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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/10571-0.txt b/10571-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e660256 --- /dev/null +++ b/10571-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,534 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10571 *** + +SHIP'S COMPANY + +By W.W. Jacobs + + + +THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA + + +"What I want you to do," said Mr. George Wright, as he leaned towards the +old sailor, "is to be an uncle to me." + +"Aye, aye," said the mystified Mr. Kemp, pausing with a mug of beer +midway to his lips. + +"A rich uncle," continued the young man, lowering his voice to prevent +any keen ears in the next bar from acquiring useless knowledge. "An +uncle from New Zealand, who is going to leave me all 'is money." + +"Where's it coming from?" demanded Mr. Kemp, with a little excitement. + +"It ain't coming," was the reply. "You've only got to say you've got it. +Fact of the matter is, I've got my eye on a young lady; there's another +chap after 'er too, and if she thought I'd got a rich uncle it might make +all the difference. She knows I 'ad an uncle that went to New Zealand +and was never heard of since. That's what made me think of it." + +Mr. Kemp drank his beer in thoughtful silence. "How can I be a rich +uncle without any brass?" he inquired at length. + +"I should 'ave to lend you some--a little," said Mr. Wright. + +[Illustration: "What I want you to do," said Mr. George Wright, "is to +be an uncle to me."] + +The old man pondered. "I've had money lent me before," he said, +candidly, "but I can't call to mind ever paying it back. I always meant +to, but that's as far as it got." + +"It don't matter," said the other. "It'll only be for a little while, +and then you'll 'ave a letter calling you back to New Zealand. See? And +you'll go back, promising to come home in a year's time, after you've +wound up your business, and leave us all your money. See?" + +Mr. Kemp scratched the back of his neck. "But she's sure to find it out +in time," he objected. + +"P'r'aps," said Mr. Wright. "And p'r'aps not. There'll be plenty of +time for me to get married before she does, and you could write back and +say you had got married yourself, or given your money to a hospital." + +He ordered some more beer for Mr. Kemp, and in a low voice gave him as +much of the family history as he considered necessary. + +"I've only known you for about ten days," he concluded, "but I'd sooner +trust you than people I've known for years." + +"I took a fancy to you the moment I set eyes on you," rejoined Mr. Kemp. +"You're the living image of a young fellow that lent me five pounds once, +and was drowned afore my eyes the week after. He 'ad a bit of a squint, +and I s'pose that's how he came to fall overboard." + +He emptied his mug, and then, accompanied by Mr. Wright, fetched his sea- +chest from the boarding-house where he was staying, and took it to the +young man's lodgings. Fortunately for the latter's pocket the chest +contained a good best suit and boots, and the only expenses incurred were +for a large, soft felt hat and a gilded watch and chain. Dressed in his +best, with a bulging pocket-book in his breast-pocket, he set out with +Mr. Wright on the following evening to make his first call. + +Mr. Wright, who was also in his best clothes, led the way to a small +tobacconist's in a side street off the Mile End Road, and, raising his +hat with some ceremony, shook hands with a good-looking young woman who +stood behind the counter: Mr. Kemp, adopting an air of scornful dignity +intended to indicate the possession of great wealth, waited. + +"This is my uncle," said Mr. Wright, speaking rapidly, "from New Zealand, +the one I spoke to you about. He turned up last night, and you might +have knocked me down with a feather. The last person in the world I +expected to see." + +Mr. Kemp, in a good rolling voice, said, "Good evening, miss; I hope you +are well," and, subsiding into a chair, asked for a cigar. His surprise +when he found that the best cigar they stocked only cost sixpence almost +assumed the dimensions of a grievance. + +"It'll do to go on with," he said, smelling it suspiciously. "Have you +got change for a fifty-pound note?" + +Miss Bradshaw, concealing her surprise by an effort, said that she would +see, and was scanning the contents of a drawer, when Mr. Kemp in some +haste discovered a few odd sovereigns in his waistcoat-pocket. Five +minutes later he was sitting in the little room behind the shop, holding +forth to an admiring audience. + +"So far as I know," he said, in reply to a question of Mrs. Bradshaw's, +"George is the only relation I've got. Him and me are quite alone, and I +can tell you I was glad to find him." + +Mrs. Bradshaw sighed. "It's a pity you are so far apart," she said. + +"It's not for long," said Mr. Kemp. "I'm just going back for about a +year to wind up things out there, and then I'm coming back to leave my +old bones over here. George has very kindly offered to let me live with +him." + +"He won't suffer for it, I'll be bound," said Mrs. Bradshaw, archly. + +"So far as money goes he won't," said the old man. "Not that that would +make any difference to George." + +"It would be the same to me if you hadn't got a farthing," said Mr. +Wright, promptly. + +[Illustration: "It'll do to go on with," he said] + +Mr. Kemp, somewhat affected, shook hands with him, and leaning back in +the most comfortable chair in the room, described his life and struggles +in New Zealand. Hard work, teetotalism, and the simple life combined +appeared to be responsible for a fortune which he affected to be too old +to enjoy. Misunderstandings of a painful nature were avoided by a timely +admission that under medical advice he was now taking a fair amount of +stimulant. + +[Illustration: "'Ow much did you say you'd got in the bank?"] + +"Mind," he said, as he walked home with the elated George, "it's your +game, not mine, and it's sure to come a bit expensive. I can't be a rich +uncle without spending a bit. 'Ow much did you say you'd got in the +bank?" + +"We must be as careful as we can," said Mr. Wright, hastily. "One thing +is they can't leave the shop to go out much. It's a very good little +business, and it ought to be all right for me and Bella one of these +days, eh?" + +Mr. Kemp, prompted by a nudge in the ribs, assented. "It's wonderful how +they took it all in about me," he said; "but I feel certain in my own +mind that I ought to chuck some money about." + +"Tell 'em of the money you have chucked about," said Mr. Wright. "It'll +do just as well, and come a good deal cheaper. And you had better go +round alone to-morrow evening. It'll look better. Just go in for +another one of their sixpenny cigars." + +Mr. Kemp obeyed, and the following evening, after sitting a little while +chatting in the shop, was invited into the parlour, where, mindful of Mr. +Wright's instructions, he held his listeners enthralled by tales of past +expenditure. A tip of fifty pounds to his bedroom steward coming over +was characterized by Mrs. Bradshaw as extravagant. + +"Seems to be going all right," said Mr. Wright, as the old man made his +report; "but be careful; don't go overdoing it." + +Mr. Kemp nodded. "I can turn 'em round my little finger," he said. +"You'll have Bella all to yourself to-morrow evening." + +Mr. Wright flushed. "How did you manage that?" he inquired. "It's the +first time she has ever been out with me alone." + +"She ain't coming out," said Mr. Kemp. "She's going to stay at home and +mind the shop; it's the mother what's coming out. Going to spend the +evening with me!" + +Mr. Wright frowned. "What did you do that for?" he demanded, hotly. + +"I didn't do it," said Mr. Kemp, equably; "they done it. The old lady +says that, just for once in her life, she wants to see how it feels to +spend money like water." + +"<i>Money like water!</i>" repeated the horrified Mr. Wright. "Money like-- +I'll 'money' her--I'll----" + +"It don't matter to me," said Mr. Kemp. "I can have a headache or a +chill, or something of that sort, if you like. I don't want to go. It's +no pleasure to me." + +"What will it cost?" demanded Mr. Wright, pacing up and down the room. + +The rich uncle made a calculation. "She wants to go to a place called +the Empire," he said, slowly, "and have something for supper, and there'd +be cabs and things. I dessay it would cost a couple o' pounds, and it +might be more. But I'd just as soon ave' a chill--just." + +Mr. Wright groaned, and after talking of Mrs. Bradshaw as though she were +already his mother-in-law, produced the money. His instructions as to +economy lasted almost up to the moment when he stood with Bella outside +the shop on the following evening and watched the couple go off. + +"It's wonderful how well they get on together," said Bella, as they +re-entered the shop and passed into the parlour. "I've never seen mother +take to anybody so quick as she has to him." + +"I hope you like him, too," said Mr. Wright. + +"He's a dear," said Bella. "Fancy having all that money. I wonder what +it feels like?" + +"I suppose I shall know some day," said the young man, slowly; "but it +won't be much good to me unless----" + +"Unless?" said Bella, after a pause. + +"Unless it gives me what I want," replied the other. "I'd sooner be a +poor man and married to the girl I love, than a millionaire." + +Miss Bradshaw stole an uneasy glance at his somewhat sallow features, and +became thoughtful. + +"It's no good having diamonds and motor-cars and that sort of thing +unless you have somebody to share them with," pursued Mr. Wright. + +Miss Bradshaw's eyes sparkled, and at that moment the shop-bell tinkled +and a lively whistle sounded. She rose and went into the shop, and Mr. +Wright settled back in his chair and scowled darkly as he saw the +intruder. + +"Good evening," said the latter. "I want a sixpenny smoke for twopence, +please. How are we this evening? Sitting up and taking nourishment?" + +Miss Bradshaw told him to behave himself. + +"Always do," said the young man. "That's why I can never get anybody to +play with. I had such an awful dream about you last night that I +couldn't rest till I saw you. Awful it was." + +"What was it?" inquired Miss Bradshaw. + +"Dreamt you were married," said Mr. Hills, smiling at her. + +Miss Bradshaw tossed her head. "Who to, pray?" she inquired. + +"Me," said Mr. Hills, simply. "I woke up in a cold perspiration. +Halloa! is that Georgie in there? How are you, George? Better?" + +"I'm all right," said Mr. Wright, with dignity, as the other hooked the +door open with his stick and nodded at him. + +"Well, why don't you look it?" demanded the lively Mr. Hills. "Have you +got your feet wet, or what?" + +"Oh, be quiet," said Miss Bradshaw, smiling at him. + +"Right-o," said Mr. Hills, dropping into a chair by the counter and +caressing his moustache. "But you wouldn't speak to me like that if you +knew what a terrible day I've had." + +"What have you been doing?" asked the girl. + +"Working," said the other, with a huge sigh. "Where's the millionaire? +I came round on purpose to have a look at him." + +"Him and mother have gone to the Empire?" said Miss Bradshaw. + +Mr. Hills gave three long, penetrating whistles, and then, placing his +cigar with great care on the counter, hid his face in a huge +handkerchief. Miss Bradshaw, glanced from him to the frowning Mr. +Wright, and then, entering the parlour, closed the door with a bang. Mr. +Hills took the hint, and with a somewhat thoughtful grin departed. + +He came in next evening for another cigar, and heard all that there was +to hear about the Empire. Mrs. Bradshaw would have treated him but +coldly, but the innocent Mr. Kemp, charmed by his manner, paid him great +attention. + +"He's just like what I was at his age," he said. "Lively." + +"I'm not a patch on you," said Mr. Hills, edging his way by slow degrees +into the parlour. "I don't take young ladies to the Empire. Were you +telling me you came over here to get married, or did I dream it?" + +"'Ark at him," said the blushing Mr. Kemp, as Mrs. Bradshaw shook her +head at the offender and told him to behave himself. + +"He's a man any woman might be happy with," said Mr. Hills. "He never +knows how much there is in his trousers-pocket. Fancy sewing on buttons +for a man like that. Gold-mining ain't in it." + +Mrs. Bradshaw shook her head at him again, and Mr. Hills, after +apologizing to her for revealing her innermost thoughts before the most +guileless of men, began to question Mr. Kemp as to the prospects of a +bright and energetic young man, with a distaste for work, in New Zealand. +The audience listened with keen attention to the replies, the only +disturbing factor being a cough of Mr. Wright's, which became more and +more troublesome as the evening wore on. By the time uncle and nephew +rose to depart the latter was so hoarse that he could scarcely speak. + +"Why didn't you tell 'em you had got a letter calling you home, as I told +you?" he vociferated, as soon as they were clear of the shop. + +"I--I forgot it," said the old man. + +"Forgot it!" repeated the incensed Mr. Wright. + +"What did you think I was coughing like that for--fun?" + +"I forgot it," said the old man, doggedly. "Besides, if you take my +advice, you'd better let me stay a little longer to make sure of things." + +Mr. Wright laughed disagreeably. "I dare say," he said; "but I am +managing this affair, not you. Now, you go round to-morrow afternoon and +tell them you're off. D'ye hear? D'ye think I'm made of money? And +what do you mean by making such a fuss of that fool, Charlie Hills? You +know he is after Bella." + +He walked the rest of the way home in indignant silence, and, after +giving minute instructions to Mr. Kemp next morning at breakfast, went +off to work in a more cheerful frame of mind. Mr. Kemp was out when he +returned, and after making his toilet he followed him to Mrs. Bradshaw's. + +To his annoyance, he found Mr. Hills there again; and, moreover, it soon +became clear to him that Mr. Kemp had said nothing about his approaching +departure. Coughs and scowls passed unheeded, and at last in a +hesitating voice, he broached the subject himself. There was a general +chorus of lamentation. + +"I hadn't got the heart to tell you," said Mr. Kemp. "I don't know when +I've been so happy." + +"But you haven't got to go back immediate," said Mrs. Bradshaw. + +"To-morrow," said Mr. Wright, before the old man could reply. +"Business." + +"Must you go," said Mrs. Bradshaw. + +Mr. Kemp smiled feebly. "I suppose I ought to," he replied, in a +hesitating voice. + +"Take my tip and give yourself a bit of a holiday before you go back," +urged Mr. Hills. + +"Just for a few days," pleaded Bella. + +"To please us," said Mrs. Bradshaw. "Think 'ow George'll miss you." + +"Lay hold of him and don't let him go," said Mr. Hills. + +He took Mr. Kemp round the waist, and the laughing Bella and her mother +each secured an arm. An appeal to Mr. Wright to secure his legs passed +unheeded. + +"We don't let you go till you promise," said Mrs. Bradshaw. + +Mr. Kemp smiled and shook his head. "Promise?" said Bella. + +"Well, well," said Mr. Kemp; "p'r'aps--" + +"He must go back," shouted the alarmed Mr. Wright. + +"Let him speak for himself," exclaimed Bella, indignantly. + +"Just another week then," said Mr. Kemp. "It's no good having money if I +can't please myself." + +"A week!" shouted