The Pearl Divers and Crusoes of the Sargasso Sea by Gordon Stables

The very innocence of the fat boy, Johnnie Smart, had endeared him to all. His great affection for Teenie too, for whom I believe he would have at any time laid down his life, was quite a feature in his character.

Then his well-pleased fat face and curious smile or laugh made everybody feel on good terms with him. Even when he made a mistake of any kind in his capacity of cook's mate or Pandoo's assistant, it only made him laugh, and no one could be angry with him.

One morning he approached Teenie, who was sitting near the binnacle engrossed in "Tom Cringle's Log. " He was looking more serious than usual.

He bobbed and bowed and blushed, and spoke at last.

"Miss Teenie," he said, "I had a kind o' a dream last night, which 'twere more o' a wision like nor a dream -- -- "

"Well, Johnnie?"

"Well, Miss Teenie, I seed my old grannie like 's plain 's I see you afore me just now, and she says, ‘Johnnie,' says she, ‘you're goin' home,' and wi' that the old lady just wanished, and I woked."

He seemed so woe-begone, that Teenie could not help saying --

"Ah! but you know, Johnnie, dreams go by contraries."

"Goes by contrairies, does 'ey now, missie? Well, the old lady never was that way. No, Miss Teenie, summat's gone to 'appen. We'll see."

And off walked Johnnie, sighing.

If dreams ever come true in any way, it depends, I believe, on mere coincidence. But this is strange enough sometimes to make people put faith in them.

Johnnie was soon after busily engaged with the rest of the squad clearing off the weeds and shells from the ship's sides. They were slung overboard on the bights of ropes, in which they sat with their legs dangling down.

They were all working away right merrily, and Johnnie was perhaps the merriest of the lot.

He had almost forgotten his dream. He only once alluded to it, and that was to say --

"Well, maties, this all looks as if we would soon get clear and sail away for furrin counterees, which my grannie did say in my dream. Says she, ‘Johnnie,' she says, ‘you're goin' home, you is."

"La! " said one sailor, "I've most forgotten wot home's like."

"But," said another, "if ever we does get back to Britain's shore, won't we let ourselves spread, Bill, eh?"

"That will we, Jim, and not a little bit either. Ye can bet your 'at on that. And I say, Jim, wot cher think? I -- -- "

He never finished his sentence, for a piercing shriek from Johnnie, who was next to him, drew attention to the poor lad. His rope had slackened, and he swung with his feet almost touching the water.