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If one did more than this, he thought you much too pushing a fellow to belong to his slow, steady- going branch; and if less, why, you were an idle person, not worth your salt. But, the whole thing was very tedious and dry to me. I could, get through Smudge's quantum of accounts easily in half my time: the rest of my hours hung heavily on my hands. One can't read the Times all day, you know.
I got later and later in my attendance; so that, old Smudge's prediction was shortly fulfilled, for, I became no better than the rest, in respect of early hours. One day the chief spoke to me on the subject, and I answered him unguardedly. I was not thinking of him at the time, to tell the truth; and when he said, "Mr Lorton, late again, late again! This won't do, you know, won't do!"
I could manage to imitate Bobby Smudge's voice, and I should just like to look in on old Chissel when he is taking his first snooze. I'd just mutter, `Bobby Smudge's ghost come to fetch you away, you old sinner, and his villainous conscience would do the rest."
"This is all that young beggar Bobby Smudge's doing, I'll warrant," I heard Ned Grummit, a topman, exclaim, as he came down from aloft. "I never knowed a chap of that sort who went for to go for to drown hisself, if he threatened to do mischief, but found means to do it. I knowed it would be so from the first, and we shall be lucky if worse doesn't come of it."
Dicky Sharpe and I talked the matter over, and agreed not to say anything about it, as were the circumstances to get to the ears of the captain, it would certainly make him very angry. I thought we should hear no more about the matter; but two days after this I found the people more busy than ever talking about Bobby Smudge's ghost. Numbers declared they had seen it.
So, taking all these points into consideration, my office life was not a happy one, though, if matters had been arranged more comfortably for me, touching the future, I would have cheerfully put up with more temporary annoyances than I actually suffered, slaving on indefinitely under Smudge's rule. As it was, I couldn't.
It was far more cheerful work fitting up the new rooms at Milnthorpe, with Deborah's strong arms to help, and Uncle Geoffrey standing by to encourage our efforts; even Jack plucked up heart then, and hung up the canaries, and hid away the dormice out of Smudge's and Jumbles' reach, and consented to stretch her long legs in our behalf.
This surmise as to the poor boy's fate was confirmed the next morning, when some of his clothes were discovered under the forechains. The next day the chief conversation among the men was about Bobby Smudge's suicide, and of the threats he had uttered of haunting the ship.
I heard a rush at the cabin-doors, which was soon followed by one at the booby-hatch; but Smudge's ingenuity had been sufficient to prevent either from being successful. As soon as certain that their prisoners were safe, the savages came and loosened the ropes of my arms sufficiently to put me more at my ease.
"Bobby Smudge, sir; listen: there are not many moments to lose, before we shall all have our throats cut, if we don't take care." This piece of intelligence put me on the qui vive, though, remembering Master Smudge's pranks, I own that I did not much credit it. "Come here," said I, rather impatiently, "and let me know all about it."
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