CHAPTER 2

While lingering in the hospital the authorities took up the matter of the insurance on the Seamew and her cargo. The insurance on the vessel covered the mortgage Danny had told me about, but the insurance on the cargo that fell to me, was quite a sum, yes, a fortune. This business was in time put in the hands of a trust company, and I was to receive a small monthly income until of age, when I would come into possession of it.

My nurse’s name was Nell Walton. She told me she was twenty-two. I could see her anxiety grow as my hearing faded, or grew weaker day by day. She would bend over me and talk with raised voice close to my ear. One day she drew up a chair and sat close beside me, her rich auburn hair brushing my cheek. “ Mickey, ” she began, “ the doctor says that next week you will be well enough to leave the hospital. What will you do? ” Her hazel eyes looked anxiously into mine.

“ Gee! ” I laughed, “ I’ll go on a grand adventure. You mustn’t worry about me. I can take care of myself, and I was taught many useful things to do. I can work. I’ll get a room, hunt a job, and start out on my own. ” Her face grew grave, and a bit pale.

She took my hand and held it. “ That sounds brave, Mickey, but this is a big, cruel city, and you don’t know anyone outside of this hospital. I’ve been thinking about that. My home is upstate with my mother. I’m going back to her soon, as she needs me, and I want to take you along with me. You’ll be safe and happy. ” She paused for my reaction, and for the first time I noticed how very lovely she was, and not much taller than myself.

My face changed. Day after day as I walked about the hospital, and then in the court, to regain my strength, a half hour at a time at first, then longer, I had been dreaming of being on my own. My father’s love of the sea, its freedom and adventure, was in my veins too.

“ Oh! Miss Walton— ”

“ Call me Nell, Mickey, I’m going to be your sister when we get back with Mother. ” She spoke in that raised voice, quite loud.

“ But, Miss—I mean Nell, I want to be on my own. I’m not a bit afraid. You don’t know me, what training I had, how Aunt Libby taught me to be useful, to do things, to be responsible, to take care of myself. I’m only twelve in years, yes, but I’m a lot older in my ways. ”

“ You’ll get hurt, or you’ll get into trouble. ”

“ I’ll write Aunt Libby. Maybe she’ll come to live here, or have me come to her. ” She looked at me with compressed lips, hesitant. Just then she was called away.

“ Think it over, Mickey, ” she said, and disappeared through the door.

It was Friday, and I was to leave the following Tuesday. I knew that the hospital had no authority over me, and I was determined to see what I could do for myself. While sounds were growing fainter day by day, I was not alarmed. I was sure my hearing would return. Nell’s offering me a home was assuring and comforting. She lived about two hundred miles north of the city, in the central part of the state where they say “ be ” for “ are ” and eat maple sugar for candy. That fascinated me. But my mind was set.

Sunday afternoon a man came to see me. He was from the Trust Company that had taken charge of my affairs. He was the picture of consternation and amazement when he saw me. He had some papers with him and sat down beside me. I was dressed and sitting in a chair, reading.

“ Are you Michael Dunmore? ” He wrote on a pad.

“ Yes, sir, ” I replied.

“ You are quite young, Michael. I am Mr. Gage. Our company has your inheritance to take care of. You read this paper, and I want you to sign another one. You are to keep us informed of your whereabouts—your street address, without fail. You will receive thirty dollars a month until you are of age, then your fortune will be turned over to you. ” He handed me the paper to read; and then he had me sign another one. The head nurse of the ward came in.

“ Michael is to leave the hospital Tuesday after lunch. We cannot keep him here, he has no relatives in this city. ”

“ Where is he going—what will he do? ” Mr. Gage looked his astonishment, and turned to me, writing.

“ I’m going to get a room, and I’m going to get a job, and I’ll write to my aunt back in England, and I don’t want anyone to worry or bother about me. ” I gave them a very assuring look.

“ Good heavens! ” Mr. Gage cried. “ A child—so young! ”

“ It would require legal process and time to provide a guardian. We can’t undertake it. Your company has paid the medical bill here for him. We’ll have to let him go. ” The nurse, looking helpless at Mr. Gage, left the room. The two young men in the beds near me stared; I stood up as Mr. Gage took my hand.

“ Good-bye, Michael, I wish— ” his voice faltered a bit. “ I wish you were my boy—I wish I could take care of you. ”

“ Thank you, Mr. Gage; but don’t you worry, I’m brimful of self-confidence, I’m not a bit afraid. I’m more of a man than I look. ”

He smiled, squeezed my hand, and taking his hat, left the room.

Nell came in.

“ Mickey, a very sick patient has come in, and I am to give him every care—he is seriously ill. I may not see you again. Here is my address, don’t lose it. If ever you want a friend—need a friend, write me at once, sure. ” She gave me a kiss and hurried out.

As I walked away from the great building at one o’clock Tuesday, I looked back. Nell was in the door, and I saw a handkerchief in her hand.

Nell fading away from me, and Danny on the high seas, I was alone.

I carried on my person my earthly possessions—my clothes, the same that I had worn in the lifeboat. My suit had been cleaned and pressed, and maybe it was Nell who had put a nice tie in one of the pockets while I slept. I had my purse containing a few English coins and the thirty dollars for this first month. I had my big jackknife I had bought in Sheffield, and my diary which I had saved. In my mind was but one thought, to get a job and a room, and I reasoned that the waterfront offered the likeliest field because I was familiar with ships and shipping. So off I set for the great docks, having in mind that I should readily identify myself as the son of the drowned owner of the lost merchantman Seamew.

