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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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..dcb3dfb --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #54294 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/54294) diff --git a/old/54294-0.txt b/old/54294-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 193728e..0000000 --- a/old/54294-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7770 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Charlie Codman's Cruise, by Horatio Alger - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Charlie Codman's Cruise - A Story for Boys - -Author: Horatio Alger - -Release Date: March 7, 2017 [EBook #54294] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE *** - - - - -Produced by Nahum Maso i Carcases and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - Transcriber's Notes: - - Obvious punctuation errors and misprints have been corrected. - - Blank pages present in the printed original have been deleted in - the e-text version. - - Text in Italics is indicated between _underscores_ - - Text in small capitals has been replaced by regular uppercase text. - - * * * * * - - - - - CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE - - A Story for Boys - - - BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. - - AUTHOR OF "FRANK'S CAMPAIGN," "ERIE TRAIN BOY," - "ADRIFT IN NEW YORK," ETC., ETC. - - - NEW YORK - HURST & COMPANY - PUBLISHERS - - - - - PREFACE. - - -In deference to the expressed wishes of some of his young friends, -the author has essayed a story of the sea, and now presents "Charlie -Codman's Cruise," as the third volume of the Campaign Series. It will -be found more adventurous than its predecessors, and the trials which -Charlie is called upon to encounter are of a severer character than -befell Frank Frost or Paul Prescott. But it will be found that they -were met with the same manly spirit, and a like determination to be -faithful to duty at all hazards. - -Though not wholly a stranger to the sea, the author is quite aware of -the blunders to which a landsman is exposed in treating of matters and -a mode of life which, at the best, he must comprehend but imperfectly, -and has endeavored to avoid, as far as possible, professional -technicalities, as not essential to the interest of the story. - -With these few words he submits the present volume to his young -readers, hoping for it a welcome even more generous than has been -accorded to "Frank's Campaign" and "Paul Prescott's Charge." - - - - - CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE. - - - - - I. - - CHARLIE AND THE MISER. - - -Charlie Codman turned out of Washington into Bedford Street just as the -clock in the Old South steeple struck two. He was about fourteen, a -handsome, well-made boy, with a bright eye and a manly expression. But -he was poor. That was evident enough from his clothes, which, though -neat and free from dust, were patched in several places. He had a small -roll of daily papers under his arm, the remains of his stock in trade, -which he had been unable wholly to dispose of. - -Some of my readers may know that the Latin School and English High -School are kept in the same building. At two o'clock both are -dismissed. Charlie had scarcely passed the school-house when a crowd -of boys issued from the school-yard, and he heard his name called from -behind. Looking back he recognized a boy somewhat smaller than himself, -with whom he had formed an acquaintance some time before. - -"Where are you bound, Charlie?" asked Edwin Banks. - -"I'm going home now." - -"What luck have you had this morning?" - -"Not much. I've got four papers left over, and that will take away -about all my profits." - -"What a pity you are poor, Charlie. I wish you could come to school -with us." - -"So do I, Eddie. I'd give a good deal to get an education, but I feel -that I ought to help mother." - -"Why won't you come some time, and see us, Charlie? Clare and myself -would be very glad to see you at any time." - -"I should like to go," said Charlie, "but I don't look fit." - -"Oh, never mind about your clothes. I like you just as well as if you -were dressed in style." - -"Perhaps I'll come some time," said Charlie. "I'd invite you to come -and see me, but we live in a poor place." - -"Just as if I should care for that. I will come whenever I get an -invitation." - -"Then come next Saturday afternoon. I will be waiting for you as you -come out of school." - -Charlie little thought where he would be when Saturday came. - -Shortly after the boys separated, and Charlie's attention was arrested -by the sight of an old man with a shambling gait, who was bending -over and anxiously searching for something on the sidewalk. Charlie -recognized him at once as "old Manson, the miser," for this was the -name by which he generally went. - -Old Peter Manson was not more than fifty-five, but he looked from -fifteen to twenty years older. If his body had been properly cared -for, it would have been different; but, one by one, its functions had -been blunted and destroyed, and it had become old and out of repair. -Peter's face was ploughed with wrinkles. His cheeks were thin, and the -skin was yellow and hung in folds. His beard appeared to have received -little or no attention for a week, at least, and was now stiff and -bristling. - -The miser's dress was not very well fitted to his form. It was in -the fashion of twenty years before. Grayish pantaloons, patched in -divers places with dark cloth by an unskilful hand; a vest from which -the buttons had long since departed, and which was looped together -by pieces of string, but not closely enough to conceal a dirty and -tattered shirt beneath; a coat in the last stages of shabbiness; while -over all hung a faded blue cloak, which Peter wore in all weathers. In -the sultriest days of August he might have been seen trudging along in -this old mantle, which did him the good service of hiding a multitude -of holes and patches, while in January he went no warmer clad. There -were some who wondered how he could stand the bitter cold of winter -with no more adequate covering; but if Peter's body was as tough as -his conscience, there was no fear of his suffering. - -Charlie paused a moment to see what it was that the old man was hunting -for. - -"Have you lost anything?" he asked. - -"Yes," said Peter, in quavering accents. "See if you can't find it, -that's a good boy. Your eyes are better than mine." - -"What is it?" - -"It is some money, and I--I'm so poor, I can't afford to lose it." - -"How much was it?" - -"It wasn't much, but I'm so poor I need it." - -Charlie espied a cent, lying partially concealed by mud, just beside -the curb-stone. He picked it up. - -"This isn't what you lost, is it?" - -"Yes," said Peter, seizing it eagerly. "You're a good boy to find it. A -good boy!" - -"Well," thought Charlie, wondering, as the old man hobbled off with his -recovered treasure, "I'd rather be poor than care so much for money as -that. People say old Peter's worth his thousands. I wonder whether it -is so." - -Charlie little dreamed how much old Peter was likely to influence his -destiny, and how, at his instigation, before a week had passed over his -head, he would find himself in a very disagreeable situation. - -We must follow Peter. - -With his eyes fixed on the ground he shuffled along, making more rapid -progress than could have been expected. Occasionally he would stoop -down and pick up any little stray object which arrested his attention, -even to a crooked pin, which he thrust into his cloak, muttering as he -did so, "Save my buying any. I haven't had to buy any pins for more'n -ten years, and I don't mean to buy any more while I live. Ha! ha! -Folks are _so_ extravagant! They buy things they don't need, or that -they might pick up, if they'd only take the trouble to keep their eyes -open. 'Tisn't so with old Peter. He's too cunning for that. There goes -a young fellow dressed up in the fashion. What he's got on must have -cost nigh on to a hundred dollars. What dreadful extravagance! Ha! -ha! It hasn't cost old Peter twenty dollars for the last ten years. If -he had spent money as some do, he might have been in the poor-house by -this time. Ugh! ugh! it costs a dreadful sum to live. If we could only -come into the world with natural clothes, like cats, what a deal better -it would be. But it costs the most for food. Oh dear! what a dreadful -appetite I've got, and I _must_ eat. All the money spent for victuals -seem thrown away. I've a good mind, sometimes, to go to the poor-house, -where it wouldn't cost me anything. What a blessing it would be to eat, -if you could only get food for nothing!" - -It is very clear that Peter would have been far better off, as far as -the comforts of life are concerned, in the city almshouse; but there -were some little obstacles in the way of his entering. For instance, -it would scarcely have been allowed a public pensioner to go round -quarterly to collect his rents,--a thing which Peter would hardly have -relinquished. - -Reflections upon the cost of living brought to Peter's recollection -that he had nothing at home for supper. He accordingly stepped into a -baker's shop close at hand. - -"Have you got any bread cheap?" he inquired of the baker. - -"We intend to sell at moderate prices." - -"What do you ask for those loaves?" said the old man, looking wistfully -at some fresh loaves piled upon the counter, which had been but a short -time out of the oven. - -"Five cents apiece," said the baker. "I'll warrant you will find them -good. They are made of the best of flour." - -"Isn't five cents rather dear?" queried Peter, his natural appetite -struggling with his avarice. - -"Dear!" retorted the baker, opening his eyes in astonishment; "why, my -good sir, at what price do you expect to buy bread?" - -"I've no doubt they're very good," said Peter, hastily; "but have you -any stale loaves? I guess they'll be better for me." - -"Yes," said the baker, "I believe I have, but they're not as good as -the fresh bread." - -"How do you sell your stale loaves?" inquired Peter, fumbling in his -pocket for some change. - -"I sell them for about half price--three cents apiece." - -"You may give me one, then; I guess it'll be better for me." - -Even Peter was a little ashamed to acknowledge that it was the price -alone which influenced his choice. - -The baker observed that, notwithstanding his decision, he continued to -look wistfully towards the fresh bread. Never having seen old Peter -before, he was unacquainted with his character, and judging from his -dilapidated appearance that he might be prevented, by actual poverty, -from buying the fresh bread, exclaimed with a sudden impulse: "You seem -to be poor. If you only want one loaf, I will for this once give you a -fresh loaf for three cents--the same price I ask for the stale bread." - -"Will you?" - -Old Peter's eyes sparkled with eagerness as he said this. - -"Poor man!" thought the baker with mistaken compassion; "he must -indeed be needy, to be so pleased." - -"Yes," he continued, "you shall have a loaf this once for three cents. -Shall I put it in a paper for you?" - -Peter nodded. - -Meanwhile he was busy fumbling in his pockets for the coins requisite -to purchase the loaf. He drew out three battered cents, and deposited -them with reluctant hand on the counter. He gazed at them wistfully -while the baker carelessly swept them with his hand into the till -behind the counter; and then with a sigh of resignation, at parting -with the coins, seized the loaf and shambled out into the street. - -He put the bundle under his arm, and hastened up the street, his mouth -watering in anticipation of the feast which awaited him. Do not laugh, -reader,--little as you may regard a fresh loaf of bread, it was indeed -a treat to Peter, who was accustomed, from motives of economy, to -regale himself upon stale bread. - -The baker was congratulating himself upon having done a charitable -action, when Peter came back in haste, pale with affright. - -"I--I--," he stammered, "must have dropped some money. You haven't -picked up any, have you?" - -"Not I!" said the baker, carelessly. "If you dropped it here you will -find it somewhere on the floor. Stay, I will assist you." - -Peter seemed rather disconcerted than otherwise by this offer of -assistance, but could not reasonably interpose any objection. - -After a very brief search Peter and the baker simultaneously discovered -the missing coin. The former pounced upon it, but not before the latter -had recognized it as a gold piece. - -"Ho, ho!" thought he, in surprise, "my charity is not so well bestowed -as I thought. Do you have many such coins?" he asked, meaningly. - -"I?" said Peter, hastily, "Oh no! I am very poor. This is all I have, -and I expect it will be gone soon,--it costs so much to live!" - -"It'll never cost you much," thought the baker, watching the shabby -figure of the miser as he receded from the shop. - - - - - II. - - A MISER'S HOUSEHOLD. - - -Peter Manson owned a small house in an obscure street. It was a -weather-beaten tenement of wood, containing some six or eight rooms, -all of which, with one exception, were given over to dirt, cobwebs, -gloom, and desolation. Peter might readily have let the rooms which -he did not require for his own use, but so profound was his distrust -of human nature, that not even the prospect of receiving rent for -the empty rooms could overcome his apprehension of being robbed by -neighbors under the same roof. For Peter trusted not his money to banks -or railroads, but wanted to have it directly under his own eye or -within his reach. As for investing his gold in the luxuries of life, -or even in what were generally considered its absolute necessaries, we -have already seen that Peter was no such fool as that. A gold eagle -was worth ten times more to him than its equivalent in food or clothing. - -With more than his usual alacrity, old Peter Manson, bearing under his -cloak the fresh loaf which he had just procured from the baker on such -advantageous terms, hastened to his not very inviting home. - -Drawing from his pocket a large and rusty door-key, he applied it to -the door. It turned in the lock with a creaking sound, and the door -yielding to Peter's push he entered. - -The room which he appropriated to his own use was in the second story. -It was a large room, of some eighteen feet square, and, as it is -hardly necessary to say, was not set off by expensive furniture. The -articles which came under this denomination were briefly these,--a -cherry table which was minus one leg, whose place had been supplied by -a broom handle fitted in its place; three hard wooden chairs of unknown -antiquity; an old wash-stand; a rusty stove which Peter had picked up -cheap at an auction, after finding that a stove burned out less fuel -than a fireplace; a few articles of crockery of different patterns, -some cracked and broken; a few tin dishes, such as Peter found -essential in his cooking; and a low truckle bedstead with a scanty -supply of bedclothes. - -Into this desolate home Peter entered. - -There was an ember or two left in the stove, which the old man -contrived, by hard blowing, to kindle into life. On these he placed a -few sticks, part of which he had picked up in the street early in the -morning, and soon there was a little show of fire, over which the miser -spread his hands greedily as if to monopolize what little heat might -proceed therefrom. He looked wistfully at the pile of wood remaining, -but prudence withheld him from putting on any more. - -"Everything costs money," he muttered to himself. "Three times a day -I have to eat, and that costs a sight. Why couldn't we get along with -eating once a day? That would save two thirds. Then there's fire. That -costs money, too. Why isn't it always summer? Then we shouldn't need -any except to cook by. It seems a sin to throw away good, bright, -precious gold on what is going to be burnt up and float away in smoke. -One might almost as well throw it into the river at once. Ugh! only to -think of what it would cost if I couldn't pick up some sticks in the -street. There was a little girl picking up some this morning when I was -out. If it hadn't been for her, I should have got more. What business -had she to come there, I should like to know?" - -"Ugh, ugh!" - -The blaze was dying out, and Peter was obliged, against his will, to -put on a fresh supply of fuel. - -By this time the miser's appetite began to assert itself, and rising -from his crouching position over the fire he walked to the table on -which he had deposited his loaf of bread. With an old jack-knife he -carefully cut the loaf into two equal parts. One of these he put back -into the closet. From the same place he also brought out a sausage, and -placing it over the fire contrived to cook it after a fashion. Taking -it off he placed it on a plate, and seated himself on a chair by the -table. - -It was long since the old man, accustomed to stale bread,--because -he found it cheaper,--had tasted anything so delicious. No alderman -ever smacked his lips over the most exquisite turtle soup with greater -relish than Peter Manson over his banquet. - -"It is very good," he muttered, with a sigh of satisfaction. "I don't -fare so well every day. If it hadn't been for that unlucky piece of -gold, perhaps the baker would have let me had another loaf at the same -price." - -He soon despatched the half loaf which he allotted to his evening meal. - -"I think I could eat the other half," he said, with unsatisfied hunger; -"but I must save that for breakfast. It is hurtful to eat too much. -Besides, here is my sausage." - -The sausage was rather burned than cooked, but Peter was neither nice -nor fastidious. He did not eat the whole of the sausage, however, but -reserved one half of this, too, for breakfast, though it proved so -acceptable to his palate that he came near yielding to the temptation -of eating the whole. But prudence, or rather avarice, prevailed, and -shaking his head with renewed determination, he carried it to the -closet and placed it on the shelf. - -Between seven and eight o'clock Peter prepared to go to bed, partly -because this would enable him to dispense with a fire, the cost -of which he considered so ruinous. He had but just commenced his -preparations for bed when a loud knock was heard at the street door. - -At the first sound of the knocking Peter Manson started in affright. -Such a thing had not occurred in his experience for years. - -"It's some drunken fellow," thought Peter. "He's mistaken the house. -I'll blow out the candle, and then he'll think there's nobody here." - -He listened again, in hopes to hear the receding steps of the visitor, -but in vain. After a brief interval there came another knock, louder -and more imperative than the first. - -Peter began to feel a little uneasy. - -"Why don't he go?" he muttered, peevishly. "He can't have anything to -do with me. Nobody ever comes here. He's mistaken the house." - -His reflections were here interrupted by a volley of knocks, each -apparently louder than the last. - -"Oh dear, what shall I do?" exclaimed the miser with a ludicrous mixture -of terror and perplexity. "It's some desperate ruffian, I know it is. I -wish the police would come. I shall be robbed and murdered." - -Peter went to the window and put his head out, hoping to discover -something of his troublesome visitor. The noise of opening the window -attracted his attention. - -"Hilloa!" he shouted. "I thought I'd make you hear some time or other. -I began to think you were as deaf as a post, or else had kicked the -bucket." - -"Who's there?" asked Peter, in a quavering voice. - -"Who's there! Come down and see, and don't leave a fellow to hammer -away all night at your old rat-trap. Come down, and open the door." - -"This ain't the house," said Peter. "You've made a mistake. Nobody ever -comes here." - -"No more I should think they would, if you always keep 'em waiting as -long as you have me. Come along down, and let me in." - -"But I tell you," persisted Peter, who didn't at all like the visitor's -manners, "that you've made a mistake. This ain't the house." - -"Ain't what house, I'd like to know?" - -"It ain't the house you think it is," said the old man, a little -puzzled by this question. - -"And what house do I think it is? Tell me that, you old----" - -Probably the sentence would have been finished in a manner -uncomplimentary to Peter, but perhaps, from motives of policy, the -stranger suppressed what he had intended to say. - -"I don't know," returned Peter, at a loss for a reply, "but there's a -mistake somewhere. Nobody comes to see me." - -"I shouldn't think they would," muttered the outsider, "but every rule -has its exceptions, and somebody's come to see you now." - -"You've mistaken the person." - -"No, I haven't. Little chance of making a mistake. You're old Peter -Manson." - -"He _has_ come to see me," thought Peter, uneasily; "but it cannot be -for any good end. I won't let him in; no, I won't let him in." - -"Well what are you going to do about it?" asked his would-be visitor, -impatiently. - -"It's too late to see you to-night." - -"Fiddlestick!" retorted the other. "It isn't eight yet." - -"I'm just going to bed," added Peter, becoming momentarily more uneasy -at the man's obstinacy. - -"Going to bed at half past seven! Come, now, that's all a joke. You -don't take me for a fool!" - -"But I am," urged Peter, "I always do. I'm very poor, and can't afford -to keep a fire and light going all the evening." - -"You poor! Well, may be you are. But that ain't neither here nor there. -I have got some important business to see you about, and you must let -me in." - -"Come to-morrow." - -"It's no use; I must see you to-night. So just come down and let me in, -or it'll be the worse for you." - -"What a dreadful ruffian!" groaned Peter; "I wish the watch would come -along, but it never does when it's wanted. Go away, good man," he said, -in a wheedling tone. "Go away, and come again to-morrow." - -"I tell you I won't go away. I must see you to-night." - -Convinced that the man was not to be denied, Peter, groaning with fear, -went down, and reluctantly drawing the bolt, admitted the visitor. - - - - - III. - - THE UNWELCOME VISITOR. - - -Opening the door with trembling hand Peter Manson saw before him a -stout man of forty-five, with a complexion bronzed by exposure to the -elements. - -Short and thick-set, with a half-defiant expression, as if, to use a -common phrase, he "feared neither man nor devil," a glance at him -served hardly to reassure the apprehensive old man. - -The stranger was attired in a suit of coarse clothing, and appeared to -possess little education or refinement. He might be a sailor,--there -was an indefinable something about him,--a certain air of the sea, that -justified the suspicion that he had passed some part of his life, at -least, in the realms of Father Neptune. - -Peter Manson, holding in his hand the fragment of candle which -flickered wildly from the sudden gust of wind which rushed in at the -door just opened, stood in silent apprehension, gazing uneasily at his -unwelcome visitor. - -"Well, shipmate," said the latter, impatiently, "how long are you going -to stand staring at me? It makes me feel bashful, not to speak of its -not being over and above civil." - -"What do you want?" inquired Peter, his alarm a little increased by -this speech, making, at the same time, a motion as if to close the -door. - -"First and foremost, I should like to be invited in somewhere, where -it isn't quite so public as at the street door. My business is of a -private nature." - -"I don't know you," said the miser, uneasily. - -"Well, what's the odds if I know you?" was the careless reply. "Come, -push ahead. Where do you live? Up stairs, or down stairs? I want to -have a little private talk with you somewhere." - -The speaker was about to cross the threshold when Peter stepped in -front, as if to intercept him, and said, hurriedly, "Don't come in -to-night; to-morrow will do just as well." - -"By your leave," said the visitor, coolly, pushing his way in, in spite -of the old man's feeble opposition. "I have already told you that I -wanted to see you to-night. Didn't you hear me?" - -"Thieves!" the old man half ejaculated, but was checked by the other -somewhat sternly. - -"No, old man, I am not a thief; but if you don't have done with your -stupid charges, I may be tempted to verify your good opinion by trying -my hand at a little robbery. Now lead the way to your den, wherever it -is, if you know what is best for yourself." - -The outer door was already closed, and Peter felt that he was at the -intruder's mercy. Nevertheless, there was something in this last -speech, rough and imperative as it was, that gave him a little feeling -of security, so far as he had been led to suspect any designs on his -property on the part of his companion. - -Without venturing upon any further remonstrance, which, it was clear, -would prove altogether useless, he shuffled up stairs, in obedience to -the stranger's command, yet not without casting back over his shoulder -a look of apprehension, as if he feared an attack from behind. - -His visitor, perceiving this, smiled, as if amused at old Peter's -evident alarm. - -Arrived at the head of the stairs, Peter opened the door into the -apartment appropriated to his own use. - -The stranger followed him in, and after a leisurely glance about the -room, seated himself with some caution in a chair, which did not look -very secure. - -Peter placed the flickering candle upon the mantel-piece, and seated -himself. - -It was long, very long, since a visitor had wakened the echoes of the -old house; very long since any human being, save Peter himself, had -been seated in that room. The old man could not help feeling it to be a -strange thing, so unaccustomed was he to the sight of any other human -face there. - -"It seems to me," said his visitor, dryly, taking in at a glance all -the appointments of the room, "that you don't care much about the -luxuries of life." - -"I," said Peter, "I'm obliged to live very plain,--very plain, -indeed,--because I am so poor." - -"Poor or not," said the visitor, "you must afford to have a better fire -while I am here. I don't approve of freezing." - -He rose without ceremony, and taking half a dozen sticks from the -hearth, deposited them in the stove, which now contained only some -burning embers. - -"Stay," said Peter, hastily. "Don't put so much on; it's wasteful, and -I sha'n't have any left for to-morrow." - -"I'll risk that," said the other, carelessly. "At any rate, it's better -to be comfortable one day than to shiver through two." - -The flame caught the wood, which soon blazed up, diffusing an unusually -cheerful glow over the apartment. Peter, in spite of the dismay with -which he had at first contemplated the sudden movement on the part -of his visitor, and the awful consumption of wood which he knew must -ensue, nevertheless appeared to enjoy the increased heat. He drew his -chair nearer the stove, and an expression of satisfaction was visible -in his face as he spread out both hands to catch a little warmth. - -"There, Peter," said the stranger, "I knew you'd like it after it was -fairly done. Isn't it worth while to have a good warm fire?" - -"If it didn't cost so much," groaned Peter, the one thought intruding. - -"Hush, Peter; if what people say be true, and as I am inclined to -believe, there's no one better able to afford a good fire than you." - -"No one better able!" repeated Peter, at once taking alarm, and lifting -up both hands in earnest deprecation, "when I can hardly get enough -together to keep from absolute starvation. Oh, it's a strange world, -it's a strange world!" - -"Well, Peter, some strange people do live in it, to be sure. But people -do say, Peter, that you have a power of money hidden away in this old -house somewhere." - -Peter started to his feet in affright, then feeling that his movement -might lead to suspicion, sank back into his seat, saying, uneasily, "I -only wish it were true. People say such strange things. But it's only -idle talk, idle talk. They know better." - -"You'd be very grateful, I have no doubt, to anybody that would show -you where all these treasures are that people talk about, wouldn't you, -hey?" - -"Ye--Yes," answered Peter Manson, who did not know quite how to -understand his companion, whose tone seemed to have a hidden meaning -which made him uneasy. - -"And will you give me leave to search the house, if I will promise to -give you half the gold I find?" - -"But you wouldn't find any," answered the miser, hastily. - -"Then there would be no harm done. Suppose now I should remove the -flooring, just here for instance, don't you think I might possibly find -something underneath that would repay me for my search?" - -Unconsciously the speaker had hit upon one of Peter's places of -deposit. Directly under where he was seated there was a box of gold -coins. Accordingly this remark, which seemed to indicate to Peter some -knowledge of his hiding-place, filled him with fearful apprehensions. - -"No, no," said he, vehemently; "go away, there isn't any there. If that -is all you have got to say, go away and leave me to my rest. I ought to -be in bed; it is getting late." - -"I _have_ something more to say, Peter Manson," returned his companion. -"If I had not, I should not have sought you to-night. What I have to -say is of great importance to you as you will find. Will you hear it?" - -"Go on," muttered Peter, his attention arrested, in spite of his fears, -by the stranger's peculiar tone. - -"First, then, let me tell you a story. It may be real, it may be only -fancy. I won't say anything about that. By the way, Peter, were you -ever in the West Indies?" - -This question produced a singular effect upon Peter, considering -its apparently unimportant character. He started, turned as pale as -his ghastly complexion permitted, fixed an anxious glance upon the -stranger, who looked as if nothing particular had happened, and said -hastily, "No, I was never there. What made you ask?" - -"Nothing particular," said the other, carelessly; "if you were never -there, no matter. Only it is there that what I am going to tell you -happened. But to my story. - -"Some twenty years ago there lived in the city of Havana an American -gentleman, no matter about his name, who had established himself in -business in the city. He had married before he went there, and had a -daughter about sixteen years of age. Well, his business flourished. -Good luck seemed to attend him in all his ventures, and he seemed -likely to accumulate enough to retire upon before many years." - -Peter started, and as the story progressed seemed to be internally -agitated. A keen glance satisfied his visitor of this; without -appearing to notice it, however, he went on,-- - -"But things don't always turn out as well as we expect. Just when -things looked brightest there came a sudden blow, for which the -merchant was unprepared. On going to his counting-room one morning, he -discovered that his book-keeper had disappeared, and what was worse, -had carried off with him the sum of twenty thousand dollars--a large -sum, was it not?" - -"What is all this to me?" demanded Peter, with sudden fierceness. - -"I will tell you by and by," said the stranger, coolly. - -"I will take the liberty to put a little more wood into the stove, and -then go on with my story." - -"I--I'll put some in," said Peter. - -He took a small stick about half as large round as his wrist, and -opening the stove-door, put it in. - -"That'll do to begin with," said the stranger, following it, to Peter's -dismay, with half a dozen larger ones. "Now we'll be comfortable." - - - - - IV. - - A STARTLING QUESTION. - - -While Peter's uneasiness became every moment more marked, his visitor -continued,-- - -"This sad defalcation was the more unfortunate because, on that very -day notes to a heavy amount became due. Of course the merchant was -unable to pay them. Do you know what was the result?" - -"How should I know?" asked Peter, testily, avoiding the gaze of the -stranger, and fixing his eyes uneasily upon the fire. - -"Of course you couldn't know, I was foolish to think such a thing." - -"Then what made you think it?" said Peter, in a petulant tone. "I don't -care to hear your story. What has it got to do with me?" - -"Don't be in too much of a hurry, and perhaps you will learn quite as -soon as you care to. The same result followed, which always does follow -when a business man cannot meet his engagements. He failed." - -Peter stirred uneasily, but said nothing. - -"His character for integrity was such that there were many who would -have lent him a helping hand, and carried him safely through his -troubles; but he was overwhelmed by the blow, and sank under it. -Refusing all offers of assistance, he took to his bed, and some six -months after died." - -"And what became of his daughter?" asked Peter, showing a little -curiosity for the first time. - -"Ha! you seem to be getting interested," exclaimed the other, fixing -his keen eyes upon Peter, who seemed confused. "His daughter was -beautiful and had already won the heart of a young American, who had -little money but a handsome figure and good business habits." - -"Did she marry this young Codman?" - -"Who told you his name was Codman?" asked Peter's visitor, watching him -keenly. - -"I--I thought you did," stammered the miser, disconcerted. - -"You are mistaken. I have mentioned no name." - -"Then I--I must have misunderstood you." - -"I dare say," said the other, ironically. "However, we won't dispute -that point. Well, this young Codman,--for singularly enough you hit -upon the right name, not knowing anything of the circumstances of -course,--this young Codman married Isabel." - -"Isabel!" repeated the old man. "Her name was----" - -Here he paused in sudden confusion, feeling that he was betraying -himself by his incautious correction. - -"Yes, Peter," said the other with a shrewd smile, "you are right. Her -name was not Isabel, but Eleanor. I acknowledge that I was wrong; but -it seems to me that, for one who is entirely a stranger to the events I -have been describing, you show a wonderful shrewdness in detecting my -mistakes." - -Peter maintained a confused silence, and wriggled about uneasily, as if -the stranger's fixed and watchful gaze disturbed him. - -"Humph! well they say that some people have the gift of second sight, -and others can see through millstones, and various other wonderful -things." - -"What has all this to do with me?" asked Peter, crossly, for he felt it -necessary to make some demonstration. "It's getting late, and I want to -go to bed. Go away, and--and come again to-morrow, if you want to." - -"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, Peter, which means that I -am sure of you now, and perhaps you wouldn't let me in if I should call -to-morrow. If you are sleepy I have no objection to your going to bed. -I can talk to you as well as if you were sitting up. I will stay here -and keep the fire going." - -Peter looked at the small pile of wood with a groan, and muttered -something about "its being awful extravagant to keep such a fire." - -"I believe," said the stranger, "I have not yet told you the name of -the defaulted clerk." - -Peter said nothing. - -"It was Thornton, but his first name was Peter, the same as yours. -Singular, isn't it, Peter?" - -"I suppose there are a good many Peters in the world," muttered the old -man. - -"Very likely; though I hope most of them are better than this Peter -Thornton. He got off without being taken, with the twenty thousand -dollars in his possession. He was fond of money, and many thought this -explained the defalcation. However, there were not wanting others who -assigned a different motive. It was said that he had been smitten by -the youthful charms of his employer's daughter Eleanor, who did not -favor his suit." - -Peter shifted uneasily in his chair. - -"No one could blame her. In fact it was perfectly preposterous for him -to think of mating with her. Did you speak?" - -"No!" snarled Peter. - -"I thought you said something. I repeat, that she had plenty of reasons -for rejecting him. She was just sixteen, and beautiful as she was -young, and had no lack of admirers ready to devote themselves to her. -As for Peter Thornton, ha! ha! he never could have been very handsome, -from all I have heard of him. In the first place, he was forty or more." - -"Thirty-eight," muttered Peter, below his breath. - -"And his features were irregular, besides being marked with the -small-pox, which he had had in early life. He had a long, hooked nose -like a bird's beak, an enormous mouth, little sharp gray eyes like a -ferret's, and his hair was already mingled with gray. On the whole, he -hadn't much beauty to boast of. Did you say anything?" - -"No!" snarled Peter, sourly. He was sitting with his elbows on his -knees, and his face resting on his hands. - -"Beg pardon, I thought you spoke. To add to Peter's charms of person, -his disposition was not the sweetest that ever was. He had a harsh -and crabbed manner, which would have led to his discharge if he had -not had one saving trait. I will say, to his credit, that he was a -capital book-keeper. Of his honesty his employer thought he was well -assured, and probably if nothing had occurred of a character to wound -Peter's pride, he might have continued faithful to his trust. One day, -however, Peter took an opportunity, when he had been calling at the -house of his employer on business connected with the counting-room, -to declare his love to the young lady, whom he found alone in the -drawing-room. You can imagine how much she was amused--why don't you -laugh, Peter? You look as glum as if it were _you_ that had met with -this disappointment. The young lady told him plainly, as soon as she -got over her astonishment, that she could give him no encouragement -whatever. Perhaps there might have been in her tone something of the -aversion which it was natural for her to feel at such a proposition -from one so much beneath her. If they had married, it would have been -a second case of Beauty and the Beast. Beg pardon, Peter, I believe you -said something." - -"No!" snarled Peter, fiercely. "Have you got nearly through? Your story -is nothing to me--nothing, I say. I want to go to bed. You have kept me -up too late already." - -"I can't help that, Peter. It took me too long to get in for me to -resign readily the pleasure of your society. I say, Peter, what a jolly -good fellow you are,--quite a lively companion,--only it strikes me you -might be a little more civil to your company. It isn't exactly polite -to keep telling one how anxious you are for him to go. - -"As I was saying, when you interrupted me, Eleanor told Peter very -decidedly that she could not for an instant entertain his suit. He -endeavored to change her determination, being an ardent, impulsive -lover, and probably in her impatience she said something which -irritated her lover, who went off in a rage. After a while, however, -he was foolish enough to open the subject again. Of course she was -extremely annoyed at his persistence, and seeing no other way of -escaping the persecution, she felt it necessary to acquaint her father -with what had transpired. The merchant was naturally indignant at his -book-keeper's presumption, and calling him aside one morning threatened -to discharge him from his employment unless he should forthwith desist. -This was, of course, a great blow to Peter's pride. He had the good -sense to say nothing, however, but none the less determined within -himself to be revenged upon those who had scorned his advances, as -soon as an opportunity offered. I don't know as I blame him. Perhaps I -should have done the same under similar circumstances." - -There was a trace of agitation upon the pale and wrinkled countenance -of the miser. - -"This it was," continued the stranger, "taken in connection with -Peter's natural cupidity that led to the defalcation I have mentioned. -So far as the merchant was concerned his revenge was completely -successful, for he was the means of his ruin and premature death. And -now, Peter," he added, suddenly changing his tone, "can you tell me -what induced you to change your name from Thornton to Manson?" - -"Me!" exclaimed the miser, starting to his feet in consternation, and -glaring wildly at the speaker. - - - - - V. - - THE COMPACT. - - -"Yes," said the stranger, composedly; "I repeat the question, why did -you change your name to Manson?" - -"What--do--you--mean?" the old man faltered slowly. - -"I mean just what I say, and I see you understand me well enough." - -"You can't prove it," said Peter, with an uneasy glance at his -imperturbable companion. - -"Can't I? Perhaps not. I should say the mysterious knowledge you seem -to possess of the main incidents in my story would prove something." - -"That isn't evidence in a court of law," said Peter, regaining a degree -of confidence. - -"Perhaps not; but I say, Peter, don't you recognize me?" - -The old man scanned his features eagerly, and a sudden look of -remembrance satisfied the latter that he was not forgotten. - -"I see you do remember me," he said; "I thought you hadn't forgotten -John Randall. At any rate he hasn't forgotten you, though twenty years -have passed, and I was then but a young man. I used to see you too -often about the streets of Havana not to remember that hooked nose, -those gray eyes, and (excuse my plainness of speech) that large mouth. -Yes, Peter, your features are impressed upon my memory too indelibly to -be effaced." - -Peter Manson remembered his companion as one who had had the reputation -of being a "wild" young man. He had been placed at school by his father -without any profitable result. On his father's death he squandered, -in dissipation, the property which came to him, and had since devoted -himself to the sea. - -"Having settled this little matter of your identity," continued -Randall, "I am ready to finish my story. I told you that Eleanor -married the young man whose name you remembered so well. He was poor, -dependent upon his salary as a clerk, and thanks to you his wife had -nothing to hope from her father. They were obliged to live in a very -humble way. At length, thinking he could do better here, he removed to -Boston, where his early life had been spent." - -"To Boston!" muttered Peter. - -"The removal took place some six years since. They had three children -when they first came here, but two died, leaving only the second, a -boy, named Charlie. I should think he might be fourteen years of age. -And now, would you like to know if the husband is still living?" - -"Is he?" asked Peter, looking up. - -"No. He died about a year since, of a fever." - -"And--and Eleanor? What of her?" - -"For six months past she has been a tenant of yours." - -"A tenant of mine!" exclaimed the miser. - -"It is even so. She occupies a second-story room in the tenement-house -in----Street." - -"And I have met her face to face?" - -"I dare say you have. Your tenants are pretty sure to have that -pleasure once a month. But doesn't it seem strange that Eleanor Gray, -the beautiful daughter of your Havana employer, should after these -twenty years turn up in Boston the tenant of her father's book-keeper?" - -"Ha! ha!" chuckled the miser, hoarsely, "she isn't so much better off -than if she had married old Peter." - -"As to being better off," said Randall, "I presume she is better off, -though she can't call a hundred dollars her own, than if she were -installed mistress of your establishment. Faugh! Poorly as she is -obliged to live, it is luxury, compared with your establishment." - -He glanced about him with a look of disgust. - -"If you don't like it," said Peter, querulously, "there is no use of -your staying. It is past my bedtime." - -"I shall leave you in a few minutes, Peter, but I want to give you -something to think of first. Don't you see that your property is in -danger of slipping from your hands?" - -"My property in danger!" exclaimed Peter, wildly; "what do you mean; -where is the danger?" Then, his voice sinking to its usual whine,--"not -that I have any of any consequence, I am poor--very poor." - -"Only from what I see I could easily believe it, but I happen to know -better." - -"Indeed, I am----" - -"No more twaddle about poverty," said Randall, decidedly, "it won't go -down. I am not so easily deceived as you may imagine. I know perfectly -well that you are worth at the very least, thirty thousand dollars." - -"Thirty thousand dollars!" exclaimed the miser, raising both hands in -astonishment. - -"Yes, Peter, and I don't know but I may say forty thousand. Why, it -can't be otherwise, with your habits. Twenty years ago you made off -with twenty thousand, which has been accumulating ever since. Your -personal expenses haven't made very large inroads upon your income, -judging from your scarecrow appearance. So much the worse for you. You -might have got some good from it. Now it must go to others." - -"To others!" exclaimed Peter, turning pale. - -"Certainly. You don't think the law gives you whatever you've a mind -to steal, do you? Of course there is no doubt that to your tenants, -Eleanor and Charlie Codman, belongs this property which you wrongfully -hold." - -"They sha'n't have it. They never shall have it," said Peter Manson, -hastily. - -"Well, perhaps the law may have something to say about that." - -"My gold!" groaned the miser. "If I lose that I lose everything. It -will be my death. Good Mr. Randall, have pity upon me. I am sure you -won't say anything that----" - -"Will bring you to state's prison," said Randall, coolly. - -"They--Eleanor and her son--need never know it." - -"Unless I tell them." - -"But you won't." - -"That depends upon circumstances. How much will you give me to keep -the thing secret?" - -"What will I give you?" - -"Precisely. That is what I have been so long in coming at. You see, -Peter, that the secret is worth something. Either I reveal it to the -parties interested, in which case I wouldn't give that," snapping his -fingers, "for your chance of retaining the property, or I keep silence -_if you make it worth my while_." - -"Pity me," said the miser, abjectly, sinking on his knees before -Randall; "pity me and spare my gold." - -"Pity you!" said Randall, contemptuously. "Why didn't you pity your -employer? You must make up your mind to pay me my price." - -"I am very poor," whined Peter, in his customary phrase, "and I can't -pay much." - -"Oh yes, Peter," said the other, sarcastically, "I am well aware that -you are poor,--wretchedly poor,--and I won't be too hard upon you." - -"Thank you--thank you," said Peter, catching at this promise; "I will -give you something--a little----" - -"How much?" asked Randall, with some curiosity. - -"Ten dollars!" said the miser, with the air of a man who named a large -sum. - -"Ten dollars!" returned Randall, with a laugh of derision. "Ten dollars -to secure the peaceable possession of thirty thousand! Old man, you -must be mad, or you must think that I am." - -"I--I did not mean to offend," said the old man, humbly. "If I double -the sum will it satisfy you? I--I will try to raise it, though it will -be hard--very hard." - -"This is mere trifling, Peter Manson," said his visitor, decidedly. -"Twenty dollars! Why I wouldn't have come across