Chain Locker by Bob Chaulk Read Free Book Online Page B

been honest with her and she must have seen through it.
    That’s the reason and it’s my own fault. I should have visited her more often. Maybe if I had spent more time with her, our relationship would have blossomed instead of fading like this. To hell with going to the ice; I’ll head to Twillingate and throw myself at her feet.
    No, time had run out. He couldn’t let Simeon down after he had worked so hard to get him a berth. What a mess! The first love of his life was slipping through his fingers and he was powerless to do anything about it.
    But wait. There was one thing he could do. If he couldn’t go to Twillingate, he could at least write to her and ask her to wait until he returned. Yes, he would write her a letter. She couldn’t just say no after keeping him waiting all this time, and expect him to take it without standing his ground.
    There were some things she had a right to know, too, and he would lay all that out. He started rooting around for a piece of paper.

chapter eight
    Within an hour of their departure the next morning the men were marching along the ice in a long line. Henry was silent but Simeon’s new companions were a gabby pair.
    â€œIt was just like the glass, sir!” Dorman revelled to Selb, speaking of his trip with Simeon last year. “Just before we left, we had a mild spell with a little drop of rain to melt the snow off the ice—nice soft rain. Then she turned cold—no wind now, just cold—so when the water froze it set up as smooth as the top of Walt Clark’s bald head. The whole bay just stretched away, like a big pane of glass. We put on our skates and were in Lewisporte by dark that evening.”
    â€œI minds it well,” Selb replied. “We skated over to Samson’s Island to see Titus and his family. There was people goin’ everywhere. We even had a crowd over from Whale’s Gulch.
    â€œBut, you know, ’twas a good thing that mild weather didn’t come a week or two later, when fellers was way offshore on the whelping ice. You wouldn’t want rain fallin’ and havin’ it turn cold when you’re soakin’ wet and miles away from shelter.”
    Simeon spoke for the first time since they left Cottles Island. “Selb, you got your money for gettin’ back if you don’t get a berth?”
    â€œOh, yes.”
    â€œYou’ll get a berth, Selb,” Dorman reassured him, with his usual confidence. “With Simeon speakin’ for you, you can’t go wrong.”
    â€œI can only do what I can do. We’ll have to see,” Simeon replied. “There’s a lot of sealers that don’t get a berth these years, good reliable men with families to feed. I heard there was hundreds stuck in St. John’s last year after the fleet put out. They were in a bad way, too: no berth aboard a ship, no work and no money to get back home. And you’d be worse off than most of them, having over two hundred miles to cover.”
    â€œSimeon, b’y, quit your worryin’!” said Dorman. “I got no doubt but that your say-so will get Selb aboard one of them vessels.”
    â€œWell, you just got to be prepared for the worse, that’s all I’m sayin’,” Simeon replied.
    â€œHow many skippers want you on their vessel? I hear three was after you. You’re one of the best master watches on the Front. You’ve never lost a man, right? There’s not a sealer knows you that wouldn’t want to be in your watch.”
    â€œTimes are tough, Darmy. I’m not a magician.”
    â€œThanks for taking me along, Simeon,” said Selb. “I feel honoured to be going to the ice with you. Darmy told me you were even in the English Navy.”
    Simeon laughed. “If you’re honoured to be with me, then you haven’t seen many important people in your life.”
    â€œHow did you get to be a master watch, Simeon?” Selb