Mr. Wright, almost beside himself with rage and dismay. +"A week! Another week! Why, you told me----" + +"Oh, don't listen to him," said Mrs. Bradshaw. "Croaker! It's his own +business, ain't it? And he knows best, don't he? What's it got to do +with you?" + +She patted Mr. Kemp's hand; Mr. Kemp patted back, and with his disengaged +hand helped himself to a glass of beer--the fourth--and beamed in a +friendly fashion upon the company. + +"George!" he said, suddenly. + +"Yes," said Mr. Wright, in a harsh voice. + +"Did you think to bring my pocket-book along with you?" + +"No," said Mr. Wright, sharply; "I didn't." + +"Tt-tt," said the old man, with a gesture of annoyance. "Well, lend me a +couple of pounds, then, or else run back and fetch my pocket-book," he +added, with a sly grin. + +Mr. Wright's face worked with impotent fury. "What--what--do you--want +it for?" he gasped. + +Mrs. Bradshaw's "Well! Well!" seemed to sum up the general feeling; Mr. +Kemp, shaking his head, eyed him with gentle reproach. + +"Me and Mrs. Bradshaw are going to gave another evening out," he said, +quietly. "I've only got a few more days, and I must make hay while the +sun shines." + +To Mr. Wright the room seemed to revolve slowly on its axis, but, +regaining his self-possession by a supreme effort, he took out his purse +and produced the amount. Mrs. Bradshaw, after a few feminine +protestations, went upstairs to put her bonnet on. + +"And you can go and fetch a hansom-cab, George, while she's a-doing of +it," said Mr. Kemp. "Pick out a good 'orse--spotted-grey, if you can." + +Mr. Wright arose and, departing with a suddenness that was almost +startling, exploded harmlessly in front of the barber's, next door but +one. Then with lagging steps he went in search of the shabbiest cab and +oldest horse he could find. + +"Thankee, my boy," said Mr. Kemp, bluffly, as he helped Mrs. Bradshaw in +and stood with his foot on the step. "By the way, you had better go back +and lock my pocket-book up. I left it on the washstand, and there's best +part of a thousand pounds in it. You can take fifty for yourself to buy +smokes with." + +There was a murmur of admiration, and Mr. Wright, with a frantic attempt +to keep up appearances, tried to thank him, but in vain. Long after the +cab had rolled away he stood on the pavement trying to think out a +position which was rapidly becoming unendurable. Still keeping up +appearances, he had to pretend to go home to look after the pocket-book, +leaving the jubilant Mr. Hills to improve the shining hour with Miss +Bradshaw. + +Mr. Kemp, returning home at midnight--in a cab--found the young man +waiting up for him, and, taking a seat on the edge of the table, listened +unmoved to a word-picture of himself which seemed interminable. He was +only moved to speech when Mr. Wright described him as a white-whiskered +jezebel who was a disgrace to his sex, and then merely in the interests +of natural science. + +"Don't you worry," he said, as the other paused from exhaustion. "It +won't be for long now." + +"Long?" said Mr. Wright, panting. "First thing to-morrow morning you +have a telegram calling you back--a telegram that must be minded. D'ye +see?" + +"No, I don't," said Mr. Kemp, plainly. "I'm not going back, never no +more--never! I'm going to stop here and court Mrs. Bradshaw." + +Mr. Wright fought for breath. "You--you can't!" he gasped. + +"I'm going to have a try," said the old man. "I'm sick of going to sea, +and it'll be a nice comfortable home for my old age. You marry Bella, +and I'll marry her mother. Happy family!" + +Mr. Wright, trembling with rage, sat down to recover, and, regaining his +composure after a time, pointed out almost calmly the various +difficulties in the way. + +"I've thought it all out," said Mr. Kemp, nodding. "She mustn't know I'm +not rich till after we're married; then I 'ave a letter from New Zealand +saying I've lost all my money. It's just as easy to have that letter as +the one you spoke of." + +"And I'm to find you money to play the rich uncle with till you're +married, I suppose," said Mr. Wright, in a grating voice, "and then lose +Bella when Mrs. Bradshaw finds you've lost your money?" + +Mr. Kemp scratched his ear. "That's your lookout," he said, at last. + +"Now, look here," said Mr. Wright, with great determination. "Either you +go and tell them that you've been telegraphed for--cabled is the proper +word--or I tell them the truth." + +"That'll settle you then," said Mr. Kemp. + +"No more than the other would," retorted the young man, "and it'll come +cheaper. One thing I'll take my oath of, and that is I won't give you +another farthing; but if you do as I tell you I'll give you a quid for +luck. Now, think it over." + +Mr. Kemp thought it over, and after a vain attempt to raise the promised +reward to five pounds, finally compounded for two, and went off to bed +after a few stormy words on selfishness and ingratitude. He declined to +speak to his host at breakfast next morning, and accompanied him in the +evening with the air of a martyr going to the stake. He listened in +stony silence to the young man's instructions, and only spoke when the +latter refused to pay the two pounds in advance. + +The news, communicated in halting accents by Mr. Kemp, was received with +flattering dismay. Mrs. Bradshaw refused to believe her ears, and it was +only after the information had been repeated and confirmed by Mr. Wright +that she understood. + +"I must go," said Mr. Kemp. "I've spent over eleven pounds cabling +to-day; but it's all no good." + +"But you're coming back?" said Mr. Hills. + +"O' course I am," was the reply. "George is the only relation I've got, +and I've got to look after him, I suppose. After all, blood is thicker +than water." + +"Hear, hear!" said Mrs. Bradshaw, piously. + +"And there's you and Bella," continued Mr. Kemp; "two of the best that +ever breathed." + +The ladies looked down. + +"And Charlie Hills; I don't know--I don't know <i>when</i> I've took such a +fancy to anybody as I have to 'im. If I was a young gal--a single young +gal--he's--the other half," he said, slowly, as he paused--"just the one I +should fancy. He's a good-'arted, good-looking----" + +"Draw it mild," interrupted the blushing Mr. Hills as Mr. Wright bestowed +a ferocious glance upon the speaker. + +"Clever, lively young fellow," concluded Mr. Kemp. "George!" + +"Yes," said Mr. Wright. + +"I'm going now. I've got to catch the train for Southampton, but I don't +want you to come with me. I prefer to be alone. You stay here and cheer +them up. Oh, and before I forget it, lend me a couple o' pounds out o' +that fifty I gave you last night. I've given all my small change away." + +He looked up and met Mr. Wright's eye; the latter, too affected to speak, +took out the money and passed it over. + +"We never know what may happen to us," said the old man, solemnly, as he +rose and buttoned his coat. "I'm an old man and I like to have things +ship-shape. I've spent nearly the whole day with my lawyer, and if +anything 'appens to my old carcass it won't make any difference. I have +left half my money to George; half of all I have is to be his." + +In the midst of an awed silence he went round and shook hands. + +"The other half," with his hand on the door--"the other half and my best +gold watch and chain I have left to my dear young pal, Charlie Hills. +Good-bye, Georgie!" + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Man of the Sea, by W.W. Jacobs + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10571 *** diff --git a/10571-h.zip b/10571-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea59707 --- /dev/null +++ b/10571-h.zip diff --git a/10571-h/029.jpg b/10571-h/029.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b77284c --- /dev/null +++ b/10571-h/029.jpg diff --git a/10571-h/030.jpg b/10571-h/030.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1776f33 --- /dev/null +++ b/10571-h/030.jpg diff --git a/10571-h/031.jpg b/10571-h/031.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..80d70c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/10571-h/031.jpg diff --git a/10571-h/10571-h.htm b/10571-h/10571-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf7312f --- /dev/null +++ b/10571-h/10571-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1085 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Ship's Company, Book 11</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {margin:10%; text-align:justify} +img {border: 0;} +blockquote {font-size:14pt} +P {font-size:14pt} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Man of the Sea, by W.W. Jacobs + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Old Man of the Sea + Ship's Company, Part 11. + +Author: W.W. Jacobs + +Release Date: January 1, 2004 [EBook #10571] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + + + + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="cover.jpg (139K)" src="cover.jpg" height="899" width="752"> +</center> +<br><br> + + + + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="title.jpg (44K)" src="title.jpg" height="736" width="486"> +</center> +<br><br> + + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="frontis.jpg (100K)" src="frontis.jpg" height="743" width="494"> +</center> +<br><br> +<br><br><br><br> + +<center> +<h2>BOOK 11</h2> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<center> +<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + +<h4>FROM DRAWINGS BY WILL OWEN</h4></center> +<br> + +<center> +<table summary=""> +<tr><td> + + + + +<p><a href="#029">"What I want you to do," said Mr George Wright, "is to be an uncle to me"</a><br> +<a href="#030">"It'll do to go on with," he said</a><br> +<a href="#031">"'Ow much did you say you'd got in the bank?"</a></p> + + + + + + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + +<br><br> +<br><br> + + + + +<br><br> + +<a name="c11"></a> +<br><br> +<center> +<h1> +THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA +</h1> +</center> + +<a name="029"></a> +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="029.jpg (91K)" src="029.jpg" height="481" width="570"> +</center> +<br><br> + + +<p>"What I want you to do," said Mr. George Wright, as he leaned towards the +old sailor, "is to be an uncle to me."</p> + +<p>"Aye, aye," said the mystified Mr. Kemp, pausing with a mug of beer +midway to his lips.</p> + +<p>"A rich uncle," continued the young man, lowering his voice to prevent +any keen ears in the next bar from acquiring useless knowledge. "An +uncle from New Zealand, who is going to leave me all 'is money."</p> + +<p>"Where's it coming from?" demanded Mr. Kemp, with a little excitement.</p> + +<p>"It ain't coming," was the reply. "You've only got to say you've got it. +Fact of the matter is, I've got my eye on a young lady; there's another +chap after 'er too, and if she thought I'd got a rich uncle it might make +all the difference. She knows I 'ad an uncle that went to New Zealand +and was never heard of since. That's what made me think of it."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp drank his beer in thoughtful silence. "How can I be a rich +uncle without any brass?" he inquired at length.</p> + +<p>"I should 'ave to lend you some—a little," said Mr. Wright.</p> + + +<p>The old man pondered. "I've had money lent me before," he said, +candidly, "but I can't call to mind ever paying it back. I always meant +to, but that's as far as it got."</p> + +<p>"It don't matter," said the other. "It'll only be for a little while, +and then you'll 'ave a letter calling you back to New Zealand. See? And +you'll go back, promising to come home in a year's time, after you've +wound up your business, and leave us all your money. See?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp scratched the back of his neck. "But she's sure to find it out +in time," he objected.</p> + +<p>"P'r'aps," said Mr. Wright. "And p'r'aps not. There'll be plenty of +time for me to get married before she does, and you could write back and +say you had got married yourself, or given your money to a hospital."</p> + +<p>He ordered some more beer for Mr. Kemp, and in a low voice gave him as +much of the family history as he considered necessary.</p> + +<p>"I've only known you for about ten days," he concluded, "but I'd sooner +trust you than people I've known for years."</p> + +<p>"I took a fancy to you the moment I set eyes on you," rejoined Mr. Kemp. +"You're the living image of a young fellow that lent me five pounds once, +and was drowned afore my eyes the week after. He 'ad a bit of a squint, +and I s'pose that's how he came to fall overboard."</p> + +<p>He emptied his mug, and then, accompanied by Mr. Wright, fetched his sea- +chest from the boarding-house where he was staying, and took it to the +young man's lodgings. Fortunately for the latter's pocket the chest +contained a good best suit and boots, and the only expenses incurred were +for a large, soft felt hat and a gilded watch and chain. Dressed in his +best, with a bulging pocket-book in his breast-pocket, he set out with +Mr. Wright on the following evening to make his first call.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright, who was also in his best clothes, led the way to a small +tobacconist's in a side street off the Mile End Road, and, raising his +hat with some ceremony, shook hands with a good-looking young woman who +stood behind the counter: Mr. Kemp, adopting an air of scornful dignity +intended to indicate the possession of great wealth, waited.</p> + +<p>"This is my uncle," said Mr. Wright, speaking rapidly, "from New Zealand, +the one I spoke to you about. He turned up last night, and you might +have knocked me down with a feather. The last person in the world I +expected to see."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp, in a good rolling voice, said, "Good evening, miss; I hope you +are well," and, subsiding into a chair, asked for a cigar. His surprise +when he found that the best cigar they stocked only cost sixpence almost +assumed the dimensions of a grievance.</p> + +<p>"It'll do to go on with," he said, smelling it suspiciously. "Have you +got change for a fifty-pound note?"</p> + +<a name="030"></a> +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="030.jpg (100K)" src="030.jpg" height="500" width="570"> +</center> +<br><br> + + + +<p>Miss Bradshaw, concealing her surprise by an effort, said that she would +see, and was scanning the contents of a drawer, when Mr. Kemp in some +haste discovered a few odd sovereigns in his waistcoat-pocket. Five +minutes later he was sitting in the little room behind the shop, holding +forth to an admiring audience.</p> + +<p>"So far as I know," he said, in reply to a question of Mrs. Bradshaw's, +"George is the only relation I've got. Him and me are quite alone, and I +can tell you I was glad to find him."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Bradshaw sighed. "It's a pity you are so far apart," she said.</p> + +<p>"It's not for long," said Mr. Kemp. "I'm just going back for about a +year to wind up things out there, and then I'm coming back to leave my +old bones over here. George has very kindly offered to let me live with +him."</p> + +<p>"He won't suffer for it, I'll be bound," said Mrs. Bradshaw, archly.</p> + +<p>"So far as money goes he won't," said the old man. "Not that that would +make any difference to George."</p> + +<p>"It would be the same to me if you hadn't got a farthing," said Mr. +Wright, promptly.