the street to get it. -No, you will have to elevate your ideas considerably." - -"How much do you demand?" said the miser, groaning internally, and -fixing his eyes anxiously upon Randall. - -"You must not make a fuss when I name the amount." - -"Name it," said Peter, in a choking voice. - -"One thousand dollars will purchase my silence, and not a dollar less." - -Peter sprang from his seat in consternation. - -"One thousand dollars! Surely you are not in earnest." - -"But I am, though. This is not a subject I care to jest upon." - -"One thousand dollars! It will take all I have and leave me a beggar." - -"If it should, Peter," said his visitor, composedly, "I will procure -you admission to the poor-house, where, if I am not much mistaken you -will be better off than in this tumble-down old shanty." - -"Has the man no mercy?" groaned Peter, wringing his hands. - -"None at all." - -"Then," exclaimed the miser, in a sudden fit of desperation, "I won't -pay you a cent--not a single cent." - -"That is your final determination, is it?" - -"Ye--yes," muttered Peter, but less firmly. - -"Very well. I will tell you the result. I shall at once go to Eleanor, -and inform her of the good fortune which awaits her. No fear but she -will pay me a thousand dollars for the intelligence." - -"She has no money." - -"I will furnish her with money for the lawyers--she can repay me out of -your hoards." - -Peter groaned. - -"Ay, groan away, Peter. You'll have cause enough to groan, by and by. -There is one thing you don't seem to consider, that the law will do -something more than take away your property. I will come to see you in -jail." - -He rose to leave the room, but Peter called him back hastily. "We may -come to terms yet," he said. - -"Then you accede to my terms." - -"I will give you five hundred." - -"Good-night, Peter. I wish you happy dreams." - -"St-stay!" exclaimed Peter, terrified. "I will give eight hundred." - -"I am in something of a hurry," said Randall. "I believe I will call -on Eleanor. I don't think we can make any arrangement." - -"Hold! perhaps I will do as you say." - -"Ah! now you are beginning to be reasonable," said Randall, resuming -his seat. - -"What security can you give me for your silence?" - -"I'll tell you what I will do, Peter. You remember I told you Eleanor -had a son, a boy of fourteen." - -"Yes." - -"His mother is quite devoted to him. Indeed, he contributes to her -support by selling papers, and by various little jobs. Now, as long as -Eleanor lives here you are in danger." - -"Yes." - -"And if a blow is levelled at her it must be through her boy." - -"I see." - -"Then I'll tell you of a scheme I have arranged. You must first -know that I am mate of a vessel now in port, which is bound for San -Francisco. We are to sail in a few days." - -"Well?" - -"We happen to be in want of a boy to fill up our regular number. -Suppose I kidnap Eleanor's boy. Don't you see, that as he is her -chief support, she will soon be in difficulties? and this, with her -uncertainty about her boy's fate, may rid you of your greatest peril, -and the only one of the two who could identify you." - -"Excellent, excellent!" chuckled Peter, rubbing his hands; "she shall -yet be sorry that she rejected old Peter." - -"Am I to understand that you accede to my proposal, then?" - -Not without many groans Peter agreed to deliver the sum mentioned -between them, on condition that the boy was secured. - -It was striking ten when Randall left the house. His face beamed with -exultation. - -"I have done a good night's work," he said. "By working on the fears of -the old curmudgeon I have made sure of a thousand dollars. He will be -lucky if this is the last money I get out of him. He little thinks that -I, too, have a revenge to wreak. He is not the only one that has been -scornfully rejected by Eleanor Codman. Now to bed, and to-morrow shall -see my work commenced." - - - - - VI. - - CHARLIE AT HOME. - - -The tenement-house owned by Peter Manson was a three-story wooden -building, very much in need of paint. It was scarcely likely to be -pointed out by any one as one of the architectural ornaments of the -city. Years before it had fallen into Peter's hands at a small price, -and he had every year since realized from it in the way of rent a sum -equal to one half the purchase-money. No one who has lived in a city -can help knowing how much more proportionally the poor are compelled -to pay for their scanty and insufficient accommodations than the rich, -or those in moderate circumstances. No class of property is made to -pay a larger percentage than the wretched tenement-houses which seem -adapted to furnish as little accommodation as possible to those who are -compelled to occupy them. - -The tenement-house in which Charlie and his mother lived was no better -than the average. It was the home of a large number of persons of -various occupations. Seamstresses, mechanics, washer-women, and many -others found a home under this one roof. - -Mrs. Codman occupied a room on the third floor. As we enter the -room it is easy to see what a charm can be thrown around even the -humblest place by the presence of refinement and good taste. All the -appointments of the room, indeed, were of the cheapest description. -Probably the furniture did not exceed in cost that of the room -opposite. Yet there was a considerable difference in the appearance -of Mrs. Codman's room and that of Sally Price, who, if she had ever -possessed an organ of neatness, had lost it years ago. - -The old-fashioned windows were washed as clean as water could make -them, so as to admit all the sunshine which could find its way over -the tall roof on the opposite side of the street. They were hung with -plain chintz curtains, separated in the middle and looped on either -side. The floor was quite clean as far as it could be seen. In the -centre was spread a floor-cloth some eight feet square, which relieved -its bareness. There was a small round table near the window, and a -small square work-table of no very costly material, in another part of -the room. On this was placed a rose-bush in a flower-pot. It had been -given to Charlie by an old gentleman who had taken a fancy to him. In -another quarter was a home-made lounge, the work of Charlie's hands. It -had originally been a wooden box, given him by a shopkeeper near by. -This box had been covered with calico stuffed with cotton, so that it -made quite a comfortable seat. It was used besides as a wood-box, its -legitimate province, but when the cover was closed it was nevertheless -a very respectable article of furniture. There were besides a few plain -wooden chairs, and a small rocking-chair for Mrs. Codman. Opening out -of the main room was a small bedroom, occupied by the mother, while -Charlie had a bed made up for him at night in the common sitting-room. - -A few books--a very few--were piled upon the little table. They were -chiefly schoolbooks,--an arithmetic, a geography, and an atlas, over -which Charlie would generally spend a portion of every evening, and -occasionally a boy's book, lent him by his friend Edwin Bangs, who, -together with his brothers, had quite a large juvenile library. - -Mrs. Codman is sitting by the window industriously engaged in -needle-work, and intent on accomplishing a certain amount before -nightfall. She was past thirty-five, yet, in spite of the trials which -have left their impress on her brow, she would readily be taken for -five years younger. She has drawn her chair to the window to make the -most of the rapidly fading daylight. As with swift fingers she plies -the glistening needle, and the sun touches her cheek with a beaming -glow, we can see that not only has she been beautiful, but is still so. - -A hasty step is heard on the stairs, there is a stamping at the door, -and in rushes a bright, handsome boy, with rosy cheeks and dark hair. - -The mother's face lights up with a bright smile as she turns to her -son, the only one she has left to love. - -"You're a little later than usual, Charlie, are you not?" - -"A little, mother. You see I didn't get a job till late, and then two -came together." - -"What were they?" - -"A gentleman wanted me to take his carpet-bag from the Maine depot, and -I had to carry it away up to Rutland Street." - -"Did he go with you?" - -"No; he had to go to his counting-room in State Street." - -"Was he willing to trust you? Some boys might have made off with the -carpet-bag, and he would have never seen it again." - -"He thought of that, but he said--and I think he's a real -gentleman--that he knew I was honest by my appearance, and he was -willing to trust me." - -"Quite complimentary, Charlie. How much did he pay you for your -trouble?" - -"Half a dollar." - -"Then you have done a good deal better than I have. I have been -working all day, and shall not realize more than twenty-five cents for -my labor." - -"I wish you didn't have to work at all, mother." - -"Thank you, Charlie; but I dare say I am happier for having something -to do. I wish I could get better pay for my work. But you haven't told -me what the other errand was. You said you had two." - -"Yes," said Charlie, "I had just got back from Rutland Street, and had -bought two or three evening papers which I was going to try to sell, -when a man came up to me, and after looking at me for a minute or -two, asked me if I would take a little walk with him. He said he was -a stranger in Boston, and didn't know his way about much. He asked me -if I had lived here long, and what my name was. He told me he would -pay me if I would go around with him, and point out some of the public -buildings. He told me he would pay me at the rate of twenty-five cents -an hour for my time. I told him I had one or two papers to dispose of." - -"'Never mind about them,' said he, 'I will take them off your hands.' - -"'But they are alike,' said I. - -"'Never mind,' he answered; so he paid me the full price for two -Journals and two Transcripts, and off we went." - -"What sort of a person was he?" - -"He was a stout man, over forty, and looked to me like a sailor. I -shouldn't wonder if he was an officer of some ship." - -"Did you like his looks?" - -"Why," said Charlie, hesitatingly, "not exactly; not so much as I did -of the other gentleman. There was something about his eye which I -didn't like. Still he acted up to his agreement, and paid me all he -promised." - -"How long were you together?" - -"About an hour and a half. We walked round the Common and the Public -Garden, went into the State House and the Public Library. However, he -didn't seem to care much about them. He seemed to take more interest -in me, somehow, and asked me a good many questions; whether I had any -parents living, and how long I had lived in the city. When I told him -you were born in Havana, he said he used to live there himself." - -"Indeed!" said Mrs. Codman. - -"He also told me that he might like to have me go round with him -again, and told me to call to-morrow at the Quincy House, where he is -stopping. But, mother, isn't it most time for supper? Here, just let me -set the table, if you are busy." - -"Very well, Charlie; I shall be glad to have you do so, as I am in a -hurry to finish my sewing." - -In the evening Charlie read to his mother while she sewed. Neither of -them suspected that it was the last evening they would spend together -for several months. - - - - - VII. - - CAPTAIN BRACE. - - -Lying at one of the wharves was a ship of moderate size, evidently -fast getting ready for sea. The cargo had all been stowed away, and, -notwithstanding the confusion, it was easy even for a landsman to see -that the ship was about ready for departure. - -The ship was the Bouncing Betsey, commanded by Captain Nathaniel Brace. -As to the peculiar name of the vessel, I can give no information -whether or not there was a real Bouncing Betsey after whom it was -named. The probability however is, that it was a purely ideal name, the -sound and alliterative character of which had commended it to the one -upon whom rested the selection of a name. - -A few words now about Captain Brace, with whom we shall become better -acquainted by and by. - -He was a short, stout, broad-shouldered man. He was no fresh-water -captain, but from the age of thirteen had been tossing about on the -ocean. It is my privilege to know many sea captains who do honor to -their calling, high-toned, gentlemanly, and intelligent men; not -learned in books, but possessing a wide range of general information. -I am sorry to say that Captain Brace was not a man of this class. He -had little education beyond what was required by his profession, and -was utterly lacking in refinement and courtesy. He was not an amiable -man, but rough, stormy, exacting, and dictatorial. The crew under his -command he looked upon as so many machines, whose duty it was to obey -him with scrupulous exactness, whatever might be the nature of his -requisitions. When he got into one of his fits of passion, he would -stamp and rave, kicking and striking this way and that with the most -reckless disregard of human lives and human feelings. In fact, he was -one of those pests of the merchant service, an unfeeling tyrant, who -did all in his power to degrade the profession which he had adopted, -and add to the hardships which lie in the path of the sailor. - -The employers of Captain Brace were far from being aware of the -extent to which he carried the severity of his discipline; brutality, -indeed, would be the more appropriate word. They supposed him to be -a strict commander, who liked to preserve a proper subordination in -those under his command, and this they were disposed to commend rather -than to complain of, more especially as the captain was master of his -profession, and had usually made quick and profitable voyages. This, as -may be supposed, was enough to cover a great many defects in the eyes -of those whose pecuniary interest he subserved, even if the captain had -not been shrewd enough to conceal his more disagreeable traits when on -shore, under an affectation of bluff frankness. - -There was a time when there were many captains in the service no better -than the one we have just sketched, but both in the naval and merchant -service there has undoubtedly been a great improvement within a few -years. - -Without dwelling further on the personal characteristics of Captain -Brace, with whom we shall have abundant opportunity to become -acquainted, since we purpose going to sea with him on his approaching -voyage, we introduce him pacing the deck of his vessel with a short -black pipe in his mouth, on the very morning he intends to sail. - -"Where is Mr. Randall? has he come on board?" he inquired, turning to -the second mate. - -"No, sir; I have not seen him this morning," was the reply. - -"When he comes on board tell him I wish to see him immediately." - -"Very well, sir." - -The captain went to his cabin, and about five minutes later the -individual after whom he inquired came aboard. We recognize in him an -old acquaintance; no other than the nocturnal visitor who excited such -fearful apprehensions in the mind of old Peter Manson the miser. - -"Where is Captain Brace, Mr. Bigelow?" he inquired of the second mate. - -"In the cabin, Mr. Randall. He wishes to see you." - -"And I wish to see him, so we can suit each other's convenience. How -long since did he ask for me?" - -"Only two or three minutes. He has just gone below." - -"Then he hasn't had long to wait." - -With these words he hastened to the cabin, where he found the captain -waiting for him. - -The subject on which the captain wished to see his first mate was -purely of a professional and technical character, and will not be -likely to interest the reader, and so will be passed over. - -When this preliminary matter was disposed of, Randall, with a little -hesitation, remarked: "I have a little favor to ask of you, Captain -Brace." - -"Very well, sir; let me know what it is, and if I can conveniently -grant it I will." - -"The boy who had engaged to go with us has backed out, having heard -some ridiculous stories about your severity and----" - -The captain's brow grew dark with anger as he said: - -"The young rascal! I should like to overhaul him! I'd show him what it -is to see service!" - -There is very little doubt that the captain would have kept his word. - -Randall took care not to inform his superior officer that he had -privately communicated to the mother of the boy intelligence of his -severity, not from any motives of humanity, but simply because his -going would have interfered with his own plans in respect to Charlie. - -"We shall not have much time to hunt up a boy if we sail at three -o'clock," said the captain. "I don't see but we must go without one." - -"I think I can supply you with one, Captain Brace." - -"Ha! who is it?" - -"It's a nephew of mine, and the favor I spoke of was that you should -take him in place of the boy we have missed of." - -"Humph!" said the captain, "there is one objection I have to taking -relations of the officers. You are expected to be tender of them, and -not order them about as roughly as the rest." - -"There won't be any trouble of that sort in this case, Captain Brace, -you may be very sure," said the mate. "Although the boy is my nephew I -don't feel any very extraordinary affection for him." - -"I should think not," said the captain, with a grim smile, "from your -efforts to get him a place on board this ship. You're not any more -gentle with boys than I am." - -"The fact is, Captain Brace," said Randall, with a smile which evinced -a thorough understanding of the captain's meaning; "the fact is, the -boy is unruly, and they can't do much for him at home, and I thought it -might be well for him to try a voyage or two, _for the benefit of his -health_!" - -The mate smiled, and as it was such a joke as the captain could -appreciate, he smiled too. - -"Very well, Mr. Randall; if such are your views I have no objection to -his coming on board." - -"I had fears," continued the mate, "that his unruly temper would -interfere with his usefulness at home. I felt pretty sure we could soon -cure him of that." - -"_Kill or cure_, that is my motto," said the captain. - -"Sometimes both," thought Randall, remembering one boy in a previous -voyage who had languished and died under the cruel treatment he -experienced on board. - -"Does the boy know he is to go with us?" inquired the captain. - -"Bless you, no; not he! He'd make a fuss if he did." - -"How do you intend to get him on board, then?" - -"I shall invite him to come and see the vessel, and when he is down -below I can take care that he stays there till we are fairly at sea." - -"A good plan. What is the youngster's name, Mr. Randall?" - -"Jack Randall; named after me." - -"Humph! hope he'll do credit to the name," said the captain, grimly. "I -leave in your hands all the steps necessary to securing him. Remember, -if you please, that we shall sail at three." - -"I will be on board before that time, sir, and bring my nephew with me." - -"Very well, sir." - -Of course the reader has conjectured that the Jack Randall, the mate's -nephew, spoken of above, is no other than our young hero, Charlie -Codman. - -Poor boy! little does he dream of the plot that is being formed against -him. - - - - - VIII. - - THE BLUE CHEST. - - -On leaving the Bouncing Betsey, Mr. John Randall, the estimable mate of -that vessel, bent his steps towards a shop devoted to sailors' clothing -ready-made, with a large variety of other articles such as seamen are -accustomed to require. - -It was a shop of very good dimensions, but low studded and rather dark, -the windows, which were few, being in part covered up by articles hung -in front of them. - -The proprietor of this establishment was Moses Mellen, a little Jew, -with a countenance clearly indicating his Israelitish descent. His -small black eyes sparkled with the greed of gain, and he had a long, -hooked nose like the beak of a bird, which would not have been -considered too small an appendage for a face of twice the size. He had -one qualification for a successful trader--he seldom or never forgot a -face which he had once seen. - -Rubbing his hands with a great show of cordiality, and with his face -wreathed in smiles, the instant he espied Randall he hastened to meet -him. - -"Delighted to see you, Mr. Randall," he exclaimed; "perhaps I ought to -say Captain Randall." - -"Not yet." - -"Ah well, that will come soon. I hope you have had a prosperous voyage." - -"Tolerably so, Mr. Mellen." - -"Have you just arrived in the city, or have you been here for some -time?" - -"Three weeks only, and now I am off again. We sailors don't have a -chance to stop long on dry land, Mr. Mellen." - -"Not if they are such capital sailors as my friend, Mr. Randall. But -where are you bound this time?" - -"Probably to Valparaiso." - -"Anywhere else?" - -"Perhaps so. We may go to the Indies or Sandwich Islands before we -return." - -"A long voyage,--you will need to be fitted out before you -start,--don't you want something in my line? I sha'n't want much profit -out of an old friend like you." - -This, by the way, was what Moses said to pretty much all his customers. - -"I shall want a few things. I will pick them out now." - -"This way, then." - -Randall followed the proprietor to the back of the store, where he -selected a variety of articles, which he ordered sent on board the -Bouncing Betsey immediately. - -"Now," said the mate, after his own purchases were completed, "I shall -require a small outfit for a boy who is going out with us." - -"If you had brought him with you we could have furnished him at short -order." - -"There was one little difficulty in the way of my doing that." - -"Eh?" - -"He doesn't know he is going." - -"Ah ha!" said the Jewish dealer, putting one scraggy finger to the side -of his nose with a knowing look; "that's it, is it?" - -"I see you comprehend. Now tell me what shall we do about fitting him?" - -"If I could only see him----" - -"You could judge by your eye what would be likely to fit him. Is that -what you would say?" - -"Precisely." - -"And how long would you require to look at him?" - -"Two minutes would answer." - -"Very well; I will call with the boy in the course of an hour or two. -By the way, I shall want a small chest to put the articles in. You keep -them, of course?" - -"A great variety." - -"I dare say you will suit me. A very plain one will answer. Have your -bill made out for the other articles, and I will discharge it." - -With a profusion of bows and thanks, the trader dismissed his customer. - -The mate now betook himself to the hotel where he had engaged Charlie -to meet him at eleven o'clock. Charlie, who was always punctual to his -appointments, had already arrived, and was looking over a newspaper in -the reading-room. - -"So you are on hand, my boy," said Randall, in a friendly manner. - -"Yes, sir." - -"I am glad to find you punctual. Are you ready to set out?" - -"Yes, sir, quite ready." - -Rather to keep up the boy's delusion as to his designs, Randall -suffered Charlie to guide him to one or two places of public interest, -with which he was already more familiar than his guide, and then -suddenly proposed that they should go down to the wharves. - -"You must know, my lad," said he, "that I am a sailor." - -"I thought so, sir." - -"What made you think so?" - -"I don't know, sir; but I can generally tell a sailor." - -"Perhaps I haven't got my sea-legs off. However, as I was saying, I am -an officer on board a ship lying at the wharf, and I have just thought -of a bundle I want brought from the ship. If you will go with me and -fetch it, I will pay you at the same rate I promised you for going -about with me." - -Of course Charlie had no objections. In fact, although he had been on -board ships at the wharf, he had never been in company with an officer, -and he thought it possible his companion might be willing to explain to -him the use of some parts which he did not yet understand. Accordingly -he gave a ready assent to the mate's proposition, and together they -took their way to Long Wharf, at which the ship was lying. - -The shop kept by the Jew was, as a matter of convenience and policy, -located near the wharves. It was not a general clothing-store, but -specially designed to supply seamen with outfits. - -"I have a little errand here," said Randall, pausing before the shop of -Moses Mellen. - -"I can stop outside," said Charlie. - -"You had better come in. You will see where we sailors get our -clothing." - -Not suspecting any sinister design in this invitation, Charlie -accepted it without more ado, and followed Randall in. He looked about -him with some curiosity, not observing that he too was an object of -attention to the Jewish dealer, whose quick eye detected their entrance. - -He went forward to meet Randall. - -"You see the boy, do you?" asked the mate, in a low voice. - -"Is that the one?" - -"Yes. Do you think you will be able to fit him?" - -"No doubt about it, though he is a little smaller than the boys we -usually fit out." - -"Never mind if the clothes are a little large. He'll be sure to grow to -them, and a precise fit isn't quite so important on the quarter-deck as -it might be on Washington Street. We are not fashionable on board the -Betsey, Mr. Mellen." - -The dealer laughed, showing some yellowish tusks, which were evidently -not supplied by the dentist. - -"Have you made out my bill?" - -"Here it is." - -"While I am looking over it, will you pick out such clothes as the boy -will need?" - -Darting a hasty glance at Charlie, to make sure of his size, the dealer -hurried to the rear of the shop, and commenced selecting articles which -he laid away in a small blue chest. - -The task was soon completed, and again he came out to the front part of -the store. - -"All ready!" he said, in a low voice to Randall. - -"You have been quick. Here is the amount of your bill. As to the chest, -you may send it on board the Bouncing Betsey without any unnecessary -delay." - -"It shall be done, Mr. Randall. Have you no further commands for us?" - -"I believe not, to-day." - -"You will remember our shop when you are round again?" - -"I won't forget you." - -"You needn't accompany me to the door, nor allude to my voyage," said -Randall, in a low voice, to the dealer. "Remember, I have _him_ with -me." - -Moses winked in a manner which by no means improved the expression of -his not very agreeable features. - -"Now, my lad," said Randall, "we'll go on board the vessel. Have you -ever been on board a ship?" - -"Yes, sir, a good many times by myself, but I never had any one to tell -me the different parts." - -"I'll promise, then," said the mate, in a tone whose significance was -lost upon our hero at the time, though he afterwards recalled it, "that -you shall know more about a vessel before you leave this one." - -"I thank you," said Charlie, considering the offer a kind one. - -They ascended the ladder and jumped upon the deck of the vessel, which, -though Charlie knew it not, was to be his home for many a weary day. - - - - - IX. - - ON BOARD. - - -At the close of the last chapter we had got our hero fairly on board -the Bouncing Betsey, on what he supposed to be a brief visit, but -which his companion had resolved should be far otherwise. - -Randall did not at first undeceive his youthful attendant. He felt -that it would hardly be polite, as the ship was lying at the wharf -surrounded by other vessels, and the disturbance and vigorous -resistance which Charlie would be apt to make when told what was in -store for him might attract a degree of attention which might prove -fatal to his plans. - -They had scarcely set their feet upon deck, when they encountered -Captain Brace. - -The mate glanced significantly at the boy by his side, and carelessly -put his finger to his lips in token of silence, at the same time -saying, "A lad whom I have promised to initiate into some of the -mysteries of seamanship." - -"He may find the knowledge useful to him some time," said the captain, -with a grim smile. "Do you think you should like going to sea, my lad?" - -"No, sir," returned Charlie, promptly, "I don't think I should." - -"Why not?" - -"I should get tired of seeing the sea all the time." - -"You would get used to it." - -"I never should like it so well as the land. Besides, I should not like -to leave my mother." - -"Well, my lad, if you should ever change your mind," said the captain, -with a wicked glance at Randall, "I hope you'll give me the first offer -of your services." - -"Yes, sir," said our hero, thinking the captain very affable and -polite, though, to be sure, his appearance was hardly as prepossessing -as it might have been. - -"The captain seems to be a very nice man," said he to Randall, after -that officer had left them. - -"Oh, yes," answered Randall, dryly, "a very fine man the captain is. -I'm glad you like him." - -"Have you been to sea a long time?" inquired Charlie. - -"Yes, I have been ever since I was a boy." - -"Do you like it?" - -"Very much. It seems like home to me now. I shouldn't be willing to -live on land for any length of time." - -"Did you begin very young?" - -"I was about sixteen. How old are you?" - -"Almost fourteen. I shall be fourteen next month." - -"You are a very good size for your age." - -"Yes," said Charlie, with boyish pride, drawing himself up to his full -height. Like most boys, he liked to be told he was large of his age. - -"My father was quite a large man," added our young hero. - -"I know it," muttered Randall to himself, as the handsome face and -manly form of the father rose before him. They were imprinted more -vividly upon his memory, because he felt that it was these very -advantages which had enabled his rival to succeed in winning the prize -for which he had vainly contended. - -"Did you speak?" said Charlie, hearing indistinctly the words which his -companion muttered. - -"No," said Randall, shortly. "But I promised to show you something -about the vessel. I suppose you know the names of the masts." - -"Yes, sir." - -"What do they call this?" - -"This is the main-mast," answered Charlie, promptly, "and the others -are called the fore-mast and mizzen-mast." - -"That is right; I suppose the masts seem high to you." - -"Yes, very high," said Charlie, stretching his neck to enable him to -see the top. - -"Then you don't think you should like to go aloft?" said Randall, -playing with him as a cat plays with a mouse. - -"I don't believe I could. It would make me dizzy." - -"You could do better than you think for, if you were obliged to." - -"Perhaps I might," said Charlie, doubtfully. "Do the boys on board ship -have to go up there?" - -"I had to when I was a boy." - -"Wer'n't you afraid?" - -"I suppose I was, but that didn't do any good,--I had to go." - -"Wer'n't you afraid of losing your hold?" - -"Yes, but it isn't often a boy loses his hold going up the first time. -He is so frightened that he clings to the ropes with a pretty tight -grip. But after he gets used to it--and it doesn't seem any worse -than going up stairs--he is apt to grow careless, and then there is -sometimes an accident." - -"Then I suppose they fall on deck and are instantly killed," said -Charlie, shuddering. - -"Not always, for when the ship is in progress it leans a good deal, so -that they are more likely to fall overboard." - -"And get drowned!" - -"Sometimes. They can't always keep up till assistance comes, especially -if they can't swim. Sometimes their fall is broken by the rigging, and -they manage to save themselves by catching hold." - -They visited other parts of the ship, and Randall continued his -explanations. The sailors were all on board, at work in various ways. -They did not appear to notice the mate and his young companion when -they passed, but Charlie, chancing to look behind him, observed one -making a significant gesture to another, which evidently referred to -them. - -Our young hero mentally thought this not very polite, but did not pay -much attention to it. - -About this time a porter arrived from the clothing-store already -referred to, bringing a small blue chest. - -"This is the ship Bouncing Betsey, isn't it?" he inquired. - -"Yes," answered one of the sailors. - -"I was told to bring this chest here, then." - -"Who is it for?" - -"Jack Randall." - -"That's the mate, you lubber. Why don't you put a handle to his name?" - -"No, it's for a boy." - -"We haven't got any such boy aboard as I knows on." - -"There ain't two ships of this name, are there?" - -"Not as I ever heerd tell." - -"Then this must be the ship. Where shall I stow this chest? I've got -tired of bringing it on my back." - -"You'd better go and speak to the mate about it. There he stands. -Mayhap that's the boy the kit belongs to." - -The porter walked forward. - -"Does this belong to you?" he asked, laying down the chest. - -"Yes." - -"Then it wasn't for a boy?" - -"Yes," answered the mate, carelessly. "It is for a nephew of mine who -is going with us this voyage." - -"Is that the young gentleman?" asked the porter, pointing to Charlie. - -"He thinks you're my nephew," said Randall, smiling. "A good joke, -isn't it?" - -"This young gentleman is only looking about the ship a little," he -answered. "He don't think he should fancy going to sea." - -"Beg pardon, I didn't know but he might be the one." - -"Oh, no, certainly not." - -"Shall I leave the chest here?" - -"Yes, anywhere. No, you may carry it below. Here," summoning one of -the sailors, "Show this man where to put this chest." - -"So your nephew is going to sea," said Charlie, with some curiosity. - -"Yes." - -"Does he think he shall like to go?" - -"I don't believe he thinks much about it." - -"How large a boy is he?" - -"I should think he was about as large as you. Yes, come to think of it, -I don't believe there can be any difference between you." - -The joke was a cruel one, as Charlie found to his cost, before long. - -"Is he on board now?" - -"I don't see him," said the mate, looking in the opposite direction -from where Charlie was standing. "But I think he will be on board very -soon. Were you ever dressed in sailor's clothes?" - -"Never," said our hero. - -"I wonder how you would look. You are just about my nephew's size. Have -you any objection to trying on his clothes?" - -Charlie had not. In fact he was rather curious to learn how he should -look in this unusual attire. Accordingly he went below, and was soon -dressed in full sailor rig. It was a very good fit, and very becoming -to our hero, who was a remarkably handsome boy. - -"A good fit, is it not?" asked the mate. - -"Excellent," said Charlie. - -"One would almost think the clothes were meant for you," said Randall, -with a smile, which Charlie did not understand. - - - - - X. - - CHARLIE IN A TIGHT PLACE. - - -Charlie surveyed himself in his new attire with some complacency. -He felt that it was becoming, and it gave him a new feeling of -manliness. In fact it seemed to him, for the time being, as if he were -really a sailor. Charlie, however, though he was very well pleased -with his sailor's rig, did not feel in the least tempted to wear it -professionally. Accordingly, after the survey was over, he began to -divest himself of it. - -"What are you doing?" asked the mate, laying his hand heavily upon the -shoulder of our young hero. - -"Taking off your nephew's clothes," returned Charlie, looking up in -considerable surprise at the tone in which he was addressed. - -"What's that for?" - -"To put on my own." - -"Then you needn't trouble yourself," said Randall, composedly; "those -you have on are your own." - -"What do you mean?" asked Charlie meeting the mate's triumphant look -with an open, manly glance. - -"I mean," said Randall, with a sardonic look, "that the clothes were -bought for the one who now wears them." - -"Bought for me!" exclaimed Charlie, in great bewilderment. - -"Yes. You wondered how they happened to fit you so well. That is easily -explained. They were picked out on purpose for you. The old Jew in the -clothing-store took your measure with his eye while you were standing -there with me. Faith, he's got a pretty sharp eye." - -"But your nephew?" said Charlie, his heart sinking, as he began to -comprehend the plot to which he had fallen a victim; "I thought you -said they belonged to him." - -"Well," said Randall, with a harsh laugh, "you're my nephew." - -"I am not," said Charlie, with something of haughtiness in his tone, as -he surveyed the mate scornfully. - -"He's got his mother's look," muttered the latter. "That's the way -she looked when she sent me about my business. She'd look something -different, I fancy, if she knew I'd got her boy in my power. I've got -the whip-hand of her now, and she'll live yet to repent the day she -rejected Jack Randall." - -These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, and did not -prevent his answering at once Charlie's bold denial. - -"There's a little too much pride about you, youngster. It'll need -taming down. You're to be my nephew while you're aboard this ship. -Remember, your name is Jack Randall. Take care that you claim no other." - -"What good will that do?" said Charlie. "I am not going to remain on -board." - -"You're not, eh?" said the mate, significantly. - -"No," said Charlie, boldly. - -"Suppose I say you shall." - -"Then," said Charlie, firmly, "I say you are mistaken." - -Our hero was a boy of spirit, and had no idea of being disposed of -without his own consent. He commenced tugging away at his blue jacket -with the intention of pulling it off. - -"What are you doing?" asked Randall, with a frown, advancing and laying -a heavy hand on the boy's shoulder. "Haven't I told you to keep those -clothes on?" - -"You have no right to interfere with me," said Charlie, stoutly, his -eye flashing with indignation. "Give me back my clothes." - -"You can't have them. If you strip off those you have on you'll have to -go without any." - -Exasperated, Charlie made a spring forward, and attempted to wrest his -clothes from the hands of the mate. - -"Ha, my fine fellow!" exclaimed Randall, as, evading the boy's grasp, -he lifted them beyond his reach. "So you are inclined to be mutinous, -are you? Very well, we have a remedy for all such cases, and a very -simple one it is." - -So saying, he drew a stout cord from his pocket, and advanced towards -our hero with the intention of binding him. - -Charlie sprang for the stairs, and was half way up before the mate -caught him and dragged him back. - -"Well, boy, you're a pretty tough customer--true grit. You're just the -boy to make a sailor of. I must make sure of you." - -So saying, he succeeded, in spite of Charlie's vigorous exertions, in -tying his hands and feet. Not until thus rendered quite helpless did -the brave boy suffer himself to burst into tears. - -"What are you going to do with me?" he asked. - -"I am going to make a sailor of you," answered the mate. - -"But I don't want to go to sea," answered Charlie. - -"So you said once before, but you'll change your mind before long." - -"My mother will not know where I am. She can't get along without me, -for she depends upon me in part for support." - -"I dare say she'll get along somehow," said Randall, coolly. "She won't -miss you much, and she ought to feel glad that your uncle has taken -charge of you." - -"Uncle!" retorted the boy, with flashing eyes. "I wouldn't own you as -uncle for all the money in Boston." - -"You wouldn't!" said Randall, his tone changing, and a dark look -overspreading his face. "Very well, my bold lad, you may have reason to -repent those words. You may find out by and by that it is as well to -be civil to your superior officer. I will do nothing about it now, but -when we are out of port and fairly at sea, look out!" - -Charlie, who was quick-witted, caught a hint from these words, and at -once set up a scream, hoping to draw attention from outside. - -"That's your game, is it?" said the mate. "We'll soon stop that." - -So saying, he drew out the boy's own handkerchief, and gagged him -so that there was no further fear of his being able to make any -disturbance which could be heard on the wharf or on neighboring vessels. - -Feeling now secure, he left Charlie mute and helpless, and ascended to -the deck. - -"What was the noise I heard below, Mr. Randall?" asked the captain, -pausing in his walk, and addressing his first officer. - -"My nephew!" said Randall, with a smile. - -"Ha! he is a little obstreperous, is he?" - -"A trifle so." - -"Doesn't like the society of his uncle sufficiently to want to go to -sea with him, I suppose?" - -"I dare say he would like to change his quarters," said Randall, -composedly. - -"How did you reconcile him to his fate?" - -"A couple of strong cords and a gag did the business. They will keep -him quiet till we get out to sea, and then perhaps we can discover some -other means of bringing him to terms." - -"A slightly different application of the cords, perhaps, Mr. Randall." - -The mate smiled approval of this jest, and as his services were now in -requisition to expedite preparations for departure, he left the captain -and went about his duty. - -Meanwhile the mate's conduct had not been unobserved by the crew. Among -these was an old sailor who rejoiced in the name of Bill Sturdy. It is -needless to say that this was not his real name. No one appeared to -know what his real name was, and he had become so used to this, that he -generally called himself so. The name Sturdy had probably been given -him on account of his sturdy make. He was stout and very powerful. -Probably there were no two men on board the ship who would not have -felt some hesitation in attacking Bill Sturdy. - -It may be added that the name was no less appropriate if we consider -it bestowed on account of his character and disposition. He was -unpolished enough, having beaten about the world all his life, yet he -had been gifted by nature with a fund of sturdy common sense and powers -of observation which made him more thoughtful and intelligent than most -of his class. He had a kind heart, and hated to see oppression. This -was his first voyage on board the Bouncing Betsey; the ship on which he -had last served having been wrecked, and he with a few others having, -with difficulty, saved themselves. Since he had engaged on board the -Betsey, the stories he had heard of the captain's brutality led him -to repent of his determination, and he had resolved within himself to -remain on board but a single voyage. - -He had had his attention drawn to our hero and the mate, and he -observed that the latter came up alone from below. - -"That's a trim, handsome little lad," he said to himself; "I wonder -what the mate is so attentive to him for. There's some deviltry in the -wind, as sure as my name is Bill Sturdy. I hope, for the boy's sake, he -isn't going to ship with us. If he does. I must do what I can for him, -for I mistrust he'll want a friend." - - - - - XI. - - OFF TO SEA. - - -The thoughts of our young hero as he lay helpless, gagged and bound, -were hardly of the most cheerful character. The blow had been so -sudden, that he was quite unprepared for it. Added to this, his -apprehensions were vague and indefinite. There seemed something -mysterious about the manner in which he had been spirited away, and -this thought increased his feeling of discomfort. A danger which can -be measured and comprehended in its full extent may be boldly faced, -however great, but when we are ignorant of its nature and extent that -is not so easy. - -Charlie understood as much as this, that it was the intention of -Randall to carry him off to sea. But why he should have taken such -pains to ensnare him, when there are always plenty of boys glad to -obtain such a situation, he could not conceive. - -Charlie was no coward. He was no stranger to the bold spirit of -adventure by which boys of his age are apt to be animated. Indeed, -under different circumstances, and if the arrangement had been of his -own free choice, it is quite possible that he might have looked forward -with pleasurable anticipations to the life that awaited him. But there -was one thought uppermost in his mind that gave him no little pain -and anxiety, the thought of his mother. He was her all. In the large -and busy city she knew but very few; she had none whom she could call -friends. Her hopes were all centred in him. Still farther, it was in a -great measure owing to his activity and industry that she had been able -to live with a degree of comfort, for though she was always at work, -the avenues of industry open to women are few, and toil at the needle -is so unsatisfactorily compensated that Charlie, though working fewer -hours, was able to contribute considerably more than half of the sum -required for their joint support. - -How would his mother get along during his absence, the length of which -he could not estimate? Would she suffer not only in mind but in bodily -discomfort? Well he remembered how pleasantly the evenings had passed -when they were together. Now there must be a long separation. Would -he ever see his mother again? She would not be able to retain their -present lodging, now that the entire rent would fall to her to pay. -Perhaps when he did he should be unable to obtain any clew to her -whereabouts. This was indeed a terrible thought to poor Charlie, who -chafed like a caged lion in his confinement. He endeavored to unloose -the cords which bound him, but with little prospect of success; for no -one better than a sailor understands the art of tying a knot securely. - -While Charlie was doing his utmost to free himself from the cords that -bound him, having already removed the gag, he was startled by a low -laugh of triumphant malice. - -Looking up, he saw the mate, the author of all his misfortunes, -watching him with great apparent enjoyment. - -"Ah, Jack," he said, "I see you are hard at work. Work away. If you -untie those knots you've got more skilful fingers than the one that -tied them, that's all." - -"Come and release me," said Charlie. "You have no right to keep me -here." - -"You are mistaken," said the mate, coolly. "I have the best of all -rights." - -"And what right is that?" demanded our hero. - -"_The right of power!