as he found time to think of it he felt faint
with hunger. Fortunately one of the runaways had been coxswain of
a boat, and very little sufficed to show him the difference between a
tiller and a wheel. And all untroubled by the rising sea, the deeply-
laden barge ploughed on far steadier than many a vessel ten times
her size would have done. Relieved from the wheel, Peedee
hastened to the caboose and found some of the dinner he had been
preparing still eatable. Supplementing it by such provisions as he
could easily lay hands on in the cabin, the trio made a hearty meal,
winding up with a smoke all round in genuine sailor fashion.
With hunger appeased and perfect freedom lapping them around,
who shall say that they were not happy? Occasionally a queer little
tremor, a premonition of a price by-and-by to be paid for their
present adventure, thrilled up the spine of each of the two
runaways, but when they stole a glance at the calm features of their
commander they were comforted. So onward they sailed, through
the tortuous channels of the Thames’ estuary, scudding before a
stress of wind under whole canvas at a rate that made Peedee
rejoice exceedingly, although every few minutes a green comber of a
sea swept diagonally across the whole of the low deck, but never
invaded the cabin top. Night fell, the side-lights were exhibited, and
like any thousand-ton ship the Sarah Jane stood boldly out into mid-
channel, Peedee shaping a course which would carry them down
well clear of all the banks. Morning saw them off the Varne shoal,
the objects of eager curiosity to the gaping crew of a huge four-
masted barque that passed them within a cable’s length. And as the
sun rose the weather cleared, the sky smiled down upon them, the
keen wind and bright sea gave them a delicious sense of freedom,
while the grand speed of their ship stirred them to almost delirious
delight. This ecstatic condition lasted for two days until, no definite
land being in sight, and passing vessels becoming fewer, the two
new hands began to feel that dread of the unknown that might have
been expected of them. Timidly they appealed to Peedee to tell
them what he was going to do. But with bitter scorn of their fears,
all the fiercer because he didn’t in the least know what was going to
happen, he railed upon them for a pair of cowardly milksops, and
suggested hauling up for some West-country port and dumping
them on the beach. Truth to tell he was becoming somewhat
anxious himself as to his whereabouts, for the stock of water was
getting very low, although there was enough food in the hold to
have lasted them round the world. Fate, however, served them
better than design. When night fell a heavy bank of clouds which
had been lowering in the west all day suddenly began to rise, and
soon after dark, in a sudden squall, the wind shifted to that quarter
with mist and rain. Under these new conditions Peedee lost his
bearings and allowed his command to run away with him into the
darkness to leeward. At about four o’clock in the morning he heard a
dreadful sound, well known to him from experience, the hungry
growl of breakers. But before he had time to get too frightened
there was a sudden turmoil of foaming sea around them in place of
the dark hollows and white summits of the deep water, and with a
tipsy lurch or so the Sarah Jane came to a standstill. She lay so
quietly that Peedee actually called his crew to brail up the mainsail
and haul down the jib in sailor fashion. Daylight revealed the fact
that she was high and dry, having run in past all sorts of dangers
until she grounded under the lee of a beetling mass of rock and
there remained unscathed. While they were having a last meal they
were startled by seeing some uncouth-looking men coming at top
speed over the rugged shore. But they lowered themselves down
over the side and ran to meet them, finding them foreigners indeed.
Before long the whole scanty population was down and busy with
the spoil thus providentially provided, while the three boys were
hailed as benefactors to their species, and made welcome to the
best that the village contained. And two tides after the Sarah Jane
was as though she had never been, while the wanderers, well
provided with necessaries, were off for an autumn tour on foot
through Southern Brittany.
 S E A-S U P E R S T I T I O N S
Not the least of the mighty changes wrought by the advent of steam
as a motive-power at sea is the alteration it has made in the
superstitious notions current among seamen from the earliest days
of sea-faring. In the hurry and stress of the steamboat-man’s life
there is little scope for the indulgence of any fancies whatever, and
the old sea-traditions have mostly died out for lack of suitable
environment. Indeed, a new genus of seafarers have arisen to whom
the name of sailors hardly applies; they themselves scornfully accept
the designation of “sea-navvies”; and many instances are on record
where, it having become necessary to make sail in heavy weather to
aid the lumbering tramp in her struggle to claw off a lee-shore, or
keep ahead of a following sea, the master has found to his dismay
that he had not a man in his crew capable of tackling such a job.
Perhaps the first old belief to go was that sailing on a Friday was
to court certain disaster. All old sailors dwell with unholy gusto upon
the legend of the ship that was commenced on a Friday, finished on
a Friday, named the Friday, commanded by Captain Friday, sailed on
a Friday, and—foundered on the same luckless day with all hands, as
a warning to all reckless shipowners and skippers never again to run
counter to the eternal decrees ordaining that the day upon which
the Saviour of the world was crucified should be henceforth accursed
or kept holy, according to the bent of the considering mind. But
steam has changed all that. When a steamer’s time for loading or
discharging began to be reckoned not in days but in hours, the
notion of detaining her in port for a whole day in deference to an
idea became too ridiculous for entertainment, and it almost
immediately died a natural death. This, of course, had its effect upon
the less hastily worked sailing vessels, although there are still to be
found in British sailing ships masters who would use a good deal of
artifice to avoid sailing on that day. Among the Spanish, Italian,
Austrian, and Greek sailing vessels, however, Friday is still held in
most superstitious awe. And on Good Friday there is always a
regular carnival held on board these vessels, the yards being allowed
to hang at all sorts of angles, the gear flung dishevelled and loose,
while an effigy of Judas is subjected to all the abuse and indignity
that the lively imaginations of the seamen can devise. Finally, the
effigy is besmeared with tar, a rope attached to it which is then rove
through a block at the main yard-arm, it is set alight, and amid the
frantic yells and execrations of the seamen it is slowly swung aloft to
dangle and blaze, while the excited mariners use up their remaining
energies in a wild dance.
Another superstition that still survives in sailing vessels
everywhere is, strangely enough, connected with the recalcitrant
prophet Jonah. It is, however, confined to his bringing misfortune
upon the ship in which he sailed, and seldom is any allusion made to
his miraculous engulphing by the specially prepared great fish. It
does not take a long series of misfortunes overtaking a ship to
convince her crew that a lineal descendant of Jonah and an inheritor
of his disagreeable disqualifications is a passenger. So deeply rooted
is this idea that when once it has been aroused with respect to any
member of a ship’s company, that person is in evil case, and, given
fitting opportunity, would actually be in danger of his life. This tinge
of religious fanaticism, cropping up among a class of men who, to
put it mildly, are not remarkable for their knowledge of Scripture,
also shows itself in connection with the paper upon which “good
words” are printed. It is an unheard-of misdemeanour on board ship
to destroy or put to common use such paper. The man guilty of such
an action would be looked upon with horror by his shipmates,
although their current speech is usually vile and blasphemous
beyond belief. And herein is to be found a curious distinction
between seamen of Teutonic and Latin race, excluding Frenchmen.
Despite the superstitious reverence the former pay to the written
word, none of them would in time of peril dream of rushing to the
opposite extreme, and after madly abusing their Bibles, throw them
overboard. But the excitable Latins, after beseeching their patron
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