</p> + + +<p>Mr. Kemp, somewhat affected, shook hands with him, and leaning back in +the most comfortable chair in the room, described his life and struggles +in New Zealand. Hard work, teetotalism, and the simple life combined +appeared to be responsible for a fortune which he affected to be too old +to enjoy. Misunderstandings of a painful nature were avoided by a timely +admission that under medical advice he was now taking a fair amount of +stimulant.</p> + + +<p>"Mind," he said, as he walked home with the elated George, "it's your +game, not mine, and it's sure to come a bit expensive. I can't be a rich +uncle without spending a bit. 'Ow much did you say you'd got in the +bank?"</p> + +<a name="031"></a> +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="031.jpg (91K)" src="031.jpg" height="639" width="470"> +</center> +<br><br> + + + +<p>"We must be as careful as we can," said Mr. Wright, hastily. "One thing +is they can't leave the shop to go out much. It's a very good little +business, and it ought to be all right for me and Bella one of these +days, eh?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp, prompted by a nudge in the ribs, assented. "It's wonderful how +they took it all in about me," he said; "but I feel certain in my own +mind that I ought to chuck some money about."</p> + +<p>"Tell 'em of the money you have chucked about," said Mr. Wright. "It'll +do just as well, and come a good deal cheaper. And you had better go +round alone to-morrow evening. It'll look better. Just go in for +another one of their sixpenny cigars."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp obeyed, and the following evening, after sitting a little while +chatting in the shop, was invited into the parlour, where, mindful of Mr. +Wright's instructions, he held his listeners enthralled by tales of past +expenditure. A tip of fifty pounds to his bedroom steward coming over +was characterized by Mrs. Bradshaw as extravagant.</p> + +<p>"Seems to be going all right," said Mr. Wright, as the old man made his +report; "but be careful; don't go overdoing it."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp nodded. "I can turn 'em round my little finger," he said. +"You'll have Bella all to yourself to-morrow evening."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright flushed. "How did you manage that?" he inquired. "It's the +first time she has ever been out with me alone."</p> + +<p>"She ain't coming out," said Mr. Kemp. "She's going to stay at home and +mind the shop; it's the mother what's coming out. Going to spend the +evening with me!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright frowned. "What did you do that for?" he demanded, hotly.</p> + +<p>"I didn't do it," said Mr. Kemp, equably; "they done it. The old lady +says that, just for once in her life, she wants to see how it feels to +spend money like water."</p> + +<p>"<i>Money like water!</i>" repeated the horrified Mr. Wright. "Money like— +I'll 'money' her—I'll——"</p> + +<p>"It don't matter to me," said Mr. Kemp. "I can have a headache or a +chill, or something of that sort, if you like. I don't want to go. It's +no pleasure to me."</p> + +<p>"What will it cost?" demanded Mr. Wright, pacing up and down the room.</p> + +<p>The rich uncle made a calculation. "She wants to go to a place called +the Empire," he said, slowly, "and have something for supper, and there'd +be cabs and things. I dessay it would cost a couple o' pounds, and it +might be more. But I'd just as soon ave' a chill—just."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright groaned, and after talking of Mrs. Bradshaw as though she were +already his mother-in-law, produced the money. His instructions as to +economy lasted almost up to the moment when he stood with Bella outside +the shop on the following evening and watched the couple go off.</p> + +<p>"It's wonderful how well they get on together," said Bella, as they +re-entered the shop and passed into the parlour. "I've never seen mother +take to anybody so quick as she has to him."</p> + +<p>"I hope you like him, too," said Mr. Wright.</p> + +<p>"He's a dear," said Bella. "Fancy having all that money. I wonder what +it feels like?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose I shall know some day," said the young man, slowly; "but it +won't be much good to me unless——"</p> + +<p>"Unless?" said Bella, after a pause.</p> + +<p>"Unless it gives me what I want," replied the other. "I'd sooner be a +poor man and married to the girl I love, than a millionaire."</p> + +<p>Miss Bradshaw stole an uneasy glance at his somewhat sallow features, and +became thoughtful.</p> + +<p>"It's no good having diamonds and motor-cars and that sort of thing +unless you have somebody to share them with," pursued Mr. Wright.</p> + +<p>Miss Bradshaw's eyes sparkled, and at that moment the shop-bell tinkled +and a lively whistle sounded. She rose and went into the shop, and Mr. +Wright settled back in his chair and scowled darkly as he saw the +intruder.</p> + +<p>"Good evening," said the latter. "I want a sixpenny smoke for twopence, +please. How are we this evening? Sitting up and taking nourishment?"</p> + +<p>Miss Bradshaw told him to behave himself.</p> + +<p>"Always do," said the young man. "That's why I can never get anybody to +play with. I had such an awful dream about you last night that I +couldn't rest till I saw you. Awful it was."</p> + +<p>"What was it?" inquired Miss Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>"Dreamt you were married," said Mr. Hills, smiling at her.</p> + +<p>Miss Bradshaw tossed her head. "Who to, pray?" she inquired.</p> + +<p>"Me," said Mr. Hills, simply. "I woke up in a cold perspiration. +Halloa! is that Georgie in there? How are you, George? Better?"</p> + +<p>"I'm all right," said Mr. Wright, with dignity, as the other hooked the +door open with his stick and nodded at him.</p> + +<p>"Well, why don't you look it?" demanded the lively Mr. Hills. "Have you +got your feet wet, or what?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, be quiet," said Miss Bradshaw, smiling at him.</p> + +<p>"Right-o," said Mr. Hills, dropping into a chair by the counter and +caressing his moustache. "But you wouldn't speak to me like that if you +knew what a terrible day I've had."</p> + +<p>"What have you been doing?" asked the girl.</p> + +<p>"Working," said the other, with a huge sigh. "Where's the millionaire? +I came round on purpose to have a look at him."</p> + +<p>"Him and mother have gone to the Empire?" said Miss Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hills gave three long, penetrating whistles, and then, placing his +cigar with great care on the counter, hid his face in a huge +handkerchief. Miss Bradshaw, glanced from him to the frowning Mr. +Wright, and then, entering the parlour, closed the door with a bang. Mr. +Hills took the hint, and with a somewhat thoughtful grin departed.</p> + +<p>He came in next evening for another cigar, and heard all that there was +to hear about the Empire. Mrs. Bradshaw would have treated him but +coldly, but the innocent Mr. Kemp, charmed by his manner, paid him great +attention.</p> + +<p>"He's just like what I was at his age," he said. "Lively."</p> + +<p>"I'm not a patch on you," said Mr. Hills, edging his way by slow degrees +into the parlour. "I don't take young ladies to the Empire. Were you +telling me you came over here to get married, or did I dream it?"</p> + +<p>"'Ark at him," said the blushing Mr. Kemp, as Mrs. Bradshaw shook her +head at the offender and told him to behave himself.</p> + +<p>"He's a man any woman might be happy with," said Mr. Hills. "He never +knows how much there is in his trousers-pocket. Fancy sewing on buttons +for a man like that. Gold-mining ain't in it."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Bradshaw shook her head at him again, and Mr. Hills, after +apologizing to her for revealing her innermost thoughts before the most +guileless of men, began to question Mr. Kemp as to the prospects of a +bright and energetic young man, with a distaste for work, in New Zealand. +The audience listened with keen attention to the replies, the only +disturbing factor being a cough of Mr. Wright's, which became more and +more troublesome as the evening wore on. By the time uncle and nephew +rose to depart the latter was so hoarse that he could scarcely speak.</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you tell 'em you had got a letter calling you home, as I told +you?" he vociferated, as soon as they were clear of the shop.</p> + +<p>"I—I forgot it," said the old man.</p> + +<p>"Forgot it!" repeated the incensed Mr. Wright.</p> + +<p>"What did you think I was coughing like that for—fun?"</p> + +<p>"I forgot it," said the old man, doggedly. "Besides, if you take my +advice, you'd better let me stay a little longer to make sure of things."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright laughed disagreeably. "I dare say," he said; "but I am +managing this affair, not you. Now, you go round to-morrow afternoon and +tell them you're off. D'ye hear? D'ye think I'm made of money? And +what do you mean by making such a fuss of that fool, Charlie Hills? You +know he is after Bella."</p> + +<p>He walked the rest of the way home in indignant silence, and, after +giving minute instructions to Mr. Kemp next morning at breakfast, went +off to work in a more cheerful frame of mind. Mr. Kemp was out when he +returned, and after making his toilet he followed him to Mrs. Bradshaw's.</p> + +<p>To his annoyance, he found Mr. Hills there again; and, moreover, it soon +became clear to him that Mr. Kemp had said nothing about his approaching +departure. Coughs and scowls passed unheeded, and at last in a +hesitating voice, he broached the subject himself. There was a general +chorus of lamentation.</p> + +<p>"I hadn't got the heart to tell you," said Mr. Kemp. "I don't know when +I've been so happy."</p> + +<p>"But you haven't got to go back immediate," said Mrs. Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>"To-morrow," said Mr. Wright, before the old man could reply. +"Business."</p> + +<p>"Must you go," said Mrs. Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp smiled feebly. "I suppose I ought to," he replied, in a +hesitating voice.</p> + +<p>"Take my tip and give yourself a bit of a holiday before you go back," +urged Mr. Hills.</p> + +<p>"Just for a few days," pleaded Bella.</p> + +<p>"To please us," said Mrs. Bradshaw. "Think 'ow George'll miss you."</p> + +<p>"Lay hold of him and don't let him go," said Mr. Hills.</p> + +<p>He took Mr. Kemp round the waist, and the laughing Bella and her mother +each secured an arm. An appeal to Mr. Wright to secure his legs passed +unheeded.</p> + +<p>"We don't let you go till you promise," said Mrs. Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp smiled and shook his head. "Promise?" said Bella.</p> + +<p>"Well, well," said Mr. Kemp; "p'r'aps—"</p> + +<p>"He must go back," shouted the alarmed Mr. Wright.</p> + +<p>"Let him speak for himself," exclaimed Bella, indignantly.</p> + +<p>"Just another week then," said Mr. Kemp. "It's no good having money if I +can't please myself."</p> + +<p>"A week!" shouted Mr. Wright, almost beside himself with rage and dismay. +"A week! Another week! Why, you told me——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't listen to him," said Mrs. Bradshaw. "Croaker! It's his own +business, ain't it? And he knows best, don't he? What's it got to do +with you?"</p> + +<p>She patted Mr. Kemp's hand; Mr. Kemp patted back, and with his disengaged +hand helped himself to a glass of beer—the fourth—and beamed in a +friendly fashion upon the company.</p> + +<p>"George!" he said, suddenly.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Mr. Wright, in a harsh voice.</p> + +<p>"Did you think to bring my pocket-book along with you?"</p> + +<p>"No," said Mr. Wright, sharply; "I didn't."</p> + +<p>"Tt-tt," said the old man, with a gesture of annoyance. "Well, lend me a +couple of pounds, then, or else run back and fetch my pocket-book," he +added, with a sly grin.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright's face worked with impotent fury. "What—what—do you—want +it for?" he gasped.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Bradshaw's "Well! Well!" seemed to sum up the general feeling; Mr. +Kemp, shaking his head, eyed him with gentle reproach.</p> + +<p>"Me and Mrs. Bradshaw are going to gave another evening out," he said, +quietly. "I've only got a few more days, and I must make hay while the +sun shines."</p> + +<p>To Mr. Wright the room seemed to revolve slowly on its axis, but, +regaining his self-possession by a supreme effort, he took out his purse +and produced the amount. Mrs. Bradshaw, after a few feminine +protestations, went upstairs to put her bonnet on.</p> + +<p>"And you can go and fetch a hansom-cab, George, while she's a-doing of +it," said Mr. Kemp. "Pick out a good 'orse—spotted-grey, if you can."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright arose and, departing with a suddenness that was almost +startling, exploded harmlessly in front of the barber's, next door but +one. Then with lagging steps he went in search of the shabbiest cab and +oldest horse he could find.</p> + +<p>"Thankee, my boy," said Mr. Kemp, bluffly, as he helped Mrs. Bradshaw in +and stood with his foot on the step. "By the way, you had better go back +and lock my pocket-book up. I left it on the washstand, and there's best +part of a thousand pounds in it. You can take fifty for yourself to buy +smokes with."</p> + +<p>There was a murmur of admiration, and Mr. Wright, with a frantic attempt +to keep up appearances, tried to thank him, but in vain. Long after the +cab had rolled away he stood on the pavement trying to think out a +position which was rapidly becoming unendurable. Still keeping up +appearances, he had to pretend to go home to look after the pocket-book, +leaving the jubilant Mr. Hills to improve the shining hour with Miss +Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp, returning home at midnight—in a cab—found the young man +waiting up for him, and, taking a seat on the edge of the table, listened +unmoved to a word-picture of himself which seemed interminable. He was +only moved to speech when Mr. Wright described him as a white-whiskered +jezebel who was a disgrace to his sex, and then merely in the interests +of natural science.</p> + +<p>"Don't you worry," he said, as the other paused from exhaustion. "It +won't be for long now."</p> + +<p>"Long?" said Mr. Wright, panting. "First thing to-morrow morning you +have a telegram calling you back—a telegram that must be minded. D'ye +see?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't," said Mr. Kemp, plainly. "I'm not going back, never no +more—never! I'm going to stop here and court Mrs. Bradshaw."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright fought for breath. "You—you can't!" he gasped.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to have a try," said the old man. "I'm sick of going to sea, +and it'll be a nice comfortable home for my old age. You marry Bella, +and I'll marry her mother. Happy family!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright, trembling with rage, sat down to recover, and, regaining his +composure after a time, pointed out almost calmly the various +difficulties in the way.