_" answered Randall. "Might makes right, perhaps -you have heard." - -"How long are you going to keep me here?" asked Charlie, after a pause. - -"Till we get far enough out to sea to make it safe to release you." - -Charlie kept silence. He felt that it would be useless to appeal to the -mercy of the mate, who appeared bent upon carrying him away. He turned -his face resolutely away from Randall, for whom he began to entertain -a stronger feeling of dislike than he had supposed himself capable -of feeling. Hitherto he had only been accustomed to an atmosphere of -affection, and though he had met with some rebuffs in his daily search -for employment, he could always return at night to a home and a mother, -with whom he could forget whatever had been disagreeable during the -day. Now his position was entirely changed. The only one he knew on -board the vessel was one whom he had no reason to believe friendly, but -very much the reverse. - -By this time the noise upon deck, which he could hear plainly, had -become greater and greater. He could hear frequent orders given by the -captain, and also by the mate, who had now returned to his post. - -Soon the vessel, which had been at rest, appeared to be moving. He -could hear the plashing of the water against its sides. He felt that it -was in motion, slow at first, but afterwards more rapid. He conjectured -that the ship was being towed out to sea by a steam-tug. - -He wished that at least he could get to a window, and catch a last -glimpse of the land to which he was about to bid so unexpected a -farewell. But this, tied hand and foot as he was, was impossible, and -he felt that now it would do him no good even if he should succeed -in breaking his bonds. Already they were speeding out to sea as fast -as the tug could convey them. There was no redress or help for him -beyond the limits of the vessel in which his tyrants exercised absolute -control, for he felt well assured that Captain Brace was in league with -the mate, or, at all events, would interpose his authority to support -Randall in his plans. - -So time sped on, the ship continuing all the while in steady motion. - -At length the tug left them and returned to the city, leaving the -vessel to shift for itself. Although Charlie could not see what was -going on, he judged this from the noise and shouts of command given -above, to which he listened with sharpened attention. - -Charlie felt that with the departure of the steam-tug all possibility -of escape had passed. The last link which had bound him to the shore -had been snapped asunder. - -While he was plunged in sorrowful thought he suddenly heard a step -descending the stairs. - -Thinking it was the mate, of whom he felt that he should see in future -much more than he cared, he did not turn his head. - -"Hallo, my lad," was the salutation of the new-comer, in a rough, but -hearty voice, "how came you in this trim?" - -It was not the mate's harsh voice. Quickly turning round, Charlie's -eyes rested on the bronzed but good-humored face of Bill Sturdy, the -stout sailor to whom reference has already been made. Whatever may be -thought of physiognomy as an index of character, it is undeniable that -we are either attracted to or repelled from certain faces. - -Now the first sight of Bill Sturdy's honest and good-humored face -seemed to Charlie like a ray of light in a dark place. He felt that -he was a man to be trusted. - -"Will you be a friend to me?" asked Charlie, with instinctive -confidence. - -"That I will, my lad," exclaimed Bill, with hearty emphasis; "but tell -me who tied you up in this fashion?" - -"His name is Randall, and I believe he is the mate." - -"The lubberly rascal! And what did he do that for?" - -"He entrapped me on board the vessel, and now he is carrying me out to -sea, against my will." - -"How came you in your sailor's rig?" asked Sturdy. - -Charlie explained the trick which had been practised upon him, which -Bill Sturdy denounced in good set terms, though possibly more strong -than refined. - -"He's a rascal; there ain't a doubt of that," said Bill. "I should like -to overhaul him, and teach him better manners. As for you, my lad, I'm -sorry for you. You've shipped for the v'y'ge, and there ain't any help -for it, as I see. But you may depend upon one thing, old Bill Sturdy -will look out for you, and will be your friend." - -"Thank you," said our hero, feeling more cheerful and hopeful. It was -something to have one friend on board. - -"I mistrust there are some rascals aboard," muttered Bill to himself, -as he went up on deck. "They'd better not interfere with me or that -young lad!" and he extended his muscular arm with a sense of power. - - - - - XII. - - LANDLORD AND TENANT. - - -The payment of a thousand dollars to Randall had been a severe blow -to old Peter Manson, and this consideration materially lessened the -satisfaction which he felt in Charlie's removal. - -We re-introduce him to our readers, engaged, as usual, in counting over -his hoards. Preparatory to doing so, he carefully secured the outer -door, and also the door of the apartment which he occupied. - -Then lifting up a plank from the floor, he raised from beneath a large -box containing gold coins. It was very heavy, and it was not without -difficulty that the old man, who was very feeble, succeeded in lifting -it to a level with the floor. - -The box was, perhaps, four fifths full. - -The old man surveyed the deficiency with a groan. - -"It might have been full," he muttered, "if I hadn't been obliged to -pay away such a sight of money to that determined man. One thousand -dollars! two hundred bright, sparkling coins! How many, many weary days -it will take before I can supply their place. It was all but full. It -wanted only ten more coins to make five thousand dollars. Oh gold, gold, -gold! How beautiful you are! To me you are food and drink and clothing -and friends and relations. I care for nothing but you." - -While Peter was indulging in this soliloquy, he was engaged in counting -the coins in the box. - -The result of the count showed one less than he had anticipated. - -The old man turned pale. - -"Some one has robbed me," he muttered. "Or, perchance, I have counted -wrong. I will go over it again." - -This he did with eager haste and a feeling of nervous anxiety, and, to -his no small dismay, the count resulted as before. - -"They have taken my money!" exclaimed Peter, tearing his white hair in -anguish. "They will make me a beggar, and I shall be reduced to want in -my old age. Oh, oh!" - -In the midst of his lamentations he suddenly discovered the missing -coin, which had rolled away, without his observing it, to the opposite -side of the room. - -Chuckling with delight, he picked it up and replaced it in the box. - -His duty satisfactorily performed, the miser put on his cloak, and -prepared for another task. This was, to raise Mrs. Codman's rent, -and so compel her to leave the rooms which she rented of him. This, -however, was unnecessary, since, deprived of Charlie's earnings, his -mother would have found it impossible to pay the rent previously -demanded. - -Peter Manson resolved to call upon his tenant in person. He was not -afraid of recognition. He felt that the changes which twenty years had -wrought in his appearance, would be a sufficient protection. Indeed, -this had already been tested; for Peter had already called several -times on the same errand, without attracting a glance which could be -construed into recognition. - -It was the morning after Charlie had disappeared. He had been absent -twenty-four hours, and his mother had heard nothing of him. She was in -a terrible state of apprehension and anxiety, for few boys were more -regular than he in repairing home as soon as his daily duties were over. - -Mrs. Codman had sat up late into the night, hoping against her fears -that he would return. At length, exhausted by her vigils, she sank upon -the bed, but not to sleep. In the morning she rose, unrefreshed, to -prepare her solitary meal. But it was in vain. Sorrow and anxiety had -taken away her appetite, and she was unable to eat anything. - -Soon afterwards a knock was heard at the door. She hastened to -open it, hoping to hear some tidings of her lost boy. What was her -disappointment to meet the bent form and wrinkled face of Peter Manson, -her landlord. - -The old man gave her a stealthy glance. - -"Why did I not know her before?" he thought. "She is not so very much -changed. But I--ha, ha! she don't know who I am." - -Mrs. Codman went to a drawer in her bureau, and took therefrom six -dollars. - -"This is the amount of your rent, I believe," she said. - -The old man greedily closed his fingers upon the money, and then, after -intimating that it was very small, avowed his determination to raise -the rent to two dollars per week. - -The miser watched with gleeful exultation the look of dismay which came -over the face of his tenant. - -Two dollars a week was not only beyond Mrs. Codman's means, but was, -at that time, an exorbitant rent for the rooms which she occupied. She -would scarcely have been justified in paying it while she had Charlie's -earnings as well as her own to depend on. Yet there seemed now an -imperative necessity for remaining where she was, for a time at least. -It was possible that Charlie would come back, and if she should remove, -where would he find her? Of course, he would come back! The thought -that there was even a possibility of her son being lost to her was so -full of shuddering terror, that Mrs. Codman would not for a moment -indulge it. Life without Charlie would be so full of sadness, that she -could not believe him lost. - -She resolved to make an effort to arouse the old man's compassion. -She did not dream of the spite and hatred which he felt towards her. -There are none whom the wicked hate so heartily as those whom they have -injured. That is something beyond forgiveness. - -Mrs. Codman knew that Peter Manson was avaricious, and to this she -attributed the increase in the rent. She had no suspicion that he had a -particular object in distressing her. - -"Surely, Mr. Manson," she remonstrated, "You do not think these rooms -worth two dollars a week. It is all we are able to do to raise the rent -we now pay." - -"Humph!" muttered Peter, avoiding the eye of his tenant, "they are -worth all I can get for them." - -"Have you raised the rent on the other rooms in this house?" - -"No, but I--I shall soon." - -"Then I tremble for your tenants. Mr. Manson, if you were poor -yourself, perhaps you would have a heart to sympathize with and pity -the poor." - -"If I were poor!" exclaimed the old man, betrayed into his customary -whine; "I am poor; indeed, I am very poor." - -"You!" repeated Mrs. Codman, incredulously. "Why, you must receive a -thousand dollars a year from this building." - -"Yet I--I am poor," persisted Peter. "I am only an agent. I--I do not -own this building; at least--I mean--there are heavy incumbrances on -it; I have to pay away nearly every dollar I receive." - -"Can you let me remain a month longer for the same rent as heretofore?" -asked Mrs. Codman, anxiously. - -"I--I couldn't do it," said Peter, hastily. "Either you must pay two -dollars a week, or move out." - -Mrs. Codman hesitated. - -She went to her bureau, and found that she had between five and six -dollars remaining in her purse. This would enable her, in addition to -what she could earn by sewing, to get along for a month. - -"Very well, sir," said she, "I must stay a month longer, at any rate. I -must for my boy's sake." - -"Have you a son?" asked Peter, desirous of learning from the mother's -lips that the blow had struck home. - -"Yes; you have probably seen him here sometimes." - -"I haven't noticed him." - -"I am feeling very anxious about him. Yesterday morning he went out -on an errand for some one who had engaged him, and he hasn't been -back since. I am afraid something must have happened to him," and the -mother's eyes filled with tears. - -"Perhaps he has fallen off from one of the wharves, and got drowned," -suggested Peter, with a savage delight in the pain he was inflicting. - -"You don't think it possible!" exclaimed Mrs. Codman, starting to -her feet, and looking in the old man's face with a glance of agonized -entreaty, as if he could change by his words the fate of her son. - -"Such things often happen," said Peter, chuckling inwardly at the -success of his remark; "I knew a boy--an Irish boy, about the size of -yours--drowned the other day." - -"About the size of my boy! I thought you had not noticed him." - -"I--I remember having seen him once," stammered Peter. "He is about a -dozen years old, isn't he?" - -"Yes; but you don't--you can't think him drowned." - -"How should I know?" muttered Peter. "Boys are careless, very careless, -you know that; and like as not he might have been playing on the wharf, -and----" - -"No, it can't be," said Mrs. Codman, with a feeling of relief which her -knowledge of Charlie's habits gave her. "Charlie was not careless, and -never went to play on the wharf." - -The old man was disappointed to find that his blow had failed of -its effect, but ingenious in devising new methods of torture, he now -suggested the true cause of Charlie's absence. - -"Perhaps," he said, with his cruel gray eyes fixed upon the mother, -"perhaps he's been carried off in a ship." - -"Carried off in a ship!" faltered Mrs. Codman. - -"Yes," said Peter, delighted by the evident dismay with which this -suggestion was received. - -"But," said Mrs. Codman, not quite comprehending his meaning, "Charlie -never had any inclination to go to sea." - -"Perhaps they didn't consult him about it," suggested Peter. - -"_What do you mean?_" exclaimed the mother, with startling emphasis, -half advancing towards the old man. - -"You--you shouldn't be so violent," said Peter, trembling, and starting -back in alarm. - -"Violent! Deprive a mother of her only child, and she may well show -some vehemence." - -"I--I didn't do it," said Peter, hastily. - -"Certainly not," said Mrs. Codman, wondering at his thinking it -necessary to exculpate himself; "but you were saying something -about--about boys being carried to sea against their will." - -"I didn't mean anything," muttered Peter, regretting that he had put -her on the right track. - -"But you did, otherwise you would not have said it. For heaven's sake, -tell me what you did mean, and all you meant. Don't fear to distress -me. I can bear anything except this utter uncertainty." - -She looked up earnestly in the old man's face. - -Peter was somewhat amused at the idea that he might be afraid to -distress her, but decided, on reflection, to tell her that all he chose -she should be made acquainted with. - -"Sometimes," he explained, "a captain is short of hands, and fills out -his number the best way he can. Now perhaps one of the ships at the -wharves might have wanted a boy, and the captain might have invited -your son on board, and, ha, ha! it almost makes me laugh to think of -it, might carry him off before he thought where he was." - -"Do you laugh at the thought of such a cruel misfortune?" asked Mrs. -Codman, startled from her grief by the old man's chuckle. - -"I--excuse me, I didn't intend to; but I thought he would be so much -surprised when he found out where he was." - -"And does that seem to you a fitting subject for merriment?" demanded -the outraged mother. - -The miser cowed beneath her indignant glance, and muttering something -unintelligible, slunk away. - -"Curse her!" he muttered, in his quavering tones, "why can't I face her -like a man? I never could. That was the way when--when she rejected me. -But I shall have my revenge yet." - -Strange to say, Peter's last suggestion produced an effect quite -different from that which he anticipated and intended. Days passed, and -Charlie did not come; but his mother feeling certain, she hardly knew -why, that he had been inveigled on board some vessel, felt sure he -would some day return. - -"He will write to me as soon as he gets a chance," thought the mother, -"and I shall soon see him again." - - - - - XIII. - - CLOUDS AND SUNSHINE. - - -Small as was the remuneration which Mrs. Codman received for sewing, -she hoped, by great economy, to get along with the money which she -already had on hand. But troubles never come singly, and of this she -was destined to feel the full significance. - -One morning she made up a bundle of completed work, and proceeded with -it to the ready-made clothing store of Messrs. Sharp & Keene, her -employers. It was a trial to one reared as Mrs. Codman had been, to -come into contact with men who did not think it necessary to hide their -native coarseness from one who made shirts for them at twenty cents -apiece. - -On the present occasion she was kept waiting for some time, before her -presence appeared to be noticed. At length, Sharp nodded to her from -the desk. - -"Ahem! Mrs. Wiggins," commenced Sharp. - -"Codman, sir," corrected the one addressed. - -"Well, the name don't signify, I suppose. How many shirts have you got -there?" - -"Half a dozen, sir." - -"Half a dozen at twenty cents apiece make a dollar and twenty cents. -Present this card at the other desk, and you will be paid." - -He scratched on a card "6 shirts--$1.20," and handed to her, at the -same time calling, in a loud voice, "Here, Thomas, pay Mrs. Wigman a -dollar and twenty cents." - -"Codman, sir." - -"It seems to me you are mighty particular about your name." - -"Shall I have more work?" asked Mrs. Codman, with some anxiety. - -"Well, not at present. Business is dull just now. Nothing doing, and -won't be for some time to come." - -"How long before you can probably give me something to do?" inquired -Mrs. Codman, apprehensively. - -"Can't say," was the careless reply. "It may be a month, or six weeks. -You can call round in four or five weeks." - -"What am I to do between now and then?" thought the poor woman, her -heart sinking. - -She must get something to do. She could not live otherwise, more -especially since the rise in the rent, and her resources had been so -largely diminished by the withdrawal of Charlie's services. - -She applied at several other shops which she passed on the way -home, but found, in every case, that they were already overrun with -applications, and in the slack of business would be compelled to -discharge some of those at present employed. - -But the hour is the darkest that's just before day, and when fortune -has done its worst, oftentimes the tide turns, and affairs improve. - -So it proved with Mrs. Codman. - -On reaching home, not a little depressed at the idea of remaining -inactive, when she stood so much in need of the proceeds of her labor, -Mrs. Codman had scarcely removed her bonnet and shawl, when she heard a -knock at her door. - -In answer to her "Come in," the door opened, and the washer-woman, who -roomed just above, entered. - -"How do you do, Mrs. O'Grady?" said Mrs. Codman. - -"I am very well, _Miss_ Codman, and I hope it's the same wid yerself. -Have you heard anything of the swate boy that was lost?" - -"Nothing," was the sad reply. - -"Cheer up, then, _Miss_ Codman. He'll be coming back bimeby, wid his -pockets full of gold, so that you won't have to work any more." - -"I am afraid that I shall not be able to work any more at present," -returned Mrs. Codman. - -"And what for not? Is it sick that ye are?" - -Mrs. Codman related the want of success which she had met with in -procuring work. She also mentioned Peter's visit and the increased -rent. - -"Just like him, the old spalpeen!" broke out Mrs. O'Grady, indignantly. -"He wants to squeeze the last cint out of us poor folks, and it don't -do him any good neither. I'd be ashamed if Mr. O'Grady wint about -dressed as he does. But may be, Miss Codman, I'll get you a chance -that'll take you out of his reach, the mane ould rascal!" - -"You get me a chance! What do you mean?" asked Mrs. Codman, turning -with surprise to her Hibernian friend and defender. - -"I'll tell ye, only jist sit down, for it may take me some time." - -This was Mrs. O'Grady's explanation, which it may be better to abridge, -for the good lady was wont to be somewhat prolix and discursive in her -narratives. - -It seems she had been employed, at sundry times, in the house of a Mr. -Bowman, a wealthy merchant living on Mt. Vernon Street. This gentleman -had lost his wife some months before. The only child arising from -this union was a daughter, about ten years of age. Her father did not -like schools, either public or private, for a child of her years, and -preferred that his daughter, for the present, should be educated at -home. Hitherto she had been left pretty much to herself, and had never -been willing to apply herself to study. - -Mr. Bowman was now looking out for a suitable governess for his -daughter, and it had struck Mrs. O'Grady--who, though ignorant and -uncultivated herself, was sharp-sighted enough to detect the marks of -education and refinement in another--that Mrs. Codman would suit him. - -So Mrs. O'Grady, in her zeal, made bold to intimate to the servants, -through whom it reached Mr. Bowman, that she knew a sweet lady who -would be just the one for a governess for the young lady. - -Now the recommendation of an Irish washer-woman may not be considered -the most valuable in an affair of this kind; but it so happened -that the suggestion reached Mr. Bowman at a time when he was so -oppressed with business cares that he did not know how to spare -the time necessary to seek out a governess. He accordingly summoned -Mrs. O'Grady to a conference, and asked some hasty questions of her, -which she answered by such a eulogistic account of Mrs. Codman, whose -condescending kindness had quite won her heart, that Mr. Bowman desired -her to request Mrs. Codman to call upon him the next day at a stated -hour. - -"So you see, Miss Codman," concluded the warmhearted Irish woman, "that -you're in luck, and all you've got to do is to call upon Mr. Bowman -to-morrow, and you'll get a nice home, and won't have to work any more -at your sewing." - -Mrs. Codman did not at once reply. - -"And won't you go?" asked Mrs. O'Grady, wondering at her silence. - -"I think I will," said Mrs. Codman; "and I feel much obliged to you, my -good friend, for saying a kind word for me, though I do not feel at all -confident that I shall obtain this place." - -"Niver fear for that," said the sanguine washer-woman; "he'll see at -once that you're a rale lady, and it's in luck he'll be to get you." - -Undoubtedly the position of a governess would be more remunerative, -and less laborious, than that of a seamstress, and, under present -circumstances, Mrs. Codman felt that she could not afford to throw the -chance away. She retired that night a little more cheerful and hopeful -than would have been the case had not this door of escape from the evil -of want been shown her. - - - - - XIV. - - BERT. - - -In the breakfast-room of a house on Mt. Vernon Street sat two persons -with whom it is necessary that we should become acquainted. - -The first is a gentleman of perhaps forty-five, rather stout, and -with a pleasant expression of countenance. He has finished his cup of -coffee, and taken up the morning paper, which he scans carefully, more -especially those parts relating to business. - -At the opposite side of the table is a young lady of ten, with mirthful -black eyes, and very red cheeks, which are well set off by her black -hair. Altogether, she is very handsome, a fact of which she is not -altogether unconscious. She is lively, fresh, original, and impulsive, -not under very much restraint, but with an excellent disposition and -kindly feelings, which do not allow her to go very far wrong. Yet it -must be confessed that thus far her education has been sadly neglected, -so that, as far as learning goes, she probably knows less than most -girls two years younger. - -The room, in which the father and daughter were seated, is tastefully -furnished with that regard to comfort which is found in our American -houses. - -The two whom we have thus introduced are Benjamin Bowman, a wealthy -merchant, and his daughter Bertha, though, in that shortening of names -which is apt to take place in a family, hers has been shortened to -Bert, which she appears to prefer to the longer and more strictly -feminine name. - -"Papa," she said, pushing away her plate, "you ain't good company at -all." - -"Thank you for the compliment, Bert," he said. - -"But you're not, though. There you are wearing out your eyes over that -stupid paper, and leaving me to talk to myself or Topsy. Here, Topsy, -isn't it so?" - -At this summons a kitten, black as the ace of spades, and very much -addicted to fun and frolic, jumped into the lap of her young mistress, -and purred a noisy acquiescence. - -"There," said Bert, triumphantly, "Topsy says I am right. I don't know -what I should do without Topsy." - -"She makes a very suitable companion for you, Bert," said Mr. Bowman, -smiling. - -"Why?" asked the cat's mistress, suspiciously. - -"Because you can sympathize so well. Both are equally mischievous, and -it is very difficult to tell which knows the most of books." - -"Now, papa, that is a slander. I will sue you for libel." - -"On your own account, or the kitten's?" asked Mr. Bowman. "I really -don't know which I have done injustice to." - -"Now you are laughing at me, papa. I know you are." - -"Not entirely, Bert. The fact is, you are terribly ignorant for one of -your age." - -"I suppose I am," said Bert, shaking her head in comic despair. - -"You'll grow up with no more knowledge than a Hottentot." - -"Don't they have any schools among the Hottentots?" - -"I suppose not." - -"How delightful that must be! Why can't we move out where they live?" - -"I don't know but we shall have to," said her father, "as, hereabouts, -young ladies are expected to know something about books. But that -reminds me I don't know but I shall succeed in engaging a governess for -you to-day." - -"A governess to-day!" exclaimed Bert, in dismay. - -"Yes. I have made an appointment with a lady to call here at nine -o'clock, and, if I am satisfied with her, I intend to engage her." - -"And if _I_ am satisfied with her," added Bert. - -"Is that essential?" asked her father, smiling. - -"Yes, for you know she will be with me most of the time. If she is like -Julia Campbell's governess, I sha'n't like her." - -"Well, and what fault do you find with Julia Campbell's governess?" -asked Mr. Bowman, with more interest than his tone conveyed; for he -knew that if Bert did not fancy her governess she would be a most -incorrigible little rebel, and would be likely to profit very little by -her instructions. - -"Oh, she's as disagreeable as she can be. In the first place, she's an -old maid,--not that that's so _very_ bad. In fact, I've about made up -my mind to be an old maid myself." - -"Indeed!" said Mr. Bowman, amused. "May I inquire your reasons?" - -"Too numerous to mention." - -"Perhaps one is, that you don't expect to have any chance to change -your name." - -"I have had a chance already," said Bert, in a matter-of-fact tone. - -"Had a chance already!" exclaimed her father, in amazement. - -"Yes," said the young lady of ten, "Charlie Morrill offered himself the -other day, and I refused him." - -"What is the world coming to?" thought Mr. Bowman. "Why did you refuse -him?" - -"Because," said Bert, soberly, "I don't like the way he parts his hair. -But as for Julia's governess, I know she never had an offer. She's as -homely as--as--well, I don't know who. Then she wears glasses, and has -a nose ever so long, and a long face, and she never smiles, and she -makes Julia study terrible hard." - -And Bert drew a long breath. - -"Not a very charming picture, certainly," said Mr. Bowman; "but I'll -promise you that, if the lady who applies for the post of governess -to-day should be anything like this, I won't engage her." - -"That's right, papa. When do you expect her?" - -"Let me see. She was to be here at nine, and now it wants only ten -minutes of that time." - -"And you won't send me out of the room, papa, will you?" - -Mr. Bowman hesitated. - -"You know I am very anxious to see how she looks. If I like her, I will -make a sign to you, and then you can engage her." - -"What sign will you make, Bert?" asked her father, amused, and yet -alive to the necessity of securing his daughter's acquiescence in his -choice. - -"I don't know," said Bert, reflecting; "suppose I wink." - -"And suppose the lady should see you winking at me? What do you suppose -she would think?" - -"Oh, I could tell her afterwards, you know, and she would feel -flattered, knowing it was a sign that I liked her." - -"She might not think it very lady-like in you." - -"What's the use of being lady-like? I don't want to be. There's -Florence Gates; I suppose she's lady-like. I'll show you how she walks." - -Bert imitated the gait of the young lady, swaying herself from side to -side, as she walked with mincing step, tossing her head, and exhibiting -a caricature of the airs and affectations which girls sometimes delight -to display. - -"Why, she wouldn't run for a thousand dollars," exclaimed Bert. "She -would think it beneath her dignity. If _she_ is lady-like, I don't want -to be. But, hark! there goes the bell. She's coming. Now, papa, just -remember, I shall wink if I like her, and if I don't I'll make up a -face." - -Bert transferred herself to an ottoman, and took Topsy into her lap. - -Both she and her father looked towards the door with curiosity. - - - - - XV. - - MRS. CODMAN'S GOOD FORTUNE. - - -Mrs. Codman had been carefully educated at a large expense, and was -versed in all the accomplishments which are considered indispensable in -a young lady's education nowadays. It was with no degree of hesitation -on this point, therefore, that she set out this particular morning to -present herself as an applicant for the post of governess. Having no -influential friends, however, and not being able to present references -from a former employer (this being her first essay in this line), she -feared that her application would be unsuccessful. She could not but -feel a considerable degree of anxiety, for her circumstances had become -desperate, owing to the refusal of her former employers to give her any -more sewing. - -She dressed herself as neatly as her limited wardrobe would admit, and -with hearty good wishes and many glowing predictions of success from -her humble friend, Mrs. O'Grady, she set out. - -Though some years past thirty, Mrs. Codman so far retained the -freshness of youth, that she would hardly have been taken for this age. -As a girl she had been very beautiful, and her womanhood did not belie -her early promise. Her attire, though not expensive, was in good taste -and characterized by a lady-like simplicity. - -Such was the applicant for the post of governess, upon whom the -curious eyes of Bert and her father fell as she was ushered into the -breakfast-room by the servant, who had received orders to do so. She -entered the room with the easy grace of a lady. Mr. Bowman at once -recognized her claim to be considered such by deferentially rising, and -inviting her to be seated. - -"If I mistake not," he said, politely, "you are the lady who has been -recommended to me as possessing excellent qualifications for the office -of governess." - -"Perhaps the recommendation was too strong and decided," said Mrs. -Codman, modestly. "I shall be glad, however, to be considered an -applicant for the position." - -Here Mr. Bowman, who chanced to glance at Bert, detected her executing -a surprising succession of winks, indicating the favorable impression -which had been made upon her by the appearance of Mrs. Codman. - -Already prepossessed in favor of the applicant, this was an additional -inducement to engage her, as her success would depend, to a very great -extent, upon the young lady's good-will. - -"I suppose," he said, "you feel prepared to teach the branches and -accomplishments usually included in the education of a young lady." - -Mrs. Codman bowed. - -"I ain't a young lady," interrupted Bert, at this point, who thought -she was in imminent danger of becoming too learned. - -"We hope you will be some time," said Mr. Bowman. - -In reply, Bert winked once more. - -There was a piano in the room. - -"Will you favor us with a specimen of your playing?" asked Mr. Bowman. - -Mrs. Codman sat down to the piano and played two pieces, one slow in -movement, the other rapid, showing a nice touch and easy execution. - -"Thank you," said Mr. Bowman. "I am inclined to think that I shall be -glad to avail myself of your services. Should you be willing to engage -for three months at first, to see how we are mutually pleased with each -other? The pupil I have to offer you is a little addicted to mischief, -and I don't know how you may like her." - -"I am quite willing to enter into such an arrangement," said Mrs. -Codman; "and in reference to the last point, I am quite sure I shall -like my pupil. I begin to like her already." - -"Do you?" said Bert, with much satisfaction, rising from the ottoman, -and unceremoniously dropping the black kitten, who turned a somerset, -and ran off shaking her head. - -In answer, Mrs. Codman held out her hand with a smile. - -Bert hurried across the room, and placed her own in it confidingly. - -"I am so glad you do," said she. "You won't make me study my eyes out, -will you?" - -"That would, indeed, be a pity," said Mrs. Codman, looking at Bert's -bright eyes, sparkling with fun and mischief. - -Mr. Bowman observed these signs of agreement between Bert and her new -governess with pleasure, and hastened to say, "In regard to business -arrangements we will speak by and by. I think I can promise that they -will be satisfactory to you." - -It may be mentioned here, that Mr. Bowman, who was by no means disposed -to deal parsimoniously with those in his employ, fixed Mrs. Codman's -salary at six hundred dollars a year, which was four times as much as -she had ever been able to gain by her needle. - -"When may we expect you?" he asked. "You have, doubtless, some -preliminary arrangements to make, for which you will please take -whatever time you may require. Meanwhile, accept this sum in advance." - -He drew from his pocket-book a fifty-dollar note, which he handed to -Mrs. Codman. She could not feel any embarrassment in accepting a sum -so tendered, and bowing her thanks, intimated that she would make her -appearance on the following Monday, it being now Thursday. - -The advance payment proved very acceptable to Mrs. Codman, as with it -she was enabled to replenish her wardrobe, a step rendered necessary by -her residence in Mr. Bowman's family. She was busily engaged for the -remainder of the week in supplying its deficiencies. - -No one could be more overjoyed than was the humble washer-woman at -the success of her friend, of which she felt sure from the first, -knowing Mrs. Codman to be a _rale lady_. The latter, feeling that she -owed her present good fortune mainly to the zealous recommendation of -her friendly neighbor, purchased a neat dress, which Mrs. O'Grady was -prevailed upon to accept, on being convinced she would not thereby be -distressing herself, a fact of which she was assured on being told of -Mr. Bowman's liberality. - -Yet there was, as the reader well knows, one thought which contributed -to diminish the joy which Mrs. Codman would otherwise have felt at -being restored, in a measure, to the mode of life to which she had been -accustomed, and relieved from the necessity of unremitting labor in -order to sustain life. This was, the thought of Charlie, her own brave, -handsome boy, who had been the joy and life of her little household, -now gone,--she knew not whither. The uncertainty as to his fate cost -her many a sleepless night. She was sustained, however, by a strong -confidence that he was yet living, and had little doubt that the -suggestion of Peter Manson was correct, that he had been carried off by -the captain of some vessel short of hands. Of course, she did not for -an instant harbor the suspicion that Peter himself had had anything to -do with his disappearance, being quite unaware that any motive existed -powerful enough to tempt the old man to such a crime. - -"I shall hear from him; I shall see him again," she said, with earnest -conviction. "He is under the eye of Providence, wherever he may be, and -no harm shall befall him." - -Still, even with this strong feeling of trust, there was an -uncertainty about the time when her wishes could be realized, which -could not fail to weigh upon the mother's heart. Then there was the -constant longing for his bright and enlivening presence, greater, -because he was her only child, and she was a widow. - -The furniture which Mrs. Codman had in her rooms she was enabled to -dispose of without a very great sacrifice. She reserved a few articles, -endeared to her by association, which she stored in the room of her -friendly neighbor. - -With her, also, she left a sum of money, sufficient to pay for her -month's rent, which would not be due for a fortnight after her removal -to the house of Mr. Bowman. Peter Manson was not a little surprised -and disappointed when, on visiting his tenant,--prepared to witness -her distress and hear entreaties for a reduction of her rent,--to find -her already gone, and to hear that she had obtained an advantageous -situation, though where, he was unable to ascertain, as Mrs. O'Grady, -with whom he was no favorite, was not disposed to be communicative. - -Leaving Mrs. Codman thus comfortably provided for, we must now follow -the fortunes of our young hero, Charlie, whom we left securely bound in -the forecastle of the Bouncing Betsey. - - - - - XVI. - - THE BEGINNING OF CHARLIE'S SEA-LIFE. - - -When the Bouncing Betsey was fairly out to sea, Captain Brace, -anticipating, with the malicious delight which a petty tyrant feels in -the sufferings of those subject to him, the grief and terror of our -young hero, ordered Charlie to be released from his bonds and brought -before him. - -This order the mate chose to execute in person. - -The pressure of the cords, with which he had been bound, had chafed his -limbs, and the constraint of his position had made them ache. - -As the mate busied himself in unbinding him, Charlie inquired, with a -glimmering of hope, "Are you going to let me go?" - -"Where?" asked Randall. - -"On shore." - -"Perhaps you don't know that, by this time, we are at least forty miles -from Boston." - -"Could you send me back?" asked Charlie, his heart sinking within him. - -"I suppose we might turn the ship about, and go back for your -accommodation," said the mate, with a sneer; "but I don't think Capt. -Brace would consent." - -"Is there no way?" implored Charlie. "Couldn't you put me on board some -ship going back?" - -"You can speak to the captain about that. He has sent for you. Come -along, and don't be all day about it." - -Charlie stretched himself with the intent of gaining some relief from -the stricture he had suffered, and prepared to do what he knew there -was no means of evading, he followed Randall to the presence of Capt. -Brace. - -"Well, Jack," said Capt. Brace, showing his teeth in an unpleasant -manner, "how do you like life on shipboard?" - -"My name is not Jack," was our hero's reply. - -"Indeed! Perhaps you will do me the favor to tell me what is it." - -"My name," said our hero, not liking the captain's tone, "is Charlie -Codman." - -"So you pretend to be wiser than your uncle," said Capt. Brace, looking -towards the mate. - -"He is not my uncle," said Charlie, boldly. If he had felt it to be -prudent, he would have added that he had no desire for a relationship -to Randall, but he knew that it would not be wise. - -"Do you dare to contradict my first officer?" demanded the captain, -with a frown. - -"I am only telling the truth," said Charlie, undauntedly. - -"_Silence!_" roared the captain, in a passion. "If he chooses to call -you his nephew, you shall be so; do you hear that? I say, do you hear -that?" he repeated, pounding with his clenched fist upon the table -before him. - -"Yes, sir," said our hero. - -"Take care that you remember it then. Your name, henceforth, is Jack -Randall,--at any rate, as long as you remain aboard this ship." - -"How long am I to remain on board, sir?" Charlie could not help asking. - -"How long?" repeated the captain. "_Forever_, if I choose. And now as -this is the last conversation which I intend to hold with you on this -point, you will bear in mind that you are shipped on board this vessel -as a boy, and that, if you don't do your duty you'll get----" - -We suppress the word with which the captain closed his sentence, not -being willing to soil our pages with it. - -This was rather a hard trial for our young hero, accustomed to a -mother's gentle and affectionate words. Had he been less manly, he -would have burst into tears; but he only turned pale a little, and bit -his lips. - -"Take him on deck, Mr. Randall, and set him to work," said the captain; -"and mind, Jack, that I don't hear any complaints of you." - -Charlie followed the mate to the deck. He had made up his mind that he -must stay in the ship during the voyage, or, at all events until they -reached land somewhere, and resolved that, since it was forced upon -him, he would do his duty as well as he could, and so afford as little -advantage as possible to those who seemed determined to persecute him. - -He was set to work by Randall, who told him, in a sharp tone, to "mind -his eye and keep to work, if he knew what was best for himself." - -The work was not difficult, but Charlie's fingers were unpractised, -and he might very soon have incurred the wrath of the captain and -mate, if Bill Sturdy, the sailor whose friendly advances to our hero -have already been noticed, had not approached him, the mate being -temporarily out of earshot, and given him a little instruction. - -"Well, my lad, what news?" inquired Bill. "Shipped for the voyage, are -you?" - -"That's what the captain and mate say," returned Charlie. - -"They're a pair of precious rascals," said Bill, lowering his voice, -"and it's my opinion they're well matched, so far as villainy goes." - -"What made you ship on board the vessel?" inquired Charlie. - -"Bless your soul, boy, I wouldn't a done it if I'd known who was in -command; leastways, if I had known a little more about him. But I -didn't ask any questions. I had just got in from a v'y'ge to Calcutta, -and happened to see one of my old shipmates, Jim Davis, walking on -the wharf. 