Ching Ching's Novelettes No. 1: Snapson of the 'Snake' — page 3: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

( 3 ) Snapson beckoned to the boy. “ What's your name?” he asked. ‘Will Fearon,” was the reply. “ Father alive ?” “No; nor mother either.” The boy answered these questions quietly and without moving his eyes from Snapson’s face. His close scrutiny made the man uneasy. “T suppose you know I’m going to take you to sea with me?” he said, after a pause. / ‘“‘T was told that I had to go to sea,” Will replied. “ Who told you so?” “My grandfather, Mr. Warrington.” ‘¢Ah! he is a nice kind man, isn’t he?” “T don’t think so,” said the boy, “he was cruel to my mother, and then he hated my father, and he has never done anything for me but keep me as I am.” The boy held up his arms to show his rags with a proud defiant look, and went on-—— “ But people tell me that there is money to come to me when I am a man, and then I shall want for nothing. But if I die e The boy stopped, and Snapson, looking at him sideways, said— ‘Well, my lad, if you die “If I die before I am a man the money will go to my grandfather,” Will a9 replied. “ I suppose you don’t know how much it is?” said Snapson, with a sly look. ‘No, I don’t,” Will returned, “but I believe it is a lot ; quite a fortune.” “That sounds well,” said Snapson, rubbing his hands; “now you be a good boy and I'll take care of you until you are a man, and then we will have jolly times of it together. Will you have anything to drink?” The boy hesitated for a moment as if loth to partake of his hospitality. “T should like some muk or ginge2rbeer,” he said. “ Anything you like,” said Snapson, cheerily, ‘‘and bread and cheese, or cold meat if they’ve got it. Lor’! what times we'll have of it now aboard the ‘Snake,’ won’t we? and when you area man Dashed if it don’t bring tears into my eyes to think of the kick-ups we will have. You come with me and make no fuss. I—Job Snapson—master of the brig ‘Snake,’ owned by Warrington and Co., am your friend. Just keep that in mind!” ee CHAPTER II. DOWN THE CHANNEL AND OUT TO SEA—-A CHANGE OF WIND AND A CHANGE IN THE MANNER OF SNAPSON. B MMB LLE “Snake” sailed the next day for the Mauritius with a mixed cargo and rather a mixed crew. They had been picked up by Job Snapson in the low lodging- wae} §=6houses, and no two of the men had the title to call themselves old —— acquaintances. GOMIGIOO S (SO)