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Updated: June 13, 2025
I had not to ask, for directly I appeared Nancy told me that while Mary was at school an impudent fellow had walked in and asked if old Tom Swatridge had once lived there, and when she said "Yes," had taken a note of everything, and then sat down and lighted his pipe, and told her to run out and bring him a jug of ale. "`A likely thing, indeed! I answered him," said Nancy; "`what!
"Though two guineas are not to be picked up every day, I would as lief he had stayed in the harbour this blowing weather," she said to herself more than to me, as on seeing old Tom coming we stepped into her boat. When father first went to sea, Tom Swatridge had been his shipmate, and had done him many a kind turn which he had never forgotten.
"But I have a sister, and I couldn't go away with no one to take care of her; so I must not think of it now Tom Swatridge has gone. All the same, I thank you kindly, sir." "Well, well, my lad; we will see what can be done," he said, and just then a midshipman came up to report that the boat was ready to carry the rescued man, with the surgeon, to the shore.
"Such I may have been, but I'll be no longer `drunken old Swatridge' while I have these children to look after," he exclaimed; and giving one hand to Mary and the other to me, he led us out of the house.
We soon guessed by the way he talked that, in spite of his fine clothes, he was not a gentleman. "I say, you fellow, do you happen to know whereabouts an old chap, one Tom Swatridge, lives?" he asked of Jim. "He doesn't live anywhere; he's dead," answered Jim. "Dead! Dead, do you say?" he exclaimed. "Who's got his property?" "He had no property that I knows on," answered Jim; "except, maybe "
"No, sir, I came out with old Tom Swatridge, who went on board the ship which blew up," I answered. "Then I fear he must have been blown up with her, my lad," said the officer. "I hope not, sir, I hope not," I cried out, my heart ready to break as I began to realise that such might be the case. It seemed but a moment since the ship blew up. I could not believe that old Tom had perished.
"To tell the truth, Peter, I was a-coming to say, that if thou hadst not got any one to go in the place of Tom Swatridge, I would help thee till thou art suited for nothing, or if thou wilt find me in bread and cheese I'll be thankful." In a few minutes after this Jim and I were plying for hire in the harbour, and we had not long to wait before we got a fare.
"You are in luck, youngster," observed Mr Harvey; "though you have lost one friend you've gained another, for our commander always means what he says, and, depend on it, he'll not lose sight of you." He seemed a very free-and-easy gentleman, and made me tell him all about myself, and how we had lost father and mother, and how Tom Swatridge had taken charge of Mary and me.
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