'Bill,' says he, 'why won't you ship along of me?' I asked -him where he was bound, and he telled me to Valparaiso, on board the -Bouncing Betsey. Well, I've been most everywhere else, but I had never -been there, and reckoned I should like to see it. Besides, I'd got -tired of going to Calcutta. I've been there, man and boy, six or eight -times. It's too hot to live there some parts of the year. So I just -told him I was in for it if he was, provided there was a vacancy. I -asked him if he knew anything about the officers. He said he didn't, -but he guessed they would pass. So I just stepped into the office and -shipped. There, lad, that's the whole story. I don't mind it much -myself. They don't generally meddle much with me." - -"Have you sailed with bad captains before?" inquired our hero. - -"Yes, my lad, sometimes. One captain I sailed with--I was a young man -then--was Captain Maguire. He was a sort of an Irishman, I surmise, and -mighty fond of drink. He was pleasant enough when he was sober, but -that wasn't often. When he was drunk, he got into a regular fury. He -would tear round the deck like as he was crazy, and so he was after a -fashion, for he didn't seem to know, after he had got out of his fits, -what he had done when he was in 'em. One day, I remember, as I was at -work, he came up to me, and gave me a terrible thwack side of the head, -swearing like a trooper all the time." - -"What did you do?" asked Charlie, looking up with interest into the -weather-beaten face of the old sailor. - -"I'll tell you," said Sturdy; "you see, I'm pretty strong," glancing -at his brawny arms and herculean frame with pardonable complacency; "I -don't often meet a man I can't manage as easily as the mate can manage -you. Now the captain wasn't a large man, by any means, nor very strong, -either. As to the mates,--one of them was sick in his berth, and the -other was in another part of the ship; so I just took the captain up -in my arms, and carried him down to the cabin, kickin' and cursin', as -might be expected, and laid him down there. The officers did not see -what was goin' on, or there'd have been trouble. As for the crew, they -enjoyed it, and wouldn't a man of 'em tell; and as the captain didn't -remember anything about it the next day, I didn't get punished." - -"Did you ever get punished?" asked Charlie. - -"Never since I grew up, and had these to fight my way with," said Bill -Sturdy, showing his fists, which looked as if a blow from either of -them would have felled an ox. "No, my lad, these are what I call my -sledge-hammers, and I'd as lives have them to rely upon as a pair of -pistols." - -At this point in the conversation Bill was called off to some other -part of the vessel, and the mate coming up discovered, somewhat to his -disappointment, that our hero had discharged his task in a manner which -did not admit of censure. - - - - - XVII. - - THE RIVAL CHAMPIONS. - - -It is customary to divide a ship's crew into two watches, whose duty it -is to alternate in keeping a lookout at night. The first night-watch -commences at eight o'clock, and continues till midnight. This watch is -then relieved by the second, who have had an opportunity of sleeping -in the mean time, and who remain on duty till four A. M. They then -give place to the first, who are again on duty till eight in the -morning. Thus it will be seen that a part of the crew have eight hours' -sleep, while the remainder have but four. This inequality, however, is -remedied the next evening, when the hours are changed. - -Charlie was fortunate in one respect. He was placed on the same watch -with Bill Sturdy, who had established himself, in some sort, as the -boy's protector, and did not scruple to avow it. When some of the crew -began to tease and play rough practical jokes upon Charlie,--a mode of -treatment to which boys are frequently subjected on board ship,--Bill -Sturdy interfered, and in a sonorous voice exclaimed,-- - -"Look here, shipmates, don't lay a finger on this boy!" - -"And why not?" inquired a burly sailor, with naturally repulsive -features. - -"Because I say so," retorted Bill Sturdy. - -"Who is he, I should like to know, that we are to keep our distance?" - -"I'll tell you who he is, shipmates," was the answer. "He's a boy that -the mate has entrapped on board without his own consent." - -"Isn't he the mate's nephew?" - -"No more than I am, though the mate chooses to call him so. He's got a -mother living in Boston, and he's her only boy. She doesn't know what -has become of him. Now, shipmates, he seems to be a fine lad, and I'm -going to stand by him for his sake and his mother's." - -Sailors are generous when you reach their hearts, and there was a -murmur of approbation when Bill concluded. - -But there is no rule without an exception, and that exception was the -scowling sailor who has already been mentioned. Few knew much about -him. This was his second voyage on board the Bouncing Betsey. Next to -Bill Sturdy he was the stoutest and most athletic sailor on board the -ship. During the previous voyage he had been the bully of the crew, -taking advantage of his personal strength. Now they were relieved from -his tyranny. In Bill Sturdy he had more than found his match. No one, -comparing the two men, could doubt, that in a contest, the odds would -be decidedly in favor of Bill. Antonio, for this was his name, for he -was a Spaniard by birth, could not help seeing the changed state of -affairs. Now no one likes to be eclipsed, and to see the authority -passing from his hands into those of another. Certainly Antonio did not -behold this transfer with indifference. He could not brook holding the -second place, where the first had been his. But how could he help it? -Very evidently the opinions of the crew favored Bill Sturdy; not only -because they believed him to excel Antonio in physical qualities, which -hold a high value in the eyes of a sailor, but because he had, as yet, -shown no disposition to abuse his power. Antonio was resolved not to -yield without a struggle, and therefore determined to take the first -occasion to pick a quarrel with his rival, as this would give him an -opportunity to measure his strength with him. Antonio did not see, what -was evident to all else, that his rival was undeniably his superior -in prowess. People are generally slow to admit their own inferiority. -That is only natural. He hoped, therefore, that he should be able to -re-establish his supremacy by coming off a conqueror in the contest -which he had determined to do all in his power to bring about. - -Antonio's attention had not been especially called to our hero, until -he heard Bill Sturdy avow his determination to take him under his -protection. Then, in a spirit of perverseness, and because he thought -it would open the way for the trial of strength which he courted, he -resolved to oppose him, and openly espouse the other side. - -Accordingly, when the murmurs of applause, which had been elicited by -his rival's frank and generous appeal to the sympathies of the crew, -had subsided, Antonio looked round on the rough faces which surrounded -him, and growled,-- - -"Well, shipmates, are you going to submit to what this fellow says? He -dares you to touch this snivelling milk-sop of a boy." - -Some of the faces grew dark and threatening at this representation. -Nothing stirs up a sailor's heart to opposition so readily as anything -which resembles a threat. - -Bill Sturdy hastened to reply. - -"He is wrong. I don't threaten any of you. I only ask if it is right to -play tricks, and abuse a boy who has already been treated so scurvily -by the mate. I don't believe there's any one of you that wants to curry -favor with Mr. Randall and the captain. Now there is nothing they will -like better than to see you kicking round this lad." - -Neither the captain nor the mate stood very high in the good graces of -the crew, and the effect produced by this statement showed that it was -adroitly conceived. - -Bill Sturdy took advantage of this to add, "Now, lads, when I say I am -going to stand by this boy, and see that he isn't abused, I know you'll -stand by me." - -This frank and bold speech produced a decided reaction in favor of -Charlie. - -There was another murmur of approbation, which was interrupted by a -stamp upon the deck by Antonio, who, with a ferocious contortion of -countenance, shouted, "If you're all going to follow this man's lead, -and do like dogs whatever he bids you, you'll find there's one here -that dares to be independent." - -Saying this, he advanced suddenly to Charlie, who was at work near by, -and, seizing him by the shoulder, was about to proceed to some act of -violence. - -As soon as Bill Sturdy perceived his design, he sprang forward and gave -him a powerful blow which would have felled him to the deck, had not -Bill slipped a little, as he delivered it. - -Instantly the Spaniard's sallow face was suffused, and, with a torrent -of oaths and a howl of fury, he precipitated himself upon Sturdy. - -But it was easier to catch a weasel asleep, than to take the stout -sailor unprepared. - -With his feet firmly planted upon the deck, and his fists in a proper -position, he received the bully, parrying his blows with wonderful -dexterity, and succeeding in planting others no less effective. - -A ring of sailors gathered around, eager to watch the progress and -termination of the affray. There were not a few among them, who enjoyed -the punishment which they foresaw the Spaniard would receive from his -antagonist. He had so tyrannized over them in the past, that they felt -little sympathy for him now. - -Baffled, blinded, and howling with mingled rage and vexation, the -Spaniard continued the unequal fight. As for Bill Sturdy, he was cool -and collected, apparently neither angry nor excited, but wary and on -the alert. - -At length Antonio, perceiving a marlinespike at a little distance, -sprang towards it. It was a critical moment for Bill Sturdy, for a -marlinespike, in the hands of a furious and determined man, is a -formidable weapon. - -His movement did not escape the notice of Sturdy. - -He had acted principally on the defensive thus far, but he now saw that -something decisive must be done. - -Springing forward, he closed with his assailant, lifted him from the -deck, and, carrying him to the companion-way, hurled him down stairs. - -Then, turning to the crew, he exclaimed, "Shipmates, I call you to -witness that this quarrel was forced upon me. Have I done right or -wrong?" - -"Right!" exclaimed all, in concert. - -At this moment the mate, attracted by the noise, came on deck. - - - - - XVIII. - - ANTONIO'S RESOLVE. - - -"What has been going on?" asked Randall, perceiving, from the position -of the sailors and their looks, that something had happened. What it -was, he surmised, having heard something of the noise of the conflict. - -No one of the sailors spoke, but all looked at each other in hesitating -silence. - -"What was it? Are you all deaf?" demanded the mate, impatiently. - -"A little fight, that is all, Mr. Randall," answered Bill Sturdy, -coolly hitching up his pants. - -"And you were one of the parties?" - -"I believe I was." - -"And who was the other?" - -"Antonio." - -"And where is he now?" - -"He has gone below," said Bill, in a significant tone. - -"What was the fight about?" inquired Randall, who, in ordinary cases, -would not have cared to pursue the subject farther, but had an -undefined idea that it was in some way connected with our hero, for -whom he felt no peculiar affection. - -"The fact is," said Bill Sturdy, "Antonio undertook to abuse that lad -there," pointing to Charlie; "and I ain't one to stand by and see a boy -abused. Besides," he added, with a latent humor which all understood, -though he did not allow it to alter the gravity of his countenance, "I -knew he was your nephew, and that made me the more anxious to defend -him." - -Randall was placed in an awkward predicament. He could not deny that -Charlie was his nephew after his express declaration to that effect, -while at the same time the relationship which he claimed was far from -exciting, in his own mind, any attachment for the boy. Still it closed -his mouth for the time. He only muttered, in an undertone, that the boy -must fight his own battles, and disappeared from the deck. - -"Fight his own battles!" repeated Sturdy, indignantly. "A pretty sort -of an uncle he is, to match a boy of fourteen against a grown man, and -a strong one at that. However," added Sturdy, complacently, "the lad's -got a friend that is a match for Antonio at any time." - -"That he has," answered a comrade; "but I say, Bill; I couldn't help -laughing to see how you made that old shark shut up his mouth by -telling him it was his nephew you were fighting for. It made him mad, -but he didn't know what to say against it." - -"His nephew! No, Jack, it's well the lad isn't any kith or kin of his. -A drop of his blood would be enough to spile a decent lad." - -"Ay, that it would." - -Presently Antonio came on deck with a sullen air, half of defiance, -half of humiliation, at his recent defeat. He smarted under the -conviction, that henceforth his authority among the crew would be -small. Hitherto he had been the champion and bully of the quarter-deck, -and although the crew had no liking for him, but rather a decided -feeling of an opposite nature, yet strength and prowess always command -a certain rude respect among sailors, and that respect he enjoyed. But -now all was changed. He had been beaten, and that in a fair fight, -where all could see that no underhand means had been employed. Strength -had been matched against strength, and he had come off second best. -That had been a Waterloo day to him, and he knew that he returned to -the deck no longer the same man so far as consideration went. - -Bill Sturdy was a generous antagonist. He had no idea of indulging in -exultation over his vanquished foe, but treated him as if nothing had -happened. - -But Antonio's resentment was deep and implacable. He thirsted for -revenge, and determined to lull to sleep the suspicions of his late -opponent, until some opportunity should present itself for an effectual -and safe revenge. - -Accordingly he suddenly recovered from his sullenness, and made some -half advances towards Sturdy, which the latter met, but not without -reserve. - -"I can't kind o' feel as if the feller was to be trusted," said Bill to -Charlie, one evening, as they were alone together. "There's something -in his eye that I don't like; a sort of deceitful gleam, as if there -was something covered up that he didn't like to show. For my part, I -like to be fair and above board, and show just what I am." - -"I'm sorry you have made an enemy of this man on my account," said -Charlie. - -"Avast, my lad, do you think I was going to stand still and let him -abuse you? Thank heaven, old Bill Sturdy isn't such a lubber as that." - -"But he may do you a mischief yet, Bill." - -"Let him come within the reach of my arm," said Bill, swinging his -brawny right arm as he would a flail, "I guess he wouldn't want to try -it again." - -"But he may take you at advantage." - -"He will have to get up early in the morning, then," said Sturdy, in a -tone of confidence. "No lubberly foreigner is likely to get ahead of -Bill Sturdy, I can tell you that, my lad." - -Both Bill and Charlie supposed that they were alone, and that this -conversation was unheard by any other person, but in this they were -mistaken. - -On the other side of the mast crouched the dark figure of a man, who -seemed to be listening intently to the conversation between the two. He -remained very quiet, fearing, doubtless, that he should be observed. -Evidently what he heard did not affect him pleasantly. His brow -contracted, and a scowl of hatred made his features look even more -dark and forbidding than was their wont, especially when Bill Sturdy -made use of the last expression, his face exhibited a concentrated -malice, which could only have been generated in a heart full of evil -passions. - -He ground his white teeth together and muttered to himself, as he crept -cautiously from his place of concealment, and made his way to his bunk -in the forecastle. "We shall see, we shall see. No man shall insult and -triumph over me without repenting of it. He shall know, some time, what -it is to excite the vengeance of a desperate man. He thinks the lion -has become a lamb. He will find out his mistake." - -Antonio might more appropriately have compared himself to a serpent, -for his character had more of the subtlety of the noxious reptile than -of the boldness and freedom of the monarch of the forest. - -Unconscious of the concealed listener to their discourse, Bill Sturdy -and our young friend continued their conversation. In the hours of -darkness, when night broods upon the ocean, and no sound is to be -heard save the dashing of the waves against the sides of the vessel, -the sailor who is obliged to stand his watch would find the hours pass -wearily if it were not for some method of killing the time. Among these -is the spinning of yarns, for which sailors are so noted. This it was -that occurred to Bill, as he stood with Charlie leaning over the side. - -"I say, my lad, suppose we spin a yarn apiece, and that will make the -time pass quicker." - -"But I am not an old sailor, Bill; I don't know anything about spinning -yarns." - -"Tush, lad, I don't expect a salt-water yarn from you. I want a land -yarn. I am sure, you have read a good many, and can think of one now. -Just lead off, and when you get through, I'll try my hand at it." - -Thus adjured, Charlie said, "Let me think a minute." - -Bill leaned over the rail in silent expectation. - - - - - XIX. - - CHARLIE'S LAND YARN. - - -Charlie deliberated a moment, when he chanced to think of Nicholas -Nickleby, the only one of Dickens's works he had ever read, and which, -as it had interested him exceedingly, had impressed itself upon his -remembrance. - -"Did you ever hear of Nicholas Nickleby, Bill?" he inquired. - -"Yes," was Bill's unexpected response; "when I was at Liverpool three -years ago, she was lying alongside our ship." - -"She!" exclaimed Charlie, in amazement. - -"Yes," answered Sturdy, in a matter-of-fact tone, "she was a very good -craft, and was in the West India trade. I saw considerable of her, -being as how I got acquainted with Tom Seagrove, one of the men on -board." - -"Oh, yes, I see what you mean," said Charlie; "but I don't mean a ship, -I mean a story of the same name." - -"No, I never heard of it. Named after the ship, like enough." - -Charlie thought it more probable that the vessel was named after the -story, but as this was a point of little importance to the present -occasion, he passed it by, and continued, "Well, Bill, it's a very -interesting story, and as I remember that about as well as anything I -ever read, I believe I will tell you part of it." - -"Heave ahead, my lad." - -"You must know that this Nicholas Nickleby was a young man whose father -died when he was about nineteen, leaving him very little money, but a -mother and sister to provide for. He had an old uncle Ralph, who was -very rich, but an old rascal, who didn't trouble himself about his poor -relations." - -"That's the way with a good many rich people," said Bill. "They leave -the smaller craft to shift for themselves." - -"However, on being applied to, he did manage to get the sister a place -in a millinery establishment, and, as for Nicholas, he got him a place -as assistant teacher in a country boarding-school." - -"He was a sort of first mate in the school, wasn't he?" - -"Well, something like that, only he didn't fare half so well as a mate -or any kind of an officer. All the old fellow gave him for his services -was about twenty-five dollars a year and board." - -"What made him ship on board the craft, then?" - -"It was the only chance he had, so he thought he'd take it till he -could find a better." - -"What was the captain's name?" asked Bill, who stuck to his marine -phraseology. - -"His name was Squeers, and a tough old fellow he was. He had some -thirty or forty boarding scholars, whom he treated shamefully. In the -first place, he didn't allow them enough to eat." - -"Why didn't they mutiny, and pitch the lubber overboard?" exclaimed -Bill, indignantly. - -"Because he had starved the spirit out of them. Besides, they were -mostly small, and he had a wife as bad as himself, as well as a -daughter who was----" - -"A chip of the old block." - -"Exactly. Do you want to know how he took away their appetites so that -they wouldn't eat so much? He used to make them swallow a spoonful of -boiling hot molasses, which scalded their throats, and made it hard for -them to swallow." - -"I'd like to have overhauled him," said Sturdy. - -"If you had, I don't believe there'd have been much left of him, for he -was a spindling sort of a man, tall and thin." - -"And how did the young fellow like his place?" - -"Not very much. He found they were going to half-starve him, too. -However, he wouldn't have minded that so much as seeing the poor -children abused. While all this was going on, the school-master's -daughter fell in love with him." - -"Was she pretty?" - -"No," said Charlie. "She was the image of her father, and he wasn't -anything of a beauty. She was thin, with a hatchet face and yellow -hair. However, she continued to make herself think that Nicholas was -in love with her, and one day, when her father and mother were gone -to London to get a new scholar, she posted off to a female friend of -hers, and told her that she had got a beau, and invited her friend and -her beau to come to tea. When tea-time came, there they all were in -the sitting-room, drinking tea, and faring a great deal better than -Nicholas had before, since he had been at the school, when the other -young lady and her beau began to poke fun at Nicholas, all on account -of Matilda Squeers, whom they supposed him to be in love with. He -didn't understand it at all, and told them so. - -"'Why,' said John Brodie,--that was the other girl's beau,--'ain't you -courtin' Tilda, here?' - -"Nicholas protested that he never so much as thought of the thing. -At this, Matilda turned all sorts of colors, for she had confidently -told both of them that he was in love with her, and, besides, she had -no idea that a poor, under-paid teacher would think of refusing her, -the----" - -"Captain's daughter," suggested Bill Sturdy. - -"Exactly so. So you see the tea-party didn't end quite so pleasantly -as it began, and from that moment Nicholas had a bitter enemy in the -daughter of his employer." - -"That's the way with female craft," said Bill. "What happened next?" - -"Mr. and Mrs. Squeers came home, bringing the new boy with them. The -first thing they did was to give a whipping all round, to make up for -the time they'd been away." - -"I wish I'd been there," said Bill, swinging his brawny arms. - -"Among the scholars was one, worse treated than the rest, named Smike. -He had been with them ever since he was a boy of six or eight, and his -friends had deserted him. Mr. Squeers would have cast him off, only he -found his work more than paid for the scanty food he ate, so he kept -him; but he was so beaten and cuffed, and made to drudge so constantly, -that it would have been better for him if he had been turned away. At -last he determined to run away." - -"Good for him!" said Bill. - -"As soon as Mr. Squeers found he was gone, he went after him post -haste, and, as the boy was weak and couldn't travel very fast, he soon -overtook him, and brought him back, bound hand and foot, in the chaise. -He suspected that Nicholas had helped Smike to escape, so he determined -to inflict a cruel punishment upon him in presence of his assistant. -Accordingly, he armed himself with a large whip, and, calling all the -school together, he told Smike to strip, and was just about to lay -the whip on his naked back when Nicholas shouted out 'Stop!' Squeers -glared round, and said in a fierce voice, 'Who said that?' 'I said it,' -said Nicholas; 'I tell you, stop!' Squeers turned white with rage, -and threatened to whip Nicholas, also. He was about to commence the -punishment, when Nicholas sprang from his seat, and, pulling the whip -from his hand, knocked Squeers over, and began to belabor him with his -own whip." - -"Good!" exclaimed Bill, who had become much interested in the -narrative. "I hope he made him scream for mercy." - -"So he did, and Nicholas kept on belaboring him, notwithstanding Mrs. -Squeers and her daughter went at him tooth and nail, and tried to pull -him off. But he was so excited with anger that he felt strong enough to -cope with half a dozen, and never left off till Squeers was black and -blue and aching all over." - -"Hurrah for Nicholas!" shouted Bill Sturdy, in great delight, at the -school-master's discomfiture. "What happened next?" - -"Nicholas packed up his clothes and left the house, but took care to -carry Smike with him, knowing that he would otherwise fare badly." - -"And what became of Nicholas afterwards? Did he reach port?" - -"He met with a variety of adventures, but at length became rich and -happy." - -"That's a pretty good yarn," said Bill Sturdy. "I should have liked to -help him whip the school-master, though." - -"Now, Bill, I am ready to hear your yarn," said Charlie. - - - - - XX. - - BILL STURDY'S STORY. - - -After pausing a moment to collect his ideas, Bill Sturdy commenced his -story. - -"It was, mayhap, twelve years ago, or it might have been thirteen, -since I sailed from New York in the ship Peregrine, bound for Havana. -The Peregrine was quite a sizable ship, and I expected a pleasant -voyage, as the captain was a frank, good-humored looking man. So he was -when he was in his sober senses, but, unfortunately, this wasn't always -the case. However, he used to keep pretty straight when he was at home, -for if he had shown himself out it might have been hard for him to get -employment. If Jack gets drunk it's no serious damage to the ship, but -if the chief officer, to whom all look for commands, allows himself -to drink too much, especially when a storm threatens, it's a pretty -bad matter. You see, my lad, that when a captain is drunk, he does not -generally know it himself, and is apt to think that he is perfectly -able to manage the ship. - -"Well, Captain Harvey, for that was his name, was an excellent seaman -when he was sober. He was a thorough sailor, and knew every rope in the -ship. But, as it happened, it would have been better if we had had a -captain who knew less and kept sober. - -"Captain Harvey kept pretty straight at first, as I was saying, and we -men began to like him. He was a pleasant-spoken man, though he meant to -be obeyed when he gave an order. I liked him all the better, because -the captain I had gone with last was a different kind of man. It wasn't -always a word and a blow with Captain Lafarge, but oftentimes the blow -came first. Well, times seemed changed, and that was what I was saying -to a messmate of mine, who had sailed with me under the other captain, -when Captain Harvey came on deck. That was the third day out; his face -looked unusually red, and his eyes bloodshot. He staggered up to us, -gave me a blow side of the head, as he said, or rather hiccoughed, for -he couldn't speak very plain, 'Wh--what are you--hic--doing there, you -rascal?' - -"Now, my lad, I'm not one to stand a blow very patiently; I'm rather -apt to resent it, and so I should this time, but as I looked up I saw -how matters stood, and that took away my anger. I liked Captain Harvey, -and I knew that when he was right he would never think of giving me -a blow without any cause, so I didn't do anything, but answered, as -respectful as I could,-- - -"'I hope I am doing my duty, Captain Harvey.' - -"'You lie,' he stuttered again. - -"I did not feel called upon to give any answer to this charge. It was -as well that I didn't, for he waited a minute and then left me. - -"Well, this was the first that any of us knew of the captain's habits. -We were all sorry, even those that liked to drink themselves, for this -was the only fault we could detect in our chief officer, and it was a -pretty serious one, as it turned out. I told you, didn't I, that we -were bound for Havana?" - -"Yes," said Charlie. - -"Well, it sometimes happens that there are violent storms in those -latitudes, and the coast is dangerous to approach. Time passed, and -although Captain Harvey would have his blow-out now and then, yet there -had been no particular damage so far, perhaps because we had had pretty -quiet weather. Now, however, we had got into the region of gales, and -we all hoped the captain would keep sober. - -"But that wasn't to be. - -"One morning, I remember, we had a powerful gale. The ship was behaving -pretty well under it. She was a staunch craft when we started, and bade -fair to see a great many years' service. So, on the whole, we didn't -feel uneasy till the captain came on deck. - -"We saw at once that he was drunk, a good deal drunk, and not fit to -take care of the ship. He staggered up to the mate, and asked him how -fast the ship was going. - -"The mate reported, ten knots an hour. - -"'Ten knots an hour!' repeated the captain, contemptuously. 'Is that -all? We must go faster.' - -"'But, Captain Harvey,' said the mate, 'there is a violent gale. Do -you think it prudent to increase our speed?' - -"'Prudent!' thundered the captain, 'do you think I would give the order -if I didn't think so? Not a word more, sir, but call all hands, and -make sail.' - -"Nothing was to be done but to obey. - -"Accordingly the reefs were let out of the topsails, the top gallant -sails set, and even the fore top-mast studding sail. Now, my lad, -although you are not much of a sailor, you can understand that it was -perfect madness to carry so much sail in such a tempest. I knew at once -what would happen, and prepared for the worst. There was a hen-coop -lying on deck, and I resolved, that if the worst should come to the -worst, I would spring for that. - -"The worst did come to the worst. The ship pitched about like a mad -thing, and creaked and groaned as if she were a human being in the -greatest distress, and I can tell you the sailors looked black enough. -We felt that our lives were being risked, and all for the intemperance -of one man. That scene cured me of drinking grog. I haven't drank a -drop since." - -"Did anything happen to the ship?" - -"Yes, my lad, something did happen to the ship. A heavy sea struck her -amidships, and pitched her over upon her side. After we recovered, -we found that she was strained severely and leaking badly. Well, -the end of it was, that we had to abandon her. The rest of the crew -got on board the boats, but there wasn't fairly room, and they were -so overloaded that I thought it would be safer trusting to the old -hen-coop. They tried to get me on board the boats, but I had a kind of -suspicion that the boats wouldn't live. So I stuffed all my pockets -with biscuit, filled a tin measure with water, and trusted myself to -the hen-coop." - -"Did the boats live?" inquired Charlie, with interest. - -"Not a single one. They were never heard from again. No doubt they all -went down in the storm. - -"Well, my lad, it wasn't the pleasantest thing pitching about on a -hen-coop on the wild sea, fifty miles, at least, from land. But my -hope was, that I should be seen by some vessel bound for Havana. In -that case I knew I would be safe. I had provision enough to last me -three days, and I could make my water last as long by being sparing of -it. I had to hold on to the hen-coop pretty tight, or I should have -been washed off by some of the heavy seas. Of course, I got completely -drenched by the salt water, and what was worse, the biscuit got -drenched too, which didn't improve its taste, I can tell you. - -"So I tossed about for twenty-four hours. By this time the gale had -gone down, and the sea was more quiet. It was at this time that, -casting my eyes about to see if I could anywhere catch sight of a sail, -I descried one apparently making towards me." - -"Wer'n't you delighted?" - -"I was at first," said Bill, "but as she came nearer I tried not to -attract her notice." - -"Why?" asked Charlie, in great surprise. - -"Because, my lad, _I recognized in her the Red Rover, one of the most -noted pirates that cruised in those seas_." - - - - - XXI. - - THE PIRATE SHIP. - - -"How did you know she was a pirate?" inquired Charlie. - -"I suspected her in the first place, from her rakish look. All pirate -ships, you know, are made for speed. Besides, this particular ship had -been described to me by a messmate who had once been on board a ship -that was chased by her, though, luckily, before the pirate had a chance -to overhaul her, two other vessels came in sight, and frightened her -away. - -"As soon as I made out the approaching vessel to be the Red Rover, -I repented bitterly the signs by which I had drawn her attention. I -ceased making signals, but it was too late. She had already seen me, -and a boat was filling with men to take me on board. Finding I could -not well help myself, I concluded to make the best of it, and not show -any objection to going with the boat's crew. So when they came near, -and hailed me, asking me who I was, I answered as heartily as I could, -'Bill Sturdy, of the good ship Peregrine, bound for Havana.' - -"'And what's become of your ship?' - -"'Gone to the bottom,' I answered. - -"'How long since?' - -"'About twenty-four hours.' - -"'How did it happen?' - -"In reply, I told all the circumstances, without reserve, for -concealment would have done no good. - -"There was a little consultation on board the boat, and then the -officer in command brought it up alongside my hen-coop, and ordered me -aboard. - -"This I did with as much alacrity as possible, and I tell you, my lad, -it did seem good once more to be in a boat, even though it belonged to -a pirate, after pitching about on a hen-coop for twenty-four hours. - -"Now that I had a chance, I looked at the men that manned the boat. -They were villainous-looking cutthroats--mostly Spaniards, with dark, -lowering faces and forbidding expressions. I couldn't help turning it -over in my mind, what they would be likely to do with me. - -"It didn't take long to reach the pirate vessel. Those on board pressed -forward, as I came up and got on deck. They were all pretty much alike. -The captain was a large, stout, muscular man, though I believe," added -Bill, with some complacency, "that I could have got the better of him -in a regular rough-and-tumble fight. However, this isn't neither here -nor there. He came up to me, and made me answer over again the same -questions which had been asked me before. I answered them in the same -way. After he had got through with his questions, he fixed his sharp, -black eyes on me, and inquired, 'Do you know the name of the ship that -has picked you up?' - -"'I do,' said I, coolly, though I didn't feel as cool as I appeared. - -"'Ha!' he exclaimed, in surprise. 'What is it?' - -"'It is the Red Rover,' said I, making believe to be unconcerned. - -"'And are you acquainted with its character?" said the captain, with -another of his sharp looks. - -"'I believe so,' said I. - -"'Name it.' - -"'I think it is a pirate,' said I, not moving a muscle. - -"'Ha!' he exclaimed, looking at me rather curiously. 'Are you not -afraid to find yourself on board a pirate?' - -"'Why should I be?' I answered. 'But for you, I should have died on the -hen-coop, and I suppose, if you had meant to take away my life, you -wouldn't have taken the trouble to save me, since death was certain.' - -"'A bold fellow!' said the captain, aside, to the mate. He spoke in -the Spanish language, but I had managed to pick up some odd phrases in -that lingo, so I knew what he was driving at. The mate seemed to agree, -and they talked a little more. I didn't understand, but guessed it was -about me. - -"The pirate captain, after a short confab with the mate, turned round, -and spoke to me. 'Well, my man,' said he, 'I don't mind telling you -that you've hit the mark in guessing that this is the Red Rover, and a -pirate. I believe she has made something of a reputation for herself,' -he added, proudly. - -"I bowed. - -"'Now I have a proposal to make to you. We're rather short-handed. We -need two or three brave fellows, and I am inclined to think, from your -bearing, that you will suit us. Now, if you would like it, you shall be -admitted to equal privileges with the rest of the crew, with an equal -share of whatever booty we manage to pick up, and that I may tell you, -is not small. Here, Roderigo, step forward, and tell this man how much -your share was last year.' - -"Roderigo, a villainous-looking fellow, stepped forward, and answered, -'Nearly two thousand dollars in goods and money.' - -"'You see, then, what are the inducements. Will you join us or not?' - -"Now I very well knew what the consequences of my refusal would be, so -I replied, without a moment's hesitation, 'I will.'" - -"What, did you become a pirate?" asked Charlie, horror-struck. - -"Pretty much in the same way that you became a sailor, my lad; because -I couldn't help it." - -"And did you join in robbing vessels, and killing all on board?" - -"Hold on, my lad; you're a little too fast for me. You'll know in due -time. The pirate captain seemed pleased with my promptness, and made -me sign the book. I should have given a wrong name, only I had given -the right one when I was hailed, though, for that matter, Sturdy isn't -my right name. The captain told me, in a very polite sort of way, that -if I should undertake to play them false, or interfere with them in -any way, I should be pitched overboard. As this threat did not seem -to trouble me much, he seemed to be satisfied that it was all right -with me. In the course of a day or two, I got acquainted with the -crew. They were mostly Spaniards, but there was a sprinkling of other -nations,--French, Danes, Germans, and one Englishman." - -"Were there any Yankees?" - -"No, I'm proud to say there wasn't one except myself, and I wasn't -there of my own free will. Piracy doesn't chime in with our Yankee -notions, and it's my belief you'll find precious few full-blooded -Yankees that are engaged in the business." - -"How did you get out of their clutches?" asked Charlie. - -"That's what I'm coming to by and by. For a few days we didn't meet a -vessel, or, at least, one that was alone, and so would do to attack. -I was glad of that, for I was ready enough to do my duty on board the -ship, but I knew that, just as soon as we met a vessel, I should be -expected to do my share of the fighting, and it went against my grain -to engage in any such villainous business as that. However, I thought I -wouldn't borrow trouble, but wait till it came, and then I could decide -what to do. - -"At last I heard the cry I so much dreaded, 'Sail ho!' from one of the -crew, who had been sent aloft to give notice of an approaching vessel. - -"'Where away?' shouted the pirate captain. - -"'To the eastward.' - -"Orders were at once given to change the course of the vessel, and to -make for the stranger. As soon as she saw us she made every effort to -get away, but the Red Rover was too swift for her. When we got within -a short distance, I made out the vessel to be the Sally Ann, which had -left port about the time the Peregrine did. I knew some of those on -board very well, and the captain was an old school-mate of mine. - -"'What would they think,' I couldn't help saying to myself, with a -groan, 'if they knew their old messmate was regularly enrolled among -the crew of the pirate that is overhauling them?'" - - - - - XXII. - - HOW TO ESCAPE FROM A PIRATE. - - -Bill Sturdy paused to take a whiff at his pipe, and then resumed his -story, in which Charlie manifested no slight interest. - -"I was taken all aback," he continued, "when I found it was the Sally -Ann I was expected to join hands with the pirates against. I couldn't -help thinking of the many pleasant hours I had spent on board that -vessel, chatting and spinning yarns with the crew. What to do I didn't -know. - -"The pirates were already clearing for action, and all seemed as busy -as bees. You ought to have seen the eager look there was on their -villainous faces, as they watched the Sally Ann, just, for all the -world, like a crafty spider, lying in wait for a fat fly. - -"Just then the captain came up to where I was standing, and fixed his -sharp glance on me. 'Now, my man,' said he, 'here's a chance for you -to distinguish yourself. That vessel will no doubt prove a rich prize. -Do your duty, like a man, in the coming engagement, and you shall have -a good share of the spoils. If you don't, or if you prove false to us, -you know your fate.' - -"He pointed up to the yard-arm, as much as to say that I should be -strung up, if I refused obedience, and I've no doubt he would have kept -his word. - -"I just answered, 'Aye, aye, sir,' without looking particularly -concerned. - -"'What will you do to the crew when the ship has fallen into your -hands?' I asked. - -"'Send them to Davy Jones's locker,' he said, with no more compunction -than if he were speaking of a litter of kittens. - -"Well, I felt as if I was in a pretty tight place; some like a man I've -heard of somewhere, who was being chased by a buffalo across a large -field. At last he came to a precipice a hundred feet high. Of course, -it would be death for him to jump off, and it would be just as much -death for him to stay where he was. So he just waited till the old -buffalo was close to him, and then he dodged out of the way, and the -buffalo, who was going at full speed, leaped over the precipice, and -was dashed to pieces. Well, I thought whether I couldn't do something -of that kind. I knew that, if I shouldn't fight, the pirates would be -as good as their word, and kill me, and if I did, I should be guilty of -piracy, and be liable to be hung as a pirate, if ever I got caught." - -"That was a pretty hard choice," said Charlie. - -"So it seemed to me," said Bill. "The only thing I thought of that -would do me any good, was to turn upon the pirates some way. If I -could only have jumped into the water, unobserved, and swam to the -other ship, I would have fought to the last, in their defence." - -"Why didn't you do it?" - -"Well, my lad, there were two objections. In the first place, the -pirates would have seen what I was at, and fired at me in the water. In -the second place, the sailors on board the Sally Ann, thinking that I -was a pirate, would have suspected I was up to some mischief, and so, -most likely, they would have blazed away at me, too. So, between the -two fires, I shouldn't have stood a very good chance." - -"I don't know but you are right." - -"No, my lad, it didn't take me very long to decide that there was -nothing to be gained in this way. At that moment, I chanced to go down -below for something, when my eye rested on--what do you think?" - -"What was it?" - -"_It was a keg of powder_," said Bill, shaking the ashes from his pipe. -"Perhaps, my lad, you can guess what thought that put me up to." - -"Was it to blow them all up?" asked Charlie, in excitement. - -"You've hit it, my lad." - -"But that would be dangerous to you." - -"I knew that well enough," said the sailor. "There was precious little -chance of old Bill Sturdy living to tell the story; but, my lad, -I'll tell you what made me overlook that. I must either turn pirate -and always remain so, with a pretty considerable chance of swinging -from the gallows some time, or else be butchered by the pirates for -refusing to join them. So, as there didn't seem to be much but death in -prospect, that consideration didn't weigh much. Then I thought that, if -I did die by the explosion, I should have the satisfaction of knowing -that the rascally pirates would share my fate, and the Red Rover, the -scourge of the seas, would never do any more harm. Besides that, I -should save the Sally Ann, and the lives of the captain and crew, and -that was something glorious to think of." - -The boy's cheek glowed with sympathetic ardor, and he clasped Bill -Sturdy's rough hand, in token of understanding and appreciating his -motive. - -"That seemed the only way open to me," resumed Bill, "and I determined -to adopt it. Of course, there were nine chances out of ten that I -should be blown up with the rest of them, but still there was a -possibility of escape. I couldn't help thinking of that, and the more -I thought, the more I had a kind of feeling that I should escape. I -thought I would go up on deck a minute, before carrying out my design, -and see what was going on. Well, the pirates had about got ready for -action. The decks had been cleared, the cutlasses and pistols and other -murderous weapons had been distributed among the men, and, altogether, -there seemed precious little chance for the poor fellows on board the -Sally Ann, especially, as I knew well enough that they had no cannon, -and only a few pistols, that were not likely to do them much good. -There wasn't much time to lose, as the action was going to commence. -So I slipped down below, and fixed a slow match, so that it would -reach the powder in about a minute. I had just about got it fixed, -when who should I see coming down, but the pirate captain. It seemed -as if all my plans were going to be knocked in the head. No doubt he -suspected that all was not as it should be, and was coming down to see -what was to pay. I felt desperate, and fetched him as powerful a blow -as I was able, on the side of his head, and he fell like an ox, pretty -effectually stunned." - -"What next?" - -"The next thing I did was to hurry upon deck. 'Where's the captain?' -asked the mate. 'He'll be up directly,' said I. And so he was, but not -in the sense that he understood it. - -"Well, I listened on deck for about half a minute, in a terrible state -of anxiety, you may be sure. Then, feeling that it was not safe for me -to stay any longer, I jumped into the water, and began to swim towards -the Sally Ann. As my head rose above the water, I saw the mate about to -fire at me, and I dove. When my head was fairly out of water again, -such a sound as smote upon my ear! The light had reached the powder, -and there was a terrible explosion. The ship was shattered to pieces. -The pirates were hurled into the air, some with mutilated limbs, and -I rather think that some of them were considerably astonished. The -captain did go up as I promised. He was flung a hundred feet into the -air, and never came down again alive. For my part, I was lucky enough -to reach the Sally Ann, untouched by the falling fragments. When they -found out who I was, and how I had saved them, their gratitude knew -no bounds. The owners made up a purse of two thousand dollars, and -presented it to me." - -"And what did you do with it?" - -"When I got back to Boston, I put it in one of the places you call -Savings Banks, and I expect it's there now." - - - - - XXIII. - - ANTONIO'S PLOT. - - -Such is a specimen of the yarns--sometimes true, sometimes spun out of -whole cloth--with which the sailors amused themselves and beguiled the -tedium of the night-watch. - -The companionship of honest and stout-hearted Bill Sturdy proved a -great source of happiness to Charlie, and enabled him to bear up, as -otherwise he might have found it difficult to do, under the hardships -of his condition, the persecution of the captain and the mate, who had -not forgotten their animosity, and the uncertainty he could not but -feel as to the situation in which his mother was left, with the painful -doubt as to whether she would be able to support herself till he could -return and relieve her necessities. - -"When we get back, my lad," said Bill Sturdy, "I'll put half that money -in the Savings Bank in your name, so that if you and your mother want -it at any time, you can use it." - -"No, Bill," said Charlie, earnestly, "you are very kind, but I couldn't -consent to that." - -"And why not, my lad? What do I want of it? I've got neither chick nor -child, and am not likely to have. I've taken a fancy to you, and the -money'll do you more good than me." - -"You are _very_ kind," said Charlie, gratefully; "but I mustn't take -advantage of your generosity." - -"Nonsense, my lad. I know what it is to be a poor boy, without money or -friends, and nowadays money will bring friends. Mayhap it'll start you -in some business, and when you get rich you can pay me; or if, by and -by, I take a notion to come to anchor on shore, you'll give me a corner -in your house, where I can smoke my pipe and spin my yarns." - -"That I will, Bill," said Charlie, seizing the old sailor's rough hand. -"If I have a roof to cover me, it shall cover you too." - -"Thank you, my lad," said Bill. "I know you would." - -Under Bill Sturdy's rough exterior there was a kind heart which warmed -to our young hero, partly because of his solitary position on board, -partly on account of his manliness and attractive qualities. So they -became fast friends. - -Charlie did not find his duties altogether distasteful. He was a -bright, active boy, not without ambition, and resolved to do himself -credit in his new position, however it may have been forced upon him. -For this reason it was that the captain and the mate, although they -watched him with lynx eyes, hoping that he would afford them some -pretext for showing their rancorous feelings towards him, watched -ineffectually. By his activity, and his frank and manly disposition, -he was fast ingratiating himself with the crew, who were the more -disposed to espouse his cause, because they could not fail to notice -the injustice with which the officers treated him. - -But trouble was brewing for Charlie, and soon the storm broke forth. - -The scuffle between Bill Sturdy and Antonio, of which Charlie was the -occasion, will not have been forgotten. Antonio had before hated Bill -on account of his superiority in strength, which deprived him of his -former champion's life. This feeling was increased by the issue of the -contest which had resulted in his humiliation and defeat, and his anger -was also stirred up against Charlie, who had been the occasion of it. -Yet he did not dare to venture upon abuse, because it was generally -understood that Bill Sturdy had constituted himself Charlie's especial -friend and protector. - -But there were other ways of compassing his end. Antonio was subtile. -He felt that his revenge must be a more secret one, and he desired that -it should involve both Bill Sturdy and his _protégé_. If he could only -involve Charlie in some offence which would draw upon him the active -displeasure of the captain, and subject him to public punishment, -he felt sure that Bill Sturdy would not stand tamely by and see it -inflicted, while any interference would be insubordination, and get his -rival into serious trouble. - -After reflection Antonio decided to implicate Charlie in a charge of -theft. It happened that the captain had a valuable gold ring, set -with diamonds, which, for reasons unnecessary to state, he prized even -beyond its pecuniary value. Captain Brace, however, was not a careful -man. He would sometimes take off his ring, and lay it down on the cabin -table. On one occasion Antonio, while upon deck, observed the captain -pass, and ascertained by a swift glance that the ring was not upon his -finger. He watched his opportunity, and slipping down into the cabin, -found, as he anticipated, the ring upon the table. It was the work of a -moment to snatch and conceal it in his pocket. - -He returned to the work in which he had been engaged, and resumed it, -supposing he had not been observed. - -In this he was mistaken. - -Bill Sturdy had had his eye upon him from the time of his difficulty -with him. He could see Antonio's craftiness in his face, and the -apparent affability and conciliatory manner of the latter afterwards -had by no means deceived him. - -"Look out for squalls," thought he. "He's too fair seeming to be -trusted. I've no doubt he's hatching up something or other. I'll keep a -sharp lookout for him." - -When Antonio made his stealthy visit to the cabin, as above described, -the vigilant eye of Bill Sturdy was upon him and his movements. - -In a moment he reappeared. Bill saw it all out of the corner of his -eye, though he appeared to be looking in just the opposite direction. - -"What's the fellow up to?" he thought. "Some mischief, I reckon. What -business has he in the cabin? I must watch him." - -Of course, Antonio's object will be understood. He meant to place the -ring in Charlie's chest, and when the loss should be discovered by the -captain, he would suggest that a general search should be instituted, -the result of which must involve our young hero. - -Charlie was, of course, quite unconscious of the machinations which -were being formed against him, and even Bill was not yet quite certain -for what purpose Antonio had made his visit to the cabin. - -Antonio felt the necessity of doing quickly what he had in -contemplation. - -Going below, he made his way to the chest belonging to our hero, and, -lifting the cover, for it was unlocked, let the ring drop into one -corner. - -Bill Sturdy saw his second disappearance from the deck. He could not -ascertain precisely what he was doing, without following him,--a -thing which he did not wish to do, since it would arouse Antonio's -suspicions, and place him on his guard. - -Antonio came up with an expression of malicious satisfaction, which -Bill did not fail to notice. - -"I wish," he thought, "I knew exactly what the fellow has been doing." - -Bill was destined to learn ere long. - -The captain went below, and glanced carelessly at the place where he -remembered to have left the ring. To