</p> + +<p>"I've thought it all out," said Mr. Kemp, nodding. "She mustn't know I'm +not rich till after we're married; then I 'ave a letter from New Zealand +saying I've lost all my money. It's just as easy to have that letter as +the one you spoke of."</p> + +<p>"And I'm to find you money to play the rich uncle with till you're +married, I suppose," said Mr. Wright, in a grating voice, "and then lose +Bella when Mrs. Bradshaw finds you've lost your money?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp scratched his ear. "That's your lookout," he said, at last.</p> + +<p>"Now, look here," said Mr. Wright, with great determination. "Either you +go and tell them that you've been telegraphed for—cabled is the proper +word—or I tell them the truth."</p> + +<p>"That'll settle you then," said Mr. Kemp.</p> + +<p>"No more than the other would," retorted the young man, "and it'll come +cheaper. One thing I'll take my oath of, and that is I won't give you +another farthing; but if you do as I tell you I'll give you a quid for +luck. Now, think it over."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp thought it over, and after a vain attempt to raise the promised +reward to five pounds, finally compounded for two, and went off to bed +after a few stormy words on selfishness and ingratitude. He declined to +speak to his host at breakfast next morning, and accompanied him in the +evening with the air of a martyr going to the stake. He listened in +stony silence to the young man's instructions, and only spoke when the +latter refused to pay the two pounds in advance.</p> + +<p>The news, communicated in halting accents by Mr. Kemp, was received with +flattering dismay. Mrs. Bradshaw refused to believe her ears, and it was +only after the information had been repeated and confirmed by Mr. Wright +that she understood.</p> + +<p>"I must go," said Mr. Kemp. "I've spent over eleven pounds cabling +to-day; but it's all no good."</p> + +<p>"But you're coming back?" said Mr. Hills.</p> + +<p>"O' course I am," was the reply. "George is the only relation I've got, +and I've got to look after him, I suppose. After all, blood is thicker +than water."</p> + +<p>"Hear, hear!" said Mrs. Bradshaw, piously.</p> + +<p>"And there's you and Bella," continued Mr. Kemp; "two of the best that +ever breathed."</p> + +<p>The ladies looked down.</p> + +<p>"And Charlie Hills; I don't know—I don't know <i>when</i> I've took such a +fancy to anybody as I have to 'im. If I was a young gal—a single young +gal—he's—the other half," he said, slowly, as he paused—"just the one I +should fancy. He's a good-'arted, good-looking——"</p> + +<p>"Draw it mild," interrupted the blushing Mr. Hills as Mr. Wright bestowed +a ferocious glance upon the speaker.</p> + +<p>"Clever, lively young fellow," concluded Mr. Kemp. "George!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Mr. Wright.</p> + +<p>"I'm going now. I've got to catch the train for Southampton, but I don't +want you to come with me. I prefer to be alone. You stay here and cheer +them up. Oh, and before I forget it, lend me a couple o' pounds out o' +that fifty I gave you last night. I've given all my small change away."</p> + +<p>He looked up and met Mr. Wright's eye; the latter, too affected to speak, +took out the money and passed it over.</p> + +<p>"We never know what may happen to us," said the old man, solemnly, as he +rose and buttoned his coat. "I'm an old man and I like to have things +ship-shape. I've spent nearly the whole day with my lawyer, and if +anything 'appens to my old carcass it won't make any difference. I have +left half my money to George; half of all I have is to be his."</p> + +<p>In the midst of an awed silence he went round and shook hands.</p> + +<p>"The other half," with his hand on the door—"the other half and my best +gold watch and chain I have left to my dear young pal, Charlie Hills. +Good-bye, Georgie!"</p> + +<br><br> + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Man of the Sea, by W.W. 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Jacobs + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Old Man of the Sea + Ship's Company, Part 11. + +Author: W.W. Jacobs + +Release Date: January 1, 2004 [EBook #10571] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + +SHIP'S COMPANY + +By W.W. Jacobs + + + +THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA + + +"What I want you to do," said Mr. George Wright, as he leaned towards the +old sailor, "is to be an uncle to me." + +"Aye, aye," said the mystified Mr. Kemp, pausing with a mug of beer +midway to his lips. + +"A rich uncle," continued the young man, lowering his voice to prevent +any keen ears in the next bar from acquiring useless knowledge. "An +uncle from New Zealand, who is going to leave me all 'is money." + +"Where's it coming from?" demanded Mr. Kemp, with a little excitement. + +"It ain't coming," was the reply. "You've only got to say you've got it. +Fact of the matter is, I've got my eye on a young lady; there's another +chap after 'er too, and if she thought I'd got a rich uncle it might make +all the difference. She knows I 'ad an uncle that went to New Zealand +and was never heard of since. That's what made me think of it." + +Mr. Kemp drank his beer in thoughtful silence. "How can I be a rich +uncle without any brass?" he inquired at length. + +"I should 'ave to lend you some--a little," said Mr. Wright. + +[Illustration: "What I want you to do," said Mr. George Wright, "is to +be an uncle to me."] + +The old man pondered. "I've had money lent me before," he said, +candidly, "but I can't call to mind ever paying it back. I always meant +to, but that's as far as it got." + +"It don't matter," said the other. "It'll only be for a little while, +and then you'll 'ave a letter calling you back to New Zealand. See? And +you'll go back, promising to come home in a year's time, after you've +wound up your business, and leave us all your money. See?" + +Mr. Kemp scratched the back of his neck. "But she's sure to find it out +in time," he objected. + +"P'r'aps," said Mr. Wright. "And p'r'aps not. There'll be plenty of +time for me to get married before she does, and you could write back and +say you had got married yourself, or given your money to a hospital." + +He ordered some more beer for Mr. Kemp, and in a low voice gave him as +much of the family history as he considered necessary. + +"I've only known you for about ten days," he concluded, "but I'd sooner +trust you than people I've known for years." + +"I took a fancy to you the moment I set eyes on you," rejoined Mr. Kemp. +"You're the living image of a young fellow that lent me five pounds once, +and was drowned afore my eyes the week after. He 'ad a bit of a squint, +and I s'pose that's how he came to fall overboard." + +He emptied his mug, and then, accompanied by Mr. Wright, fetched his sea- +chest from the boarding-house where he was staying, and took it to the +young man's lodgings. Fortunately for the latter's pocket the chest +contained a good best suit and boots, and the only expenses incurred were +for a large, soft felt hat and a gilded watch and chain. Dressed in his +best, with a bulging pocket-book in his breast-pocket, he set out with +Mr. Wright on the following evening to make his first call. + +Mr. Wright, who was also in his best clothes, led the way to a small +tobacconist's in a side street off the Mile End Road, and, raising his +hat with some ceremony, shook hands with a good-looking young woman who +stood behind the counter: Mr. Kemp, adopting an air of scornful dignity +intended to indicate the possession of great wealth, waited. + +"This is my uncle," said Mr. Wright, speaking rapidly, "from New Zealand, +the one I spoke to you about. He turned up last night, and you might +have knocked me down with a feather. The last person in the world I +expected to see." + +Mr. Kemp, in a good rolling voice, said, "Good evening, miss; I hope you +are well," and, subsiding into a chair, asked for a cigar. His surprise +when he found that the best cigar they stocked only cost sixpence almost +assumed the dimensions of a grievance. + +"It'll do to go on with," he said, smelling it suspiciously. "Have you +got change for a fifty-pound note?" + +Miss Bradshaw, concealing her surprise by an effort, said that she would +see, and was scanning the contents of a drawer, when Mr. Kemp in some +haste discovered a few odd sovereigns in his waistcoat-pocket. Five +minutes later he was sitting in the little room behind the shop, holding +forth to an admiring audience. + +"So far as I know," he said, in reply to a question of Mrs. Bradshaw's, +"George is the only relation I've got. Him and me are quite alone, and I +can tell you I was glad to find him." + +Mrs. Bradshaw sighed. "It's a pity you are so far apart," she said. + +"It's not for long," said Mr. Kemp. "I'm just going back for about a +year to wind up things out there, and then I'm coming back to leave my +old bones over here. George has very kindly offered to let me live with +him." + +"He won't suffer for it, I'll be bound," said Mrs. Bradshaw, archly. + +"So far as money goes he won't," said the old man. "Not that that would +make any difference to George." + +"It would be the same to me if you hadn't got a farthing," said Mr. +Wright, promptly. + +[Illustration: "It'll do to go on with," he said] + +Mr. Kemp, somewhat affected, shook hands with him, and leaning back in +the most comfortable chair in the room, described his life and struggles +in New Zealand. Hard work, teetotalism, and the simple life combined +appeared to be responsible for a fortune which he affected to be too old +to enjoy. Misunderstandings of a painful nature were avoided by a timely +admission that under medical advice he was now taking a fair amount of +stimulant. + +[Illustration: "'Ow much did you say you'd got in the bank?"] + +"Mind," he said, as he walked home with the elated George, "it's your +game, not mine, and it's sure to come a bit expensive. I can't be a rich +uncle without spending a bit. 'Ow much did you say you'd got in the +bank?" + +"We must be as careful as we can," said Mr. Wright, hastily. "One thing +is they can't leave the shop to go out much. It's a very good little +business, and it ought to be all right for me and Bella one of these +days, eh?" + +Mr. Kemp, prompted by a nudge in the ribs, assented. "It's wonderful how +they took it all in about me," he said; "but I feel certain in my own +mind that I ought to chuck some money about." + +"Tell 'em of the money you have chucked about," said Mr. Wright. "It'll +do just as well, and come a good deal cheaper. And you had better go +round alone to-morrow evening. It'll look better. Just go in for +another one of their sixpenny cigars." + +Mr. Kemp obeyed, and the following evening, after sitting a little while +chatting in the shop, was invited into the parlour, where, mindful of Mr. +Wright's instructions, he held his listeners enthralled by tales of past +expenditure. A tip of fifty pounds to his bedroom steward coming over +was characterized by Mrs. Bradshaw as extravagant. + +"Seems to be going all right," said Mr. Wright, as the old man made his +report; "but be careful; don't go overdoing it." + +Mr. Kemp nodded. "I can turn 'em round my little finger," he said. +"You'll have Bella all to yourself to-morrow evening." + +Mr. Wright flushed. "How did you manage that?" he inquired. "It's the +first time she has ever been out with me alone." + +"She ain't coming out," said Mr. Kemp. "She's going to stay at home and +mind the shop; it's the mother what's coming out. Going to spend the +evening with me!" + +Mr. Wright frowned. "What did you do that for?" he demanded, hotly. + +"I didn't do it," said Mr. Kemp, equably; "they done it. The old lady +says that, just for once in her life, she wants to see how it feels to +spend money like water." + +"<i>Money like water!</i>" repeated the horrified Mr. Wright. "Money like-- +I'll 'money' her--I'll----" + +"It don't matter to me," said Mr. Kemp. "I can have a headache or a +chill, or something of that sort, if you like. I don't want to go. It's +no pleasure to me." + +"What will it cost?" demanded Mr. Wright, pacing up and down the room. + +The rich uncle made a calculation. "She wants to go to a place called +the Empire," he said, slowly, "and have something for supper, and there'd +be cabs and things. I dessay it would cost a couple o' pounds, and it +might be more. But I'd just as soon ave' a chill--just." + +Mr. Wright groaned, and after talking of Mrs. Bradshaw as though she were +already his mother-in-law, produced the money. His instructions as to +economy lasted almost up to the moment when he stood with Bella outside +the shop on the following evening and watched the couple go off. + +"It's wonderful how well they get on together," said Bella, as they +re-entered the shop and passed into the parlour. "I've never seen mother +take to anybody so quick as she has to him." + +"I hope you like him, too," said Mr. Wright. + +"He's a dear," said Bella. "Fancy having all that money. I wonder what +it feels like?" + +"I suppose I shall know some day," said the young man, slowly; "but it +won't be much good to me unless----" + +"Unless?" said Bella, after a pause. + +"Unless it gives me what I want," replied the other. "I'd sooner be a +poor man and married to the girl I love, than a millionaire." + +Miss Bradshaw stole an uneasy glance at his somewhat sallow features, and +became thoughtful. + +"It's no good having diamonds and motor-cars and that sort of thing +unless you have somebody to share them with," pursued Mr. Wright. + +Miss Bradshaw's eyes sparkled, and at that moment the shop-bell tinkled +and a lively whistle sounded. She rose and went into the shop, and Mr. +Wright settled back in his chair and scowled darkly as he saw the +intruder. + +"Good evening," said the latter. "I want a sixpenny smoke for twopence, +please. How are we this evening? Sitting up and taking nourishment?" + +Miss Bradshaw told him to behave himself. + +"Always do," said the young man. "That's why I can never get anybody to +play with. I had such an awful dream about you last night that I +couldn't rest till I saw you. Awful it was." + +"What was it?" inquired Miss Bradshaw. + +"Dreamt you were married," said Mr. Hills, smiling at her. + +Miss Bradshaw tossed her head. "Who to, pray?" she inquired. + +"Me," said Mr. Hills, simply. "I woke up in a cold perspiration. +Halloa! is that Georgie in there? How are you, George? Better?" + +"I'm all right," said Mr. Wright, with dignity, as the other hooked the +door open with his stick and nodded at him. + +"Well, why don't you look it?" demanded the lively Mr. Hills. "Have you +got your feet wet, or what?" + +"Oh, be quiet," said Miss Bradshaw, smiling at him. + +"Right-o," said Mr. Hills, dropping into a chair by the counter and +caressing his moustache. "But you wouldn't speak to me like that if you +knew what a terrible day I've had." + +"What have you been doing?" asked the girl. + +"Working," said the other, with a huge sigh. "Where's the millionaire? +I came round on purpose to have a look at him." + +"Him and mother have gone to the Empire?" said Miss Bradshaw. + +Mr. Hills gave three long, penetrating whistles, and then, placing his +cigar with great care on the counter, hid his face in a huge +handkerchief. Miss Bradshaw, glanced from him to the frowning Mr. +Wright, and then, entering the parlour, closed the door with a bang. Mr. +Hills took the hint, and with a somewhat thoughtful grin departed. + +He came in next evening for another cigar, and