AN: I own nothing, make nothing. All that stuff!
There was something reassuring yet also mundane about the doctor, thought Jim. Squire Trelawney and the captain both had a look or way about them which made it plain to Jim that they had been about. But the doctor as he stood there in his white powder, quietly turning the pages of one of his medical books, looked so familiar to Jim and filled him with a sense of calm. Were it not because Jim had witnessed the doctor stare down the old sea-dog at the Admiral Benbow he might not believe that a man with Dr Livesey's kind appearance and neat dress would be an old soldier.
"Ah, here it is! Just the page I was searching for," cried the doctor enthusiastically and shook Jim out of his silent contemplation.
The boy strained his neck to peek at the page from his position by the door but could not make heads or tails of the chart and words he saw there.
"Dr Livesey, sir!" He piped.
"Hmm? Oh, of course Jim!" Replied the doctor, looking up from the book with a smile. "Come by my side, young man, and I shall show you what I am about. Just so! Now you will see this chart here? This is a dosage chart."
Jim eyed the numbers but the words surrounding it all were not King George's English or Jim was Duke of Devonshire. The doctor perceived as much and it amused him to see the boy so keen to appear as though he was following it all when the book was so full of Latin that there might as well be no English in it at all. The boy's hair was not so neatly combed now and his hat was crooked upon his head. Livesey noted this and imagined the boy was taken by the roughness in appearance of the men and he could not blame the child for that even if he himself went to greater lengths to preserve a gentlemanly appearance.
"Now here are my thoughts, Jim, for I see you there wondering: I believe in being prepared. As such I would have good use of a bright boy to help measuring. I dare say that Mr Arrow may need my assistance before long."
At that Jim looked up with a little alarm for he had already so little time in the day with the captain and his disgust of idleness. If he was to aid the doctor as well he would have no time but just a few scattered moments in the kitchen.
"But doctor..." Began Jim with a rather more nervous tone than he had hoped for - he certainly did not mean to come across ungrateful to either the doctor or the squire to whom he owed the opportunity to see all this.
"Now Jim," replied Livesey when the pause made by Jim grew long enough that he did not consider it much of an interruption. He gave the young man a pointed look which was meant to urge him to hear Livesey out. Upon seeing in Jim's expression that it was taken more as a reproof than a suggestion, the doctor's own expression softened deliberately before he turned and swiftly picked a bottle off the top shelf of the cabinet. He had to consider his words carefully. If he knew Jim Hawkins right he would take a reduction of his duties as much as doubt of his abilities as a relief.
"Captain Smollett is very keen to have us well on our way hastily. And as commendable as that is I suspect I will need this soon enough to calm the nerves that are sacrificed," said Livesey glancing briefly at the label before setting it back. His words were in uncomfortable ground between saying what he thought and what he thought proper.
It was all Jim could do not to grimace slightly at the praise Dr Livesey was giving the captain for as far as he was concerned it was the captain who needed calming but he did not voice as much, knowing the doctor would surely disapprove.
"But," said the doctor and raised his index finger to underline the word. "If Mr Arrow did half what was expected of him I dare say we'd be less burdened."
At that the doctor shook his head and Jim had heard enough of the captain and the doctor accusing the first mate of drunkenness to know the true meaning and exasperation of the doctor to whom blatant negligence of one's own health seemed to be a serious offense.
"Captain Smollett shan't miss you for an hour or so of your time on daily duty."
"Oh," said Jim. So he would not have less time to himself but less time under the captain's eye and that he could not object to. "Well, I should be happy to be of service, doctor! For certain I would!"
Dr Livesey nodded and lightly patted the boy's shoulder before letting it rest there.
"You're as reliable a young lad as ever there was, friend Jim," said the doctor cheerfully as he mentally noted that he would now be required to find some task to occupy the boy with for half an hour to an hour a day - for measuring medication would not serve that purpose as that was a task he could have easily enough managed himself.
"You may come after lunch. I think Mr Silver can spare you best there." He had after all no intention of limiting the time Jim spent assisting the cook with the crates for there was a man who seemed talented in keeping people in good spirits including himself. And Livesey was fond of the man himself as he seemed to be an unusually pleasant sailor.
"Yes, sir!" Replied Jim and he was grateful indeed. The doctor smiled at him and removed his hand from Jim's shoulder as he reached the book to close it. The dimness of the room made the heat and sun of the deck seem tempting enough. The doctor, who was the paler of the leading party, seemed almost unnatural in this environment as the contrast between his dark eyes and brows and white powder was enhanced.
"In the mean time," said the doctor. "You had best keep yourself busy and you shall report to me tomorrow." He studied the boy before him. He admired the courage the boy had shown already - even if it could be considered foolish to some extend. That same young man took his leave with a cheerful 'Yes, doctor!' and Livesey gestured him out with a knowing smile only just noticeable upon his lips. With a sigh he heard Smollett's commanding voice ring out again: "Mr Arrow, to the helm at once!"
-O-O-O-
"Ah Jim! And where have ye been off to, I wonder?"
John Silver was seated with three other hands as Jim stumbled out onto the deck. It had only been two days and already he saw the benefit of the doctor's need of him for it was a welcomed time away from the deck even if he could not help but feel as though every minute there in the dim surgery was him missing out on some excitement that was bound to occur in his absence. He liked the doctor but he had little interest in scales and books where there was world to explore above. Besides Jim felt he was no help. By the second visit Dr Livesey had simply set him to copying Latin names from the books onto labels - once in a while remarking upon his penmanship and telling him when it needed to be redone. As such it was a slow hour indeed.
"I've been to see the doctor, Mr Silver!" replied he.