his surprise, it had disappeared. - -"What can have become of it?" he thought. - -He instituted a careful examination, but did not succeed in finding the -lost article. - -He prized it beyond its actual value, which was considerable, and began -to feel alarmed. It occurred to him that he might have been mistaken -about leaving it on the table. It might possibly have been dropped upon -deck. - -Going on deck, he communicated his loss to the crew and requested a -general search. - -"I think, Captain Brace," said Antonio, officiously, "that I can guess -where it is." - -"Where?" - -"I saw that boy have it," pointing to Charlie. - -"It's a lie!" exclaimed Charlie, surprised and indignant. - -"We'll see about that," said the captain, with a sneer. "Do you know -what he did with it, Antonio?" - -"I think he may have hidden it in his chest." - -"Let his chest be brought on deck, and publicly examined. If he is -found guilty, he shall be punished, as sure as my name is Brace." - - - - - XXIV. - - CHARLIE GETS INTO TROUBLE. - - -Charlie, at first taken by surprise when the charge of theft was -brought against him, now looked scornfully indignant. Ignorant of the -ways of the world, and the wickedness of which some men are capable, he -never, for a moment, feared the result of the investigation. As for the -crew, they had already become interested in his favor, and now pitied -him for the unfortunate position in which he found himself placed. None -of them believed him guilty. - -As the captain had directed, his chest was brought on deck. - -Before this was searched, however, he was subjected to a personal -examination, at which nothing was discovered. There was a murmur of -satisfaction. - -"The lad never stole the ring," said a stout seaman, standing next to -the real perpetrator of the crime, Antonio. - -"Don't be too sure of that," said the Spaniard, in a malignant tone. -"His chest hasn't been searched yet." - -"I don't care for that; I can tell by his face. A lad, with such a -figure-head as that, wouldn't do anything mean or dishonorable." - -"You seem to have taken a great fancy to him," sneered Antonio. "You -mustn't trust too much to appearances. He looks to me as if he were -guilty." - -Charlie's cheeks were flushed, but not with shame or confusion. It was -indignation, that he should be suspected of such a disgraceful crime. - -By his side stood Bill Sturdy, who took an opportunity of whispering -into his ear, "Never you mind, my lad, even if the ring is found in -your chest." - -"But it isn't there," said Charlie. - -"It may be," said Bill, who, by this time, suspected the nature of -Antonio's two errands below. - -"How should it be there?" asked Charlie quite in the dark. - -"It might have been put there, my lad." - -"But who could put it there?" persisted our hero, but little -enlightened. - -"Hark you, my lad," said Bill, still farther lowering his tones; -"you've got more than one enemy on board this ship." - -"The mate?" - -"Yes, and the captain too, for that matter." - -"But neither of them would put the ring in my chest." - -"No, probably not." - -"Then who would?" - -"There is another enemy besides these two." - -"Do you mean Antonio?" - -"Yes." - -"But he seemed friendly lately." - -"He isn't to be trusted, my lad. He's borne a grudge against both of us -ever since I got the better of him the other day, and he's made up his -mind to be revenged. I've been watching him when he didn't suspect it, -and know more than he thinks I do." - -"Do you know anything of this affair, Bill?" asked Charlie, looking up -hopefully into the face of his friend. - -"I expect I do." - -"What is it?" questioned our hero, eagerly. - -"I shall save it till it will do some good. But see, they have nearly -finished searching your chest. Perhaps the ring is not there after all." - -As Bill said, the search was nearly completed. Charlie's clothes had -been unceremoniously tumbled out upon deck, which was not calculated -to improve their appearance, and the captain and mate, who had shown -themselves particularly active on the occasion, were peering about in -search of the lost ring. - -It chanced, however, that the ring had got in a fold of one of the -shirts which lay upon deck. Of course, therefore, the search in the -chest proved unavailing. - -"I doubt whether it is here," said the captain, in a tone of -disappointment. - -"Let us look a little longer," said the mate, who could not so easily -resign the chance of getting into trouble the boy whom he hated with a -malevolence such as his nature was capable of. - -Antonio became alarmed at the prospect of all his plans being -frustrated by a failure to find the ring. - -When the mate also gave up the search, he came forward, and, addressing -the captain, said,-- - -"Captain Brace, if you will let me assist in the search, perhaps I can -succeed in finding it." - -"You are the one that saw the boy have it, are you?" queried the -captain. - -"Yes, sir." - -"How long since?" - -"About half an hour." - -"Why did you not mention it at the time?" - -"I thought perhaps he had only picked it up, and would give it back to -you," said the Spaniard, in some confusion. "I didn't want to charge -him with the theft till I felt sure he meant to steal it." - -"And what makes you feel sure he did so intend?" - -"Because when you said the ring was lost, he did not come forward and -restore it." - -"Ay," said Captain Brace, "that is strongly against him. If it is -found that he has concealed it anywhere, he shall repent it, by----" - -It is unnecessary to stain our pages by printing the oath with which he -emphasized this assertion. - -"What reason have you for supposing that he concealed it in his chest?" -asked the mate. - -"Because I saw him go down below," answered Antonio, with unblushing -falsehood. - -"It's a lie," said Charlie, boldly. "I haven't been below this morning." - -"Silence!" thundered the captain, scowling menacingly; "don't add -falsehood to theft." - -"I haven't been guilty of theft," said Charlie boldly. - -"Silence!" again thundered the captain, "or it will be the worse for -you." - -"You had better not say anything more, my lad," whispered Bill Sturdy; -"we shall yet bring you off with flying colors. Don't you fear. Bill -Sturdy is your friend, and he will stand by you." - -Charlie looked grateful. - -When his statement had been so unequivocably denied by our hero, -Antonio suffered himself to look at him for one instant, but in that -brief glance was concentrated so much of spite and venom and malice, -that the boy could not help shuddering, as if the countenance of a -fiend had been unexpectedly revealed to him. - -"I think, Captain Brace," said Randall, "that we may venture to let -Antonio assist us, since he may succeed where we have failed." - -"Very well," said the captain, "I have no objection to offer. On the -contrary, if he succeeds in finding it, I will take care that he shall -be rewarded." - -Antonio was already on his knees before the chest. There was a murmur -of disapprobation among the crew. They were in favor of fair play, -and this undue eagerness to convict our hero of guilt did not commend -itself to their sense of justice and generosity. But Antonio cared -little for the sensation which his conduct might excite among his -fellow-seamen. He cared more for the gratification of his revenge than -for personal popularity. - -A glance satisfied him that the ring was not in the chest. He next -began to examine carefully the clothes which had been taken out and -were lying on deck. - -In lifting and shaking a shirt the ring rolled out. - -"_There is your ring_, Captain Brace," said he, in a tone of -exultation, as he picked it up and extended it to the captain. - - - - - XXV. - - THE REAL CULPRIT IS DISCOVERED. - - -The discovery of the ring made a profound impression upon all present. -The sailors looked at first surprised, and then sorrowful, for they -could not escape the conviction that Charlie had been tempted by the -richness of the prize and had actually stolen it. - -Charlie was overwhelmed with astonishment and indignation, and the -thought that he was considered guilty made him feel very uncomfortable. - -The captain, the mate, and Antonio could hardly conceal the -satisfaction which this discovery afforded them. Each had motives -of his own, the captain being, of course, glad to recover an article -which he valued, but of the three perhaps there was none that felt a -more malicious satisfaction than the one who had devised the plot. He -glanced exultantly at Charlie and Bill Sturdy, who he knew would be -equally affected by his favorite's misfortune. - -Bill Sturdy returned his glance composedly. Antonio was disappointed -to find that he neither looked disturbed nor frightened. Bill waited -calmly the course of events. - -Captain Brace exclaimed in his harsh voice, "It seems we have a thief -on board. We'll soon teach him the way all such rascals will be treated -on board this ship. Boy, take off your jacket." - -"Captain Brace," said Charlie, with glowing cheeks, and in a tone that -might have convinced any one not prejudiced against him, "just hear -what I am going to say. I didn't steal your ring, indeed I didn't. I -would scorn to do such a thing. Ever since I could speak my mother has -taught me how mean a thing it is to take what belongs to another. I -own that appearances are against me." - -Here Randall stepped forward with an evil smile upon his face. - -"Captain Brace, as I am the uncle of this boy, perhaps you will allow -me to tell you how much dependence can be placed upon his word. He is -an artful young rascal. I am sorry to say it, since he is related to -me, but the fact is, he was on the point of being arrested for theft -just before we sailed, when I, to protect him from imprisonment, and -snatch him from the custody of the law, took him to sea with me. I have -said this against my will, because, although I know you, Captain Brace, -would not be imposed upon by his story, I thought there might be others -that would." - -The sailors looked at each other, not knowing what to think, while the -captain exclaimed, sternly, "So this is not the first of your tricks, -my fine fellow. You shall have justice done you on the sea, if not on -the land. Strip, I tell you." - -Charlie was so thunderstruck by Randall's bold falsehood that he -actually had nothing to say. He mechanically began to take off his -jacket. - -At this moment the clarion voice of Bill Sturdy was heard, as, hitching -up his trousers a bit, he left the mast against which he had been -leaning, and advanced into the midst of the assembled sailors. - -"Captain Brace," he said, in a tone firm but respectful, "if you'll -allow me, I'll tell you what I know of this affair." - -"So you know something about it, do you?" - -"I thought so," said Randall, in a low voice, for he had disliked Bill -from the first. - -"I do," was the composed reply, "but I have no reason to be ashamed of -what I do know." - -"I think," said the mate, "we already know all that we require, since -we have discovered the thief." - -He was apprehensive, from Bill's tone, that what he had to say might -put a different face on the matter, and perhaps clear Charlie. - -Captain Brace, however, did not choose to be guided by the implied -advice of his first officer. He had a curiosity to learn what Sturdy -had to communicate. - -"Say on; what do you know of this affair?" - -"Very well, sir. About an hour ago you came up from the cabin and began -to pace the deck." - -The captain assented. - -"As you passed I observed one of the crew take a hasty glance at your -finger. I looked also, and saw that you were not wearing your ring as -usual." - -"Well?" - -"The sailor that I mentioned just now." - -"Who was he?" - -"I would rather not mention his name just at present, unless you insist -upon it." - -The captain did not insist, and Sturdy proceeded. - -"I thought I would just keep my eyes open, and see what followed. -Pretty soon the sailor I spoke of looked about him to see if he was -unnoticed, and crept slyly down below. A little later he came up and -went to work again." - -"Was that all?" - -"It was not," answered Sturdy. "He kept at work about ten minutes -longer, and then stole towards the forecastle with the same secrecy as -before. I should have followed him down, but I thought he would notice -me. My mind misgave me that he was in some mischief. I determined I -would remember what happened, and if anything turned up, I should know -how it came about." - -"And what do you make of all this?" said Randall, sneering. "To my mind -it is a foolish story, and, even if true, amounts to nothing." - -"I'll tell you what I think, and am about sure of, Mr. Randall," said -Bill, without betraying a particle of excitement, but continuing to -speak with the same calm composure as before, "I believe that man in -the first place stole the captain's ring, and then went and put it into -the lad's chest, in order that it might be found there, and the guilt -fixed on him." - -This assertion made a sensation among the crew, and there was a general -feeling that Charlie was innocent. - -"Who is this man of whom you have been speaking?" said the captain. - -"I don't need to name him," said Bill. "I don't need even to look at -him. If you will look around you, Captain Brace, you can tell by his -looks who the man is that has hatched this wicked plot against an -innocent boy." - -Instantly the eyes of all, as if by some common impulse, were fixed -upon the form of Antonio, who, confused, thunderstruck by the minute -detail of his movements, which he had supposed unnoticed by any one, -now stood with his face alternately flushing and paling, looking the -very picture of confession and detected guilt. - -Unable to bear the glances fixed upon him, he exclaimed, in a voice -hoarse with passion, "It is false. I never did it." - -"No one has accused you that I know of," said Bill Sturdy, coolly. -"Leastways, nobody that I know of, excepting yourself, and your face is -enough to do that. However, I don't mind saying that you are the man I -mean. If Captain Brace will take the trouble to remember, you are the -first one that thought of searching for the ring, and told him falsely -that you had seen it in the hands of that lad there. Then again, when -the chest had been searched, and the ring couldn't be found, you came -forward and offered to look for it yourself, and finally you did find -it. That's all I've got to say, only, if you are not the real thief I -am a liar, and so is that face of yours." - -Carried away by his rage, Antonio, forgetting the prudence which his -past experience might have taught him, threw himself suddenly upon Bill -Sturdy, and nearly succeeded in laying him prostrate upon the deck. - - - - - XXVI. - - A STORM BREWING. - - -Antonio's assault was so unexpected that Bill Sturdy, being, of course, -quite unprepared for it, staggered and seemed about to fall. But, as -one who slips upon the ice instinctively makes an effort to preserve -his equilibrium, so Sturdy immediately recovered from the momentary -disadvantage, and seizing Antonio with both hands threw him to the deck -without any great apparent effort. - -Probably if Antonio had gained the advantage, Captain Brace would have -been in no haste to put a stop to the conflict. As it was, his brows -knit with anger as he exclaimed, in a stentorian voice,-- - -"Stop this fighting, you lubbers! Don't you know better the respect -which is due to my presence, you--rascals! I'll let you know that I am -not to be insulted on my own deck." - -"It wasn't a fight of my seeking, Captain Brace," said Bill, coolly. "I -ain't disposed to be quarrelsome, and I guess he won't want to try it -again immediately." - -As he said this he glanced at Antonio, who, sorely bruised by the fall, -was slowly rising from the deck, and slinking away with a crestfallen -and malignant look. Had he not been moved by an uncontrollable impulse -of rage and disappointment, he would scarcely have ventured upon this -open attack, knowing, as had been incontestably proved, that he was no -match for the Herculean strength of Bill Sturdy. - -"Silence!" roared the captain, in answer to Bill's vindication of -himself. "One would think from your manner that you were the captain of -this ship instead of me." - -"If I were the captain," said Bill, bluntly, "I'd have that man," -pointing to Antonio, "put ashore at the first port. I wouldn't harbor -such a rascal aboard the ship." - -"Silence!" again thundered the captain. "Don't you know your place? If -you don't, by all the saints in the calendar, I'll make you know it -before twenty-four hours have passed over your head. Let me tell you -that I don't require any help in commanding this vessel. When I do, I -will call on you. Till then, you may keep your advice to yourself." - -Bill shrugged his shoulders, but thought it prudent, on the whole, to -say nothing. Not that he feared for himself. He had a good deal of -confidence in the strength with which nature had endowed him, but he -feared that any unguarded words of his might incite the captain and -mate to visit new hardships upon his young _protégé_, Charlie. - -"As to the matter of the ring," said the captain, "my mind is not made -up. Mr. Randall, will you attend me?" - -The mate went below with Captain Brace. - -After a moment's silence the captain said, "I don't like that fellow, -Mr. Randall." - -"Do you mean Antonio?" - -"No; this Sturdy, who takes such airs upon himself." - -"Neither do I," answered Randall, promptly. - -"He's a mutinous rebel. I can see it in his eye," pursued the captain. - -"I have no doubt he would be if he had a good opportunity." - -"Perhaps I shall give him one," said the captain, significantly. - -"He's as strong as a bull," said the mate. - -"Yes; the fellow has fists like sledge-hammers, but he may use them -once too often. We will speak of that hereafter. Now what do you think -of this robbery?" - -"I suppose Antonio was the thief," said Randall, reluctantly. - -"You think Sturdy's story is correct?" - -"Yes; Antonio is a deep rascal, though of the two I hate Sturdy most." - -"Did you suppose your nephew to be the thief before the latter told his -story?" - -"I did not." - -"Yet you countenanced the charge." - -"Because I thought a flogging would do the boy no harm." - -"You don't seem to have any great affection for your nephew." - -"I do not." - -"And the reason?" - -"Is simply this. The boy's mother jilted me, or rather refused me -outright when I offered my hand in marriage." - -"Ha, that's where the shoe pinches." - -"You are right." - -"Well, I don't care to interfere with any little private revenge you -may desire to take, as long as it chimes in with my own purposes. The -boy shall be flogged if you wish it." - -"I do." - -"Find some pretext then, as long as the charge of robbery won't serve." - -"Then," said Randall, "you might announce that, although the charge of -theft had not been sustained, he had been guilty of an offence that -called for punishment--insolence to his officers." - -"That is a good idea. And in regard to Antonio----" - -"I have no doubt the rascal stole the ring, and deserves punishment, -but I don't want him flogged, as it would gratify Sturdy too much." - -"My own feeling." - -"You can say that you have been unable to determine who is guilty in -the matter, and shall wait for further evidence." - -"Very well conceived, Mr. Randall. I shall follow your advice, and -thank you for it." - -"I am glad to have been of service to you, Captain Brace." - -"And now, Mr. Randall, if you will go on deck, I will be up presently." - -The mate reappeared on deck with a satisfied air, occasionally looking -with a glance of triumphant spite at Charlie, who was standing beside -his tried and trusty friend, Bill Sturdy. - -"You don't know what's in store for you, my lad," he muttered. "Pity -his mother could not be here to see his fair flesh quivering under the -keen lash. Her heart would feel every stroke. She might repent then, -the scorn with which she repelled the suit of John Randall. How I hate -that boy! He brings up his father before me. So much the better. When -he shrinks beneath the lash, I shall think it is my old rival upon whom -it is falling." - -Bill Sturdy, meanwhile, said in a low voice to Charlie, "I don't like -the looks of the mate this morning. He's hatching mischief of some -kind, if I'm not greatly mistaken." - -"Against us?" - -"That's what I mistrust, my lad; against one or both of us. He hates us -both, and I ain't quite sure which he hates the most." - -"And yet I never did him any injury." - -"Then he's done you some harm, depend upon it. People hate worst those -they have injured most, and he's done you a great wrong in stealing -you from home." - -"What do you suppose made him do that, Bill?" - -"He had some private reason; there ain't a question about that. It -wasn't because we were in want of a boy. We might have picked up plenty -that would have been glad to come." - -"I'm afraid you'll get into trouble with him for taking my part," said -Charlie, with some anxiety. - -"Don't trouble yourself about me," said Sturdy, shrugging his -shoulders. "I ain't in any way frightened by his black looks, and if he -tries to do you any mischief, he'll find you've got one friend." - -Before Charlie had an opportunity to reply, Captain Brace came on deck, -and looked around him with a glance that showed a storm was brewing. - - - - - XXVII. - - THE LASH. - - -"Pipe all hands to see punishment inflicted," ordered Captain Brace. - -Charlie and Bill Sturdy looked at each other, uncertain where the blow -was to fall. - -"It must be Antonio," thought our hero. - -Evidently Antonio was of the same opinion, for over his swarthy face -there stole a pallor which showed his apprehension. - -Such was the understanding of the crew also, as they could think of -no other wrongdoer. Little pity was excited in behalf of the supposed -sufferer. He had so abused his position when champion of the crew, -that he had forfeited the good-will of all; and even if this had not -been the case, his treacherous and mean attempt to bring Charlie into -trouble would have been sufficient to bring him into disfavor. - -The uncertainty as to the victim was dissipated by the captain's next -words. - -"Jack Randall, come here!" - -Charlie came forward. - -"Boy," said Captain Brace, sternly, "you were guilty of insolence to me -this morning. This shall never go unpunished while I am in command of -a vessel. As to the ring, you may or may not have stolen it. It rests -between you and Antonio. As it cannot be proved of either, neither will -be punished on this account." - -Antonio's sallow face lighted up with joy at this unexpected escape, a -joy which was not reflected on the faces of the crew. - -"It is for insolence, therefore, and not on account of theft," pursued -the captain, "that I sentence you, Jack Randall, to a dozen lashes on -the bare back. Off with your jacket!" - -Charlie was a brave boy, but the prospect of this ignominious -punishment caused his check to pale and his voice to tremble, as he -exclaimed, "Captain Brace, if I have been guilty of insolence or want -of proper respect to you, it was not intentional. Do not compel me to -submit to this disgraceful punishment." - -There was a movement of sympathy among the crew, and more than one -heart softened at the sight of Charlie's manly front, though his lips -quivered, and pride alone kept back the tears from his eyes. Bill -Sturdy started, but checked himself, to hear what the captain would say -in response. - -"It is too late," he said, coldly. "You should have thought of all that -before you indulged in insolence." - -"But----" - -"It is too late, I say," roared the captain, irritated. "Strip, you -young rascal, or you shall have some help about it, and that of a rough -kind." - -It seemed as if all chance of escape was over for poor Charlie. But at -that moment Bill Sturdy pressed forward, and, hitching up his trousers, -as he was wont to do preparatory to speaking, said, in a distinct tone -of voice, "Captain Brace." - -"Well?" said the captain. "What have you to say?" - -"I should like to make a proposal to you, sir." - -"A proposal," repeated the captain, mystified. "What am I to understand -by that?" - -"It's just this, Captain Brace. You're the captain of this vessel, and -you've got a right to flog that boy, I suppose, according to the law. - -"Of course I have," said the captain, fiercely. "Do you presume to -question that right?" - -"I don't think proper to question it just now," said Bill; "but, -Captain Brace, just look at that boy. Look at his bright, honest face, -and you can't have the heart to abuse him." - -"Abuse him!" exclaimed the captain, stamping on the deck in his fury; -"say that again, and I'll have you flogged with him." - -"It was something of that kind that I was going to propose," said Bill -Sturdy. - -Captain Brace stared at him in astonishment, a feeling which was shared -by the crew. - -"If you want to be flogged," said the captain, grimly, "we will try to -accommodate you." - -"It is in this way that I mean," exclaimed Bill. "I've taken a liking -to that lad, and I've promised him I'll stand his friend. Now, Captain -Brace, if somebody must be flogged, spare him, and flog me in his -place." - -Surprise was depicted on every face, and the sunburnt and rough-visaged -men about him felt an involuntary thrill of respect and admiration, -as Sturdy manfully came forward and offered his own back to the -punishment, which is properly regarded as an insult to manhood, though -the disgrace attaches not to the one who endures, but to the one who -inflicts it. - -Charlie was the first to speak. His generous heart revolted at the idea -of escaping punishment at the expense of his friend. - -"No, Bill Sturdy," said he, manfully, "I don't want you to suffer in my -place. It'll be hard to bear it," and his lip quivered; "but it would -be weak and cowardly for me to let anybody else suffer in my place." - -Charlie began to take off his jacket. - -There was a murmuring among the crew, testifying to the excitement -which they felt. - -"Put on your jacket, my lad," said Bill. "I'm older and tougher than -you, and I can bear it better." - -And the stout seaman pulled off his shirt, and displayed his brawny -shoulders, and a chest whose breadth and depth betokened a strength -which could not be styled less than Herculean. - -Antonio looked on, his eye blazing with vindictive joy. Whichever was -flogged, his satisfaction would be equal. - -"Hark you!" exclaimed Captain Brace, interfering at this juncture. "I -think that I shall choose to have a voice in this matter. So you wish," -turning to Sturdy, "to relieve this boy of his punishment, do you?" - -"I do," said the old seaman. - -"I don't want him to," interrupted Charlie. "It is mine, and I will -bear it." - -"It seems the parties are not agreed," said the captain, sardonically. - -"Spare him," said Bill Sturdy, his eyes resting affectionately on -Charlie. "He is so young." - -"Perhaps the best way in which I can please you both is to divide the -punishment between you. I had sentenced this lad to receive twelve -lashes. Since you wish to do him a service, you shall receive six, and -he the other six." - -"I do not consent," said Sturdy, comprehending the captain's purpose to -humiliate both. "If his back is to receive a single lash, my offer will -not save him from the disgrace, and that is worse than the pain." - -At this juncture the mate whispered something in the captain's ear. - -The face of the latter lighted up with satisfaction, and his next words -revealed the nature of the mate's suggestion. - -"I consent to the substitution," he said, and then paused. - -Bill Sturdy's face glowed with generous satisfaction, and with heroic -forgetfulness of self, he began to strip for punishment. - -A moment, and his back, broad and ample, was bared and the thick, -corded muscles could be seen. - -"Antonio, come forward," said Captain Brace. - -Antonio advanced amid the general surprise of the crew, and somewhat to -his own, and stood still, awaiting orders. - -"Now," said Captain Brace, his tone showing his malignant satisfaction. -"I appoint you as my deputy to administer twelve lashes to this man; -mind that you don't spare him." - -Antonio did not need this injunction. His eyes were full of fiendish -triumph, as he seized the instrument of torture, and flourished it -above his head. - -As for Bill Sturdy, when he knew that Antonio was to be employed to -inflict punishment upon him, this refinement of torture shook his -resolution for a moment. It was, indeed, the bitterest drop in the cup. -But not for an instant did his resolution falter. He would save Charlie -at all hazards. He quickly recovered himself, and said, in a firm -voice, "I am ready." - -Instantly the lash was whirled aloft, and buried itself in his flesh. - -There was a quiver, and that was all. - -One--two--three--four-- - -In fast succession the blows fall upon his flesh, he meanwhile standing -firmly braced, though his cheek was paler than its wont. - -Charlie's heart sickened, and he closed his eyes to shut out the -fearful spectacle. - -As for Antonio, he seemed to revel in the task which had been assigned -him. His eyes fairly danced with baleful light, and he seemed almost -beside himself. It was this, perhaps, that led him to exceed by one -the strokes which he had been ordered to administer. - -A moment after, and the lash was wrested from him by Bill Sturdy, who -threw him to the deck, with one powerful grasp tore the covering from -his back, and buried the lash which had scarred his own back in the -flesh of his late executioner who with face distorted with fright and -pain roared for mercy. - -"That is to pay for the blow you struck on your own account, you -scoundrel," exclaimed Sturdy. "And now," as the lash descended once -more with prodigious force, and the victim fairly writhed under it, -"you are one in my debt." - - - - - XXVIII. - - TWO CONFERENCES. - - -So strongly were the sympathies of the crew with Sturdy, more -especially since he had shown himself capable of such disinterested and -heroic self-sacrifice, and so decidedly were their feelings enlisted -against Antonio, who acted like a fiend rather than a man in the -execution of the welcome duty assigned him by the captain, that this -sudden turning of the tables, the summary revenge taken by Bill Sturdy -in return for the additional blow Antonio had inflicted, was greeted -with a triumphant shout from the sailors, which seemed to spring from -them spontaneously. - -Captain Brace bit his lip, and Randall's face darkened with rage. They -felt that the humiliation which they had intended for Bill Sturdy had -recoiled upon the head of their own agent. - -The worst of it was they could not prudently resent it. Antonio had -in the eyes of all been guilty of a glaring offence in exceeding his -orders, and had justly brought upon himself the punishment he had -received. However, the justice or injustice of the matter would have -weighed little with Captain Brace if he had not been assured that -it would not be safe for him to go further. The law, at the time of -which I am speaking, gave almost unlimited power to the commander of -a vessel over the lives and liberties of those who were placed under -him, yet most were aware that there was a point at which it was wise to -pause. At the commencement of the scene, there had been audible murmurs -among the crew, the significance of which the captain and mate would -understand. The habit of subordination, and the knowledge that this -was in a certain sense a voluntary act on the part of Bill Sturdy, -had prevented anything more, but if the captain had gone to greater -extremities, the consequences might have been serious. - -Meanwhile Antonio picked himself up, smarting under the terrible wounds -which had been inflicted by the lash wielded with the whole of Bill -Sturdy's enormous strength. Indeed, although he had received but two -stripes, and his enemy thirteen, it may be doubted whether the pain -inflicted by those two were not equal to that of the greater number. - -Antonio had slunk down into the forecastle to bathe his back and obtain -fresh clothes, for his shirt had been rent asunder. Bill Sturdy, on -the other hand, proceeded to attire himself on deck and went about -his work, without showing outwardly the pain which he must have been -suffering. - -Captain Brace took no public notice of the retribution which had -followed the punishment. He didn't dare to act as he wished, and -therefore chose to pass it unnoticed. But an hour afterwards, as he sat -in conference with the mate, his fury burst the bounds he had imposed -upon it. - -"Curse that fellow!" he exclaimed. "Is he forever destined to thwart my -designs? I felt that I could willingly have flogged him myself till -the last breath left his body." - -"It is a pity Antonio ventured to exceed his orders." - -"Yes, the fool was richly repaid for his act, but I could wish it had -been by a different hand." - -"That extra blow gave Sturdy a pretext for his summary vengeance. -But for that his conduct could have been construed into mutiny and -disrespect to you." - -"And then I might have put him in irons." - -"You might do it now, but for----" - -"But for the crew, you would say. That alone prevents me. The fellow, -unluckily, has secured their sympathy. Would that I could devise some -way for taking vengeance safely upon this rebellious scoundrel." - -The mate leaned his head upon his hand, and gave himself up to -reflection. Something occurred to him, for lifting his head again, he -asked,-- - -"Have you ever been in Rio Janeiro, Captain Brace?" - -"Never but once, and that some nine or ten years since." - -"There are desperadoes in that city, as in others," pursued Randall, -fixing his eyes intently upon the captain. - -"I do not quite catch your meaning, Mr. Randall." - -"Men who are little troubled by conscientious scruples, but are willing -to undertake the most dangerous and illegal enterprises--_for small -consideration_. - -"I begin to understand you now," said the captain. - -"Shall I proceed?" - -"Do so." - -The mate rightly construed this into an intimation that his -proposition, though hinting at crime, would not prove distasteful to -the captain. This, knowing the character of his superior officer, did -not surprise him, and he proceeded. - -"I think you apprehend my meaning, Captain Brace. This man is a thorn -in our sides. He is exerting a bad influence on board the ship. He is -undermining your influence with the crew." - -"That is all true, Mr. Randall. What, then, is your advice in this -state of affairs?" - -"My advice is, that this fellow _should be removed_." - -"To a place better fitted for him," suggested the captain, with a grim -smile. - -"Precisely so." - -"And through the agency of such men as you have spoken of?" - -"That is my proposition." - -"It deserves thinking of. May I ask if you have any acquaintance among -the fraternity, or whether you have ever had any occasion to employ -their services?" - -"I did on one occasion." - -"Do you mind giving the particulars?" - -"To you, no. Some years since I shipped as common sailor on board the -Porcupine, bound from New York to Rio. On the voyage one of the sailors -on several occasions insulted me, and I determined upon revenge. At Rio -I fell in with a desperate character, who for a comparatively small sum -engaged to do my bidding." - -"Well?" - -"There is not much to tell. One night this man was passing through -a narrow street, quite unsuspicious of danger, when he was suddenly -struck from behind by a bludgeon, and--_he never came back to the -ship_." - -"Did no suspicion attach to you?" - -"How should there? Who was to betray me? Not my agent, or in so doing -he would betray himself. This is the first time I have ever spoken of -it, but I am safe with you." - -"Perfectly. You say the consideration was small." - -"Fifty dollars only. I dare say the fellow considered himself well -paid. Besides he took whatever his victim had about him." - -"Thank you for the suggestion, Mr. Randall. I will furnish the money, -if you will undertake the management of the business when we reach Rio." - -"With pleasure," replied the mate, and he probably spoke the truth. - -While this conversation was going on, Charlie in another part of the -vessel was commiserating Bill Sturdy on his injuries. - -"And it was on my account, too," said the boy, regretfully. - -"Better me than you, my lad," said the old sailor stoutly. "Don't -trouble yourself about that. It was my own free will, and if I had been -unwilling all the power of the captain couldn't have made me submit -to it. Besides there was one thing that repaid me for it all. Antonio -got something he'll remember to the latest day of his life, I reckon. -However that ain't what I want to say now. It's just this. I haven't -any particular inducements to stay aboard this vessel, and I've about -made up my mind to give them the slip at the first port we come to, if -you'll go with me." - -"Where do we touch first?" - -"At Rio, I surmise." - -"I'm ready to go with you, Bill, whenever you say the word," said -Charlie, promptly. - -"That's right, my lad." - -And so the agreement was made. - - - - - XXIX. - - DANGER THREATENS BILL STURDY. - - -It is my intention to pass rapidly over the time which intervened -between the events which have been described, and the arrival of the -Bouncing Betsey at Rio Janeiro. Nothing happened of sufficient interest -to call for record. - -As for our hero and Bill Sturdy, their position was, unquestionably, -more agreeable and less disturbed by incidents than before. This was -not owing to any change in the feelings of the captain and mate, but -in consequence of the iniquitous compact into which they had entered. -They felt secure of ultimate vengeance; they could, therefore, afford -to wait. Indeed, they felt that they should be more likely to secure -the end they had in view if, for the present, they should so act as to -lull asleep any suspicions which might be entertained of their agency -in the affair after it was over. - -But Bill Sturdy was not deceived. He determined to keep his -"weather-eye open," as he expressed it, and be on the lookout for -squalls. - -So the time passed. - -It was a bright, tropical day. The thick garments which all had worn on -leaving port were laid aside, and every one was dressed in light and -thin attire. - -"We shall probably reach Rio to-morrow, Mr. Randall," observed the -captain. - -"Yes; if the present wind holds, there can be no doubt of it." - -"And the little plan which we have been contemplating need no longer be -delayed." - -Randall smiled acquiescence. - -The wind held favorable, and the next evening saw them in port. - -The captain and mate went on shore, leaving the vessel in charge of the -second mate. - -We have nothing to do with the motions of the captain, but will follow -Randall, who, never backward in ill-doing, at once set about the -execution of his scheme. - -Having been in the city before, he was well acquainted with -localities, and therefore was able to direct his steps at once to that -quarter where he felt he was most likely to meet the man he was in -quest of. - -He entered a low drinking-saloon, and ordered a glass of liquor, partly -to gratify his taste, partly that while drinking he might have leisure -to look about him. - -It was a low, square room, dark and unsightly, frequented evidently -by the lowest ranks only. At this time there was but one man present -besides Randall. - -This man was tall, low-browed, with shaggy black eyebrows, and a -face on which villainy was stamped in Nature's plainest and most -ineffaceable characters. - -"There's a man," thought the mate, "that will serve my turn, and, to -judge from his looks, will be troubled by no unnecessary scruples on -the subject." - -Meanwhile, the other, lifting his eyes from the glass, had observed -his close scrutiny, and chose to take offence at it. He rose from his -seat, and, advancing towards Randall, observed, in a menacing tone, "It -appears to me, señor, that you are impertinent." - -Randall understood the language in which this was spoken, and coolly -inquired, "How so?" - -"You have been staring at me as if you had some particular object in -it." - -"So I have," returned the mate, in the same tone as before. - -"Explain yourself, señor, and if, as I mistrust, you mean to insult me, -I will make you better acquainted with my good knife," and he tapped -the knife significantly. - -"It is an acquaintance which I do not court," said Randall, shrugging -his shoulders. "But it appears to me that it is not well talking -without something to moisten the throat. I shall be happy to have you -drink with me." - -"I beg your pardon, señor, for my suspicions, which, I see, were wrong. -I see that you are a gentleman. Henceforth I will treat you as such." - -"I thought you would learn to know me better," said Randall, filling -both glasses; "let me drink to our better acquaintance." - -Both sat down very amicably. The glass had made them friends. - -"I should like to ask your advice on a certain point," said Randall. - -"I will give it with pleasure." - -"I have an enemy--a deadly foe--whom I detest. What would you do if you -were in my place?" - -"You say he is your deadly foe?" - -"Yes." - -"I would give him a passport to another world. That is my advice." - -"And you would feel no compunctions?" - -"No more than if I were crushing a spider." - -"I will own, then," said Randall, "that I have thought of this, but it -is difficult for me to act in the matter." - -"Then hire another to do it." - -"Ah, if I could only find some brave man who would undertake the job." - -"Well?" - -"I would engage him to do it for me, if----" - -"Well?" - -"If we could agree upon the terms." - -"You need seek no further for your man, then," said the stranger, -gulping down another glass. - -"How is that?" asked Randall, pretending not to understand him fully. - -"Because, you see before you one who is willing to undertake it." - -"You?" - -"And why not?" - -"Certainly, there is no good reason." - -"Now tell me about it." - -"First, let us settle about the price to be paid." - -"As you please." - -After some little discussion this was finally fixed at sixty dollars. -For this paltry sum, added to the booty which he might find upon the -person of his victim, this miserable man was willing to commit one of -the worst of crimes. - -"Now," continued the mate, "I must give you some directions which will -enable you to identify the person." - -"Is he a sailor?" - -"He is." - -"On board what ship?" - -"The Bouncing Betsey." - -"Lying where?" - -Randall indicated the wharf at which the vessel was moored. - -"Now describe the man." - -"He is rather below the common height, broad-shouldered, -extraordinarily strong; in fact such a Hercules that it will be well -for you to take him by surprise." - -"This will make me equal with him," said the Brazilian, displaying his -knife. - -"That and the darkness." - -"When shall I be likely to meet him?" - -"He will receive permission to come on shore to-morrow night," said -Randall. "You must be hovering about the vessel, and watch the sailors -as they come from the ship. When you see him, you will follow him." - -"Trust me for that." - -"And when all is over, and you furnish me evidence that you have done -the deed, the money shall be yours." - -"I require a portion in advance. How do I know but you will play me -false?" - -"My good friend, I should expect, in that case, to become your victim. -However, your request is reasonable. You shall have one third of the -sum stipulated in advance." - -He placed twenty dollars in the hands of his companion, and, rising, -paid his score. He then betook himself to the ship, and, on the arrival -of Captain Brace, acquainted him with the result of his visit. The -latter expressed great satisfaction. - -Meanwhile Bill Sturdy and Charlie were speaking of the plan they had in -view,--that of escaping from the ship. - -"Suppose," said Charlie, "we cannot obtain permission to go on shore -together." - -"Then I will come to the wharf at midnight, and you can leave your bunk -unobserved and join me." - - - - - XXX. - - THE PASS OF DEATH. - - -"Have I permission to go on shore, Captain Brace?" inquired Bill Sturdy -on the following morning. - -"I shall require your services on board during the day," said the -captain, acting in accordance with the suggestion and arrangements of -the mate. "At nightfall you can go if you like." - -Charlie, learning from Bill Sturdy, the result of his application, did -not prefer a request till evening. His request was unceremoniously -refused. The Captain had no desire that our young hero should be -present at the assault upon Bill, as his presence might prevent the -attack being made, and its success, in consequence of Sturdy's great -strength, depended on its unexpectedness. - -"Never mind," said Bill, in a low voice, "wait till midnight. Meanwhile -I will be seeking out a proper place of concealment. When the Cathedral -clock strikes midnight, rise quietly and take a bundle of clothes, if -you can do it unobserved, and jump upon the wharf. I will be waiting -for you." - -Cheered by this hope, Charlie was content to wait. - -He went below, and opening his chest, put together in a bundle the -clothes which he had on when he went on board the vessel for the first -time. His little preparation having now been made, he sat down and -commenced a letter to his mother which it was his purpose to mail in -the city, to be completed when the result of his attempt to escape -should be known. - -We must now follow the movements of the villain with whom Randall had -conferred. He had no idea of failing to carry out his part of the -contract. Aside from the pecuniary inducement, his savage temper and -utter want of principle, made him rather court such adventures, even -for their own sake. Just before nightfall he stationed himself at a -point on the wharf where he would have an opportunity of observing all -that went on board the vessel. - -With his keen eyes he scrutinized the forms of the sailors with a view -of verifying Randall's description, and so picking out the one who was -destined to be his victim. Circumstances conspired to lead him to a -wrong conclusion upon this point. - -Bill Sturdy was, at that time, below, making preparations to go on -shore. It has already been remarked, that previous to his enrolment -among the crew, Antonio had been, physically the most powerful among -them. Although inferior to Bill Sturdy, yet he possessed a formidable -amount of strength, and on board most vessels might have challenged -comparison with any. But if Antonio was one in a hundred, Sturdy was -one in a thousand. Seldom, very seldom, is there concentrated in the -human frame so much power as he possessed. He would not have been found -unequal to the feats of strength which have made famous the name of -Richard CÅ“ur de Lion, the English king, who won, in so remarkable a -degree, the chivalrous respect and affection of the English people, and -whose feats still live in the pages of the greatest of modern romances. - -Antonio was, in form, not altogether unlike Bill Sturdy. At all events, -the resemblance was so great that the mate's description of Sturdy -might easily be supposed to apply to him. Hence, when the Brazilian -cast a scrutinizing glance over the persons of the crew, he at once -selected