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The Bu'ster had suddenly awakened from an unbroken sleep of twelve hours, tumbled incontinently out of his berth, rushed up the ladder, thrust his head above the hatchway, and, feeling the sweet influences of that lovely morning, vented his joy in the cheer referred to.
As the two hastened down to the beach to ascertain this important point, Gaff took a more leisurely survey of things on the island, and Billy commented freely on things in general. "Now, daddy," said the Bu'ster, with a face of beaming joy, "this is the very jolliest thing that ever could have happened to us ain't it?" "Well, I'm not so sure o' that, lad.
"You dood dat well, massa," said Quashy, who was the first to arrive, grinning all over; "and dat was a bu'ster," he added, surveying the gap in the bush through which Lawrence had crashed. "Please set me down before the others come up!" whispered Manuela, who, having, as we have said, half fainted, had allowed her head to fall on her rescuer's shoulder.
Billy was found to be active and useful in small matters and light duties suited to his age, and in the course of time was appointed to the position of steward's assistant, in which capacity he became deeply learned in the matter of washing cups, dishes, etcetera, besides acquiring a knowledge of baking, pudding-making, and many other useful arts more or less allied to cookery; in addition to which he had the inestimable benefit of being taught thoroughly submission and obedience a lesson which the Bu'ster found very hard to learn, and thought particularly grievous, but which at his age, and considering his previous training, was an absolute blessing.
"Now, Squeaky," said the Bu'ster, hitting the pig on its snout with a bit of firewood, "keep your dirty nose away from yer cousin." Squeaky obeyed meekly, and removed to another spot. "Isn't it a strange thing, daddy, that you and I should come to feel so homelike here?" "Ay, it is strange," responded Gaff with a sigh, as he laid down the hook he was working at and glanced round the cavern.
"But what shall we do for victuals, lad?" inquired Gaff, with a smile. The Bu'ster was posed. He had never thought of food, so his countenance fell. "And drink?" added Gaff. The Bu'ster was not posed at this, for he remembered, and reminded his father of, the pond which they had seen from the ridge. "Aha!" he added, "an' there was lots o' ducks on it too.
The Bu'ster clutched the blotting-paper, and looked on eagerly, not to say hopefully. "Oh!" exclaimed Tottie, "it's red ink; see."
I maintain that Billy Gaff, alias the Bu'ster, was taught to accord obedience simple obedience and nothing else by means of the kicking and cuffing he received on board of that whaler; and, further, that the method is a sure one. I do not say that it is the best one, but that does not affect the fact that it is almost infallible.
This cherub's name was Billy, Billy Gaff; more familiarly known amongst his friends as "The Bu'ster," owing to his tendency to explode into tears, or laughter, or mischief, or fun, as the case might be. He was about eleven years of age. My own name, reader, is Bingley.
Mrs Machowl dashed at her offspring, and, giving him an unmerciful thump on the back, effected the ejection of a mass of beef which had been the cause of the phenomena. "What a bu'ster it is the spalpeen," observed Rooney, with a smile, as he resumed the feeding process, much to Teddy's delight; "you'll niver do for a diver if you give way to appleplectic tendencies o' that sort.
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