heard all that there was +to hear about the Empire. Mrs. Bradshaw would have treated him but +coldly, but the innocent Mr. Kemp, charmed by his manner, paid him great +attention. + +"He's just like what I was at his age," he said. "Lively." + +"I'm not a patch on you," said Mr. Hills, edging his way by slow degrees +into the parlour. "I don't take young ladies to the Empire. Were you +telling me you came over here to get married, or did I dream it?" + +"'Ark at him," said the blushing Mr. Kemp, as Mrs. Bradshaw shook her +head at the offender and told him to behave himself. + +"He's a man any woman might be happy with," said Mr. Hills. "He never +knows how much there is in his trousers-pocket. Fancy sewing on buttons +for a man like that. Gold-mining ain't in it." + +Mrs. Bradshaw shook her head at him again, and Mr. Hills, after +apologizing to her for revealing her innermost thoughts before the most +guileless of men, began to question Mr. Kemp as to the prospects of a +bright and energetic young man, with a distaste for work, in New Zealand. +The audience listened with keen attention to the replies, the only +disturbing factor being a cough of Mr. Wright's, which became more and +more troublesome as the evening wore on. By the time uncle and nephew +rose to depart the latter was so hoarse that he could scarcely speak. + +"Why didn't you tell 'em you had got a letter calling you home, as I told +you?" he vociferated, as soon as they were clear of the shop. + +"I--I forgot it," said the old man. + +"Forgot it!" repeated the incensed Mr. Wright. + +"What did you think I was coughing like that for--fun?" + +"I forgot it," said the old man, doggedly. "Besides, if you take my +advice, you'd better let me stay a little longer to make sure of things." + +Mr. Wright laughed disagreeably. "I dare say," he said; "but I am +managing this affair, not you. Now, you go round to-morrow afternoon and +tell them you're off. D'ye hear? D'ye think I'm made of money? And +what do you mean by making such a fuss of that fool, Charlie Hills? You +know he is after Bella." + +He walked the rest of the way home in indignant silence, and, after +giving minute instructions to Mr. Kemp next morning at breakfast, went +off to work in a more cheerful frame of mind. Mr. Kemp was out when he +returned, and after making his toilet he followed him to Mrs. Bradshaw's. + +To his annoyance, he found Mr. Hills there again; and, moreover, it soon +became clear to him that Mr. Kemp had said nothing about his approaching +departure. Coughs and scowls passed unheeded, and at last in a +hesitating voice, he broached the subject himself. There was a general +chorus of lamentation. + +"I hadn't got the heart to tell you," said Mr. Kemp. "I don't know when +I've been so happy." + +"But you haven't got to go back immediate," said Mrs. Bradshaw. + +"To-morrow," said Mr. Wright, before the old man could reply. +"Business." + +"Must you go," said Mrs. Bradshaw. + +Mr. Kemp smiled feebly. "I suppose I ought to," he replied, in a +hesitating voice. + +"Take my tip and give yourself a bit of a holiday before you go back," +urged Mr. Hills. + +"Just for a few days," pleaded Bella. + +"To please us," said Mrs. Bradshaw. "Think 'ow George'll miss you." + +"Lay hold of him and don't let him go," said Mr. Hills. + +He took Mr. Kemp round the waist, and the laughing Bella and her mother +each secured an arm. An appeal to Mr. Wright to secure his legs passed +unheeded. + +"We don't let you go till you promise," said Mrs. Bradshaw. + +Mr. Kemp smiled and shook his head. "Promise?" said Bella. + +"Well, well," said Mr. Kemp; "p'r'aps--" + +"He must go back," shouted the alarmed Mr. Wright. + +"Let him speak for himself," exclaimed Bella, indignantly. + +"Just another week then," said Mr. Kemp. "It's no good having money if I +can't please myself." + +"A week!" shouted Mr. Wright, almost beside himself with rage and dismay. +"A week! Another week! Why, you told me----" + +"Oh, don't listen to him," said Mrs. Bradshaw. "Croaker! It's his own +business, ain't it? And he knows best, don't he? What's it got to do +with you?" + +She patted Mr. Kemp's hand; Mr. Kemp patted back, and with his disengaged +hand helped himself to a glass of beer--the fourth--and beamed in a +friendly fashion upon the company. + +"George!" he said, suddenly. + +"Yes," said Mr. Wright, in a harsh voice. + +"Did you think to bring my pocket-book along with you?" + +"No," said Mr. Wright, sharply; "I didn't." + +"Tt-tt," said the old man, with a gesture of annoyance. "Well, lend me a +couple of pounds, then, or else run back and fetch my pocket-book," he +added, with a sly grin. + +Mr. Wright's face worked with impotent fury. "What--what--do you--want +it for?" he gasped. + +Mrs. Bradshaw's "Well! Well!" seemed to sum up the general feeling; Mr. +Kemp, shaking his head, eyed him with gentle reproach. + +"Me and Mrs. Bradshaw are going to gave another evening out," he said, +quietly. "I've only got a few more days, and I must make hay while the +sun shines." + +To Mr. Wright the room seemed to revolve slowly on its axis, but, +regaining his self-possession by a supreme effort, he took out his purse +and produced the amount. Mrs. Bradshaw, after a few feminine +protestations, went upstairs to put her bonnet on. + +"And you can go and fetch a hansom-cab, George, while she's a-doing of +it," said Mr. Kemp. "Pick out a good 'orse--spotted-grey, if you can." + +Mr. Wright arose and, departing with a suddenness that was almost +startling, exploded harmlessly in front of the barber's, next door but +one. Then with lagging steps he went in search of the shabbiest cab and +oldest horse he could find. + +"Thankee, my boy," said Mr. Kemp, bluffly, as he helped Mrs. Bradshaw in +and stood with his foot on the step. "By the way, you had better go back +and lock my pocket-book up. I left it on the washstand, and there's best +part of a thousand pounds in it. You can take fifty for yourself to buy +smokes with." + +There was a murmur of admiration, and Mr. Wright, with a frantic attempt +to keep up appearances, tried to thank him, but in vain. Long after the +cab had rolled away he stood on the pavement trying to think out a +position which was rapidly becoming unendurable. Still keeping up +appearances, he had to pretend to go home to look after the pocket-book, +leaving the jubilant Mr. Hills to improve the shining hour with Miss +Bradshaw. + +Mr. Kemp, returning home at midnight--in a cab--found the young man +waiting up for him, and, taking a seat on the edge of the table, listened +unmoved to a word-picture of himself which seemed interminable. He was +only moved to speech when Mr. Wright described him as a white-whiskered +jezebel who was a disgrace to his sex, and then merely in the interests +of natural science. + +"Don't you worry," he said, as the other paused from exhaustion. "It +won't be for long now." + +"Long?" said Mr. Wright, panting. "First thing to-morrow morning you +have a telegram calling you back--a telegram that must be minded. D'ye +see?" + +"No, I don't," said Mr. Kemp, plainly. "I'm not going back, never no +more--never! I'm going to stop here and court Mrs. Bradshaw." + +Mr. Wright fought for breath. "You--you can't!" he gasped. + +"I'm going to have a try," said the old man. "I'm sick of going to sea, +and it'll be a nice comfortable home for my old age. You marry Bella, +and I'll marry her mother. Happy family!" + +Mr. Wright, trembling with rage, sat down to recover, and, regaining his +composure after a time, pointed out almost calmly the various +difficulties in the way. + +"I've thought it all out," said Mr. Kemp, nodding. "She mustn't know I'm +not rich till after we're married; then I 'ave a letter from New Zealand +saying I've lost all my money. It's just as easy to have that letter as +the one you spoke of." + +"And I'm to find you money to play the rich uncle with till you're +married, I suppose," said Mr. Wright, in a grating voice, "and then lose +Bella when Mrs. Bradshaw finds you've lost your money?" + +Mr. Kemp scratched his ear. "That's your lookout," he said, at last. + +"Now, look here," said Mr. Wright, with great determination. "Either you +go and tell them that you've been telegraphed for--cabled is the proper +word--or I tell them the truth." + +"That'll settle you then," said Mr. Kemp. + +"No more than the other would," retorted the young man, "and it'll come +cheaper. One thing I'll take my oath of, and that is I won't give you +another farthing; but if you do as I tell you I'll give you a quid for +luck. Now, think it over." + +Mr. Kemp thought it over, and after a vain attempt to raise the promised +reward to five pounds, finally compounded for two, and went off to bed +after a few stormy words on selfishness and ingratitude. He declined to +speak to his host at breakfast next morning, and accompanied him in the +evening with the air of a martyr going to the stake. He listened in +stony silence to the young man's instructions, and only spoke when the +latter refused to pay the two pounds in advance. + +The news, communicated in halting accents by Mr. Kemp, was received with +flattering dismay. Mrs. Bradshaw refused to believe her ears, and it was +only after the information had been repeated and confirmed by Mr. Wright +that she understood. + +"I must go," said Mr. Kemp. "I've spent over eleven pounds cabling +to-day; but it's all no good." + +"But you're coming back?" said Mr. Hills. + +"O' course I am," was the reply. "George is the only relation I've got, +and I've got to look after him, I suppose. After all, blood is thicker +than water." + +"Hear, hear!" said Mrs. Bradshaw, piously. + +"And there's you and Bella," continued Mr. Kemp; "two of the best that +ever breathed." + +The ladies looked down. + +"And Charlie Hills; I don't know--I don't know <i>when</i> I've took such a +fancy to anybody as I have to 'im. If I was a young gal--a single young +gal--he's--the other half," he said, slowly, as he paused--"just the one I +should fancy. He's a good-'arted, good-looking----" + +"Draw it mild," interrupted the blushing Mr. Hills as Mr. Wright bestowed +a ferocious glance upon the speaker. + +"Clever, lively young fellow," concluded Mr. Kemp. "George!" + +"Yes," said Mr. Wright. + +"I'm going now. I've got to catch the train for Southampton, but I don't +want you to come with me. I prefer to be alone. You stay here and cheer +them up. Oh, and before I forget it, lend me a couple o' pounds out o' +that fifty I gave you last night. I've given all my small change away." + +He looked up and met Mr. Wright's eye; the latter, too affected to speak, +took out the money and passed it over. + +"We never know what may happen to us," said the old man, solemnly, as he +rose and buttoned his coat. "I'm an old man and I like to have things +ship-shape. I've spent nearly the whole day with my lawyer, and if +anything 'appens to my old carcass it won't make any difference. I have +left half my money to George; half of all I have is to be his." + +In the midst of an awed silence he went round and shook hands. + +"The other half," with his hand on the door--"the other half and my best +gold watch and chain I have left to my dear young pal, Charlie Hills. +Good-bye, Georgie!" + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Man of the Sea, by W.W. 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Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b42822e --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #10571 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10571) diff --git a/old/10571-h.zip b/old/10571-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea59707 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10571-h.zip diff --git a/old/10571-h/029.jpg b/old/10571-h/029.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b77284c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10571-h/029.jpg diff --git a/old/10571-h/030.jpg b/old/10571-h/030.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1776f33 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10571-h/030.jpg diff --git a/old/10571-h/031.jpg b/old/10571-h/031.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..80d70c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10571-h/031.jpg diff --git a/old/10571-h/10571-h.htm b/old/10571-h/10571-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf7312f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10571-h/10571-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1085 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Ship's Company, Book 11</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {margin:10%; text-align:justify} +img {border: 0;} +blockquote {font-size:14pt} +P {font-size:14pt} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Man of the Sea, by W.W. Jacobs + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Old Man of the Sea + Ship's Company, Part 11. + +Author: W.W. Jacobs + +Release Date: January 1, 2004 [EBook #10571] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + + + + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="cover.jpg (139K)" src="cover.jpg" height="899" width="752"> +</center> +<br><br> + + + + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="title.jpg (44K)" src="title.jpg" height="736" width="486"> +</center> +<br><br> + + +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="frontis.jpg (100K)" src="frontis.jpg" height="743" width="494"> +</center> +<br><br> +<br><br><br><br> + +<center> +<h2>BOOK 11</h2> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<center> +<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + +<h4>FROM DRAWINGS BY WILL OWEN</h4></center> +<br> + +<center> +<table summary=""> +<tr><td> + + + + +<p><a href="#029">"What I want you to do," said Mr George Wright, "is to be an uncle to me"</a><br> +<a href="#030">"It'll do to go on with," he said</a><br> +<a href="#031">"'Ow much did you say you'd got in the bank?"</a></p> + + + + + + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + +<br><br> +<br><br> + + + + +<br><br> + +<a name="c11"></a> +<br><br> +<center> +<h1> +THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA +</h1> +</center> + +<a name="029"></a> +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="029.jpg (91K)" src="029.jpg" height="481" width="570"> +</center> +<br><br> + + +<p>"What I want you to do," said Mr. George Wright, as he leaned towards the +old sailor, "is to be an uncle to me."</p> + +<p>"Aye, aye," said the mystified Mr. Kemp, pausing with a mug of beer +midway to his lips.</p> + +<p>"A rich uncle," continued the young man, lowering his voice to prevent +any keen ears in the next bar from acquiring useless knowledge. "An +uncle from New Zealand, who is going to leave me all 'is money."</p> + +<p>"Where's it coming from?" demanded Mr. Kemp, with a little excitement.</p> + +<p>"It ain't coming," was the reply. "You've only got to say you've got it. +Fact of the matter is, I've got my eye on a young lady; there's another +chap after 'er too, and if she thought I'd got a rich uncle it might make +all the difference. She knows I 'ad an uncle that went to New Zealand +and was never heard of since. That's what made me think of it."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp drank his beer in thoughtful silence. "How can I be a rich +uncle without any brass?" he inquired at length.</p> + +<p>"I should 'ave to lend you some—a little," said Mr. Wright.