The story I tell is about two boys. Rough street- boys they were, with no one to care for them, always in rags, and always together. They were known as Rags and Tatters. What their real names were, they knew no more than do you or I.
In the mornings and evenings, they sold newspapers, and, in the middle of the day, when it was summer and the streets were roasting hot, they went down by the wharfs. When the police were not looking, off went their clothes in a twinkling, and they dived into the water. It was not very clean water, but it was cool; and neither Rags nor Tatters had ever bathed in any that was cleaner.
One day, after bathing, they were sitting on the pier. They looked at the busy scene on the river, where loaded ships were being dragged out into the channel ready to go to sea.
Suddenly, Rags said, " Let"s go to sea. "
Tatters laughed at the idea, and asked Rags if he meant to go as a passenger.
But Rags was not to be laughed out of his plan. "We can"t have a worse time than we have now," he said, "and who knows that we may not be captains some day! ""There"s a big ship down at the pier yonder, " said Tatters. " She"s going to sail to-night, for I heard the captain say so. ""Let"s go and look at her. "
The boys went off, and very soon found themselves beside the Lion, as the ship was named. They were very much in the way of some men who were at work loading. A good-natured fellow told them to stand aside, as all the boxes and barrels that they saw had to be aboard the Lion that day, for she was going out at midnight.
Their minds were made up at once. Instead of buying newspapers that night, they spent their money on some biscuits. They had a bottle of water, too, for they knew well enough that, if they showed themselves before they were well out at sea, they would be sent back by the pilot"s boat.
That night, when it was dark, they quietly crept along and got on the ship"s deck. Every one was too busy to notice them. By and by, they came to a black, square hole, and down they crept by a ladder that was in it. They found a lower deck after they had gone down a little way, and had just stepped on to it when the hole was covered over.
Drawn by W.S. Wemyss
"They got on the ship"s deck. "
The place where they were was as dark as pitch, and had an unpleasant smell; but they cuddled close together, and very soon were fast asleep.
They could not tell what time it was when they awoke, for it was as dark as ever. The ship was going up and down, and they could hear the sailors singing as they pulled at the ropes; and so they thought they were well out at sea.
Then they began to wonder how they were to get out; but, just at that minute, the hatches were taken off.
"Now for it, " said Rags.
Up they jumped, and, scrambling over some barrels and bags of grain, made their way to the deck above. Near them, they saw a big man with gold lace on his cap; and, hurrying up to him, each gave a pull to his front hair by way of a bow, and Rags said, "If you please, sir, we"ve come aboard. ""So I see, you young rascals, " said the man; "and now, what in the world am I to do with you? ""Give us a chance," said Tatters; "we never had a chance ashore."The captain, who liked the way Tatters spoke, said, " You shall have a chance; but it will be long before you see London again, for we may go around the world. "But, as the boys had not a friend in London, they did not care if they never saw it again.
The captain called to a sailor, and told him to find them some clothes, for he could not have such scarecrows on hisShip. Soon they were dressed, each having on a thick flannel shirt and warm tweed trousers such as they had never owned before.
The captain said that he would have no such names as Rags and Tatters on his ship. He didn"t care what they called themselves, but some decent names they must have. So Rags said he would be " Jack, " and Tatters chose "Will "; and, when this had been settled, they were put to work.
They soon found out that there was not much fun in a sailor"s life; but, now that they had the chance they had asked for, they did their best, and soon every one liked them. They had good food, and, in the clear air, they began to look strong and well.
They had, on the whole, a pleasant time, and saw many strange sights. First, they went to Holland, and were much surprised to find a country with so much water everywhere, and to see the ships sailing through the canals.
After leaving Holland, the Lion went to China, where theboys saw queer ships called junks, which amused them very much. Sometimes, they were able to get ashore at some of these strange lands, and saw many wonderful things. But nothing led them to forget their work. When, at the end of three years, the Lion sailed into London, no one would have ever thought that these sturdy boys were the same Rags and Tatters who went aboard as stowaways. Their captain told them that they could sail on his next voyage, for he would besorry to lose them.
All this was twenty years ago. Now both boys are men, and each is a captain, and sails a ship of his own. But they are as fond of each other as in the old days. They have taken a great many voyages since their first. Once Rags was shipwrecked and lived for a month on a desert island. For a time, he thought that he would never see home again; but, when he had almost given up hope, a vessel came to the place for water and took him off.
From The School Journal (New Zealand)
Author.-The author is not known.
General Notes.-Where do you see boys like Rags and Tatters? Where did these two hide? How did the captain treat them? Where did they go? For how long? What became of them at last?