"The doctor!" Cried Long John at a volume which startled the man beside him. "There's a fine physician if ever there was one! I have a nose for such things, I tell ya Jim, a nose! For I've seen too many of the sort for any man in my time. And Doctor Livesey is as fine as they come, you may lay to that. But tell me, Jim, you ain't fallen ill now are ye?"
"Why, no!" Smiled Jim and took a seat next to Silver as the latter moved over to make room on the crate he occupied. "But he puts me to work and the like."
A grunt was heard from the man on Silver's other side.
"What say ye, Anderson?" Remarked Long John. But the other made no futher comment and instead rose to get a spoonful of water. "Well Jim, says I," continued Silver. "You're as smart a lad as ever there was and reminding me of meself at that age. I sailed then with Captain Archer - and the best among men he was too. He'd be proud of the likes of ye, lad! 'Hard work and nerve! That's the way for an English lad' he'd say - upon me word!"
Silver laughed and the man with them laughed along with him. Jim felt a flutter in his chest at such praise though it was hard for him to imagine Long John as anything but an old seafaring man - such as he was.
"Did you fight in the navy then?" Jim asked with a great deal of excitement despite knowing in the back of his mind that many boys in the navy probably mainly did all the odd jobs such as he was currently doing.
"To be sure!" Silver confirmed and made an enthusiastic and rather imperfect salute.
"We're as good as by now," grumbled the one Long John had called Anderson as he returned from his quest for water. The comment did not sit well with Silver and it was a surprise to Jim who did not truly know what was meant by it.
"Job Anderson!" He cried. "Were it not known to me that ye're jesting - I'd say ye're a son of a Dutchman!"
He glanced over at Jim who was looking from one man to the other. This Anderson fellow did not look the type to jest but none the less he must have been for he sat down again without objecting to what Silver had said.
"Ah, 'tis a fine ship indeed and I'd drink to that," concluded Silver and the two men besides him grumbled a 'hear, hear'. The mere word 'drink' must have alerted Mr Arrow for in the next moment the flushed first mate stood before them looking as miserable as he generally did when he was sober.
"Mr Arrow, sir!" Said Jim and jumped to his feet in respect. Long John followed him but the other hands stayed put where they were. While Mr Arrow had not given him a single order so far, the doctor's words from the other day were still in Jim's mind and he reckoned it was best not to chance Captain Smollett seeing him not pay proper respect to a superior - even if it was Mr Arrow.
"Silver!" Said Arrow and then paused to lean against the railing. He then for a moment looked quite ill and Jim wondered if they would be needing to fetch Dr Livesey. Fortunately the man kept his lunch down well enough.
"Mr Arrow," piped Jim and rushed by the man's side. "Are you unwell?"
They had had a number of guests at the Admiral Benbow who could not hold their liquor or were taken ill during their stay. Jim had done his best to assist his father then with either putting them to bed or helping them until the doctor could be called for. But ever since the deaths of first his father and then the old seafaring man he had gotten a terrible fear of sickness in others. The feeling of helplessness was still sitting in his chest like a lump of icy steel and even if it were Mr Arrow whom Jim did not have many fond thoughts of - he did not want to experience it all over again.
"Shall I fetch Dr Livesey, sir?" The words flew out of Jim so fast it was barely a sentence.
"What? Unhand me, boy! Unhand me I say!" Roared Mr Arrow and gestured wildly, almost losing his balance despite the fact that Jim had not touched him. It still cause Jim to retreat in sudden jerk. He might have stumbled had Long John not supported him a little with his free arm. Joe Anderson and the other hand ignored the first mate still but did glance at him briefly at the shout.
"Mr Arrow! What is this noise? Tell me what you're about!" Demanded the captain who Jim thought might have an ability to simply show up where he was least wanted. Of course the reason for that was the confined space in which they found themselves. Mr Arrow suddenly adopted the look of schoolboy in trouble. Captain Smollett came to a halt right by them and Jim was glad he was the not for once the person of interest.
"Well?" Said the captain. And then when Mr Arrow made no immediate response: "By heaven, man! Are you drunk?" The captain and the doctor had taken it in turns to reproach the first mate for just that so far but just as he had denied it then so he would now by the looks of it.
"Begging yer pardon and such, captain!" Said Long John. "But young Hawkins here was only wondering whether Mr Arrow's in a bad way as the saying goes and whether we were to fetch the good doctor, sir, if ye don't mind me observing as much."
"Ah, Silver..." Began the captain but whatever he continued to say, Jim did not hear for just then Mr Arrow grumbled:
"I have not touched a drop, I haven't, as long as I live! I am as fit as can be - to the devil with you and the doctor too!" He gestured to Jim as he spoke and Jim had to resist the urge to hide behind Silver. It reminded him of that old sea-dog who was the cause of it all. He had faced deadly buccaneers and had no excuse to be unnerved by Mr Arrow's outburst and unreliable nature. The last thing he wanted was to appear scared.
No one within earshot believed such a declaration as the first mate had just made but clearly the captain was not in the mood to discuss it.
"Arrow, if you are too fit to see the doctor and more importantly fit to stand around discussing as much then you are fit to get back to work - that goes for the rest of you too. The wind is back and we are making good speed. Silver, Hawkins! Have you not business in the kitchens?!"
It was truly not a question and Jim was not sorry to get back to work if it would be in Long John's company. As he hurried off after Mr Silver he noted to he could not help but be a little glad that at the very least the captain thought much less of Arrow than of Jim. Even so it was hard not to wish the oafish and unpleasant man a mile a way. But he should be sorry for thinking it as the next morning Mr Arrow had disappeared and the doctor might find himself needed before long regardless.
TBC