My freedom gave me a sense of joy and the spirit of adventure, as if I had not already had enough of that sort of thing! As I hurried along, however, I grew conscious of a dizziness and unsteadiness, the latter a predicament I had never before experienced. I laughed, in spite of myself, as I staggered first one way, then another, and I attributed my condition to weakness consequent on my prolonged illness. Once, as I stepped unsteadily along I caught the knowing grin of a young clerk standing in a doorway.

But I was brimful of optimism and enthusiasm, and I felt sure that I should readily get a job that very day, and that done, I would next hunt a room and a good place to eat. The next morning would find me reporting for work.

It took longer to get to the East River than I had expected, but the sights along the way were of never-ending interest, sometimes causing me to loiter, as boys will do. But at last I drew into the ever-shifting scenes of the maritime section of New York. Great, dark walls of endless rows of buildings hemmed me in from behind, while before were the myriads of masts and smokestacks, still, and moving. For a moment I felt as one swallowed up and lost. I had, indeed, quite lost my bearings. I had made no note of the streets over which I had come; I did not know the name of the street I had just left which brought me into this vast area of ships, shipping, and shuffling. There was a never-ending stream of drays, transfer wagons, trucks, vans, trolley cars and steam trains; a ceaseless rattle of horse-drawn vehicles and autos carrying people hither and thither, to and from the landing places. I heard the people refer to them as “ wharves; ” back in England I learned to say “ wharfs. ” Then it occurred to me that this peculiar pronunciation might be due to my defective ears. That I heard the word at all was due to the fact that everybody shouted, and shouted in every known tongue until my ears began to buzz.

The fearful blast of a ship’s whistle brought me to my senses, and I was reminded of my purpose. Simultaneously I was conscious of the lateness of the hour, and that if I meant to get employment I must see about it at once. I had often helped at checking up shipping as it was being loaded aboard the Seamew, so I hit on the idea of applying for the position of assistant checker. My knowledge of this work, however, as I found to my dismay, was after the English system, and according to the foreign customs rules, and as I was but a lad, little attention was paid to my proffers and entreaties.

Soon shops began closing their doors, business slackened; back in the covered piers lights began flashing up. I was conscious of a weariness and a growing appetite. This was no place for me to remain after sunset, so I turned about, bent upon reaching a more decent and safer part of the city, eager to find a lodging place and a restaurant.

Although I had taken no note of street names, certain buildings and signs had held my attention. I looked about me in wonder. Never had I seen such great, austere buildings; no signs in England were like what I saw here. The boldness, the strength and the power amazed me. I beheld the ruler of the earth, as it seemed, looking bravely and challengingly down upon me. I shuddered. Suddenly I was startled by a thundering crash, half sound, half vibration. I turned and saw a great horse-drawn brewery vehicle loaded with cases of liquor overturned. I was told that it made a too sharp turn to avoid a street car. The driver lay injured, broken bottles were scattered over the street, wet with the strong-smelling liquor. People gathered, a policeman arrived and gave orders. Boys came from nowhere, and suddenly. I pitched in with them to pick up unbroken bottles. They laughed and shouted, they bantered me, seeing I was not one of them; some concealed bottles under their coats and made away. The liquor got on my hands and my clothing. An ambulance arrived and the driver of the great van taken away. More police came up, they managed to lead the team, dragging the overturned wagon to the curb. An officer ordered people away, and I left the scene. But I smelled of that nasty whisky. I could wash my hands, but what of my clothes! I was chagrined. What would people think of me? Who would give me a job, now, where would I be given a room?

I thought of Nell as I walked along, her warning me that I’d come to grief, and I had, and so soon. I felt hungry. I must find some way to clean up and then get something to eat. I looked right and left as I went along through the now fully lighted streets. Reaching the corner and looking down the intersection I saw the sign of a restaurant. I hesitated, then entered, asking a man at the door for the washroom. He pointed, and I went to the door at the rear. Here I was permitted to wash and brush up a bit. But what was my humiliation and chagrin, on seating myself, to be ordered out because of certain objections ladies nearby had made, they having informed a waiter that I was undoubtedly drunk! I remonstrated, but to no avail. I wanted to burn that ill-smelling coat!

Again on the sidewalk I became alarmed over my unsteadiness, now greatly increased. I could not account for it, unless, as I have mentioned, it was due to my weakness, and now, perhaps, augmented by anger and nervousness, and hunger. I saw a candy shop and bought some peppermints, hoping that they might make me feel better. But as I left that candy shop I came to grief. A policeman had seen me staggering along, and now I was aware that he was following me. Next, to my dismay, I bumped into a passer-by, and that ended it, for in another moment I felt a strong hand grasp my coat collar and I was brought to a rude halt.

Looking up, I stared into the half stern, half amused, face of the officer, and heard his voice as he bent over me. “ I can’t hear, ” I said, fearfully. He raised his voice.

“ Sorry, me lad, but it’s duty I’m doin’. Ye ain’t quite steady on yer legs, an ’ the smell squares it an ’ all rings true. Them mints won’t help ye. Come along. ” I trembled.

“ I’m not drunk! ” I flashed up, indignantly. He laughed, yet he showed compassion, for all his resolve and love of duty. So we started off together, he holding on to me for I was trembling again, and unsteady. People stared. A woman stopped and spoke to the officer, about me, I supposed, as she looked so compassionately at me, a forlorn figure I must have been.

Once on the way the officer stopped and bent over me. He spoke in a raised voice, very close to my ear.

“ Your name, my boy? ”

“ Mickey—Michael Dunmore—I’m English. ”

“ Mickey, ” he smiled, “ why, that’s me own name. I’m Irish. Sure I’ll be good to you, but you must come along. Duty, y’know. ”

That night I spent in the lock-up, first having had a meal that was welcome, if not what I would have ordered had I been free.

I was booked for delinquency and intoxication! Crushed and frightened, I was put in a cell.