Antonio as the one intended. - -"That is the fellow," he muttered. "He looks powerful, but my good -knife will prevent his being dangerous to me, provided I steal upon -him from behind, and give him one sharp, decisive blow." - -Bill Sturdy was not the only one permitted to go on shore that evening. -Several others had similar permission extended to them, leaving behind -only enough to keep the proper watch on board the vessel. - -A company, including Antonio, left the vessel together some five -minutes before Bill Sturdy made his appearance. The Brazilian, fixing -his attention upon him, followed them at a little distance, cautiously -avoiding the appearance of doing so, lest he might attract observation. -He did not expect to carry out his design at present, partly because -it was not yet dark, and partly also because he wished to wait till -Antonio was alone. He was resolved to keep him in view, for hours, if -need be, until a favorable opportunity should present itself for the -commission of the crime he meditated. - -The first place the men visited was a low drinking saloon, situated -on a street considered hardly reputable. It was not long before they -became noisy and drunk. - -One by one they staggered out of the drinking-saloon. Among the last to -go was Antonio. He had probably drank more than any of his comrades, -but he had a strong head, and showed his potations less in his gait -than many of the rest. He walked out with a steady step, somewhat to -the disappointment of the Brazilian, who had been keeping vigilant -guard, and relied upon the effects of the liquor to make him an easier -conquest. - -It was already dark, but the street was too public, and he would be too -liable to interruption and detection to make it prudent to attack at -present. He therefore cautiously followed Antonio, hoping that he would -presently turn into some narrow lane or alley. - -In this hope he was not disappointed. At a little distance there -was a narrow alley leading from the street in which Antonio was now -walking to another of equal size. Antonio stood a little doubtful at -the entrance, but finally entered. If he had only known that there was -one close upon his heels, who was tracking him with the keenness of an -Indian upon the trail of his foeman, he might have hesitated before -entering what, to him, was destined to prove "the pass of death." - -But he did not know this. - -The alley was a long one, little frequented at that hour, and -unlighted. Cautiously behind the doomed sailor walked the hired -assassin. And now Antonio is nearly midway. Between them there is a -distance of fifty feet. Over this interval creeps the murderer with -noiseless feet. Then, snatching the ever-ready knife from his girdle, -he lifts his hand, and the descending knife is buried in the back of -Antonio, entering just below his neck. He sank to the ground with a -convulsive shudder, and a sharp cry of pain. - -The Brazilian stood over him. Antonio looked up into his face, -supposing it might be Bill Sturdy, whose enmity he judged by his own. - -And the thought came to him. - -Half lifting himself from the ground with his last remaining strength, -he ejaculated, feebly, "Were you hired to do this?" - -"I was," said the assassin, briefly. - -Antonio could have but one thought as to the one who had instigated -the murder. He was satisfied it was Bill, and that thought made death -doubly bitter. - -With a curse upon his lips, a bitter malediction upon his rival, he -died. - -Quickly stripping his victim of whatever he had about him worth taking, -his murderer crept away. - - - - - XXXI. - - CHARLIE'S ESCAPE FROM THE SHIP. - - -Randall had made an appointment to meet his agent at midnight at the -place where they originally met. - -Some ten minutes before the hour he entered, and found the Brazilian -seated at a table with a bottle before him. - -"I am here first," said the latter, nonchalantly, as he laid down a -glass which he had drained. - -"So it seems," said Randall. "And now, what success?" he asked, eagerly. - -"The best." - -"You have----" - -"I have earned my reward." - -"Good!" exclaimed the mate, his eyes flashing with revengeful malice. - -"And now," said the assassin, coolly, "I am ready to receive my pay." - -"You shall have it as soon as you prove to me that you have stated the -truth." - -"Do you dare to doubt my word?" said the Brazilian, fiercely. - -"Not at all." - -"Why, then, do you demand this proof? Have I not told you?" - -"Because," said Randall, "you must know, that in this matter I am the -agent of another, and that the money with which I pay you is not mine, -but only what he has intrusted to me." - -"Well?" - -"You will easily understand that, though I may be perfectly satisfied -with your assurance, he is a different person. He has never met with -you, and may very reasonably require some proof that the deed has been -done." - -"Would you know the hair of this man?" asked the Brazilian. - -"I should." - -He drew from his bosom a lock of hair which he had severed from the -head of his victim. - -Randall looked at it eagerly, turned pale, and uttered an exclamation -of mingled surprise and dismay. - -"You have made a great mistake," he said. - -"A mistake?" echoed the other. - -"Yes," said Randall; "you must have killed the wrong man!" - -"What makes you think so?" - -"Because the hair should be sandy. This is black." - -"Beware," said the assassin, suspiciously, "how you attempt to trick me -out of my reward. The knife which has drunk the blood of one can, on -occasion, do the same thing for another." - -"Your suspicions are unjust," said the mate. "In any event, you are -welcome to what you have already received, and we must enter upon a new -contract for the other." - -"Umph!" muttered his companion, but half appeased. - -"And now let us go and see who has been the victim of this unlucky -mistake." - -Together they proceed cautiously to the alley where the sailor yet lay, -cold and rigid, his face wearing the look of dark, sullen hatred and -ferocity which had been habitual to it in life. - -"Good heavens!" exclaimed Randall. "This is Antonio." - -"Is it not the man you intended?" - -"No; it is his deadly foe. But what a fearful look he wears in death. -Was there any struggle?" - -"No; he had no chance." - -"You did not kill him instantly?" - -"He had time to ask a question." - -"What was it?" - -"He asked if I had been hired to murder him." - -"And you answered----" - -"Yes." - -"Did you tell him by whom you were hired?" - -"I had no opportunity. He had just strength to ask the question, and -then died." - -"He supposed it to be another," said Randall. "But it can't be helped, -and we may as well leave this place, or we may incur suspicion. I don't -know that I care much for the mistake. He was an ugly fellow." - -"About the other?" - -"If you will be on the wharf to-morrow morning, I will take care that -the man is on deck. You could not fail to recognize him, but to avoid -all mistake, I will go forward and speak to him." - -"And am I to receive no more than twenty dollars for what I have -already done?" asked the Brazilian, discontentedly. - -"Did you take nothing from the corpse?" - -The assassin had found considerable money, and the thought of this -tended to appease him. - -"You are welcome to that, whatever it is, and for the new enterprise -you shall have as much as I promised in the first place. You see, -therefore, that you will be a gainer by the mistake that has taken -place, while I shall be out of pocket by it." - -"You said you were but an agent." - -"So I am, but this money will come from me." - -Here the two villains parted company, one betaking himself to his -ship, the other returning to the drinking-saloon, where he spent the -remainder of the night in drunken revelry. - -In the meantime the man against whose life Randall had plotted -unsuccessfully was preparing another disappointment for the mate. - -On leaving the ship, not dreaming how important to him had been the ten -minutes by which his comrades had preceded him, Bill Sturdy struck for -the central part of the city by the most direct route. - -Turning a corner, he unexpectedly fell in with a sailor who had been -a messmate on a former voyage. Bill ascertained that his comrade was -about to sail in two days for Liverpool, and from thence to New York. - -"Can your captain take another hand?" asked Sturdy. - -"I have no doubt he would like one, for we are short-handed. We lost a -sailor overboard just before we got into Rio." - -"Do you carry any passengers?" - -"A few." - -"I shall want to secure a berth for one." - -"You don't mean to say, Bill, that you've been spliced?" - -"Not quite so bad as that. The passenger is a boy." - -"A son of yours?" - -"I wish he was," said Bill, earnestly; "but I'll tell you more about -this matter another time. For the present, keep dark. And that reminds -me, can you tell me of any quiet, decent place where the lad and I can -come to anchor?" - -"I know of a widow woman who will give you good rooms." - -Bill took down the address. - -Toward twelve o'clock he returned to the wharf at which the vessel was -lying. While he was standing in the shadow of a large building the -cathedral clock struck twelve. - -A moment after, and a youthful form appeared upon deck, descended the -side swiftly, and stepped on the wharf. - -"Here I am, my lad," said Sturdy, in a low voice, coming out from his -place of concealment. - -"I was afraid you wouldn't be here," whispered Charlie. - -"Trust me for that. And now we must be making sail, or the pirates will -be after us." - -And this is the way Charlie took leave of the Bouncing Betsey. - - - - - XXXII. - - FIRST LESSONS. - - -We will not attempt to depict the rage and vexation of Randall and the -captain when they ascertained that Bill Sturdy had made his escape from -the vessel and taken Charlie with him. For they entertained no doubt -from the previous intimacy of the two that they had deserted the ship -in company. They instituted as strict a search as they were able, and -even offered a reward to any of the crew who should be instrumental in -bringing back either, but particularly the boy. None of the sailors, -however, would have betrayed our hero, even if they had had the -opportunity. Captain Brace was finally obliged to put to sea without -those whom he was so desirous of getting back into his power. He was -compelled at the last to ship two new hands in place of Bill Sturdy and -Antonio. - -As for Bill Sturdy, he embarked on the Liverpool-bound vessel. He was -desirous that Charlie should go as passenger, offering to pay his -fare, that he might be spared the hardships of a boy on board ship. -But to this arrangement our hero strongly objected. He said he had no -intention of being idle, and as to the hardships, he was willing to -encounter them. Bill, therefore, withdrew his objections, and Charlie -became one of the crew. He soon became a favorite, and as the captain -and mate were quite different in character and disposition from those -of the Bouncing Betsey, his voyage proved much more pleasant and -satisfactory. - -We must now take leave of our young hero, well assured that he is in -good hands, and, transferring the scene to Boston, inquire into the -fate of our friends there. - -It will be remembered that Mrs. Codman, after the abduction of her son, -was successful in obtaining the post of governess to a rather playful -and mischievous young lady, the only daughter of a wealthy merchant -named Bowman. - -Mrs. Codman found her pupil as playful as a kitten, and about as -fond of study. To confess the truth, Miss Bert Bowman was deplorably -ignorant for a young lady of her age. Her governess, however, soon -ascertained that it was from no want of natural capacity, but rather -because she had been so much indulged, that nothing had been required -of her beyond what the young lady chose to perform, and that was -exceedingly little. In a private conversation with Mrs. Codman, Mr. -Bowman explained the deficiencies of Bert with their cause, and went on -to say, "Now, my dear madam, I wish to surrender Bert to your charge -entirely. I feel assured that I may rely upon your judgment to adopt -such a course as may be best adapted to reconcile her to study, of -which at present, she has a great dread. I would not counsel too great -strictness at first, though I do not apprehend that from you. Neither -perhaps ought we to try to advance very rapidly at first. Step by step, -will be the most judicious way. In regard to hours, text-books, and -studies generally, you will do as you think best." - -"I thank you, Mr. Bowman," replied Mrs. Codman, "for your dependence -on my judgment, and hope to deserve it. I hope my young pupil, who, I -am convinced is not wanting in intelligence, will do justice to her -natural capacity." - -The next day Mrs. Codman commenced her undertaking, for such it may -appropriately be called. - -"Bertha," said she, pointing to the clock, "it is nine o'clock. Suppose -we commence our studies." - -"Just let me have another race with Topsy," said Bert, who was flying -round the room in pursuit of the black kitten, who was evidently -regarded by her young mistress as a congenial companion. - -"I am afraid I must say no, my dear child," said Mrs. Codman gently; -"there is nothing like punctuality. So if you will just ring the bell, -I will ask Jane to take away Topsy for the present." - -"Can't Topsy come to school with me?" asked Bert, disappointed. - -"I am afraid if she did my other pupil would not make very much -progress." - -Bert unwillingly acquiesced in the dismission of her favorite companion. - -"You won't keep me as long as they do in school, will you, Mrs. -Codman?" asked Bert. "If I had to study four or six hours, I should -certainly go into a fit." - -"I dare say you would," replied her teacher, smiling. "Therefore -I sha'n't keep you so long. In fact, as you are the only scholar, -we sha'n't bind ourselves to so many hours, but rather to so much -learned, so that it will depend a good deal on how well you study." - -"That's good," said Bert. "Only, Mrs. Codman, you mustn't be too hard -upon me. I don't believe I can get very long lessons." - -"I mean to be quite easy at first. I shall not ask much, but that -little I shall be strict in requiring." - -Bert wasn't quite sure how she liked the latter part of this remark. - -"Before setting you any lessons, I must find out how much you know." - -"I guess it won't take me long to tell you all I ever learned." - -"Here is a reading-book. Let me hear you read." - -Bert took the book, and stumbled through a paragraph, invariably -mispronouncing all words of over one syllable. - -"There," said she, taking a long breath; "I'm glad that is over." - -"Now," said Mrs. Codman, taking the book, "let me read it aloud." - -She was an excellent reader, and Bert, though she could not read -herself, recognized the fact. - -"I wish I could read as well as that," said Bert. "How awfully you must -have studied when you were a girl." - -"Not so hard as you think for, perhaps," said her teacher, smiling. -"Success depends more upon a series of small efforts, than any great -one." - -"Do you think I shall ever read well?" asked Bert doubtfully. - -"I am sure you will, if you will give a moderate amount of attention. -Do you know anything of arithmetic?" - -"Do you mean the Multiplication Table?" - -"Yes, that is a part of it." - -"Yes," said Bert, "I know some lines about it. Charlie Morrill taught -me them one day." - -"What are they?" - -Bert repeated these lines, which no doubt are familiar to many of my -readers: - - Multiplication is vexation, - Division is as bad, - The rule of Three doth trouble me, - And Practice makes me mad. - -Mrs. Codman smiled. "Perhaps you will like them better as you grow -better acquainted. Can you tell me how much are four times four?" - -Bert went through a variety of motions in counting her fingers, and -finally announced as the result of her computation, that four times -four made twenty-nine. - -"That is hardly right." - -"I'm awful ignorant, ain't I?" asked Bert. - -"Considerably so, I confess. But we shall be able to remedy that." - -"You won't make me study my eyes out?" - -"That would be a pity. You see mine are not yet gone, and I don't mean -to ask you to study any harder than I did." - -Bert looked at the eyes of her teacher which were quite as bright as -her own, and lost her apprehensions on that score. - -"I'll tell you why I asked," said she, after a pause. "There's a girl -that goes to school--she's only twelve years old--and she has to wear -spectacles, and I heard somebody say it was because she studied so -hard. I shouldn't want to be obliged to wear spectacles." - -Mrs. Codman could not forbear laughing at the idea of her frolicsome -little scholar, with a pair of glasses perched upon her nose, and -promised her that if she found there was any prospect of her being -obliged to wear them, she would advise her at once giving up study. - -"Then I hope," thought Bert, "I shall need them soon." - -"Now," proceeded Mrs. Codman. "I am going to give you short and easy -lessons in reading, spelling, and arithmetic. It won't take you long to -get there, if you only try. When you have recited them, we are to go -out and ride in the carriage." - -"Oh, that will be nice," exclaimed the child. "Tell me what the lesson -is, quick." - -The lessons were got and said sooner than could have been expected, and -so Bert had taken the first step in ascending the hill of learning. - - - - - XXXIII. - - A LETTER FROM CHARLIE. - - -Bert had plenty of capacity. She could get her lessons in an incredibly -short time when there was any inducement. At other times she would sit -for two or three hours with the book before her, but with her attention -straying to other things, and, as a natural consequence, would know no -more at the end of that time than at the beginning. Fortunately Mrs. -Codman had the gift of patience, and though she was gentle, was, at the -same time, firm. - -Of one thing Bert became convinced,--that study was not so terrible -as she had imagined. At the end of three months she had made so great -an improvement, that her father was equally surprised and delighted, -and was disposed to do full justice to Mrs. Codman's merits as a -governess. "Who knows but you will become quite a learned lady in time, -Bert?" he said, playfully. - -"No doubt of it, papa," replied Bert. "By the time I am eighteen, I -expect to wear green glasses and write books." - -"That will, indeed, be a miraculous transformation. And what is to -become of Topsy, then?" - -"Oh, she'll be an old cat then, and won't feel any more like racing -round than I do. She'll just curl up in a chair beside me, and I will -use her fur to wipe my pens on. She is just the right color for that, -you know." - -"Quite a sensible plan. I confess. Indeed, it will be well for you to -have something of that kind to be employed about, as you will probably -have no beaux." - -"No beaux, papa? And why am I to have no beaux, I should like to know?" - -"Because it takes two to make a bargain." - -"Well, perhaps I sha'n't," replied Bert, tossing her head. "Perhaps you -don't know that I have picked out my future husband." - -"Whew! That is getting along faster than I had anticipated. May I be -permitted to know who is to be my son-in-law? I think I can guess, -however." - -"Who?" - -"Mr. Bradley." - -Mr. Bradley was an old bachelor, of about fifty, partially bald and -more than partially homely, who had now and then dined with Mr. Bowman -and had taken more notice of the young lady than she at all desired. - -"Mr. Bradley!" repeated Bert, in a contemptuous manner. "I'd a good -deal rather marry Topsy." - -"Perhaps," suggested her father, "the superior length of the kitten's -whiskers causes you to give her the preference. Am I to understand that -she is your choice?" - -"No, it is a very handsome boy, and his name is Charlie Codman." - -A look of regret stole over Mrs. Codman's face--the expression of a -sorrow caused by her uncertainty with regard to Charlie's fate. - -"A son of yours?" asked Mr. Bowman, in some surprise. - -Mrs. Codman replied in the affirmative. - -"You ought to see his miniature, papa. He is very handsome." - -"And you have lost your heart to him. Perhaps he may not return the -compliment." - -"I hope he will," said the young lady. - -"Perhaps Mrs. Codman will allow me to look at the miniature of my -future son-in-law," said Mr. Bowman, not guessing the mother's sorrow -and its cause. - -While Mrs. Codman was absent from the room, Bert gave her father a -brief account of Charlie's disappearance. - -"You must pardon me, Mrs. Codman," said Mr. Bowman, in a tone of -feeling, when she had returned, "for speaking in the lively tone I did. -I little guessed the anxiety you must feel about your son. Is this the -miniature?" - -"A very attractive face!" he said. "I don't wonder at Bert's taking a -fancy to it." - -"I cannot wonder at your sorrow in losing, even for a time, such a boy -as this face seems to indicate," he added. - -"You think there is a chance of his coming back to me?" asked Mrs. -Codman, anxiously. - -"I am hardly prepared to express an opinion on the scanty information -which Bert has been able to give me. If you are willing to tell me the -story in detail, I will tell you what I think of the chances." - -Mrs. Codman told the story, mentioning, also, the name of Peter Manson, -and the language which he had used. - -"I sometimes see this man," said the merchant, "and know him by -reputation. He is a miser." - -"He pretends to be very poor." - -"All pretence. I do not see what object he could have had in spiriting -your son away." - -Further conversation followed, but, as might be expected, no -satisfactory result was reached. Mrs. Codman, however, felt relieved -and more hopeful in the knowledge that her employer knew of her loss, -and would do what he could to discover Charlie. - -It was only a week later that he came into the school-room with a smile -upon his face. - -"Father, you bring good news; isn't it so?" said Bert. - -"I hope so." - -Mrs. Codman looked up with a glance of eager inquiry. - -"As I took up the morning paper," said the merchant, "my eyes, by -chance, ran down the list of advertised letters. Recognizing the name -of Mrs. Codman among them, I took the liberty of sending to the office -for it. It is post-marked at Rio Janeiro." - -"Oh, give it to me quick!" exclaimed Mrs. Codman, in agitation. - -"Is it from Charlie?" asked Bert. - -"It is, it is!" exclaimed the happy mother, as she recognized the -familiar handwriting; and too impatient to unseal the letter, she tore -it open and devoured the contents. - -It was the letter which Charlie had commenced on shipboard. We will -give the greater part of it. - - "DEAREST MOTHER,-- - -"I hope this letter will reach you in safety, and will relieve you of -some of the anxiety you must have felt about your wandering boy. You -will start with surprise when you see where this is dated. I am three -thousand miles from you, dear mother, but not by my own act. But I -must tell you how I came to leave you. (This portion of the letter is -omitted.) You mustn't think I have suffered all the time on board the -ship, though it is hard work, and, for some reason, the captain and -mate have both been my enemies. I have had one faithful friend, to whom -I am very much indebted. He is a rough sailor, and neither educated nor -refined, but he has a warm heart, and has been very kind to your boy. -Indeed, mother, I don't know how much trouble I should have had, if it -hadn't been for honest Bill Sturdy. Some time I hope you will have the -pleasure of taking him by the hand, and thanking him for all he has -done for me. The greatest act of friendship for which I have to thank -him I will not write here, but I will tell you some time. - -"As we were neither of us treated as well as we ought to be, we have -deserted the vessel, and transferred ourselves to a ship bound to -Liverpool, and thence to New York; so that it may be some months from -now before I see you again. - -"I am so afraid you have suffered since I left you, not only from -solitude and anxiety about me, but have been compelled to labor beyond -your strength. You were so poorly paid for that horrid sewing, and had -to work so hard at it. But when I come back we will live together, as -we once did; and though it will not be a luxurious home, it shall be a -happy one. As you may have moved elsewhere, you must leave word with -those who occupy our old room where you live, so that when I come back, -which will be just as soon as I can, I may come at once to you, and -tell you how much I have missed you. - - "From your affectionate, - - "CHARLIE." - -Knowing that Mr. Bowman felt a friendly interest in Charlie's welfare, -Mrs. Codman, her eyes dim with happy tears, handed him the letter, -which he read attentively. - -"A very good letter," he said, "and very creditable to the writer. When -he returns, if you and he are both willing, I will receive him at once -into my counting-room. His letter is sufficient recommendation." - -How differently the world looks according to the mood in which we view -it. No one could have convinced Mrs. Codman, after the reception of -this letter, that it was not a perfect paradise. The patient sorrow -which her face had worn the day before, gave place to a sweet and happy -expression, which made her look quite charming. - -"Mrs. Codman is really a beautiful woman," thought Mr. Bowman, as -unobserved, he watched her laughing with Bert, glancing over the -newspaper which he was supposed to be reading. - - - - - XXXIV. - - THE RETURN OF THE BETSEY. - - -It was a fine morning when the Bouncing Betsey, after a quick and -prosperous voyage from Valparaiso, entered Boston harbor. There had -been few or no changes on board since the ship left Rio Janeiro on the -passage out. Captain Brace is still in command, and unfortunately has -not at all mended his ways, but has richly merited, as he has obtained, -the general dislike of the crew, not one of whom will sail with him -again unless forced by dire necessity. Second in odium as he is in -command, comes Randall the mate. He cares little how he is regarded -by the men under him. To him the voyage has proved in some respects -a disappointment. He has not recovered from the vexation occasioned -by the escape of Bill Sturdy and Charlie. He has anticipated with -eagerness the return to Boston, where he hopes first to meet with the -deserters, and secondly intends to wrest a further sum from the fears -of Peter Manson. - -Before visiting the miser, however, it is his intention to find out -what he can about Mrs. Codman, and how she has fared. He hopes in his -vindictiveness she has been reduced to the deepest distress, and the -hardest shifts to procure a livelihood. - -He made his way to the tenement-house where Mrs. Codman formerly -lodged. He went up to the door of her former room and knocked, but it -was opened by a stranger, who could give him no information about the -person for whom he inquired. - -Perplexed and quite at a loss to obtain a clew to the knowledge he -desired, he went back to Washington Street, and mingled in the busy -throng that crowded the sidewalks. He walked leisurely along, gazing -listlessly into the shop windows, but intent upon his own thoughts. - -Chancing to let his eyes rest upon a passing carriage, he was startled -by the glimpse of a face which he was sure he knew. It was an elegant -carriage, drawn by two spirited horses, and evidently the equipage -of a person of wealth. A negro coachman in livery sat upon the box, -and wielded the reins with a dexterous hand. There were two persons -inside--one was a child of ten, a lively young girl, across whose face -a hundred changeful expressions flit. She was talking in an animated -strain to a lady with a beautiful and expressive face, who sat beside -her. - -These two persons were Bert and her governess. The latter was looking -better than when she was introduced to the reader. Surrounded by -comforts and luxuries, and above all relieved from her most pressing -anxiety by the letter which she had received from Charlie, her cheeks -had recovered their wonted fullness and bloom, and the rare beauty for -which she had been distinguished in her youth. - -Randall could scarcely believe his eyes. This was the woman whom he had -pictured to himself as struggling amid the deepest poverty to obtain a -scanty subsistence, worn out by harrowing anxiety for the loss of her -only son. What a contrast to his anticipations was the reality! He saw -her tastefully dressed--the picture of health and happiness--with the -same beauty that had dazzled him in times past, surrounded by evidence -of prosperity and luxury. - -"What can it mean?" he thought in bewilderment. "Is it possible that my -eyes are deceived by an accidental resemblance?" - -The carriage had already passed him, but as it was obliged to proceed -slowly on account of a press of carriages, he had no difficulty, by -quickening his pace a little, in overtaking it, and again scanning the -face whose presence there had filled him with so much surprise. - -The first explanation which suggested itself to him as possible was, -that Mrs. Codman had attracted the attention of some wealthy gentleman, -who forgetting the distance which circumstances had established between -them, had laid himself and his fortune at her feet. But even then how -could she appear so lighthearted and happy unless Charlie had returned? -There was another supposition that old Peter Manson had died, and on -his deathbed, repenting his past wickedness and injustice, had repaired -the wrong of which he had been guilty, as far as he could, by leaving -all his possessions to Mrs. Codman. This was to Randall the most -disagreeable supposition of the two, for it would effectually stand in -the way of the designs which he cherished against the same property. - -Determined not to lose sight of Mrs. Codman, he with considerable -difficulty kept pace with the carriage. It chanced that Bert and her -governess were just returning from a drive, otherwise they might have -led Randall a long chase. At present they were not very far from home. - -From the opposite side of the street Randall watched them descend the -steps of the carriage, and enter the house. He paused long enough -afterwards to cross the street, note down the name of Bowman together -with the number, that he might be able to identify it hereafter. He -then examined the house itself with some curiosity. The appearance of -the house indicated clearly enough the wealth of the owner. - -"I wish I knew," muttered the mate, "on what footing Mrs. Codman -resides here. She must either be the wife of the proprietor or his -housekeeper, one or the other." - -At this moment an infirm old woman limped out of the side-gate, with a -basket slung on her arm. - -Pressing forward, he accosted her. - -"You seem heavily laden, my good woman." - -"Yes," said she, "thanks to the good lady who lives in the house." - -"What is her name?" - -"It's Mrs. Codman. Do you know her, sir?" - -"I am not sure. I once knew some one of the name. But there is a -different name on the door--Bowman." - -"Yes, he is the gentleman of the house." - -"And Mrs. Codman?" - -"She is the young lady's governess." - -"How long has she been there?" - -"I don't know, sir." - -"Never mind. It doesn't matter much." - -"I wish I could tell you, sir." - -"It's of no consequence at all, and you needn't mention that any -questions have been asked you. But I am afraid I have been detaining -you. Here is something to pay you for your trouble." - -So saying he slipped half a dollar into her hand and, avoiding her -profuse thanks, walked hastily away. - -"Now, for a visit to the miser," he said to himself. - - - - - XXXV. - - CHARLIE TURNS UP UNEXPECTEDLY. - - -There was but little variety in the monotonous life of Peter Manson. -His life was one struggle for gold, his thoughts were continually upon -gold; gold seemed to be the end and aim of his existence. But what did -he propose to do with it all? He was not an old man yet, but all the -infirmities of age were upon him. - -Peter had not forgotten nor ceased to lament the heavy draft which -had been made upon him by Randall. The thousands which he had left -could not compensate to him for the one he had lost. So, in the hope -of making it up, he strove to live even more economically than before, -if, indeed, that were possible. The additional privations to which he -subjected himself began to tell upon the old man's constitution. He -grew thinner and weaker and more shrivelled than before, and all this -to save a penny or two additional each day. - -As Peter was crawling feebly along towards his gloomy den one -afternoon, clad in the invariable blue cloak, he was startled by -hearing a hoarse voice behind him, calling out, "Peter Manson--Peter, I -say!" - -"Who calls?" asked Peter, in a quavering voice, slowly turning round. - -"Don't you remember me?" asked Randall, for it was he. - -Peter muttered something unintelligible as he cast a terrified glance -at the mate, and quickened his pace. - -"You're not very polite, Peter," said the other, quickly overtaking and -joining the old man. "Is this the way to greet an old friend, whom you -have not seen for nearly a year?" - -Peter looked anxious and alarmed, and glanced askance at his companion. - -By this time they had reached the miser's quarters, and Peter, taking -out a key, opened the door. - -He opened it just sufficiently to admit himself, and was then about to -close it when Randall, unceremoniously pushing him aside, entered also. - -"By your leave, Peter, I will spend a short time with you." - -"I have no fire," said Peter Manson, hastily. - -"I dare say not," said Randall, carelessly, "but you can easily kindle -one." - -"I--I have no fuel." - -"None at all?" - -"Why, a little--a very little," stammered Peter, uneasily. - -"I thought so. Come, lead the way. I won't trouble you to light the -fire. I'll do it myself." - -With something that sounded like a groan, the old man led the way, -and ushered his unwelcome guest into the room described in one of the -earlier chapters. - -Randall used as much wood in kindling a fire as would have lasted Peter -a whole day. - -"You will ruin me," he said, in dismay. - -"Then you'll be ruined in a good cause," said Randall. "But I say, -Peter, don't you remember what we talked about when I visited you last?" - -The old man groaned, thinking of the thousand dollars. - -"Seems to me it has not left a very agreeable impression upon your -mind," remarked his companion. "Don't you want me to tell you of the -boy that I spirited away?" - -"Is he dead?" asked Peter, eagerly. - -"No; curse him, he escaped from me." - -"You--you didn't let him know about the money?" - -"Which you feloniously kept from him? Was that what you mean?" - -"Ye--yes." - -"No, I didn't." - -Peter looked relieved. - -"Where is he now?" - -"Heaven knows! I don't. He deserted from the ship at Rio Janeiro. But -let me ask you, in turn, Peter, what has become of the mother, whom -each of us has so much reason to hate?" - -"I don't know." - -"Then she is no longer a tenant of yours?" - -"She moved in less than a month after you went away." - -"Couldn't pay her rent, ha!" - -"Yes; she paid it as long as she stayed. I have not seen or heard -anything of her since." - -"I have," said the mate, significantly. - -"You!" exclaimed Peter, eagerly. - -"I saw her to-day." - -"How--where?" - -"In a carriage." - -"A carriage!" echoed Peter, in surprise. - -"Yes; looking as bright and handsome as when she rejected you with -scorn." - -The miser frowned. - -"Where did you meet her?" - -"On Washington Street. I was walking there when I chanced to look into -a gay carriage that was driving by, and saw her." - -"Are you sure you are not mistaken?" - -"No. I followed her to her place of residence." - -"Where is it?" - -"No.----Mt. Vernon Street." - -"She must be rich, then." - -"No; she is a governess there, though enjoying, I should think, unusual -privileges, and is, no doubt, happy." - -Peter made no reply, but seemed occupied by other thoughts. - -"And now, Peter, have you any idea what I came for?" - -"To tell me this." - -"I am not fool enough to take all this trouble." - -"Then I don't know." - -"I want money, Peter." - -Peter could not be said to change color, but he grew more ghastly than -before, at this demand. - -"I have nothing to give you," he said. - -"Tell that to the marines. You must give me another thousand dollars." - -"Another thousand dollars!" exclaimed the old man. "Where do you think -I should get it? Did I not impoverish myself in satisfying your last -demand, and have I not been obliged to live on bread and water since?" - -Randall shrugged his shoulders. - -"I dare say you have lived on bread and water, but as to being obliged -to, that is nonsense. I ask you again, to give me a thousand dollars. -You will have thousands left." - -"I shall be a beggar," said the old man, passionately. - -"A beggar!" returned Randall, laughing scornfully. - -"Yes," said Peter, with energy. "You promised, when I gave you -a thousand dollars,"--his voice faltered as he recalled the -sacrifice,--"that you would ask no more. Now, you come back for another -sum as large, and it is not yet a year. You shall not have it!" he -exclaimed, passionately; "not if I had it fifty times over." - -"Bethink you what you are saying, old man," said Randall, menacingly. -"Do you know that I can go to Mrs. Codman and denounce you?" - -"You will not," said Peter, trembling. - -"But I will, unless you comply with my demand. Now what do you say? -Better be reasonable, and consent, before I compel you." - -"Never!" exclaimed the miser, desperately. - -"I will denounce you to the police. Shall I have the money?" - -But Peter was no longer to be moved, even by his fears. His love of -money overcame every other consideration, and again he exclaimed, -"Never!" with all the energy of which he was capable. - -"Is this your final answer?" - -"It is." - -"Then I will help myself," said Randall, coolly, leaving his chair, and -beginning to lift up the trap-door, beneath which was the miser's box -of treasure. - -As soon as Peter fairly comprehended his design, and saw the gold coins -in the grasp of the purloiner, unable to restrain himself, he threw -himself upon the mate with a cry as of a lioness deprived of her young, -and grasped the strong man by the throat with fingers, which, though -naturally weak, despair and rage made strong. At all events, it was -not particularly comfortable, and provoked Randall, who seized the old -man in his strong arms, and, with a muttered curse, hurled him to the -floor, where he lay pale and senseless. - -"Confusion!" muttered Randall, in dismay, for Peter had uttered a -shrill scream as he fell. "I am afraid I shall get into an ugly -scrape." - -He was not altogether wrong. - -The scream had been heard by two, at least, who were passing. The door -was burst open, and in rushed Bill Sturdy and Charlie, our young hero, -who had just returned to Boston, and were passing on their way up from -the wharf at which the vessel was lying. - -"Mr. Randall!" exclaimed Charlie, in surprised recognition. - -Randall strove to escape through the opened door, but Sturdy, seizing -him in his powerful grasp, cried, "Not so fast, my hearty! You've been -up to some mischief, and if I don't see justice done you, may I never -see salt water again!" - - - - - XXXVI. - - HOW CHARLIE COMES INTO HIS FORTUNE. - - -Probably there were no two persons then living whom Randall at that -moment cared less about seeing than Bill Sturdy and our hero. Though -astonished beyond expression to see them there, his position was -too critical to allow him to waste time in giving expression to his -surprise. - -"Let me go, you scoundrel!" he exclaimed, making a desperate effort to -elude Bill's grasp. - -He might as well have striven to tear himself from the grasp of a lion. - -"Not so fast, Mr. Randall," said Bill Sturdy. - -"You mutinous scoundrel!" hissed the mate. - -"You forget," said his captor, coolly, "that we are not now on the -quarter-deck. Here I am your equal, Mr. Randall, and perhaps you may -find me a little ahead." - -"Let me go, if you know what is best for yourself," ejaculated Randall, -almost foaming at the mouth. - -"If you know what is best for yourself," said Bill composedly, "I would -advise you to be quiet." - -"And now," he continued, tightening his grasp a little, "just let me -know what mischief you have been up to?" - -"I am not responsible to you," said Randall haughtily. - -"Responsible or not, you must give an account of yourself." - -"If you will let me go, I will make it worth your while." - -"Do you think I am mean enough to accept a bribe?" exclaimed Sturdy, -with honest indignation. "Let me know what you have been doing." - -"This old man!" said Randall, curbing his pride, "foolishly thought I -meant to rob him, and shrieked for assistance." - -"Is that all?" asked Bill, keenly glancing at the box of gold. "Things -look as if you were going to rob him in reality." - -"I am not in the habit of thieving," said Randall, haughtily. - -At this moment the miser, who had been insensible, began to show signs -of returning consciousness. - -"Go and get some water, Charlie," said Bill. "The old man looks as if -he might come to with a little help." - -There was a pail half full of water standing near by. Charlie sprinkled -Peter's face, and a moment after he gasped and opened his eyes. He cast -a frightened glance from face to face till his eyes rested on Randall, -when he shuddered, and cried feebly, "Take him away, take him away! He -will rob me." - -"Not while I am here to prevent him," returned Bill, in a tone of -assurance. - -"You are friends, then?" said the miser, anxiously. - -"Of course we are. Did this man attempt to rob you?" - -"Take care not to make any false accusations, old man," said Randall, -menacingly. - -"Speak the truth without fear," said Bill Sturdy; "I'll bear you out in -it. He can't do you any harm." - -"He demanded a thousand dollars from me," said the old man, "and when I -would not give it to him he was going to help himself." - -"What do you say to that, Mr. Randall?" asked Sturdy. - -"I say this," said the mate, turning a malignant glance upon the miser, -"that it was a regular bargain--a matter of business. This man owed me -the money--he knows best what for, and refused to pay it." - -"I did not," said Peter, hastily, "he had already been paid in full." - -"Take care, Peter, or I may tell what it was for." - -"I defy you," said the miser in a quavering tone of defiance. "You are -a bad man." - -"Perhaps you don't know who this boy is?" said Randall. - -"Who is he?" asked Peter, doubtfully. - -"He is one who has reason to consider you his enemy," said Randall, -"even more than myself." - -At this unexpected statement Bill Sturdy and Charlie looked at each -other in surprise. - -"Do you know this old man, then, Charlie?" asked Sturdy, at length. - -"Yes," said our hero; "it is Mr. Manson, of whom my mother used to hire -a room." - -"The landlord?" - -"Yes." - -"And what harm has he ever done to you?" - -"I don't know," said Charlie, shaking his head, "unless," and an -anxious look came over his face, "he has distressed her for rent since -I have been gone." - -"Is that so?" demanded the sailor, sternly. - -"No, no!" said Peter Manson, hastily. "She left my tenement a good many -months ago." - -"And where is she now?" asked Charlie, eagerly--for, having just -landed, he knew nothing of his mother's whereabouts. - -"Then you have not seen her?" asked Randall, with the sudden thought -that he might make better terms for himself by selling his knowledge on -the subject. - -"No," said Charlie. "Is she well? Tell me, I entreat you, if you know." - -"I do know," said Randall, composedly, "both where she is and how she -has fared." - -"Tell me quick." - -"That depend upon circumstances. While I am held in custody I have -little inducement to do you a favor." - -"Sturdy will release you, won't you, Sturdy. Only tell me where my -mother is, that I may go to her at once." - -"Why," said Bill, cautiously, "I don't know, exactly. He may be trying -a game, and giving us information won't be worth anything." - -"You can keep me here till you have sent to ascertain if I have told -you the truth." - -"No, no," said Peter Manson, terrified at the prospect, "don't let him -stay here. He would rob me." - -"Rob you," sneered Randall; "it looks well in you whose money has been -dishonestly gained, to charge me with theft." - -"He--you won't mind what he says, gentlemen," said Peter Manson, -trembling. "He only says it to spite me." - -"To spite you! Yes, you old hunks, I will spite you, and that with a -vengeance! Hark you, Sturdy, I have kept this old man's secret long -enough, and though I hate you, and that boy there, I believe I hate him -worse. If I will reveal to this boy a secret which will insure to him -a property of from twenty to thirty thousand dollars, will you agree to -let me go, and give me a thousand dollars?" - -"Can you do it?" demanded Sturdy, in surprise. - -"I can." - -"Well, it ain't for me to say, but if I were Charlie here I would close -with your terms." - -"Don't you believe him," said Peter, terrified. "He is only making a -fool of you. He can't do what he says." - -Charlie was not a little astonished at the turn affairs had taken. - -"I shouldn't wonder," said Bill, "if there might be something in this, -as long as the old man seems so afraid the secret will be let out." - -"You will find that I have told you the truth," said Randall; "tell me -quickly yes or no. If you decline, you will lose more than I shall." - -"Then," said Charlie, "I will accept your terms so far as I am -concerned." - -"And I'll bear witness to it," said Bill, "if you will carry out your -part of the agreement." - -"That I will do to your satisfaction. The first thing to be explained -is, that in carrying this boy to sea I was only acting as the agent of -another." - -"And that other!" - -"Was Peter Manson--the man you see before you." - -"It is false," said the miser, turning ghastly pale. - -"Moreover," said Randall, "I was well paid for the service. I received -a thousand dollars." - -"Oh, oh!" cried the old man, swaying backward and forward--"a thousand -dollars in bright gold, and I so poor." - -"You see he admits it," said Randall. - -"And what did he want Charlie carried away for?" - -"Reason enough for that. He feared the boy might learn that it was his -wealth which he has been hoarding up." - -"Mine!" exclaimed Charlie, in unbounded surprise. - -"Did you never hear your mother speak of a certain Peter Thornton, who -by purloining and making off with twenty thousand dollars caused your -grandfather to fail?" - -"Yes, often." - -"_That man is Peter Thornton!