And there's better
luck coming, lad, better luck coming."
Thereupon he sought out the Captain of the schooner and inquired into
Jimmy's worldly prospects.
"There's none to care for him," said the Captain, "and the best
prospects he have be the poor house."
"Will you leave him with me, then?" asked Skipper Ed. "I'll give the lad
a good home, and teach him a bit, and he'll be fine company for me."
"O' course I'll leave he with you, Skipper, and wonderful glad I'll be
too that the lad's found a good home," said the Captain.
Then Skipper Ed returned to Jimmy.
"Lad," said he, "I'm looking for a partner, and it strikes me _you'll_
do. How'd you like to be _my_ partner? Look me over now, and see what
you think of _me_. How'd you like _me_ for a partner?"
Jimmy looked him over critically, through tear-stained eyes, but said
nothing.
"Come now," urged Skipper Ed, getting down on his haunches that Jimmy
might look straight into his face, "here we are, you and I, both alone
in the world and both wanting partners. Can't we splice up a
partnership? Share and share alike, you know--you have as much as I, and
I have as much as you, and we'll take the fair winds and the contrary
winds together, and make port together, and sell our cargoes together,
and use the same slop chest. What do you say, lad? Shall we sign on as
partners?"
"Yes, sir," agreed Jimmy.
"Good! Good!" exclaimed Skipper Ed. "Here, shake hands on it, partner.
Now we're friends to each other, whatever falls, good voyages and poor
ones, and there's better luck coming for us both, lad, better luck.
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