</p> + + +<p>The old man pondered. "I've had money lent me before," he said, +candidly, "but I can't call to mind ever paying it back. I always meant +to, but that's as far as it got."</p> + +<p>"It don't matter," said the other. "It'll only be for a little while, +and then you'll 'ave a letter calling you back to New Zealand. See? And +you'll go back, promising to come home in a year's time, after you've +wound up your business, and leave us all your money. See?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp scratched the back of his neck. "But she's sure to find it out +in time," he objected.</p> + +<p>"P'r'aps," said Mr. Wright. "And p'r'aps not. There'll be plenty of +time for me to get married before she does, and you could write back and +say you had got married yourself, or given your money to a hospital."</p> + +<p>He ordered some more beer for Mr. Kemp, and in a low voice gave him as +much of the family history as he considered necessary.</p> + +<p>"I've only known you for about ten days," he concluded, "but I'd sooner +trust you than people I've known for years."</p> + +<p>"I took a fancy to you the moment I set eyes on you," rejoined Mr. Kemp. +"You're the living image of a young fellow that lent me five pounds once, +and was drowned afore my eyes the week after. He 'ad a bit of a squint, +and I s'pose that's how he came to fall overboard."</p> + +<p>He emptied his mug, and then, accompanied by Mr. Wright, fetched his sea- +chest from the boarding-house where he was staying, and took it to the +young man's lodgings. Fortunately for the latter's pocket the chest +contained a good best suit and boots, and the only expenses incurred were +for a large, soft felt hat and a gilded watch and chain. Dressed in his +best, with a bulging pocket-book in his breast-pocket, he set out with +Mr. Wright on the following evening to make his first call.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright, who was also in his best clothes, led the way to a small +tobacconist's in a side street off the Mile End Road, and, raising his +hat with some ceremony, shook hands with a good-looking young woman who +stood behind the counter: Mr. Kemp, adopting an air of scornful dignity +intended to indicate the possession of great wealth, waited.</p> + +<p>"This is my uncle," said Mr. Wright, speaking rapidly, "from New Zealand, +the one I spoke to you about. He turned up last night, and you might +have knocked me down with a feather. The last person in the world I +expected to see."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp, in a good rolling voice, said, "Good evening, miss; I hope you +are well," and, subsiding into a chair, asked for a cigar. His surprise +when he found that the best cigar they stocked only cost sixpence almost +assumed the dimensions of a grievance.</p> + +<p>"It'll do to go on with," he said, smelling it suspiciously. "Have you +got change for a fifty-pound note?"</p> + +<a name="030"></a> +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="030.jpg (100K)" src="030.jpg" height="500" width="570"> +</center> +<br><br> + + + +<p>Miss Bradshaw, concealing her surprise by an effort, said that she would +see, and was scanning the contents of a drawer, when Mr. Kemp in some +haste discovered a few odd sovereigns in his waistcoat-pocket. Five +minutes later he was sitting in the little room behind the shop, holding +forth to an admiring audience.</p> + +<p>"So far as I know," he said, in reply to a question of Mrs. Bradshaw's, +"George is the only relation I've got. Him and me are quite alone, and I +can tell you I was glad to find him."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Bradshaw sighed. "It's a pity you are so far apart," she said.</p> + +<p>"It's not for long," said Mr. Kemp. "I'm just going back for about a +year to wind up things out there, and then I'm coming back to leave my +old bones over here. George has very kindly offered to let me live with +him."</p> + +<p>"He won't suffer for it, I'll be bound," said Mrs. Bradshaw, archly.</p> + +<p>"So far as money goes he won't," said the old man. "Not that that would +make any difference to George."</p> + +<p>"It would be the same to me if you hadn't got a farthing," said Mr. +Wright, promptly.</p> + + +<p>Mr. Kemp, somewhat affected, shook hands with him, and leaning back in +the most comfortable chair in the room, described his life and struggles +in New Zealand. Hard work, teetotalism, and the simple life combined +appeared to be responsible for a fortune which he affected to be too old +to enjoy. Misunderstandings of a painful nature were avoided by a timely +admission that under medical advice he was now taking a fair amount of +stimulant.</p> + + +<p>"Mind," he said, as he walked home with the elated George, "it's your +game, not mine, and it's sure to come a bit expensive. I can't be a rich +uncle without spending a bit. 'Ow much did you say you'd got in the +bank?"</p> + +<a name="031"></a> +<br><br> +<center> +<img alt="031.jpg (91K)" src="031.jpg" height="639" width="470"> +</center> +<br><br> + + + +<p>"We must be as careful as we can," said Mr. Wright, hastily. "One thing +is they can't leave the shop to go out much. It's a very good little +business, and it ought to be all right for me and Bella one of these +days, eh?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp, prompted by a nudge in the ribs, assented. "It's wonderful how +they took it all in about me," he said; "but I feel certain in my own +mind that I ought to chuck some money about."</p> + +<p>"Tell 'em of the money you have chucked about," said Mr. Wright. "It'll +do just as well, and come a good deal cheaper. And you had better go +round alone to-morrow evening. It'll look better. Just go in for +another one of their sixpenny cigars."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp obeyed, and the following evening, after sitting a little while +chatting in the shop, was invited into the parlour, where, mindful of Mr. +Wright's instructions, he held his listeners enthralled by tales of past +expenditure. A tip of fifty pounds to his bedroom steward coming over +was characterized by Mrs. Bradshaw as extravagant.</p> + +<p>"Seems to be going all right," said Mr. Wright, as the old man made his +report; "but be careful; don't go overdoing it."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp nodded. "I can turn 'em round my little finger," he said. +"You'll have Bella all to yourself to-morrow evening."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright flushed. "How did you manage that?" he inquired. "It's the +first time she has ever been out with me alone."</p> + +<p>"She ain't coming out," said Mr. Kemp. "She's going to stay at home and +mind the shop; it's the mother what's coming out. Going to spend the +evening with me!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright frowned. "What did you do that for?" he demanded, hotly.</p> + +<p>"I didn't do it," said Mr. Kemp, equably; "they done it. The old lady +says that, just for once in her life, she wants to see how it feels to +spend money like water."</p> + +<p>"<i>Money like water!</i>" repeated the horrified Mr. Wright. "Money like— +I'll 'money' her—I'll——"</p> + +<p>"It don't matter to me," said Mr. Kemp. "I can have a headache or a +chill, or something of that sort, if you like. I don't want to go. It's +no pleasure to me."</p> + +<p>"What will it cost?" demanded Mr. Wright, pacing up and down the room.</p> + +<p>The rich uncle made a calculation. "She wants to go to a place called +the Empire," he said, slowly, "and have something for supper, and there'd +be cabs and things. I dessay it would cost a couple o' pounds, and it +might be more. But I'd just as soon ave' a chill—just."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright groaned, and after talking of Mrs. Bradshaw as though she were +already his mother-in-law, produced the money. His instructions as to +economy lasted almost up to the moment when he stood with Bella outside +the shop on the following evening and watched the couple go off.</p> + +<p>"It's wonderful how well they get on together," said Bella, as they +re-entered the shop and passed into the parlour. "I've never seen mother +take to anybody so quick as she has to him."</p> + +<p>"I hope you like him, too," said Mr. Wright.</p> + +<p>"He's a dear," said Bella. "Fancy having all that money. I wonder what +it feels like?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose I shall know some day," said the young man, slowly; "but it +won't be much good to me unless——"</p> + +<p>"Unless?" said Bella, after a pause.</p> + +<p>"Unless it gives me what I want," replied the other. "I'd sooner be a +poor man and married to the girl I love, than a millionaire."</p> + +<p>Miss Bradshaw stole an uneasy glance at his somewhat sallow features, and +became thoughtful.</p> + +<p>"It's no good having diamonds and motor-cars and that sort of thing +unless you have somebody to share them with," pursued Mr. Wright.</p> + +<p>Miss Bradshaw's eyes sparkled, and at that moment the shop-bell tinkled +and a lively whistle sounded. She rose and went into the shop, and Mr. +Wright settled back in his chair and scowled darkly as he saw the +intruder.</p> + +<p>"Good evening," said the latter. "I want a sixpenny smoke for twopence, +please. How are we this evening? Sitting up and taking nourishment?"</p> + +<p>Miss Bradshaw told him to behave himself.</p> + +<p>"Always do," said the young man. "That's why I can never get anybody to +play with. I had such an awful dream about you last night that I +couldn't rest till I saw you. Awful it was."</p> + +<p>"What was it?" inquired Miss Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>"Dreamt you were married," said Mr. Hills, smiling at her.</p> + +<p>Miss Bradshaw tossed her head. "Who to, pray?" she inquired.</p> + +<p>"Me," said Mr. Hills, simply. "I woke up in a cold perspiration. +Halloa! is that Georgie in there? How are you, George? Better?"</p> + +<p>"I'm all right," said Mr. Wright, with dignity, as the other hooked the +door open with his stick and nodded at him.</p> + +<p>"Well, why don't you look it?" demanded the lively Mr. Hills. "Have you +got your feet wet, or what?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, be quiet," said Miss Bradshaw, smiling at him.</p> + +<p>"Right-o," said Mr. Hills, dropping into a chair by the counter and +caressing his moustache. "But you wouldn't speak to me like that if you +knew what a terrible day I've had."</p> + +<p>"What have you been doing?" asked the girl.</p> + +<p>"Working," said the other, with a huge sigh. "Where's the millionaire? +I came round on purpose to have a look at him."</p> + +<p>"Him and mother have gone to the Empire?" said Miss Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hills gave three long, penetrating whistles, and then, placing his +cigar with great care on the counter, hid his face in a huge +handkerchief. Miss Bradshaw, glanced from him to the frowning Mr. +Wright, and then, entering the parlour, closed the door with a bang. Mr. +Hills took the hint, and with a somewhat thoughtful grin departed.</p> + +<p>He came in next evening for another cigar, and heard all that there was +to hear about the Empire. Mrs. Bradshaw would have treated him but +coldly, but the innocent Mr. Kemp, charmed by his manner, paid him great +attention.</p> + +<p>"He's just like what I was at his age," he said. "Lively."</p> + +<p>"I'm not a patch on you," said Mr. Hills, edging his way by slow degrees +into the parlour. "I don't take young ladies to the Empire. Were you +telling me you came over here to get married, or did I dream it?"</p> + +<p>"'Ark at him," said the blushing Mr. Kemp, as Mrs. Bradshaw shook her +head at the offender and told him to behave himself.</p> + +<p>"He's a man any woman might be happy with," said Mr. Hills. "He never +knows how much there is in his trousers-pocket. Fancy sewing on buttons +for a man like that. Gold-mining ain't in it."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Bradshaw shook her head at him again, and Mr. Hills, after +apologizing to her for revealing her innermost thoughts before the most +guileless of men, began to question Mr. Kemp as to the prospects of a +bright and energetic young man, with a distaste for work, in New Zealand. +The audience listened with keen attention to the replies, the only +disturbing factor being a cough of Mr. Wright's, which became more and +more troublesome as the evening wore on. By the time uncle and nephew +rose to depart the latter was so hoarse that he could scarcely speak.</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you tell 'em you had got a letter calling you home, as I told +you?" he vociferated, as soon as they were clear of the shop.</p> + +<p>"I—I forgot it," said the old man.</p> + +<p>"Forgot it!" repeated the incensed Mr. Wright.</p> + +<p>"What did you think I was coughing like that for—fun?"</p> + +<p>"I forgot it," said the old man, doggedly. "Besides, if you take my +advice, you'd better let me stay a little longer to make sure of things."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright laughed disagreeably. "I dare say," he said; "but I am +managing this affair, not you. Now, you go round to-morrow afternoon and +tell them you're off. D'ye hear? D'ye think I'm made of money? And +what do you mean by making such a fuss of that fool, Charlie Hills? You +know he is after Bella."</p> + +<p>He walked the rest of the way home in indignant silence, and, after +giving minute instructions to Mr. Kemp next morning at breakfast, went +off to work in a more cheerful frame of mind. Mr. Kemp was out when he +returned, and after making his toilet he followed him to Mrs. Bradshaw's.</p> + +<p>To his annoyance, he found Mr. Hills there again; and, moreover, it soon +became clear to him that Mr. Kemp had said nothing about his approaching +departure. Coughs and scowls passed unheeded, and at last in a +hesitating voice, he broached the subject himself. There was a general +chorus of lamentation.</p> + +<p>"I hadn't got the heart to tell you," said Mr. Kemp. "I don't know when +I've been so happy."</p> + +<p>"But you haven't got to go back immediate," said Mrs. Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>"To-morrow," said Mr. Wright, before the old man could reply. +"Business."</p> + +<p>"Must you go," said Mrs. Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp smiled feebly. "I suppose I ought to," he replied, in a +hesitating voice.</p> + +<p>"Take my tip and give yourself a bit of a holiday before you go back," +urged Mr. Hills.</p> + +<p>"Just for a few days," pleaded Bella.</p> + +<p>"To please us," said Mrs. Bradshaw. "Think 'ow George'll miss you."</p> + +<p>"Lay hold of him and don't let him go," said Mr. Hills.</p> + +<p>He took Mr. Kemp round the waist, and the laughing Bella and her mother +each secured an arm. An appeal to Mr. Wright to secure his legs passed +unheeded.</p> + +<p>"We don't let you go till you promise," said Mrs. Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp smiled and shook his head. "Promise?" said Bella.</p> + +<p>"Well, well," said Mr. Kemp; "p'r'aps—"</p> + +<p>"He must go back," shouted the alarmed Mr. Wright.</p> + +<p>"Let him speak for himself," exclaimed Bella, indignantly.</p> + +<p>"Just another week then," said Mr. Kemp. "It's no good having money if I +can't please myself."</p> + +<p>"A week!" shouted Mr. Wright, almost beside himself with rage and dismay. +"A week! Another week! Why, you told me——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't listen to him," said Mrs. Bradshaw. "Croaker! It's his own +business, ain't it? And he knows best, don't he? What's it got to do +with you?"