_" said Randall, pointing with his finger -to the miser. - -The latter half rose from his seat, and then, as if he had received a -mortal wound sank to the floor. - -"You require no other confirmation of my words," said the mate. - -"Why my lad, you will be a rich man," said Bill Sturdy, his face -beaming with satisfaction. - -"How glad mother will be!" exclaimed Charlie. "Where is she, Mr. -Randall? I want so much to see her." - -The mate gave Charlie briefly the information he required, and added, -"You will probably need my assistance to establish your claim to the -property of which yonder old man has so long deprived you. I shall hold -myself at your service, trusting to your honor to pay me the thousand -dollars agreed upon." - -"You shall not trust in vain, Mr. Randall," said Charlie, promptly. -"Place me in possession of what is rightfully mine, and you shall have -no reason to complain." - -"Very well, I shall stop at the Tremont House for the present. -There you or your lawyer will find me. I advise you to employ legal -assistance." - -"I will do so, and thank you for the suggestion. As soon as I have seen -my mother I shall proceed to business." - -Randall withdrew, but was quickly followed by Charlie and his friend. - -"Where are you going, my lad?" asked the sailor. - -"You needn't ask, Bill,--to see my best friend, my mother. It is for -her sake that I welcome this fortune. She shall never want any more -while I have money. We will have a nice little home, where you shall be -welcome, Bill, always and all the time." - -Bill pressed the hand of our young hero in his own rough palm, and -there was a suspicious moisture about his eyes, but he said nothing. - - - - - XXXVII. - - REUNITED AT LAST. - - -Mrs. Codman was sitting in a little room opening out from the -breakfast-room, which had been appropriated as a sort of study by Bert -and herself. - -Topsy, the kitten, who had not yet attained the sobriety and demureness -of old cat-hood, was running round after her tail. - -"Oh, dear," sighed Bert, who was puzzling over a lesson in geography, -"I can't study any to-day." - -"Why not?" asked Mrs. Codman. - -"Oh, I feel so restless." - -"That isn't very unusual, is it?" asked her governess, with a smile. - -"I feel more so than usual. Something is going to happen, I know." - -"Something does happen every day, doesn't there?" - -"Well, you know what I mean; something out of the way. I shouldn't -wonder if Charlie got home to-day." - -"Heaven grant he may!" exclaimed his mother, fervently. - -By a strange coincidence--and coincidences do sometimes happen in real -life, though not quite so often, perhaps, as in stories,--Mrs. Codman -had hardly given utterance to her wish when the bell rang. - -Bert jumped from her seat. - -"It is he, I know it is!" she exclaimed. "Do let me go to the door." - -"You are very fanciful to-day, Bert," said Mrs. Codman. But she did not -forbid her going. Bert's earnestness had given birth to a wild hope on -her part, that it might be as she had fancied. - -Before the loitering servant had a chance to reach the door, Bert had -already opened it. - -Bill Sturdy and Charlie stood on the steps, Charlie looking handsome -and manly, with an eager look on his bright face. Sturdy, it must be -owned, looked and felt a little awkward, not being accustomed to call -as a visitor at houses as elegant as Mr. Bowman's. - -"Oh! this is Charlie, isn't it?" exclaimed Bert, with childish delight, -instinctively putting out her hand. - -"What, do you know me?" asked Charlie, pleased with this cordial -reception, but astonished at being recognized. - -"Oh, yes." - -"Is my mother here?" - -"Yes; I will go and call her. But won't you come in?" - -"I would rather you would call her," said Charlie, bashfully. - -Bert danced back into the little study. - -"I was right, Mrs. Codman," said she, triumphantly, "It is Charlie." - -"Has he come?" asked the mother, precipitately, letting fall, as she -rose, the astonished kitten, who had clambered into her lap. "Oh, where -is he?" - -"At the door." - -Mrs. Codman waited for no more, but hastened to the door, and, in a -moment, the mother was face to face with her lost boy. Of the delight -of that meeting, of the numberless questions which each had to ask, -with what fond pride the mother noted the increased manliness of -Charlie, I cannot speak in detail. Both hearts were full to overflowing -with love and gratitude. - -Meanwhile Bert was endeavoring, in her way, to entertain Bill Sturdy, -who, though no man was braver or more self-reliant among his comrades, -felt abashed in the presence of Bert, whom he looked upon as made of -finer clay than himself. And, indeed, the beauty and sprightliness of -the child made her look like a charming picture, and even Charlie's -eyes could not help straying to her, from time to time, while he was -talking with his mother. - -Bill was perched upon an elegant chair, scarcely daring to rest his -whole weight upon it, for fear it might give way under him, swinging -his hat awkwardly in his hand. - -"You are Bill Sturdy, are you not?" said Bert, determined to become -better acquainted. - -"How do you know that is my name?" asked Bill, half fancying she must -have learned it in some supernatural way. - -"Oh, Charlie wrote about you in his letter." - -"Did his mother get a letter from him, then?" - -"Yes; it was from some place with a hard name. I never can remember -those geography names." - -"Was it Rio Janeiro?" - -"Yes; that was it. What an awful time he must have had! Do you like -going to sea?" - -"Yes, miss; I feel more at home on the sea than on the land." - -"You do! Well, that's funny. I know I should be sea-sick, and that must -be horrid." - -"Well, it doesn't feel very pleasant," said Bill, with a smile. - -"Oh, Mr. Sturdy, did you ever see a whale?" - -"Yes, miss, plenty of them." - -"I suppose you never came near being swallowed by one--like Jonah, you -know?" - -"No, miss; I don't think I should like that." - -"What lots of adventures you must have had! You must stay to dinner, -and afterwards you can tell me of some." - -"I don't think I could, thank you, miss, all the same," said Bill, -alarmed at the suggestion. "Not but I'd be glad to spin you a yarn some -time." - -Just then Charlie bethought himself of his companion. - -"Mother," said he, "you must let me introduce to you my good friend, -Bill Sturdy. You don't know how kind he has been to me." - -"I am quite ready to believe it," said Mrs. Codman, holding out her -hand quickly. - -Bill took it shyly in his. - -"I thank you most heartily for all you have done for my dear boy," said -she. - -"Anybody that wasn't a brute would have done as much, ma'am." - -"Then I am afraid there are a great many brutes in the world." - -Charlie stopped to dinner, but Bill could not be prevailed upon to -do so. "You see, my boy," he explained to Charlie, "it don't come -nat'ral; I shouldn't know how to behave. So I'll just go back to my -boardinghouse, and you'll find me there after dinner." - - - - - XXXVIII. - - REACHING PORT. - - -Will the reader imagine a year to have passed? - -During the time several things have happened. - -In the first place, Mr. Bowman has invited Charlie to become a member -of his family. - -In the second place, charmed by the beauty and grace, as well as the -more valuable qualities of Mrs. Codman, with whom he has had a good -chance of becoming acquainted during her residence in his family, he -has invited her to become his wife. Mrs. Codman was taken by surprise, -but found this proposition not altogether unwelcome. She had become -attached to Bert, who added her persuasions to those of her father, and -at length her governess promised to assume to her a nearer relation. - -Through the testimony of Randall, the identity of Peter Manson with -Peter Thornton was fully established, and the law decided that the -miser's wealth must go to Charlie and his mother. It was found to -exceed the estimate which had been made of it, verging close upon forty -thousand dollars. Including interest for twenty years, all this, and -more of right, belonged to those who had so long been defrauded of it. - -Mrs. Codman could not help pitying the miserable and disconsolate old -man, pinched with privation, which had enfeebled him, and made him old -before his time. She continued to allow him the use of the old building -which he had occupied so many years, and allowed him a certain sum -payable on the first of every month, to provide for his wants. - -The sudden loss of the gold which he had been hoarding up so long did -not kill Peter Manson, but it affected his intellect. The habit of -avarice never left him. He saved up nine tenths of his allowance, and -starved himself on the remainder. Attempts were made to remedy this by -bringing him supplies of fuel and provisions, but these he economized -as before. One day, when Charlie looked in to see how he was getting -along, he beheld a sight which made him start back in affright. - -The old man lay stretched out upon the floor cold and dead, with -a few gold pieces firmly clutched in his grasp. He had received a -sudden summons while engaged in counting over the little gold he had -accumulated from his allowance. - -So ended the wasted life of Peter Manson, the miser. - -From him we turn to others who have figured in these pages. - -Randall received the thousand dollars which had been promised as -the reward of his disclosure. It appeared as if prosperity, rather -than retribution, was to attend him. He succeeded in obtaining the -command of a fine ship, with an excellent salary, and sailed with -fair prospects. But his tyrannical habits had not deserted him. His -unjustifiable abuse aroused the deadly anger of one of the crew, a man -of excitable temper, who, before he could be withheld, plunged a knife -into his heart one day, just after punishment, killing him instantly. - -As for Captain Brace, he, too, demands a word. Brief mention will -suffice. In a fit of ungovernable rage he burst a blood-vessel, and he, -too, died instantly, without a moment's preparation, in which to repent -of the many wrongs he had committed. - -From the sad fate of these miserable men we turn gladly to brighter -scenes. - -Mrs. Codman, now Mrs. Bowman, has had no cause to regret her second -choice. Her husband commands her respect and esteem, and makes her very -happy. Charlie is now at an excellent school. After he has completed a -liberal course of instruction, he will enter the counting-room of his -step-father, where, as we cannot doubt, an honorable and useful career -awaits him. - -As for Bill Sturdy,--honest, brave, stout-hearted Bill Sturdy,--he -could not be persuaded to abandon the sea, but now sails as captain of -a vessel belonging to Mr. Bowman. He is unboundedly popular with his -crew, whom he treats as comrades in whose welfare he is interested. -Whenever he is in port, Captain Sturdy dines once with Mr. Bowman. He -feels more at his ease now than when he was only a forecastle hand, but -he will always be modest and unassuming. He is a prime favorite with -Bert, and always brings her home something when he returns from foreign -parts. - -It is not ours to read the future; but I should not be surprised, when -Charlie grows to manhood, if we should find Bert's early choice of him -as her husband prophetic. - -So we bid farewell to Charlie Codman. His trials and struggles have -come early in life, but now his bark has drifted into smoother waters. -The sky above him is cloudless. His character has been strengthened by -his combat with adversity. Let us hope that his manhood may redeem the -promise of his youth, and be graced by all the noblest attributes of -humanity. - - - THE END. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Charlie Codman's Cruise, by Horatio Alger - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE *** - -***** This file should be named 54294-0.txt or 54294-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/4/2/9/54294/ - -Produced by Nahum Maso i Carcases and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Charlie Codman's Cruise - A Story for Boys - -Author: Horatio Alger - -Release Date: March 7, 2017 [EBook #54294] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE *** - - - - -Produced by Nahum Maso i Carcases and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="transnote"> -<p class="no-indent center bold">Transcriber's Notes:</p> -<p>Obvious punctuation errors and misprints have been corrected.</p> -<p>Blank pages present in the printed original have been deleted in the e-text version.</p> -</div> -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<div class="titlepage"> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> -<img src="images/img01.jpg" width="200" height="308" alt="Cover" /> -</div> -<hr class="chap2" /> -</div> - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - -<h1>CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE</h1> - -<p class="large no-indent center">A Story for Boys</p> - -<p class="medium no-indent center p2">BY</p> -<p class="xlarge bold no-indent center"><span class="smcap">HORATIO ALGER, Jr.</span></p> - -<p class="small no-indent center">AUTHOR OF "FRANK'S CAMPAIGN," "ERIE TRAIN BOY," -"ADRIFT IN NEW YORK," ETC., ETC.</p> - -<p class="small no-indent center p4"> -NEW YORK<br /> -HURST & COMPANY<br /> -PUBLISHERS<br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap2" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> - -<h2>PREFACE.</h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">In</span> deference to the expressed wishes of -some of his young friends, the author has -essayed a story of the sea, and now presents -"Charlie Codman's Cruise," as the third volume -of the Campaign Series. It will be -found more adventurous than its predecessors, -and the trials which Charlie is called -upon to encounter are of a severer character -than befell Frank Frost or Paul Prescott. -But it will be found that they were met with -the same manly spirit, and a like determination -to be faithful to duty at all hazards.</p> - -<p>Though not wholly a stranger to the sea, -the author is quite aware of the blunders to -which a landsman is exposed in treating of -matters and a mode of life which, at the best, -he must comprehend but imperfectly, and -has endeavored to avoid, as far as possible,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> -professional technicalities, as not essential to -the interest of the story.</p> - -<p>With these few words he submits the -present volume to his young readers, hoping -for it a welcome even more generous than -has been accorded to "Frank's Campaign" -and "Paul Prescott's Charge."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> - -<p class="xlarge center p2"><b>CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE.</b></p> - -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>I.<br /> <small>CHARLIE AND THE MISER.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Charlie Codman</span> turned out of Washington -into Bedford Street just as the clock in -the Old South steeple struck two. He was -about fourteen, a handsome, well-made boy, -with a bright eye and a manly expression. -But he was poor. That was evident enough -from his clothes, which, though neat and free -from dust, were patched in several places. -He had a small roll of daily papers under his -arm, the remains of his stock in trade, which -he had been unable wholly to dispose of.</p> - -<p>Some of my readers may know that the -Latin School and English High School are -kept in the same building. At two o'clock<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> -both are dismissed. Charlie had scarcely -passed the school-house when a crowd of -boys issued from the school-yard, and he -heard his name called from behind. Looking -back he recognized a boy somewhat -smaller than himself, with whom he had -formed an acquaintance some time before.</p> - -<p>"Where are you bound, Charlie?" asked -Edwin Banks.</p> - -<p>"I'm going home now."</p> - -<p>"What luck have you had this morning?"</p> - -<p>"Not much. I've got four papers left -over, and that will take away about all my -profits."</p> - -<p>"What a pity you are poor, Charlie. I -wish you could come to school with us."</p> - -<p>"So do I, Eddie. I'd give a good deal to -get an education, but I feel that I ought to -help mother."</p> - -<p>"Why won't you come some time, and see -us, Charlie? Clare and myself would be -very glad to see you at any time."</p> - -<p>"I should like to go," said Charlie, "but I -don't look fit."</p> - -<p>"Oh, never mind about your clothes. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> -like you just as well as if you were dressed -in style."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps I'll come some time," said Charlie. -"I'd invite you to come and see me, but we -live in a poor place."</p> - -<p>"Just as if I should care for that. I will -come whenever I get an invitation."</p> - -<p>"Then come next Saturday afternoon. I -will be waiting for you as you come out of -school."</p> - -<p>Charlie little thought where he would be -when Saturday came.</p> - -<p>Shortly after the boys separated, and -Charlie's attention was arrested by the sight -of an old man with a shambling gait, who -was bending over and anxiously searching -for something on the sidewalk. Charlie recognized -him at once as "old Manson, the -miser," for this was the name by which he -generally went.</p> - -<p>Old Peter Manson was not more than fifty-five, -but he looked from fifteen to twenty -years older. If his body had been properly -cared for, it would have been different; but, -one by one, its functions had been blunted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> -and destroyed, and it had become old and out -of repair. Peter's face was ploughed with -wrinkles. His cheeks were thin, and the skin -was yellow and hung in folds. His beard -appeared to have received little or no attention -for a week, at least, and was now stiff -and bristling.</p> - -<p>The miser's dress was not very well fitted -to his form. It was in the fashion of twenty -years before. Grayish pantaloons, patched -in divers places with dark cloth by an unskilful -hand; a vest from which the buttons had -long since departed, and which was looped -together by pieces of string, but not closely -enough to conceal a dirty and tattered shirt -beneath; a coat in the last stages of shabbiness; -while over all hung a faded blue cloak, -which Peter wore in all weathers. In the -sultriest days of August he might have been -seen trudging along in this old mantle, which -did him the good service of hiding a multitude -of holes and patches, while in January -he went no warmer clad. There were some -who wondered how he could stand the bitter -cold of winter with no more adequate covering;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> -but if Peter's body was as tough as his -conscience, there was no fear of his suffering.</p> - -<p>Charlie paused a moment to see what it -was that the old man was hunting for.</p> - -<p>"Have you lost anything?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Peter, in quavering accents. -"See if you can't find it, that's a good boy. -Your eyes are better than mine."</p> - -<p>"What is it?"</p> - -<p>"It is some money, and I—I'm so poor, I -can't afford to lose it."</p> - -<p>"How much was it?"</p> - -<p>"It wasn't much, but I'm so poor I need -it."</p> - -<p>Charlie espied a cent, lying partially concealed -by mud, just beside the curb-stone. -He picked it up.</p> - -<p>"This isn't what you lost, is it?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Peter, seizing it eagerly. -"You're a good boy to find it. A good -boy!"</p> - -<p>"Well," thought Charlie, wondering, as -the old man hobbled off with his recovered -treasure, "I'd rather be poor than care so -much for money as that. People say old<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -Peter's worth his thousands. I wonder -whether it is so."</p> - -<p>Charlie little dreamed how much old Peter -was likely to influence his destiny, and how, -at his instigation, before a week had passed -over his head, he would find himself in a -very disagreeable situation.</p> - -<p>We must follow Peter.</p> - -<p>With his eyes fixed on the ground he shuffled -along, making more rapid progress than -could have been expected. Occasionally he -would stoop down and pick up any little -stray object which arrested his attention, -even to a crooked pin, which he thrust into -his cloak, muttering as he did so, "Save my -buying any. I haven't had to buy any pins -for more'n ten years, and I don't mean to -buy any more while I live. Ha! ha! Folks -are <i>so</i> extravagant! They buy things they -don't need, or that they might pick up, if -they'd only take the trouble to keep their -eyes open. 'Tisn't so with old Peter. He's -too cunning for that. There goes a young -fellow dressed up in the fashion. What he's -got on must have cost nigh on to a hundred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -dollars. What dreadful extravagance! Ha! -ha! It hasn't cost old Peter twenty dollars -for the last ten years. If he had spent money -as some do, he might have been in the poor-house -by this time. Ugh! ugh! it costs a -dreadful sum to live. If we could only come -into the world with natural clothes, like cats, -what a deal better it would be. But it costs -the most for food. Oh dear! what a dreadful -appetite I've got, and I <i>must</i> eat. All the -money spent for victuals seem thrown away. -I've a good mind, sometimes, to go to the -poor-house, where it wouldn't cost me anything. -What a blessing it would be to eat, -if you could only get food for nothing!"</p> - -<p>It is very clear that Peter would have been -far better off, as far as the comforts of life are -concerned, in the city almshouse; but there -were some little obstacles in the way of his -entering. For instance, it would scarcely -have been allowed a public pensioner to go -round quarterly to collect his rents,—a thing -which Peter would hardly have relinquished.</p> - -<p>Reflections upon the cost of living brought -to Peter's recollection that he had nothing at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -home for supper. He accordingly stepped -into a baker's shop close at hand.</p> - -<p>"Have you got any bread cheap?" he inquired -of the baker.</p> - -<p>"We intend to sell at moderate prices."</p> - -<p>"What do you ask for those loaves?" said -the old man, looking wistfully at some fresh -loaves piled upon the counter, which had been -but a short time out of the oven.</p> - -<p>"Five cents apiece," said the baker. "I'll -warrant you will find them good. They are -made of the best of flour."</p> - -<p>"Isn't five cents rather dear?" queried -Peter, his natural appetite struggling with his -avarice.</p> - -<p>"Dear!" retorted the baker, opening his -eyes in astonishment; "why, my good sir, at -what price do you expect to buy bread?"</p> - -<p>"I've no doubt they're very good," said -Peter, hastily; "but have you any stale -loaves? I guess they'll be better for -me."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said the baker, "I believe I have, -but they're not as good as the fresh bread."</p> - -<p>"How do you sell your stale loaves?" inquired<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -Peter, fumbling in his pocket for some -change.</p> - -<p>"I sell them for about half price—three -cents apiece."</p> - -<p>"You may give me one, then; I guess it'll -be better for me."</p> - -<p>Even Peter was a little ashamed to acknowledge -that it was the price alone which -influenced his choice.</p> - -<p>The baker observed that, notwithstanding -his decision, he continued to look wistfully -towards the fresh bread. Never having seen -old Peter before, he was unacquainted with -his character, and judging from his dilapidated -appearance that he might be prevented, -by actual poverty, from buying the fresh -bread, exclaimed with a sudden impulse: -"You seem to be poor. If you only want -one loaf, I will for this once give you a fresh -loaf for three cents—the same price I ask for -the stale bread."</p> - -<p>"Will you?"</p> - -<p>Old Peter's eyes sparkled with eagerness as -he said this.</p> - -<p>"Poor man!" thought the baker with mistaken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -compassion; "he must indeed be needy, -to be so pleased."</p> - -<p>"Yes," he continued, "you shall have a -loaf this once for three cents. Shall I put it -in a paper for you?"</p> - -<p>Peter nodded.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile he was busy fumbling in his -pockets for the coins requisite to purchase -the loaf. He drew out three battered cents, -and deposited them with reluctant hand on -the counter. He gazed at them wistfully while -the baker carelessly swept them with his hand -into the till behind the counter; and then -with a sigh of resignation, at parting with the -coins, seized the loaf and shambled out into -the street.</p> - -<p>He put the bundle under his arm, and hastened -up the street, his mouth watering in -anticipation of the feast which awaited him. -Do not laugh, reader,—little as you may -regard a fresh loaf of bread, it was indeed a -treat to Peter, who was accustomed, from motives -of economy, to regale himself upon stale -bread.</p> - -<p>The baker was congratulating himself upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -having done a charitable action, when Peter -came back in haste, pale with affright.</p> - -<p>"I—I—," he stammered, "must have -dropped some money. You haven't picked -up any, have you?"</p> - -<p>"Not I!" said the baker, carelessly. "If you -dropped it here you will find it somewhere -on the floor. Stay, I will assist you."</p> - -<p>Peter seemed rather disconcerted than -otherwise by this offer of assistance, but could -not reasonably interpose any objection.</p> - -<p>After a very brief search Peter and the -baker simultaneously discovered the missing -coin. The former pounced upon it, but not before -the latter had recognized it as a gold piece.</p> - -<p>"Ho, ho!" thought he, in surprise, "my -charity is not so well bestowed as I thought. -Do you have many such coins?" he asked, -meaningly.</p> - -<p>"I?" said Peter, hastily, "Oh no! I am very -poor. This is all I have, and I expect it will -be gone soon,—it costs so much to live!"</p> - -<p>"It'll never cost you much," thought the -baker, watching the shabby figure of the -miser as he receded from the shop.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span></p> - -<h2>II.<br /> <small>A MISER'S HOUSEHOLD.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Peter Manson</span> owned a small house in an -obscure street. It was a weather-beaten -tenement of wood, containing some six or -eight rooms, all of which, with one exception, -were given over to dirt, cobwebs, gloom, and -desolation. Peter might readily have let the -rooms which he did not require for his own -use, but so profound was his distrust of -human nature, that not even the prospect of -receiving rent for the empty rooms could -overcome his apprehension of being robbed -by neighbors under the same roof. For -Peter trusted not his money to banks or railroads, -but wanted to have it directly under -his own eye or within his reach. As for -investing his gold in the luxuries of life, or -even in what were generally considered its -absolute necessaries, we have already seen -that Peter was no such fool as that. A gold<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -eagle was worth ten times more to him than -its equivalent in food or clothing.</p> - -<p>With more than his usual alacrity, old -Peter Manson, bearing under his cloak the -fresh loaf which he had just procured from -the baker on such advantageous terms, -hastened to his not very inviting home.</p> - -<p>Drawing from his pocket a large and rusty -door-key, he applied it to the door. It turned -in the lock with a creaking sound, and the -door yielding to Peter's push he entered.</p> - -<p>The room which he appropriated to his -own use was in the second story. It was a -large room, of some eighteen feet square, and, -as it is hardly necessary to say, was not set off -by expensive furniture. The articles which -came under this denomination were briefly -these,—a cherry table which was minus one -leg, whose place had been supplied by a -broom handle fitted in its place; three hard -wooden chairs of unknown antiquity; an old -wash-stand; a rusty stove which Peter had -picked up cheap at an auction, after finding -that a stove burned out less fuel than a fireplace; -a few articles of crockery of different<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -patterns, some cracked and broken; a few -tin dishes, such as Peter found essential in -his cooking; and a low truckle bedstead with -a scanty supply of bedclothes.</p> - -<p>Into this desolate home Peter entered.</p> - -<p>There was an ember or two left in the -stove, which the old man contrived, by hard -blowing, to kindle into life. On these he -placed a few sticks, part of which he had -picked up in the street early in the morning, -and soon there was a little show of fire, over -which the miser spread his hands greedily as -if to monopolize what little heat might proceed -therefrom. He looked wistfully at the -pile of wood remaining, but prudence withheld -him from putting on any more.</p> - -<p>"Everything costs money," he muttered to -himself. "Three times a day I have to eat, -and that costs a sight. Why couldn't we get -along with eating once a day? That would -save two thirds. Then there's fire. That -costs money, too. Why isn't it always summer? -Then we shouldn't need any except to -cook by. It seems a sin to throw away good, -bright, precious gold on what is going to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -burnt up and float away in smoke. One -might almost as well throw it into the river -at once. Ugh! only to think of what it -would cost if I couldn't pick up some sticks -in the street. There was a little girl picking -up some this morning when I was out. If it -hadn't been for her, I should have got more. -What business had she to come there, I should -like to know?"</p> - -<p>"Ugh, ugh!"</p> - -<p>The blaze was dying out, and Peter was -obliged, against his will, to put on a fresh -supply of fuel.</p> - -<p>By this time the miser's appetite began to -assert itself, and rising from his crouching -position over the fire he walked to the table -on which he had deposited his loaf of bread. -With an old jack-knife he carefully cut the -loaf into two equal parts. One of these he -put back into the closet. From the same -place he also brought out a sausage, and -placing it over the fire contrived to cook it -after a fashion. Taking it off he placed it on -a plate, and seated himself on a chair by the -table.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> - -<p>It was long since the old man, accustomed -to stale bread,—because he found it cheaper,—had -tasted anything so delicious. No -alderman ever smacked his lips over the most -exquisite turtle soup with greater relish than -Peter Manson over his banquet.</p> - -<p>"It is very good," he muttered, with a sigh -of satisfaction. "I don't fare so well every -day. If it hadn't been for that unlucky piece -of gold, perhaps the baker would have let me -had another loaf at the same price."</p> - -<p>He soon despatched the half loaf which he -allotted to his evening meal.</p> - -<p>"I think I could eat the other half," he -said, with unsatisfied hunger; "but I must -save that for breakfast. It is hurtful to eat -too much. Besides, here is my sausage."</p> - -<p>The sausage was rather burned than cooked, -but Peter was neither nice nor fastidious. -He did not eat the whole of the sausage, -however, but reserved one half of this, too, -for breakfast, though it proved so acceptable -to his palate that he came near yielding to -the temptation of eating the whole. But -prudence, or rather avarice, prevailed, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -shaking his head with renewed determination, -he carried it to the closet and placed it on -the shelf.</p> - -<p>Between seven and eight o'clock Peter -prepared to go to bed, partly because this -would enable him to dispense with a fire, the -cost of which he considered so ruinous. He -had but just commenced his preparations for -bed when a loud knock was heard at the -street door.</p> - -<p>At the first sound of the knocking Peter -Manson started in affright. Such a thing -had not occurred in his experience for -years.</p> - -<p>"It's some drunken fellow," thought Peter. -"He's mistaken the house. I'll blow out the -candle, and then he'll think there's nobody -here."</p> - -<p>He listened again, in hopes to hear the -receding steps of the visitor, but in vain. -After a brief interval there came another -knock, louder and more imperative than the -first.</p> - -<p>Peter began to feel a little uneasy.</p> - -<p>"Why don't he go?" he muttered, peevishly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -"He can't have anything to do with -me. Nobody ever comes here. He's mistaken -the house."</p> - -<p>His reflections were here interrupted by a -volley of knocks, each apparently louder than -the last.</p> - -<p>"Oh dear, what shall I do?" exclaimed -the miser with a ludicrous mixture of terror -and perplexity. "It's some desperate ruffian, -I know it is. I wish the police would come. -I shall be robbed and murdered."</p> - -<p>Peter went to the window and put his -head out, hoping to discover something of his -troublesome visitor. The noise of opening -the window attracted his attention.</p> - -<p>"Hilloa!" he shouted. "I thought I'd -make you hear some time or other. I began -to think you were as deaf as a post, or else -had kicked the bucket."</p> - -<p>"Who's there?" asked Peter, in a quavering -voice.</p> - -<p>"Who's there! Come down and see, and -don't leave a fellow to hammer away all night -at your old rat-trap. Come down, and open -the door."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> - -<p>"This ain't the house," said Peter. "You've -made a mistake. Nobody ever comes here."</p> - -<p>"No more I should think they would, if -you always keep 'em waiting as long as you -have me. Come along down, and let me in."</p> - -<p>"But I tell you," persisted Peter, who -didn't at all like the visitor's manners, "that -you've made a mistake. This ain't the -house."</p> - -<p>"Ain't what house, I'd like to know?"</p> - -<p>"It ain't the house you think it is," said -the old man, a little puzzled by this question.</p> - -<p>"And what house do I think it is? Tell -me that, you old——"</p> - -<p>Probably the sentence would have been -finished in a manner uncomplimentary to -Peter, but perhaps, from motives of policy, -the stranger suppressed what he had intended -to say.</p> - -<p>"I don't know," returned Peter, at a loss -for a reply, "but there's a mistake somewhere. -Nobody comes to see me."</p> - -<p>"I shouldn't think they would," muttered -the outsider, "but every rule has its exceptions, -and somebody's come to see you now."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> - -<p>"You've mistaken the person."</p> - -<p>"No, I haven't. Little chance of making -a mistake. You're old Peter Manson."</p> - -<p>"He <i>has</i> come to see me," thought Peter, -uneasily; "but it cannot be for any good end. -I won't let him in; no, I won't let him in."</p> - -<p>"Well what are you going to do about -it?" asked his would-be visitor, impatiently.</p> - -<p>"It's too late to see you to-night."</p> - -<p>"Fiddlestick!" retorted the other. "It -isn't eight yet."</p> - -<p>"I'm just going to bed," added Peter, becoming -momentarily more uneasy at the man's -obstinacy.</p> - -<p>"Going to bed at half past seven! Come, -now, that's all a joke. You don't take me -for a fool!"</p> - -<p>"But I am," urged Peter, "I always do. -I'm very poor, and can't afford to keep a fire -and light going all the evening."</p> - -<p>"You poor! Well, may be you are. But -that ain't neither here nor there. I have got -some important business to see you about, -and you must let me in."</p> - -<p>"Come to-morrow."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> - -<p>"It's no use; I must see you to-night. So -just come down and let me in, or it'll be the -worse for you."</p> - -<p>"What a dreadful ruffian!" groaned Peter; -"I wish the watch would come along, but it -never does when it's wanted. Go away, good -man," he said, in a wheedling tone. "Go -away, and come again to-morrow."</p> - -<p>"I tell you I won't go away. I must see -you to-night."</p> - -<p>Convinced that the man was not to be -denied, Peter, groaning with fear, went down, -and reluctantly drawing the bolt, admitted -the visitor.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>III.<br /> <small>THE UNWELCOME VISITOR.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Opening</span> the door with trembling hand -Peter Manson saw before him a stout man of -forty-five, with a complexion bronzed by exposure -to the elements.</p> - -<p>Short and thick-set, with a half-defiant -expression, as if, to use a common phrase, he -"feared neither man nor devil," a glance at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -him served hardly to reassure the apprehensive -old man.</p> - -<p>The stranger was attired in a suit of coarse -clothing, and appeared to possess little education -or refinement. He might be a sailor,—there -was an indefinable something about -him,—a certain air of the sea, that justified -the suspicion that he had passed some part -of his life, at least, in the realms of Father -Neptune.</p> - -<p>Peter Manson, holding in his hand the -fragment of candle which flickered wildly -from the sudden gust of wind which rushed -in at the door just opened, stood in silent -apprehension, gazing uneasily at his unwelcome -visitor.</p> - -<p>"Well, shipmate," said the latter, impatiently, -"how long are you going to stand -staring at me? It makes me feel bashful, -not to speak of its not being over and above -civil."</p> - -<p>"What do you want?" inquired Peter, his -alarm a little increased by this speech, making, -at the same time, a motion as if to close the -door.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> - -<p>"First and foremost, I should like to be -invited in somewhere, where it isn't quite so -public as at the street door. My business is -of a private nature."</p> - -<p>"I don't know you," said the miser, uneasily.</p> - -<p>"Well, what's the odds if I know you?" -was the careless reply. "Come, push ahead. -Where do you live? Up stairs, or down -stairs? I want to have a little private talk -with you somewhere."</p> - -<p>The speaker was about to cross the threshold -when Peter stepped in front, as if to intercept -him, and said, hurriedly, "Don't come in to-night; -to-morrow will do just as well."</p> - -<p>"By your leave," said the visitor, coolly, -pushing his way in, in spite of the old man's -feeble opposition. "I have already told you -that I wanted to see you to-night. Didn't -you hear me?"</p> - -<p>"Thieves!" the old man half ejaculated, -but was checked by the other somewhat -sternly.</p> - -<p>"No, old man, I am not a thief; but if you -don't have done with your stupid charges, I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -may be tempted to verify your good opinion -by trying my hand at a little robbery. Now -lead the way to your den, wherever it is, if -you know what is best for yourself."</p> - -<p>The outer door was already closed, and -Peter felt that he was at the intruder's mercy. -Nevertheless, there was something in this -last speech, rough and imperative as it was, -that gave him a little feeling of security, so -far as he had been led to suspect any designs -on his property on the part of his companion.</p> - -<p>Without venturing upon any further remonstrance, -which, it was clear, would prove -altogether useless, he shuffled up stairs, in -obedience to the stranger's command, yet not -without casting back over his shoulder a look -of apprehension, as if he feared an attack -from behind.</p> - -<p>His visitor, perceiving this, smiled, as if -amused at old Peter's evident alarm.</p> - -<p>Arrived at the head of the stairs, Peter -opened the door into the apartment appropriated -to his own use.</p> - -<p>The stranger followed him in, and after a -leisurely glance about the room, seated himself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> -with some caution in a chair, which did -not look very secure.</p> - -<p>Peter placed the flickering candle upon the -mantel-piece, and seated himself.</p> - -<p>It was long, very long, since a visitor had -wakened the echoes of the old house; very -long since any human being, save Peter himself, -had been seated in that room. The old -man could not help feeling it to be a strange -thing, so unaccustomed was he to the sight of -any other human face there.</p> - -<p>"It seems to me," said his visitor, dryly, -taking in at a glance all the appointments of -the room, "that you don't care much about -the luxuries of life."</p> - -<p>"I," said Peter, "I'm obliged to live very -plain,—very plain, indeed,—because I am so -poor."</p> - -<p>"Poor or not," said the visitor, "you must -afford to have a better fire while I am here. -I don't approve of freezing."</p> - -<p>He rose without ceremony, and taking half -a dozen sticks from the hearth, deposited them -in the stove, which now contained only some -burning embers.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Stay," said Peter, hastily. "Don't put so -much on; it's wasteful, and I sha'n't have any -left for to-morrow."</p> - -<p>"I'll risk that," said the other, carelessly. -"At any rate, it's better to be comfortable -one day than to shiver through two."</p> - -<p>The flame caught the wood, which soon -blazed up, diffusing an unusually cheerful -glow over the apartment. Peter, in spite of -the dismay with which he had at first contemplated -the sudden movement on the part of -his visitor, and the awful consumption of -wood which he knew must ensue, nevertheless -appeared to enjoy the increased heat. He -drew his chair nearer the stove, and an expression -of satisfaction was visible in his face -as he spread out both hands to catch a little -warmth.</p> - -<p>"There, Peter," said the stranger, "I knew -you'd like it after it was fairly done. Isn't -it worth while to have a good warm fire?"</p> - -<p>"If it didn't cost so much," groaned Peter, -the one thought intruding.</p> - -<p>"Hush, Peter; if what people say be true, -and as I am inclined to believe, there's no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -one better able to afford a good fire than -you."</p> - -<p>"No one better able!" repeated Peter, at -once taking alarm, and lifting up both hands -in earnest deprecation, "when I can hardly -get enough together to keep from absolute -starvation. Oh, it's a strange world, it's a -strange world!"</p> - -<p>"Well, Peter, some strange people do live -in it, to be sure. But people do say, Peter, -that you have a power of money hidden away -in this old house somewhere."</p> - -<p>Peter started to his feet in affright, then -feeling that his movement might lead to suspicion, -sank back into his seat, saying, uneasily, -"I only wish it were true. People say -such strange things. But it's only idle talk, -idle talk. They know better."</p> - -<p>"You'd be very grateful, I have no doubt, -to anybody that would show you where all -these treasures are that people talk about, -wouldn't you, hey?"</p> - -<p>"Ye—Yes," answered Peter Manson, who -did not know quite how to understand his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -companion, whose tone seemed to have a hidden -meaning which made him uneasy.</p> - -<p>"And will you give me leave to search the -house, if I will promise to give you half the -gold I find?"</p> - -<p>"But you wouldn't find any," answered the -miser, hastily.</p> - -<p>"Then there would be no harm done. Suppose -now I should remove the flooring, just -here for instance, don't you think I might -possibly find something underneath that -would repay me for my search?"</p> - -<p>Unconsciously the speaker had hit upon -one of Peter's places of deposit. Directly -under where he was seated there was a box -of gold coins. Accordingly this remark, which -seemed to indicate to Peter some knowledge -of his hiding-place, filled him with fearful -apprehensions.</p> - -<p>"No, no," said he, vehemently; "go away, -there isn't any there. If that is all you -have got to say, go away and leave me to my -rest. I ought to be in bed; it is getting late."</p> - -<p>"I <i>have</i> something more to say, Peter Manson," -returned his companion. "If I had not,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -I should not have sought you to-night. What -I have to say is of great importance to you as -you will find. Will you hear it?"</p> - -<p>"Go on," muttered Peter, his attention arrested, -in spite of his fears, by the stranger's -peculiar tone.</p> - -<p>"First, then, let me tell you a story. It -may be real, it may be only fancy. I won't -say anything about that. By the way, Peter, -were you ever in the West Indies?"</p> - -<p>This question produced a singular effect -upon Peter, considering its apparently unimportant -character. He started, turned as -pale as his ghastly complexion permitted, -fixed an anxious glance upon the stranger, -who looked as if nothing particular had happened, -and said hastily, "No, I was never -there. What made you ask?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing particular," said the other, carelessly; -"if you were never there, no matter. -Only it is there that what I am going to tell -you happened. But to my story.</p> - -<p>"Some twenty years ago there lived in the -city of Havana an American gentleman, no -matter about his name, who had established<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -himself in business in the city. He had -married before he went there, and had a -daughter about sixteen years of age. Well, -his business flourished. Good luck seemed to -attend him in all his ventures, and he seemed -likely to accumulate enough to retire upon -before many years."</p> - -<p>Peter started, and as the story progressed -seemed to be internally agitated. A keen -glance satisfied his visitor of this; without -appearing to notice it, however, he went on,—</p> - -<p>"But things don't always turn out as well -as we expect. Just when things looked -brightest there came a sudden blow, for -which the merchant was unprepared. On -going to his counting-room one morning, he -discovered that his book-keeper had disappeared, -and what was worse, had carried off -with him the sum of twenty thousand dollars—a -large sum, was it not?"</p> - -<p>"What is all this to me?" demanded Peter, -with sudden fierceness.</p> - -<p>"I will tell you by and by," said the stranger, -coolly.</p> - -<p>"I will take the liberty to put a little more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> -wood into the stove, and then go on with my -story."</p> - -<p>"I—I'll put some in," said Peter.</p> - -<p>He took a small stick about half as large -round as his wrist, and opening the stove-door, -put it in.</p> - -<p>"That'll do to begin with," said the stranger, -following it, to Peter's dismay, with half -a dozen larger ones. "Now we'll be comfortable."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>IV.<br /> <small>A STARTLING QUESTION.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">While</span> Peter's uneasiness became every -moment more marked, his visitor continued,—</p> - -<p>"This sad defalcation was the more unfortunate -because, on that very day notes to -a heavy amount became due. Of course the -merchant was unable to pay them. Do you -know what was the result?"</p> - -<p>"How should I know?" asked Peter, testily, -avoiding the gaze of the stranger, and fixing -his eyes uneasily upon the fire.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Of course you couldn't know, I was -foolish to think such a thing."