Gabriel's Tale - Chapter 5: The Voyage

Chapter 5 – The Voyage

                                                    

Feeling energized, Gabriel felt full of hope, but his little legs were getting tired nonetheless.  Soon he ran out of sidewalk and ran along the side of the road.  It was getting dark.  The big buildings all around made it seemed even darker because they blocked the setting sun.  The shadows felt threatening, and he hadn’t found the house where his friend said he’d find food.  He was tired and muddy—the snow had melted along the road--and his feet felt heavy, caked with the mud.

Soon he slowed to a mere walk.  His tongue was now hanging out the side of his mouth.  Just a little farther, he kept telling himself.  But it was no use.  He gave out and laid down to rest.  Soon he was asleep along the side of the road.

This turned out to be a good thing because a young man with big muscles saw Gabriel lying there.  The fellow had been out for a walk to clear his head.  He worked on a container ship docked a few blocks away.  He was from Liverpool, England.  Baltimore was a long way from home.  He was thinking about his family, about his little brother who was not well.  He felt bad about being gone so much and wondered if he should find a job that wouldn’t take him so far away.  He knelt down by Gabriel, “Poor little fella.  You look totally beat.  Are you a long way from home, too?”

Gabriel quickly lifted his head, but the fellow kept hold of his collar and told him to just lie still.  Gabriel complied, laying his head back down, as the fellow ran his hand over Gabriel’s legs to see if maybe the little white dog was injured.  “No, you seem to be fine.”  Then he picked Gabriel up and carried him toward the docks.  As he walked along he said, “I bet you’re hungry, little fella.  And you sure could use a bath! I see you don’t have any tags on your collar so I’m thinking someone abandoned you.  How’d you like to go home with me?”

Gabriel began to struggle because he didn’t know “home” was England—all the way across the ocean—next to Scotland!  But as he struggled he realized he was just too hungry and too worn out to protest.  Maybe the fellow would feed him.  He could look for a way to escape later.

“Harry, what in the world you got there?!” the dockworker asked.

 “Oh, he’s a wee Westie as they say in Scotland,” Harry responded.

Scotland?!  Gabriel’s ears perked up.

“Oh, looky there,” the dockworker said. “He seems to know the word Scotland.  Do you think he’s from there?”

 “Well, he’s a West Highland White Terrier and that is where they originated,” Harry said.

“Do you suppose he stowed away on your ship?”

“If he did, he’s going to get a ride home, as far as England at least, in far more comfort, I’m sure, than he had comin’ over.”

Gabriel finished his meal as the two men talked and that was the last thing he heard before he drifted off to sleep—get a ride home—his soon-to-be new home.

The next morning there was lots of activity as the container ship was being loaded with goods for the return trip.  Gabriel had spent the night in a small building near the dock.  He’d awoken once to find it dark and no one around.  Now Harry was there standing over him with a sack.  “Sorry, fella, but I have to put you in here so I can sneak you aboard.  I’m afraid they might not let you on board if they saw you.  Now be a good chap and keep quiet.”

Gabriel understood.  He eagerly walked into the sack and lay down so Harry could carry it over his shoulder.  Once on board Harry took Gabriel to his quarters and told him to be quiet.  He shared a cabin with another fellow who hadn’t returned to the ship yet.  “Hide under my bunk.  Stay there no matter what.  OK? Until I come back.”  That was fine with Gabriel because he was ready for his morning nap anyway.

After awhile a noise awakened him.  Thinking it was Harry, Gabriel poked his nose out from under the bed.  “Aye, what’s this!?” the strange voice said.

Gabriel quickly pulled his nose back, but he knew it was too late.  He slid further back into the corner as the man poked his nose under the bed to see just what was hiding there.

“Well, if it isn’t a wee Westie or my ma’s got fleas!” the man declared in a thick Scottish accent.  Just then Harry walked in to find his bunkmate down on all fours.

 “I see you found him.  You won’t tell will you?”

“Of course not! I’ve got a wee Westie maself at home in Edinbruh.”

Edinburgh?!  Gabriel’s ears perked up once again.

Harry coaxed him out from under the bed telling him it was OK to come out now.

Over the next couple of days Gabriel just ate and slept most of the time.  He had to wait for Harry to take him to the “head,” as they called their toilet.  This was all very strange to Gabriel since he’d always been taken to the back yard, which had been a new thing, too, to him.  It was taking days and days it seemed to cross the ocean.  He hadn’t even seen the ocean.  It hardly felt like he was on a boat because it was so big it just glided through the water.

Then one night while he was asleep on Harry’s bunk he dreamed he was running through the streets, jumping over hedges, and rolling down a hill.  “Wake up little fella,” Harry said as he shook him.  “You better get under the bunk so you don’t fall out of bed.  We’re in a huge storm and it’s only going to get rougher.  I have to report to duty.”

Gabriel could feel the ship roll and pitch.  This wasn’t a dream.  It was the real thing!  Over the next several days Harry was in and out of the room only to check on Gabriel and to get a few hours sleep.  The storm didn’t seem to want to give up.  But one day he woke up to find Harry in the bunk above him and the boat gliding smoothly once again through the water.  That was some adventure, thought Gabriel, but not the kind I’d like to have again.

Finally the day arrived when Harry told Gabriel to get in the sack again.  He looked up at Harry with pleading eyes.  “What’s the matter little fella?  Don’t you want to go home with me?”  Gabriel didn’t know how to tell Harry he wanted to go with the other fellow.  But what if the other fellow wasn’t going home?  What if he was getting back on the ship and going back to Baltimore.


Gabriel put his head down and walked into the sack.  This was the only way he could be sure he would get off the ship without being seen.

©CathyGilleylenSchultz

Chapter 6:  Liverpool