</p> + +<p>She patted Mr. Kemp's hand; Mr. Kemp patted back, and with his disengaged +hand helped himself to a glass of beer—the fourth—and beamed in a +friendly fashion upon the company.</p> + +<p>"George!" he said, suddenly.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Mr. Wright, in a harsh voice.</p> + +<p>"Did you think to bring my pocket-book along with you?"</p> + +<p>"No," said Mr. Wright, sharply; "I didn't."</p> + +<p>"Tt-tt," said the old man, with a gesture of annoyance. "Well, lend me a +couple of pounds, then, or else run back and fetch my pocket-book," he +added, with a sly grin.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright's face worked with impotent fury. "What—what—do you—want +it for?" he gasped.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Bradshaw's "Well! Well!" seemed to sum up the general feeling; Mr. +Kemp, shaking his head, eyed him with gentle reproach.</p> + +<p>"Me and Mrs. Bradshaw are going to gave another evening out," he said, +quietly. "I've only got a few more days, and I must make hay while the +sun shines."</p> + +<p>To Mr. Wright the room seemed to revolve slowly on its axis, but, +regaining his self-possession by a supreme effort, he took out his purse +and produced the amount. Mrs. Bradshaw, after a few feminine +protestations, went upstairs to put her bonnet on.</p> + +<p>"And you can go and fetch a hansom-cab, George, while she's a-doing of +it," said Mr. Kemp. "Pick out a good 'orse—spotted-grey, if you can."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright arose and, departing with a suddenness that was almost +startling, exploded harmlessly in front of the barber's, next door but +one. Then with lagging steps he went in search of the shabbiest cab and +oldest horse he could find.</p> + +<p>"Thankee, my boy," said Mr. Kemp, bluffly, as he helped Mrs. Bradshaw in +and stood with his foot on the step. "By the way, you had better go back +and lock my pocket-book up. I left it on the washstand, and there's best +part of a thousand pounds in it. You can take fifty for yourself to buy +smokes with."</p> + +<p>There was a murmur of admiration, and Mr. Wright, with a frantic attempt +to keep up appearances, tried to thank him, but in vain. Long after the +cab had rolled away he stood on the pavement trying to think out a +position which was rapidly becoming unendurable. Still keeping up +appearances, he had to pretend to go home to look after the pocket-book, +leaving the jubilant Mr. Hills to improve the shining hour with Miss +Bradshaw.</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp, returning home at midnight—in a cab—found the young man +waiting up for him, and, taking a seat on the edge of the table, listened +unmoved to a word-picture of himself which seemed interminable. He was +only moved to speech when Mr. Wright described him as a white-whiskered +jezebel who was a disgrace to his sex, and then merely in the interests +of natural science.</p> + +<p>"Don't you worry," he said, as the other paused from exhaustion. "It +won't be for long now."</p> + +<p>"Long?" said Mr. Wright, panting. "First thing to-morrow morning you +have a telegram calling you back—a telegram that must be minded. D'ye +see?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't," said Mr. Kemp, plainly. "I'm not going back, never no +more—never! I'm going to stop here and court Mrs. Bradshaw."</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright fought for breath. "You—you can't!" he gasped.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to have a try," said the old man. "I'm sick of going to sea, +and it'll be a nice comfortable home for my old age. You marry Bella, +and I'll marry her mother. Happy family!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Wright, trembling with rage, sat down to recover, and, regaining his +composure after a time, pointed out almost calmly the various +difficulties in the way.</p> + +<p>"I've thought it all out," said Mr. Kemp, nodding. "She mustn't know I'm +not rich till after we're married; then I 'ave a letter from New Zealand +saying I've lost all my money. It's just as easy to have that letter as +the one you spoke of."</p> + +<p>"And I'm to find you money to play the rich uncle with till you're +married, I suppose," said Mr. Wright, in a grating voice, "and then lose +Bella when Mrs. Bradshaw finds you've lost your money?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp scratched his ear. "That's your lookout," he said, at last.</p> + +<p>"Now, look here," said Mr. Wright, with great determination. "Either you +go and tell them that you've been telegraphed for—cabled is the proper +word—or I tell them the truth."</p> + +<p>"That'll settle you then," said Mr. Kemp.</p> + +<p>"No more than the other would," retorted the young man, "and it'll come +cheaper. One thing I'll take my oath of, and that is I won't give you +another farthing; but if you do as I tell you I'll give you a quid for +luck. Now, think it over."</p> + +<p>Mr. Kemp thought it over, and after a vain attempt to raise the promised +reward to five pounds, finally compounded for two, and went off to bed +after a few stormy words on selfishness and ingratitude. He declined to +speak to his host at breakfast next morning, and accompanied him in the +evening with the air of a martyr going to the stake. He listened in +stony silence to the young man's instructions, and only spoke when the +latter refused to pay the two pounds in advance.</p> + +<p>The news, communicated in halting accents by Mr. Kemp, was received with +flattering dismay. Mrs. Bradshaw refused to believe her ears, and it was +only after the information had been repeated and confirmed by Mr. Wright +that she understood.</p> + +<p>"I must go," said Mr. Kemp. "I've spent over eleven pounds cabling +to-day; but it's all no good."</p> + +<p>"But you're coming back?" said Mr. Hills.</p> + +<p>"O' course I am," was the reply. "George is the only relation I've got, +and I've got to look after him, I suppose. After all, blood is thicker +than water."</p> + +<p>"Hear, hear!" said Mrs. Bradshaw, piously.</p> + +<p>"And there's you and Bella," continued Mr. Kemp; "two of the best that +ever breathed."</p> + +<p>The ladies looked down.</p> + +<p>"And Charlie Hills; I don't know—I don't know <i>when</i> I've took such a +fancy to anybody as I have to 'im. If I was a young gal—a single young +gal—he's—the other half," he said, slowly, as he paused—"just the one I +should fancy. He's a good-'arted, good-looking——"</p> + +<p>"Draw it mild," interrupted the blushing Mr. Hills as Mr. Wright bestowed +a ferocious glance upon the speaker.</p> + +<p>"Clever, lively young fellow," concluded Mr. Kemp. "George!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Mr. Wright.</p> + +<p>"I'm going now. I've got to catch the train for Southampton, but I don't +want you to come with me. I prefer to be alone. You stay here and cheer +them up. Oh, and before I forget it, lend me a couple o' pounds out o' +that fifty I gave you last night. I've given all my small change away."</p> + +<p>He looked up and met Mr. Wright's eye; the latter, too affected to speak, +took out the money and passed it over.</p> + +<p>"We never know what may happen to us," said the old man, solemnly, as he +rose and buttoned his coat. "I'm an old man and I like to have things +ship-shape. I've spent nearly the whole day with my lawyer, and if +anything 'appens to my old carcass it won't make any difference. I have +left half my money to George; half of all I have is to be his."</p> + +<p>In the midst of an awed silence he went round and shook hands.</p> + +<p>"The other half," with his hand on the door—"the other half and my best +gold watch and chain I have left to my dear young pal, Charlie Hills. +Good-bye, Georgie!"</p> + +<br><br> + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Man of the Sea, by W.W. 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Jacobs + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Old Man of the Sea + Ship's Company, Part 11. + +Author: W.W. Jacobs + +Release Date: January 1, 2004 [EBook #10571] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + +SHIP'S COMPANY + +By W.W. Jacobs + + + +THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA + + +"What I want you to do," said Mr. George Wright, as he leaned towards the +old sailor, "is to be an uncle to me." + +"Aye, aye," said the mystified Mr. Kemp, pausing with a mug of beer +midway to his lips. + +"A rich uncle," continued the young man, lowering his voice to prevent +any keen ears in the next bar from acquiring useless knowledge. "An +uncle from New Zealand, who is going to leave me all 'is money." + +"Where's it coming from?" demanded Mr. Kemp, with a little excitement. + +"It ain't coming," was the reply. "You've only got to say you've got it. +Fact of the matter is, I've got my eye on a young lady; there's another +chap after 'er too, and if she thought I'd got a rich uncle it might make +all the difference. She knows I 'ad an uncle that went to New Zealand +and was never heard of since. That's what made me think of it." + +Mr. Kemp drank his beer in thoughtful silence. "How can I be a rich +uncle without any brass?" he inquired at length. + +"I should 'ave to lend you some--a little," said Mr. Wright. + +[Illustration: "What I want you to do," said Mr. George Wright, "is to +be an uncle to me."] + +The old man pondered. "I've had money lent me before," he said, +candidly, "but I can't call to mind ever paying it back. I always meant +to, but that's as far as it got." + +"It don't matter," said the other. "It'll only be for a little while, +and then you'll 'ave a letter calling you back to New Zealand. See? And +you'll go back, promising to come home in a year's time, after you've +wound up your business, and leave us all your money. See?" + +Mr. Kemp scratched the back of his neck. "But she's sure to find it out +in time," he objected. + +"P'r'aps," said Mr. Wright. "And p'r'aps not. There'll be plenty of +time for me to get married before she does, and you could write back and +say you had got married yourself, or given your money to a hospital." + +He ordered some more beer for Mr. Kemp, and in a low voice gave him as +much of the family history as he considered necessary. + +"I've only known you for about ten days," he concluded, "but I'd sooner +trust you than people I've known for years." + +"I took a fancy to you the moment I set eyes on you," rejoined Mr. Kemp. +"You're the living image of a young fellow that lent me five pounds once, +and was drowned afore my eyes the week after. He 'ad a bit of a squint, +and I s'pose that's how he came to fall overboard." + +He emptied his mug, and then, accompanied by Mr. Wright, fetched his sea- +chest from the boarding-house where he was staying, and took it to the +young man's lodgings. Fortunately for the latter's pocket the chest +contained a good best suit and boots, and the only expenses incurred were +for a large, soft felt hat and a gilded watch and chain. Dressed in his +best, with a bulging pocket-book in his breast-pocket, he set out with +Mr. Wright on the following evening to make his first call. + +Mr. Wright, who was also in his best clothes, led the way to a small +tobacconist's in a side street off the Mile End Road, and, raising his +hat with some ceremony, shook hands with a good-looking young woman who +stood behind the counter: Mr. Kemp, adopting an air of scornful dignity +intended to indicate the possession of great wealth, waited. + +"This is my uncle," said Mr. Wright, speaking rapidly, "from New Zealand, +the one I spoke to you about. He turned up last night, and you might +have knocked me down with a feather. The last person in the world I +expected to see." + +Mr. Kemp, in a good rolling voice, said, "Good evening, miss; I hope you +are well," and, subsiding into a chair, asked for a cigar. His surprise +when he found that the best cigar they stocked only cost sixpence almost +assumed the dimensions of a grievance. + +"It'll do to go on with," he said, smelling it suspiciously. "Have you +got change for a fifty-pound note?" + +Miss Bradshaw, concealing her surprise by an effort, said that she would +see, and was scanning the contents of a drawer, when Mr. Kemp in some +haste discovered a few odd sovereigns in his waistcoat-pocket. Five +minutes later he was sitting in the little room behind the shop, holding +forth to an admiring audience. + +"So far as I know," he said, in reply to a question of Mrs. Bradshaw's, +"George is the only relation I've got. Him and me are quite alone, and I +can tell you I was glad to find him." + +Mrs. Bradshaw sighed. "It's a pity you are so far apart," she said. + +"It's not for long," said Mr. Kemp. "I'm just going back for about a +year to wind up things out there, and then I'm coming back to leave my +old bones over here. George has very kindly offered to let me live with +him." + +"He won't suffer for it, I'll be bound," said Mrs. Bradshaw, archly. + +"So far as money goes he won't," said the old man. "Not that that would +make any difference to George." + +"It would be the same to me if you hadn't got a farthing," said Mr. +Wright, promptly. + +[Illustration: "It'll do to go on with," he said] + +Mr. Kemp, somewhat affected, shook hands with him, and leaning back in +the most comfortable chair in the room, described his life and struggles +in New Zealand. Hard work, teetotalism, and the simple life combined +appeared to be responsible for a fortune which he affected to be too old +to enjoy. Misunderstandings of a painful nature were avoided by a timely +admission that under medical advice he was now taking a fair amount of +stimulant. + +[Illustration: "'Ow much did you say you'd got in the bank?"] + +"Mind," he said, as he walked home with the elated George, "it's your +game, not mine, and it's sure to come a bit expensive. I can't be a rich +uncle without spending a bit. 'Ow much did you say you'd got in the +bank?" + +"We must be as careful as we can," said Mr. Wright, hastily. "One thing +is they can't leave the shop to go out much. It's a very good little +business, and it ought to be all right for me and Bella one of these +days, eh?" + +Mr. Kemp, prompted by a nudge in the ribs, assented. "It's wonderful how +they took it all in about me," he said; "but I feel certain in my own +mind that I ought to chuck some money about." + +"Tell 'em of the money you have chucked about," said Mr. Wright. "It'll +do just as well, and come a good deal cheaper. And you had better go +round alone to-morrow evening. It'll look better. Just go in for +another one of their sixpenny cigars." + +Mr. Kemp obeyed, and the following evening, after sitting a little while +chatting in the shop, was invited into the parlour, where, mindful of Mr. +Wright's instructions, he held his listeners enthralled by tales of past +expenditure. A tip of fifty pounds to his bedroom steward coming over +was characterized by Mrs. Bradshaw as extravagant. + +"Seems to be going all right," said Mr. Wright, as the old man made his +report; "but be careful; don't go overdoing it." + +Mr. Kemp nodded. "I can turn 'em round my little finger," he said. +"You'll have Bella all to yourself to-morrow evening." + +Mr. Wright flushed. "How did you manage that?" he inquired. "It's the +first time she has ever been out with me alone." + +"She ain't coming out," said Mr. Kemp. "She's going to stay at home and +mind the shop; it's the mother what's coming out. Going to spend the +evening with me!" + +Mr. Wright frowned. "What did you do that for?" he demanded, hotly. + +"I didn't do it," said Mr. Kemp, equably; "they done it. The old lady +says that, just for once in her life, she wants to see how it feels to +spend money like water." + +"<i>Money like water!