W.H.G. Kingston Alone on an Island
Chapter One
WolfAmong those who paced her deck, anxiously looking out for a breeze, was Humphry Gurton, a fine lad of fifteen, who had joined the Wolf as a midshipman. This was his first trip to sea. He had intended to enter the Navy, but just as he was about to do so his father, a merchant at Liverpool, failed, and, broken-hearted at his losses, soon afterwards died, leaving his wife and only son but scantily provided for.
Tenderly had that wife, though suffering herself from a fatal disease, watched over him in his sickness, and Humphry had often sat by his fathers bedside while his mother was reading from Gods Word, and listened as with tender earnestness she explained the simple plan of salvation to his father. She had shown him from the Bible that all men are by nature sinful, and incapable, by anything they can do, of making themselves fit to enter a pure and holy heaven, however respectable or excellent they may be in the sight of their fellow-men, and that the only way the best of human beings can come to God is by imitating the publican in the parable, and acknowledging themselves worthless, outcast sinners, and seeking to be reconciled to Him according to the one way He has appointed through a living faith in the all-atoning sacrifice of His dear Son. Humphry had heard his father exclaim, I believe that Jesus died for me; O Lord, help my unbelief! I have no merits of my own; I trust to Him, and Him alone. He had witnessed the joy which had lighted up his mothers countenance as she pressed his fathers hand, and bending down, whispered, We shall be parted but for a short time; and, oh! may our loving Father grant that this our son may too be brought to love the Saviour, and join us when he is summoned to leave this world of pain and sorrow.
Humphry had felt very sad; and though he had wept when his fathers eyes were closed in death, and his mother had pressed him now the only being on earth for whom she desired to live to her heart, yet the impression he had received had soon worn off.
In a few months after his father died, she too was taken from him, and Humphry was left an orphan.
The kind and pious minister, Mr Faithful, who frequently visited Mrs Gurton during the last weeks of her illness, had promised her to watch over her boy, but he had no legal power. Humphrys guardian was a worldly man, and finding that there was but a very small sum for his support, was annoyed at the task imposed on him.
Humphry had expressed his wish to go to sea. A lad whose acquaintance he had lately made, Tom Matcham, was just about to join the Wolf , and, persuading him that they should meet with all sorts of adventures, offered to assist him in getting a berth on board her. Humphrys guardian, to save himself trouble, was perfectly willing to agree to the proposed plan, and, without difficulty, arranged for his being received on board as a midshipman.
We shall have a jovial life of it, depend upon that! exclaimed Matcham when the matter was settled. I intend to enjoy myself. The officers are rather wild blades, but that will suit me all the better. Harry went to bid farewell to Mr Faithful.
I pray that God will prosper and protect you, my lad, he said. I trust that your young companion is a right principled youth, who will assist you as you will be ready to help him, and that the captain
and officers are Christian men.
I have not been long enough acquainted with Tom Matcham to know much about him, answered Humphry. I very much doubt that the captain and officers are the sort of people you describe. However, I daresay I shall get on very well with them.
My dear Humphry, exclaimed Mr Faithful, I am deeply grieved to hear that you can give no better account of your future associates. Those who willingly mix with worldly or evil-disposed persons are very sure to suffer. Our constant prayer is that we may be kept out of temptation, and we are mocking God if we willingly throw ourselves into it. I would urge you, if you are not satisfied with the character of those who are to be your companions for so many years, to give up the appointment while there is time. I would accompany you, and endeavour to get your agreement cancelled. It will be better to do so at any cost, rather than run the risk of becoming like them.
Oh, I daresay that they are not bad fellows after all! exclaimed Humphry. You know I need not do wrong, even though they do.
The minister sighed. In vain he urged Humphry to consider the matter seriously.
All I can do, then, my young friend, is to pray for you, said Mr Faithful, as he wrung Harrys hand, and I beg you, as a parting gift, to accept these small books. One is a book above all price, of a size which you may keep in your pocket, and I trust that you will read it as you can make opportunities, even though others may attempt to interrupt you, or to persuade you to leave it neglected in your chest.
It was a small Testament, and Harry, to please the minister, promised to carry it in his pocket, and to read from it as often as he could.