</i>" repeated the horrified Mr. Wright. "Money like-- +I'll 'money' her--I'll----" + +"It don't matter to me," said Mr. Kemp. "I can have a headache or a +chill, or something of that sort, if you like. I don't want to go. It's +no pleasure to me." + +"What will it cost?" demanded Mr. Wright, pacing up and down the room. + +The rich uncle made a calculation. "She wants to go to a place called +the Empire," he said, slowly, "and have something for supper, and there'd +be cabs and things. I dessay it would cost a couple o' pounds, and it +might be more. But I'd just as soon ave' a chill--just." + +Mr. Wright groaned, and after talking of Mrs. Bradshaw as though she were +already his mother-in-law, produced the money. His instructions as to +economy lasted almost up to the moment when he stood with Bella outside +the shop on the following evening and watched the couple go off. + +"It's wonderful how well they get on together," said Bella, as they +re-entered the shop and passed into the parlour. "I've never seen mother +take to anybody so quick as she has to him." + +"I hope you like him, too," said Mr. Wright. + +"He's a dear," said Bella. "Fancy having all that money. I wonder what +it feels like?" + +"I suppose I shall know some day," said the young man, slowly; "but it +won't be much good to me unless----" + +"Unless?" said Bella, after a pause. + +"Unless it gives me what I want," replied the other. "I'd sooner be a +poor man and married to the girl I love, than a millionaire." + +Miss Bradshaw stole an uneasy glance at his somewhat sallow features, and +became thoughtful. + +"It's no good having diamonds and motor-cars and that sort of thing +unless you have somebody to share them with," pursued Mr. Wright. + +Miss Bradshaw's eyes sparkled, and at that moment the shop-bell tinkled +and a lively whistle sounded. She rose and went into the shop, and Mr. +Wright settled back in his chair and scowled darkly as he saw the +intruder. + +"Good evening," said the latter. "I want a sixpenny smoke for twopence, +please. How are we this evening? Sitting up and taking nourishment?" + +Miss Bradshaw told him to behave himself. + +"Always do," said the young man. "That's why I can never get anybody to +play with. I had such an awful dream about you last night that I +couldn't rest till I saw you. Awful it was." + +"What was it?" inquired Miss Bradshaw. + +"Dreamt you were married," said Mr. Hills, smiling at her. + +Miss Bradshaw tossed her head. "Who to, pray?" she inquired. + +"Me," said Mr. Hills, simply. "I woke up in a cold perspiration. +Halloa! is that Georgie in there? How are you, George? Better?" + +"I'm all right," said Mr. Wright, with dignity, as the other hooked the +door open with his stick and nodded at him. + +"Well, why don't you look it?" demanded the lively Mr. Hills. "Have you +got your feet wet, or what?" + +"Oh, be quiet," said Miss Bradshaw, smiling at him. + +"Right-o," said Mr. Hills, dropping into a chair by the counter and +caressing his moustache. "But you wouldn't speak to me like that if you +knew what a terrible day I've had." + +"What have you been doing?" asked the girl. + +"Working," said the other, with a huge sigh. "Where's the millionaire? +I came round on purpose to have a look at him." + +"Him and mother have gone to the Empire?" said Miss Bradshaw. + +Mr. Hills gave three long, penetrating whistles, and then, placing his +cigar with great care on the counter, hid his face in a huge +handkerchief. Miss Bradshaw, glanced from him to the frowning Mr. +Wright, and then, entering the parlour, closed the door with a bang. Mr. +Hills took the hint, and with a somewhat thoughtful grin departed. + +He came in next evening for another cigar, and heard all that there was +to hear about the Empire. Mrs. Bradshaw would have treated him but +coldly, but the innocent Mr. Kemp, charmed by his manner, paid him great +attention. + +"He's just like what I was at his age," he said. "Lively." + +"I'm not a patch on you," said Mr. Hills, edging his way by slow degrees +into the parlour. "I don't take young ladies to the Empire. Were you +telling me you came over here to get married, or did I dream it?" + +"'Ark at him," said the blushing Mr. Kemp, as Mrs. Bradshaw shook her +head at the offender and told him to behave himself. + +"He's a man any woman might be happy with," said Mr. Hills. "He never +knows how much there is in his trousers-pocket. Fancy sewing on buttons +for a man like that. Gold-mining ain't in it." + +Mrs. Bradshaw shook her head at him again, and Mr. Hills, after +apologizing to her for revealing her innermost thoughts before the most +guileless of men, began to question Mr. Kemp as to the prospects of a +bright and energetic young man, with a distaste for work, in New Zealand. +The audience listened with keen attention to the replies, the only +disturbing factor being a cough of Mr. Wright's, which became more and +more troublesome as the evening wore on. By the time uncle and nephew +rose to depart the latter was so hoarse that he could scarcely speak. + +"Why didn't you tell 'em you had got a letter calling you home, as I told +you?" he vociferated, as soon as they were clear of the shop. + +"I--I forgot it," said the old man. + +"Forgot it!" repeated the incensed Mr. Wright. + +"What did you think I was coughing like that for--fun?" + +"I forgot it," said the old man, doggedly. "Besides, if you take my +advice, you'd better let me stay a little longer to make sure of things." + +Mr. Wright laughed disagreeably. "I dare say," he said; "but I am +managing this affair, not you. Now, you go round to-morrow afternoon and +tell them you're off. D'ye hear? D'ye think I'm made of money? And +what do you mean by making such a fuss of that fool, Charlie Hills? You +know he is after Bella." + +He walked the rest of the way home in indignant silence, and, after +giving minute instructions to Mr. Kemp next morning at breakfast, went +off to work in a more cheerful frame of mind. Mr. Kemp was out when he +returned, and after making his toilet he followed him to Mrs. Bradshaw's. + +To his annoyance, he found Mr. Hills there again; and, moreover, it soon +became clear to him that Mr. Kemp had said nothing about his approaching +departure. Coughs and scowls passed unheeded, and at last in a +hesitating voice, he broached the subject himself. There was a general +chorus of lamentation. + +"I hadn't got the heart to tell you," said Mr. Kemp. "I don't know when +I've been so happy." + +"But you haven't got to go back immediate," said Mrs. Bradshaw. + +"To-morrow," said Mr. Wright, before the old man could reply. +"Business." + +"Must you go," said Mrs. Bradshaw. + +Mr. Kemp smiled feebly. "I suppose I ought to," he replied, in a +hesitating voice. + +"Take my tip and give yourself a bit of a holiday before you go back," +urged Mr. Hills. + +"Just for a few days," pleaded Bella. + +"To please us," said Mrs. Bradshaw. "Think 'ow George'll miss you." + +"Lay hold of him and don't let him go," said Mr. Hills. + +He took Mr. Kemp round the waist, and the laughing Bella and her mother +each secured an arm. An appeal to Mr. Wright to secure his legs passed +unheeded. + +"We don't let you go till you promise," said Mrs. Bradshaw. + +Mr. Kemp smiled and shook his head. "Promise?" said Bella. + +"Well, well," said Mr. Kemp; "p'r'aps--" + +"He must go back," shouted the alarmed Mr. Wright. + +"Let him speak for himself," exclaimed Bella, indignantly. + +"Just another week then," said Mr. Kemp. "It's no good having money if I +can't please myself." + +"A week!" shouted Mr. Wright, almost beside himself with rage and dismay. +"A week! Another week! Why, you told me----" + +"Oh, don't listen to him," said Mrs. Bradshaw. "Croaker! It's his own +business, ain't it? And he knows best, don't he? What's it got to do +with you?" + +She patted Mr. Kemp's hand; Mr. Kemp patted back, and with his disengaged +hand helped himself to a glass of beer--the fourth--and beamed in a +friendly fashion upon the company. + +"George!" he said, suddenly. + +"Yes," said Mr. Wright, in a harsh voice. + +"Did you think to bring my pocket-book along with you?" + +"No," said Mr. Wright, sharply; "I didn't." + +"Tt-tt," said the old man, with a gesture of annoyance. "Well, lend me a +couple of pounds, then, or else run back and fetch my pocket-book," he +added, with a sly grin. + +Mr. Wright's face worked with impotent fury. "What--what--do you--want +it for?" he gasped. + +Mrs. Bradshaw's "Well! Well!" seemed to sum up the general feeling; Mr. +Kemp, shaking his head, eyed him with gentle reproach. + +"Me and Mrs. Bradshaw are going to gave another evening out," he said, +quietly. "I've only got a few more days, and I must make hay while the +sun shines." + +To Mr. Wright the room seemed to revolve slowly on its axis, but, +regaining his self-possession by a supreme effort, he took out his purse +and produced the amount. Mrs. Bradshaw, after a few feminine +protestations, went upstairs to put her bonnet on. + +"And you can go and fetch a hansom-cab, George, while she's a-doing of +it," said Mr. Kemp. "Pick out a good 'orse--spotted-grey, if you can." + +Mr. Wright arose and, departing with a suddenness that was almost +startling, exploded harmlessly in front of the barber's, next door but +one. Then with lagging steps he went in search of the shabbiest cab and +oldest horse he could find. + +"Thankee, my boy," said Mr. Kemp, bluffly, as he helped Mrs. Bradshaw in +and stood with his foot on the step. "By the way, you had better go back +and lock my pocket-book up. I left it on the washstand, and there's best +part of a thousand pounds in it. You can take fifty for yourself to buy +smokes with." + +There was a murmur of admiration, and Mr. Wright, with a frantic attempt +to keep up appearances, tried to thank him, but in vain. Long after the +cab had rolled away he stood on the pavement trying to think out a +position which was rapidly becoming unendurable. Still keeping up +appearances, he had to pretend to go home to look after the pocket-book, +leaving the jubilant Mr. Hills to improve the shining hour with Miss +Bradshaw. + +Mr. Kemp, returning home at midnight--in a cab--found the young man +waiting up for him, and, taking a seat on the edge of the table, listened +unmoved to a word-picture of himself which seemed interminable. He was +only moved to speech when Mr. Wright described him as a white-whiskered +jezebel who was a disgrace to his sex, and then merely in the interests +of natural science. + +"Don't you worry," he said, as the other paused from exhaustion. "It +won't be for long now." + +"Long?" said Mr. Wright, panting. "First thing to-morrow morning you +have a telegram calling you back--a telegram that must be minded. D'ye +see?" + +"No, I don't," said Mr. Kemp, plainly. "I'm not going back, never no +more--never! I'm going to stop here and court Mrs. Bradshaw." + +Mr. Wright fought for breath. "You--you can't!" he gasped. + +"I'm going to have a try," said the old man. "I'm sick of going to sea, +and it'll be a nice comfortable home for my old age. You marry Bella, +and I'll marry her mother. Happy family!" + +Mr. Wright, trembling with rage, sat down to recover, and, regaining his +composure after a time, pointed out almost calmly the various +difficulties in the way. + +"I've thought it all out," said Mr. Kemp, nodding. "She mustn't know I'm +not rich till after we're married; then I 'ave a letter from New Zealand +saying I've lost all my money. It's just as easy to have that letter as +the one you spoke of." + +"And I'm to find you money to play the rich uncle with till you're +married, I suppose," said Mr. Wright, in a grating voice, "and then lose +Bella when Mrs. Bradshaw finds you've lost your money?" + +Mr. Kemp scratched his ear. "That's your lookout," he said, at last. + +"Now, look here," said Mr. Wright, with great determination. "Either you +go and tell them that you've been telegraphed for--cabled is the proper +word--or I tell them the truth." + +"That'll settle you then," said Mr. Kemp. + +"No more than the other would," retorted the young man, "and it'll come +cheaper. One thing I'll take my oath of, and that is I won't give you +another farthing; but if you do as I tell you I'll give you a quid for +luck. Now, think it over." + +Mr. Kemp thought it over, and after a vain attempt to raise the promised +reward to five pounds, finally compounded for two, and went off to bed +after a few stormy words on selfishness and ingratitude. He declined to +speak to his host at breakfast next morning, and accompanied him in the +evening with the air of a martyr going to the stake. He listened in +stony silence to the young man's instructions, and only spoke when the +latter refused to pay the two pounds in advance. + +The news, communicated in halting accents by Mr. Kemp, was received with +flattering dismay. Mrs. Bradshaw refused to believe her ears, and it was +only after the information had been repeated and confirmed by Mr. Wright +that she understood. + +"I must go," said Mr. Kemp. "I've spent over eleven pounds cabling +to-day; but it's all no good." + +"But you're coming back?" said Mr. Hills. + +"O' course I am," was the reply. "George is the only relation I've got, +and I've got to look after him, I suppose. After all, blood is thicker +than water." + +"Hear, hear!" said Mrs. Bradshaw, piously. + +"And there's you and Bella," continued Mr. Kemp; "two of the best that +ever breathed." + +The ladies looked down. + +"And Charlie Hills; I don't know--I don't know <i>when</i> I've took such a +fancy to anybody as I have to 'im. If I was a young gal--a single young +gal--he's--the other half," he said, slowly, as he paused--"just the one I +should fancy. He's a good-'arted, good-looking----" + +"Draw it mild," interrupted the blushing Mr. Hills as Mr. Wright bestowed +a ferocious glance upon the speaker. + +"Clever, lively young fellow," concluded Mr. Kemp. "George!" + +"Yes," said Mr. Wright. + +"I'm going now. I've got to catch the train for Southampton, but I don't +want you to come with me. I prefer to be alone. You stay here and cheer +them up. Oh, and before I forget it, lend me a couple o' pounds out o' +that fifty I gave you last night. I've given all my small change away." + +He looked up and met Mr. Wright's eye; the latter, too affected to speak, +took out the money and passed it over. + +"We never know what may happen to us," said the old man, solemnly, as he +rose and buttoned his coat. "I'm an old man and I like to have things +ship-shape. I've spent nearly the whole day with my lawyer, and if +anything 'appens to my old carcass it won't make any difference. I have +left half my money to George; half of all I have is to be his." + +In the midst of an awed silence he went round and shook hands. + +"The other half," with his hand on the door--"the other half and my best +gold watch and chain I have left to my dear young pal, Charlie Hills. +Good-bye, Georgie!" + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Man of the Sea, by W.W. 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