</p> - -<p>"Then what made you think it?" said -Peter, in a petulant tone. "I don't care to -hear your story. What has it got to do with -me?"</p> - -<p>"Don't be in too much of a hurry, and -perhaps you will learn quite as soon as you -care to. The same result followed, which -always does follow when a business man -cannot meet his engagements. He failed."</p> - -<p>Peter stirred uneasily, but said nothing.</p> - -<p>"His character for integrity was such that -there were many who would have lent him a -helping hand, and carried him safely through -his troubles; but he was overwhelmed by -the blow, and sank under it. Refusing all -offers of assistance, he took to his bed, and -some six months after died."</p> - -<p>"And what became of his daughter?" -asked Peter, showing a little curiosity for the -first time.</p> - -<p>"Ha! you seem to be getting interested," -exclaimed the other, fixing his keen eyes upon -Peter, who seemed confused. "His daughter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -was beautiful and had already won the heart -of a young American, who had little money -but a handsome figure and good business -habits."</p> - -<p>"Did she marry this young Codman?"</p> - -<p>"Who told you his name was Codman?" -asked Peter's visitor, watching him keenly.</p> - -<p>"I—I thought you did," stammered the -miser, disconcerted.</p> - -<p>"You are mistaken. I have mentioned no -name."</p> - -<p>"Then I—I must have misunderstood -you."</p> - -<p>"I dare say," said the other, ironically. -"However, we won't dispute that point. -Well, this young Codman,—for singularly -enough you hit upon the right name, not -knowing anything of the circumstances of -course,—this young Codman married Isabel."</p> - -<p>"Isabel!" repeated the old man. "Her -name was——"</p> - -<p>Here he paused in sudden confusion, feeling -that he was betraying himself by his incautious -correction.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Peter," said the other with a shrewd<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -smile, "you are right. Her name was not -Isabel, but Eleanor. I acknowledge that I -was wrong; but it seems to me that, for one -who is entirely a stranger to the events I have -been describing, you show a wonderful -shrewdness in detecting my mistakes."</p> - -<p>Peter maintained a confused silence, and -wriggled about uneasily, as if the stranger's -fixed and watchful gaze disturbed him.</p> - -<p>"Humph! well they say that some people -have the gift of second sight, and others can -see through millstones, and various other -wonderful things."</p> - -<p>"What has all this to do with me?" asked -Peter, crossly, for he felt it necessary to make -some demonstration. "It's getting late, and -I want to go to bed. Go away, and—and -come again to-morrow, if you want to."</p> - -<p>"A bird in the hand is worth two in the -bush, Peter, which means that I am sure of you -now, and perhaps you wouldn't let me in if I -should call to-morrow. If you are sleepy -I have no objection to your going to bed. I -can talk to you as well as if you were sitting -up. I will stay here and keep the fire going."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> - -<p>Peter looked at the small pile of wood with -a groan, and muttered something about "its -being awful extravagant to keep such a fire."</p> - -<p>"I believe," said the stranger, "I have not -yet told you the name of the defaulted clerk."</p> - -<p>Peter said nothing.</p> - -<p>"It was Thornton, but his first name was -Peter, the same as yours. Singular, isn't it, -Peter?"</p> - -<p>"I suppose there are a good many Peters -in the world," muttered the old man.</p> - -<p>"Very likely; though I hope most of them -are better than this Peter Thornton. He got -off without being taken, with the twenty -thousand dollars in his possession. He was -fond of money, and many thought this explained -the defalcation. However, there were -not wanting others who assigned a different -motive. It was said that he had been smitten -by the youthful charms of his employer's -daughter Eleanor, who did not favor his suit."</p> - -<p>Peter shifted uneasily in his chair.</p> - -<p>"No one could blame her. In fact it was -perfectly preposterous for him to think of -mating with her. Did you speak?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> - -<p>"No!" snarled Peter.</p> - -<p>"I thought you said something. I repeat, -that she had plenty of reasons for rejecting -him. She was just sixteen, and beautiful as -she was young, and had no lack of admirers -ready to devote themselves to her. As for -Peter Thornton, ha! ha! he never could have -been very handsome, from all I have heard of -him. In the first place, he was forty or -more."</p> - -<p>"Thirty-eight," muttered Peter, below his -breath.</p> - -<p>"And his features were irregular, besides -being marked with the small-pox, which he -had had in early life. He had a long, hooked -nose like a bird's beak, an enormous mouth, -little sharp gray eyes like a ferret's, and his -hair was already mingled with gray. On the -whole, he hadn't much beauty to boast of. -Did you say anything?"</p> - -<p>"No!" snarled Peter, sourly. He was sitting -with his elbows on his knees, and his -face resting on his hands.</p> - -<p>"Beg pardon, I thought you spoke. To -add to Peter's charms of person, his disposition<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -was not the sweetest that ever was. He -had a harsh and crabbed manner, which would -have led to his discharge if he had not had -one saving trait. I will say, to his credit, -that he was a capital book-keeper. Of his -honesty his employer thought he was well -assured, and probably if nothing had occurred -of a character to wound Peter's pride, he -might have continued faithful to his trust. -One day, however, Peter took an opportunity, -when he had been calling at the house of his -employer on business connected with the -counting-room, to declare his love to the -young lady, whom he found alone in the -drawing-room. You can imagine how much -she was amused—why don't you laugh, Peter? -You look as glum as if it were <i>you</i> that had -met with this disappointment. The young -lady told him plainly, as soon as she got over -her astonishment, that she could give him no -encouragement whatever. Perhaps there -might have been in her tone something of the -aversion which it was natural for her to feel -at such a proposition from one so much beneath -her. If they had married, it would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -have been a second case of Beauty and the -Beast. Beg pardon, Peter, I believe you said -something."</p> - -<p>"No!" snarled Peter, fiercely. "Have you -got nearly through? Your story is nothing -to me—nothing, I say. I want to go to bed. -You have kept me up too late already."</p> - -<p>"I can't help that, Peter. It took me too -long to get in for me to resign readily the -pleasure of your society. I say, Peter, what -a jolly good fellow you are,—quite a lively -companion,—only it strikes me you might be -a little more civil to your company. It isn't -exactly polite to keep telling one how anxious -you are for him to go.</p> - -<p>"As I was saying, when you interrupted -me, Eleanor told Peter very decidedly that -she could not for an instant entertain his suit. -He endeavored to change her determination, -being an ardent, impulsive lover, and probably -in her impatience she said something which -irritated her lover, who went off in a rage. -After a while, however, he was foolish enough -to open the subject again. Of course she was -extremely annoyed at his persistence, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -seeing no other way of escaping the persecution, -she felt it necessary to acquaint her father -with what had transpired. The merchant -was naturally indignant at his book-keeper's -presumption, and calling him aside one morning -threatened to discharge him from his -employment unless he should forthwith desist. -This was, of course, a great blow to Peter's -pride. He had the good sense to say nothing, -however, but none the less determined within -himself to be revenged upon those who had -scorned his advances, as soon as an opportunity -offered. I don't know as I blame him. -Perhaps I should have done the same under -similar circumstances."</p> - -<p>There was a trace of agitation upon the -pale and wrinkled countenance of the miser.</p> - -<p>"This it was," continued the stranger, -"taken in connection with Peter's natural cupidity -that led to the defalcation I have -mentioned. So far as the merchant was concerned -his revenge was completely successful, -for he was the means of his ruin and premature -death. And now, Peter," he added, -suddenly changing his tone, "can you tell me<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -what induced you to change your name from -Thornton to Manson?"</p> - -<p>"Me!" exclaimed the miser, starting to his -feet in consternation, and glaring wildly at -the speaker.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>V.<br /> <small>THE COMPACT.</small></h2> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">Yes</span>," said the stranger, composedly; "I -repeat the question, why did you change your -name to Manson?"</p> - -<p>"What—do—you—mean?" the old man -faltered slowly.</p> - -<p>"I mean just what I say, and I see you understand -me well enough."</p> - -<p>"You can't prove it," said Peter, with an -uneasy glance at his imperturbable companion.</p> - -<p>"Can't I? Perhaps not. I should say the -mysterious knowledge you seem to possess of -the main incidents in my story would prove -something."</p> - -<p>"That isn't evidence in a court of law," -said Peter, regaining a degree of confidence.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Perhaps not; but I say, Peter, don't you -recognize me?"</p> - -<p>The old man scanned his features eagerly, -and a sudden look of remembrance satisfied -the latter that he was not forgotten.</p> - -<p>"I see you do remember me," he said; "I -thought you hadn't forgotten John Randall. -At any rate he hasn't forgotten you, though -twenty years have passed, and I was then but -a young man. I used to see you too often -about the streets of Havana not to remember -that hooked nose, those gray eyes, and (excuse -my plainness of speech) that large mouth. -Yes, Peter, your features are impressed upon -my memory too indelibly to be effaced."</p> - -<p>Peter Manson remembered his companion as -one who had had the reputation of being a -"wild" young man. He had been placed at -school by his father without any profitable -result. On his father's death he squandered, -in dissipation, the property which came to -him, and had since devoted himself to the sea.</p> - -<p>"Having settled this little matter of your -identity," continued Randall, "I am ready to -finish my story. I told you that Eleanor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -married the young man whose name you remembered -so well. He was poor, dependent -upon his salary as a clerk, and thanks to you -his wife had nothing to hope from her father. -They were obliged to live in a very humble -way. At length, thinking he could do better -here, he removed to Boston, where his early -life had been spent."</p> - -<p>"To Boston!" muttered Peter.</p> - -<p>"The removal took place some six years -since. They had three children when they -first came here, but two died, leaving only the -second, a boy, named Charlie. I should think -he might be fourteen years of age. And now, -would you like to know if the husband is still -living?"</p> - -<p>"Is he?" asked Peter, looking up.</p> - -<p>"No. He died about a year since, of a -fever."</p> - -<p>"And—and Eleanor? What of her?"</p> - -<p>"For six months past she has been a tenant -of yours."</p> - -<p>"A tenant of mine!" exclaimed the miser.</p> - -<p>"It is even so. She occupies a second-story -room in the tenement-house in——Street."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> - -<p>"And I have met her face to face?"</p> - -<p>"I dare say you have. Your tenants are -pretty sure to have that pleasure once a -month. But doesn't it seem strange that -Eleanor Gray, the beautiful daughter of your -Havana employer, should after these twenty -years turn up in Boston the tenant of her -father's book-keeper?"</p> - -<p>"Ha! ha!" chuckled the miser, hoarsely, -"she isn't so much better off than if she had -married old Peter."</p> - -<p>"As to being better off," said Randall, "I -presume she is better off, though she can't -call a hundred dollars her own, than if she -were installed mistress of your establishment. -Faugh! Poorly as she is obliged to -live, it is luxury, compared with your establishment."</p> - -<p>He glanced about him with a look of disgust.</p> - -<p>"If you don't like it," said Peter, querulously, -"there is no use of your staying. It -is past my bedtime."</p> - -<p>"I shall leave you in a few minutes, Peter, -but I want to give you something to think of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -first. Don't you see that your property is in -danger of slipping from your hands?"</p> - -<p>"My property in danger!" exclaimed -Peter, wildly; "what do you mean; where is -the danger?" Then, his voice sinking to its -usual whine,—"not that I have any of any -consequence, I am poor—very poor."</p> - -<p>"Only from what I see I could easily -believe it, but I happen to know better."</p> - -<p>"Indeed, I am——"</p> - -<p>"No more twaddle about poverty," said -Randall, decidedly, "it won't go down. I am -not so easily deceived as you may imagine. -I know perfectly well that you are worth -at the very least, thirty thousand dollars."</p> - -<p>"Thirty thousand dollars!" exclaimed the -miser, raising both hands in astonishment.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Peter, and I don't know but I may -say forty thousand. Why, it can't be otherwise, -with your habits. Twenty years ago -you made off with twenty thousand, which -has been accumulating ever since. Your -personal expenses haven't made very large -inroads upon your income, judging from your -scarecrow appearance. So much the worse<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -for you. You might have got some good -from it. Now it must go to others."</p> - -<p>"To others!" exclaimed Peter, turning -pale.</p> - -<p>"Certainly. You don't think the law -gives you whatever you've a mind to steal, -do you? Of course there is no doubt that to -your tenants, Eleanor and Charlie Codman, -belongs this property which you wrongfully -hold."</p> - -<p>"They sha'n't have it. They never shall -have it," said Peter Manson, hastily.</p> - -<p>"Well, perhaps the law may have something -to say about that."</p> - -<p>"My gold!" groaned the miser. "If I lose -that I lose everything. It will be my death. -Good Mr. Randall, have pity upon me. I am -sure you won't say anything that——"</p> - -<p>"Will bring you to state's prison," said -Randall, coolly.</p> - -<p>"They—Eleanor and her son—need never -know it."</p> - -<p>"Unless I tell them."</p> - -<p>"But you won't."</p> - -<p>"That depends upon circumstances. How<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -much will you give me to keep the thing -secret?"</p> - -<p>"What will I give you?"</p> - -<p>"Precisely. That is what I have been so -long in coming at. You see, Peter, that the -secret is worth something. Either I reveal it -to the parties interested, in which case I -wouldn't give that," snapping his fingers, -"for your chance of retaining the property, -or I keep silence <i>if you make it worth my -while</i>."</p> - -<p>"Pity me," said the miser, abjectly, sinking -on his knees before Randall; "pity me and -spare my gold."</p> - -<p>"Pity you!" said Randall, contemptuously. -"Why didn't you pity your employer? You -must make up your mind to pay me my -price."</p> - -<p>"I am very poor," whined Peter, in his -customary phrase, "and I can't pay much."</p> - -<p>"Oh yes, Peter," said the other, sarcastically, -"I am well aware that you are poor,—wretchedly -poor,—and I won't be too hard upon -you."</p> - -<p>"Thank you—thank you," said Peter,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -catching at this promise; "I will give you -something—a little——"</p> - -<p>"How much?" asked Randall, with some -curiosity.</p> - -<p>"Ten dollars!" said the miser, with the -air of a man who named a large sum.</p> - -<p>"Ten dollars!" returned Randall, with a -laugh of derision. "Ten dollars to secure -the peaceable possession of thirty thousand! -Old man, you must be mad, or you must -think that I am."</p> - -<p>"I—I did not mean to offend," said the old -man, humbly. "If I double the sum will it -satisfy you? I—I will try to raise it, though -it will be hard—very hard."</p> - -<p>"This is mere trifling, Peter Manson," said -his visitor, decidedly. "Twenty dollars! -Why I wouldn't have come across the street -to get it. No, you will have to elevate your -ideas considerably."</p> - -<p>"How much do you demand?" said the -miser, groaning internally, and fixing his eyes -anxiously upon Randall.</p> - -<p>"You must not make a fuss when I name -the amount."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Name it," said Peter, in a choking voice.</p> - -<p>"One thousand dollars will purchase my -silence, and not a dollar less."</p> - -<p>Peter sprang from his seat in consternation.</p> - -<p>"One thousand dollars! Surely you are -not in earnest."</p> - -<p>"But I am, though. This is not a subject -I care to jest upon."</p> - -<p>"One thousand dollars! It will take all I -have and leave me a beggar."</p> - -<p>"If it should, Peter," said his visitor, composedly, -"I will procure you admission to the -poor-house, where, if I am not much mistaken -you will be better off than in this tumble-down -old shanty."</p> - -<p>"Has the man no mercy?" groaned Peter, -wringing his hands.</p> - -<p>"None at all."</p> - -<p>"Then," exclaimed the miser, in a sudden -fit of desperation, "I won't pay you a cent—not -a single cent."</p> - -<p>"That is your final determination, is -it?"</p> - -<p>"Ye—yes," muttered Peter, but less firmly.</p> - -<p>"Very well. I will tell you the result. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -shall at once go to Eleanor, and inform her of -the good fortune which awaits her. No fear -but she will pay me a thousand dollars for -the intelligence."</p> - -<p>"She has no money."</p> - -<p>"I will furnish her with money for the -lawyers—she can repay me out of your -hoards."</p> - -<p>Peter groaned.</p> - -<p>"Ay, groan away, Peter. You'll have -cause enough to groan, by and by. There is -one thing you don't seem to consider, that -the law will do something more than take -away your property. I will come to see you -in jail."</p> - -<p>He rose to leave the room, but Peter called -him back hastily. "We may come to terms -yet," he said.</p> - -<p>"Then you accede to my terms."</p> - -<p>"I will give you five hundred."</p> - -<p>"Good-night, Peter. I wish you happy -dreams."</p> - -<p>"St-stay!" exclaimed Peter, terrified. "I -will give eight hundred."</p> - -<p>"I am in something of a hurry," said Randall.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -"I believe I will call on Eleanor. -I don't think we can make any arrangement."</p> - -<p>"Hold! perhaps I will do as you say."</p> - -<p>"Ah! now you are beginning to be reasonable," -said Randall, resuming his seat.</p> - -<p>"What security can you give me for your -silence?"</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you what I will do, Peter. You -remember I told you Eleanor had a son, a -boy of fourteen."</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"His mother is quite devoted to him. Indeed, -he contributes to her support by selling -papers, and by various little jobs. Now, as -long as Eleanor lives here you are in danger."</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"And if a blow is levelled at her it must -be through her boy."</p> - -<p>"I see."</p> - -<p>"Then I'll tell you of a scheme I have arranged. -You must first know that I am -mate of a vessel now in port, which is bound -for San Francisco. We are to sail in a few -days."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Well?"</p> - -<p>"We happen to be in want of a boy to fill -up our regular number. Suppose I kidnap -Eleanor's boy. Don't you see, that as he is -her chief support, she will soon be in difficulties? -and this, with her uncertainty -about her boy's fate, may rid you of your -greatest peril, and the only one of the two -who could identify you."</p> - -<p>"Excellent, excellent!" chuckled Peter, -rubbing his hands; "she shall yet be sorry -that she rejected old Peter."</p> - -<p>"Am I to understand that you accede to -my proposal, then?"</p> - -<p>Not without many groans Peter agreed to -deliver the sum mentioned between them, on -condition that the boy was secured.</p> - -<p>It was striking ten when Randall left the -house. His face beamed with exultation.</p> - -<p>"I have done a good night's work," he said. -"By working on the fears of the old curmudgeon -I have made sure of a thousand dollars. -He will be lucky if this is the last money I -get out of him. He little thinks that I, too, -have a revenge to wreak. He is not the only<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -one that has been scornfully rejected by -Eleanor Codman. Now to bed, and to-morrow -shall see my work commenced."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>VI.<br /> <small>CHARLIE AT HOME.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> tenement-house owned by Peter Manson -was a three-story wooden building, very -much in need of paint. It was scarcely likely -to be pointed out by any one as one of the -architectural ornaments of the city. Years -before it had fallen into Peter's hands at a -small price, and he had every year since realized -from it in the way of rent a sum equal -to one half the purchase-money. No one who -has lived in a city can help knowing how -much more proportionally the poor are compelled -to pay for their scanty and insufficient -accommodations than the rich, or those in moderate -circumstances. No class of property -is made to pay a larger percentage than the -wretched tenement-houses which seem adapted -to furnish as little accommodation as possible -to those who are compelled to occupy them.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span></p> - -<p>The tenement-house in which Charlie and -his mother lived was no better than the average. -It was the home of a large number of -persons of various occupations. Seamstresses, -mechanics, washer-women, and many others -found a home under this one roof.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman occupied a room on the third -floor. As we enter the room it is easy to see -what a charm can be thrown around even the -humblest place by the presence of refinement -and good taste. All the appointments of the -room, indeed, were of the cheapest description. -Probably the furniture did not exceed -in cost that of the room opposite. Yet there -was a considerable difference in the appearance -of Mrs. Codman's room and that of Sally -Price, who, if she had ever possessed an organ -of neatness, had lost it years ago.</p> - -<p>The old-fashioned windows were washed as -clean as water could make them, so as to -admit all the sunshine which could find its -way over the tall roof on the opposite side of -the street. They were hung with plain chintz -curtains, separated in the middle and looped -on either side. The floor was quite clean as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -far as it could be seen. In the centre was -spread a floor-cloth some eight feet square, -which relieved its bareness. There was a -small round table near the window, and a -small square work-table of no very costly material, -in another part of the room. On this -was placed a rose-bush in a flower-pot. It -had been given to Charlie by an old gentleman -who had taken a fancy to him. In another -quarter was a home-made lounge, the -work of Charlie's hands. It had originally -been a wooden box, given him by a shopkeeper -near by. This box had been covered -with calico stuffed with cotton, so that it -made quite a comfortable seat. It was used -besides as a wood-box, its legitimate province, -but when the cover was closed it was nevertheless -a very respectable article of furniture. -There were besides a few plain wooden chairs, -and a small rocking-chair for Mrs. Codman. -Opening out of the main room was a small -bedroom, occupied by the mother, while -Charlie had a bed made up for him at night -in the common sitting-room.</p> - -<p>A few books—a very few—were piled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -upon the little table. They were chiefly schoolbooks,—an -arithmetic, a geography, and an -atlas, over which Charlie would generally -spend a portion of every evening, and occasionally -a boy's book, lent him by his friend -Edwin Bangs, who, together with his brothers, -had quite a large juvenile library.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman is sitting by the window industriously -engaged in needle-work, and intent -on accomplishing a certain amount before -nightfall. She was past thirty-five, yet, in -spite of the trials which have left their impress -on her brow, she would readily be taken -for five years younger. She has drawn her -chair to the window to make the most of -the rapidly fading daylight. As with swift -fingers she plies the glistening needle, and the -sun touches her cheek with a beaming glow, -we can see that not only has she been beautiful, -but is still so.</p> - -<p>A hasty step is heard on the stairs, there is -a stamping at the door, and in rushes a bright, -handsome boy, with rosy cheeks and dark -hair.</p> - -<p>The mother's face lights up with a bright<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -smile as she turns to her son, the only one -she has left to love.</p> - -<p>"You're a little later than usual, Charlie, -are you not?"</p> - -<p>"A little, mother. You see I didn't get a -job till late, and then two came together."</p> - -<p>"What were they?"</p> - -<p>"A gentleman wanted me to take his carpet-bag -from the Maine depot, and I had to -carry it away up to Rutland Street."</p> - -<p>"Did he go with you?"</p> - -<p>"No; he had to go to his counting-room in -State Street."</p> - -<p>"Was he willing to trust you? Some -boys might have made off with the carpet-bag, -and he would have never seen it -again."</p> - -<p>"He thought of that, but he said—and I -think he's a real gentleman—that he knew I -was honest by my appearance, and he was -willing to trust me."</p> - -<p>"Quite complimentary, Charlie. How much -did he pay you for your trouble?"</p> - -<p>"Half a dollar."</p> - -<p>"Then you have done a good deal better<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -than I have. I have been working all day, -and shall not realize more than twenty-five -cents for my labor."</p> - -<p>"I wish you didn't have to work at all, -mother."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, Charlie; but I dare say I am -happier for having something to do. I wish -I could get better pay for my work. But -you haven't told me what the other errand -was. You said you had two."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Charlie, "I had just got back -from Rutland Street, and had bought two or -three evening papers which I was going to -try to sell, when a man came up to me, and -after looking at me for a minute or two, asked -me if I would take a little walk with him. -He said he was a stranger in Boston, and -didn't know his way about much. He asked -me if I had lived here long, and what my -name was. He told me he would pay me if -I would go around with him, and point out -some of the public buildings. He told me he -would pay me at the rate of twenty-five cents -an hour for my time. I told him I had one -or two papers to dispose of."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'Never mind about them,' said he, 'I will -take them off your hands.'</p> - -<p>"'But they are alike,' said I.</p> - -<p>"'Never mind,' he answered; so he paid me -the full price for two Journals and two Transcripts, -and off we went."</p> - -<p>"What sort of a person was he?"</p> - -<p>"He was a stout man, over forty, and looked -to me like a sailor. I shouldn't wonder if he -was an officer of some ship."</p> - -<p>"Did you like his looks?"</p> - -<p>"Why," said Charlie, hesitatingly, "not -exactly; not so much as I did of the other -gentleman. There was something about his -eye which I didn't like. Still he acted up to -his agreement, and paid me all he promised."</p> - -<p>"How long were you together?"</p> - -<p>"About an hour and a half. We walked -round the Common and the Public Garden, -went into the State House and the Public -Library. However, he didn't seem to care -much about them. He seemed to take more -interest in me, somehow, and asked me a -good many questions; whether I had any -parents living, and how long I had lived in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -the city. When I told him you were born -in Havana, he said he used to live there himself."</p> - -<p>"Indeed!" said Mrs. Codman.</p> - -<p>"He also told me that he might like to -have me go round with him again, and told -me to call to-morrow at the Quincy House, -where he is stopping. But, mother, isn't it -most time for supper? Here, just let me set -the table, if you are busy."</p> - -<p>"Very well, Charlie; I shall be glad to -have you do so, as I am in a hurry to finish -my sewing."</p> - -<p>In the evening Charlie read to his mother -while she sewed. Neither of them suspected -that it was the last evening they would spend -together for several months.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>VII.<br /> <small>CAPTAIN BRACE.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Lying</span> at one of the wharves was a ship of -moderate size, evidently fast getting ready -for sea. The cargo had all been stowed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -away, and, notwithstanding the confusion, it -was easy even for a landsman to see that the -ship was about ready for departure.</p> - -<p>The ship was the Bouncing Betsey, commanded -by Captain Nathaniel Brace. As to -the peculiar name of the vessel, I can give no -information whether or not there was a real -Bouncing Betsey after whom it was named. -The probability however is, that it was a -purely ideal name, the sound and alliterative -character of which had commended it to the -one upon whom rested the selection of a -name.</p> - -<p>A few words now about Captain Brace, -with whom we shall become better acquainted -by and by.</p> - -<p>He was a short, stout, broad-shouldered -man. He was no fresh-water captain, but -from the age of thirteen had been tossing -about on the ocean. It is my privilege to -know many sea captains who do honor to -their calling, high-toned, gentlemanly, and -intelligent men; not learned in books, but -possessing a wide range of general information. -I am sorry to say that Captain Brace<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -was not a man of this class. He had little -education beyond what was required by his -profession, and was utterly lacking in refinement -and courtesy. He was not an amiable -man, but rough, stormy, exacting, and dictatorial. -The crew under his command he -looked upon as so many machines, whose -duty it was to obey him with scrupulous -exactness, whatever might be the nature of -his requisitions. When he got into one of -his fits of passion, he would stamp and rave, -kicking and striking this way and that with -the most reckless disregard of human lives -and human feelings. In fact, he was one of -those pests of the merchant service, an unfeeling -tyrant, who did all in his power to -degrade the profession which he had adopted, -and add to the hardships which lie in the -path of the sailor.</p> - -<p>The employers of Captain Brace were far -from being aware of the extent to which he -carried the severity of his discipline; brutality, -indeed, would be the more appropriate -word. They supposed him to be a strict -commander, who liked to preserve a proper<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -subordination in those under his command, -and this they were disposed to commend -rather than to complain of, more especially as -the captain was master of his profession, and -had usually made quick and profitable -voyages. This, as may be supposed, was -enough to cover a great many defects in the -eyes of those whose pecuniary interest he -subserved, even if the captain had not been -shrewd enough to conceal his more disagreeable -traits when on shore, under an affectation -of bluff frankness.</p> - -<p>There was a time when there were many -captains in the service no better than the one -we have just sketched, but both in the naval -and merchant service there has undoubtedly -been a great improvement within a few years.</p> - -<p>Without dwelling further on the personal -characteristics of Captain Brace, with whom -we shall have abundant opportunity to become -acquainted, since we purpose going to -sea with him on his approaching voyage, we -introduce him pacing the deck of his vessel -with a short black pipe in his mouth, on the -very morning he intends to sail.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Where is Mr. Randall? has he come on -board?" he inquired, turning to the second -mate.</p> - -<p>"No, sir; I have not seen him this morning," -was the reply.</p> - -<p>"When he comes on board tell him I wish -to see him immediately."</p> - -<p>"Very well, sir."</p> - -<p>The captain went to his cabin, and about -five minutes later the individual after whom -he inquired came aboard. We recognize in -him an old acquaintance; no other than the -nocturnal visitor who excited such fearful -apprehensions in the mind of old Peter Manson -the miser.</p> - -<p>"Where is Captain Brace, Mr. Bigelow?" -he inquired of the second mate.</p> - -<p>"In the cabin, Mr. Randall. He wishes to -see you."</p> - -<p>"And I wish to see him, so we can suit -each other's convenience. How long since -did he ask for me?"</p> - -<p>"Only two or three minutes. He has just -gone below."</p> - -<p>"Then he hasn't had long to wait."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> - -<p>With these words he hastened to the cabin, -where he found the captain waiting for him.</p> - -<p>The subject on which the captain wished -to see his first mate was purely of a professional -and technical character, and will not -be likely to interest the reader, and so will be -passed over.</p> - -<p>When this preliminary matter was disposed -of, Randall, with a little hesitation, remarked: -"I have a little favor to ask of you, Captain -Brace."</p> - -<p>"Very well, sir; let me know what it is, -and if I can conveniently grant it I will."</p> - -<p>"The boy who had engaged to go with us -has backed out, having heard some ridiculous -stories about your severity and——"</p> - -<p>The captain's brow grew dark with anger -as he said:</p> - -<p>"The young rascal! I should like to overhaul -him! I'd show him what it is to see -service!"</p> - -<p>There is very little doubt that the captain -would have kept his word.</p> - -<p>Randall took care not to inform his superior -officer that he had privately communicated to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> -the mother of the boy intelligence of his -severity, not from any motives of humanity, -but simply because his going would have -interfered with his own plans in respect to -Charlie.</p> - -<p>"We shall not have much time to hunt up -a boy if we sail at three o'clock," said the -captain. "I don't see but we must go without -one."</p> - -<p>"I think I can supply you with one, Captain -Brace."</p> - -<p>"Ha! who is it?"</p> - -<p>"It's a nephew of mine, and the favor I -spoke of was that you should take him in -place of the boy we have missed of."</p> - -<p>"Humph!" said the captain, "there is one -objection I have to taking relations of the -officers. You are expected to be tender of -them, and not order them about as roughly as -the rest."</p> - -<p>"There won't be any trouble of that sort in -this case, Captain Brace, you may be very -sure," said the mate. "Although the boy is -my nephew I don't feel any very extraordinary -affection for him."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I should think not," said the captain, with -a grim smile, "from your efforts to get him a -place on board this ship. You're not any -more gentle with boys than I am."</p> - -<p>"The fact is, Captain Brace," said Randall, -with a smile which evinced a thorough understanding -of the captain's meaning; "the fact -is, the boy is unruly, and they can't do much -for him at home, and I thought it might be -well for him to try a voyage or two, <i>for the -benefit of his health</i>!"</p> - -<p>The mate smiled, and as it was such a joke -as the captain could appreciate, he smiled -too.</p> - -<p>"Very well, Mr. Randall; if such are your -views I have no objection to his coming on -board."</p> - -<p>"I had fears," continued the mate, "that -his unruly temper would interfere with his -usefulness at home. I felt pretty sure we -could soon cure him of that."</p> - -<p>"<i>Kill or cure</i>, that is my motto," said the -captain.</p> - -<p>"Sometimes both," thought Randall, remembering -one boy in a previous voyage<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -who had languished and died under the cruel -treatment he experienced on board.</p> - -<p>"Does the boy know he is to go with us?" -inquired the captain.</p> - -<p>"Bless you, no; not he! He'd make a fuss -if he did."</p> - -<p>"How do you intend to get him on board, -then?"</p> - -<p>"I shall invite him to come and see the -vessel, and when he is down below I can take -care that he stays there till we are fairly at -sea."</p> - -<p>"A good plan. What is the youngster's -name, Mr. Randall?"</p> - -<p>"Jack Randall; named after me."</p> - -<p>"Humph! hope he'll do credit to the -name," said the captain, grimly. "I leave in -your hands all the steps necessary to securing -him. Remember, if you please, that we shall -sail at three."</p> - -<p>"I will be on board before that time, sir, -and bring my nephew with me."</p> - -<p>"Very well, sir."</p> - -<p>Of course the reader has conjectured that -the Jack Randall, the mate's nephew, spoken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -of above, is no other than our young hero, -Charlie Codman.</p> - -<p>Poor boy! little does he dream of the plot -that is being formed against him.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>VIII.<br /> <small>THE BLUE CHEST.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">On</span> leaving the Bouncing Betsey, Mr. John -Randall, the estimable mate of that vessel, -bent his steps towards a shop devoted to sailors' -clothing ready-made, with a large variety -of other articles such as seamen are accustomed -to require.</p> - -<p>It was a shop of very good dimensions, but -low studded and rather dark, the windows, -which were few, being in part covered up by -articles hung in front of them.</p> - -<p>The proprietor of this establishment was -Moses Mellen, a little Jew, with a countenance -clearly indicating his Israelitish descent. His -small black eyes sparkled with the greed of -gain, and he had a long, hooked nose like the -beak of a bird, which would not have been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -considered too small an appendage for a face -of twice the size. He had one qualification -for a successful trader—he seldom or never -forgot a face which he had once seen.</p> - -<p>Rubbing his hands with a great show of -cordiality, and with his face wreathed in -smiles, the instant he espied Randall he hastened -to meet him.</p> - -<p>"Delighted to see you, Mr. Randall," he -exclaimed; "perhaps I ought to say Captain -Randall."</p> - -<p>"Not yet."</p> - -<p>"Ah well, that will come soon. I hope you -have had a prosperous voyage."</p> - -<p>"Tolerably so, Mr. Mellen."</p> - -<p>"Have you just arrived in the city, or have -you been here for some time?"</p> - -<p>"Three weeks only, and now I am off again. -We sailors don't have a chance to stop long -on dry land, Mr. Mellen."</p> - -<p>"Not if they are such capital sailors as my -friend, Mr. Randall. But where are you -bound this time?"</p> - -<p>"Probably to Valparaiso."</p> - -<p>"Anywhere else?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Perhaps so. We may go to the Indies or -Sandwich Islands before we return."</p> - -<p>"A long voyage,—you will need to be -fitted out before you start,—don't you want -something in my line? I sha'n't want much -profit out of an old friend like you."</p> - -<p>This, by the way, was what Moses said to -pretty much all his customers.</p> - -<p>"I shall want a few things. I will pick -them out now."</p> - -<p>"This way, then."</p> - -<p>Randall followed the proprietor to the back -of the store, where he selected a variety of -articles, which he ordered sent on board the -Bouncing Betsey immediately.</p> - -<p>"Now," said the mate, after his own purchases -were completed, "I shall require a -small outfit for a boy who is going out with -us."</p> - -<p>"If you had brought him with you we -could have furnished him at short order."</p> - -<p>"There was one little difficulty in the way -of my doing that."</p> - -<p>"Eh?"</p> - -<p>"He doesn't know he is going."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Ah ha!" said the Jewish dealer, putting -one scraggy finger to the side of his nose with -a knowing look; "that's it, is it?"</p> - -<p>"I see you comprehend. Now tell me what -shall we do about fitting him?"</p> - -<p>"If I could only see him——"</p> - -<p>"You could judge by your eye what would -be likely to fit him. Is that what you would -say?"</p> - -<p>"Precisely."</p> - -<p>"And how long would you require to look -at him?"</p> - -<p>"Two minutes would answer."</p> - -<p>"Very well; I will call with the boy in the -course of an hour or two. By the way, I -shall want a small chest to put the articles in. -You keep them, of course?"</p> - -<p>"A great variety."</p> - -<p>"I dare say you will suit me. A very plain -one will answer. Have your bill made out -for the other articles, and I will discharge it."</p> - -<p>With a profusion of bows and thanks, the -trader dismissed his customer.</p> - -<p>The mate now betook himself to the hotel -where he had engaged Charlie to meet him at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -eleven o'clock. Charlie, who was always -punctual to his appointments, had already arrived, -and was looking over a newspaper in -the reading-room.</p> - -<p>"So you are on hand, my boy," said Randall, -in a friendly manner.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"I am glad to find you punctual. Are you -ready to set out?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir, quite ready."</p> - -<p>Rather to keep up the boy's delusion as to -his designs, Randall suffered Charlie to guide -him to one or two places of public interest, -with which he was already more familiar than -his guide, and then suddenly proposed that -they should go down to the wharves.</p> - -<p>"You must know, my lad," said he, "that -I am a sailor."</p> - -<p>"I thought so, sir."</p> - -<p>"What made you think so?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know, sir; but I can generally tell -a sailor."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps I haven't got my sea-legs off. -However, as I was saying, I am an officer on -board a ship lying at the wharf, and I have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -just thought of a bundle I want brought from -the ship. If you will go with me and fetch -it, I will pay you at the same rate I promised -you for going about with me."</p> - -<p>Of course Charlie had no objections. In -fact, although he had been on board ships at -the wharf, he had never been in company -with an officer, and he thought it possible -his companion might be willing to explain -to him the use of some parts which he -did not yet understand. Accordingly he gave -a ready assent to the mate's proposition, and -together they took their way to Long Wharf, -at which the ship was lying.</p> - -<p>The shop kept by the Jew was, as a matter -of convenience and policy, located near the -wharves. It was not a general clothing-store, -but specially designed to supply seamen with -outfits.</p> - -<p>"I have a little errand here," said Randall, -pausing before the shop of Moses Mellen.</p> - -<p>"I can stop outside," said Charlie.</p> - -<p>"You had better come in. You will see -where we sailors get our clothing."</p> - -<p>Not suspecting any sinister design in this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> -invitation, Charlie accepted it without more -ado, and followed Randall in. He looked -about him with some curiosity, not observing -that he too was an object of attention to the -Jewish dealer, whose quick eye detected -their entrance.</p> - -<p>He went forward to meet Randall.</p> - -<p>"You see the boy, do you?" asked the -mate, in a low voice.</p> - -<p>"Is that the one?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. Do you think you will be able to -fit him?"</p> - -<p>"No doubt about it, though he is a little -smaller than the boys we usually fit out."</p> - -<p>"Never mind if the clothes are a little large. -He'll be sure to grow to them, and a precise -fit isn't quite so important on the quarter-deck -as it might be on Washington Street. We -are not fashionable on board the Betsey, Mr. -Mellen."</p> - -<p>The dealer laughed, showing some yellowish -tusks, which were evidently not supplied -by the dentist.</p> - -<p>"Have you made out my bill?"</p> - -<p>"Here it is."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span></p> - -<p>"While I am looking over it, will you pick -out such clothes as the boy will need?"</p> - -<p>Darting a hasty glance at Charlie, to make -sure of his size, the dealer hurried to the rear -of the shop, and commenced selecting articles -which he laid away in a small blue chest.</p> - -<p>The task was soon completed, and again he -came out to the front part of the store.</p> - -<p>"All ready!" he said, in a low voice to -Randall.</p> - -<p>"You have been quick. Here is the amount -of your bill. As to the chest, you may send -it on board the Bouncing Betsey without any -unnecessary delay."</p> - -<p>"It shall be done, Mr. Randall. Have you -no further commands for us?"</p> - -<p>"I believe not, to-day."</p> - -<p>"You will remember our shop when you -are round again?"</p> - -<p>"I won't forget you."</p> - -<p>"You needn't accompany me to the door, -nor allude to my voyage," said Randall, in a -low voice, to the dealer. "Remember, I have -<i>him</i> with me."</p> - -<p>Moses winked in a manner which by no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -means improved the expression of his not -very agreeable features.</p> - -<p>"Now, my lad," said Randall, "we'll go -on board the vessel. Have you ever been on -board a ship?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir, a good many times by myself, -but I never had any one to tell me the -different parts."</p> - -<p>"I'll promise, then," said the mate, in a tone -whose significance was lost upon our hero at -the time, though he afterwards recalled it, -"that you shall know more about a vessel before -you leave this one."</p> - -<p>"I thank you," said Charlie, considering -the offer a kind one.</p> - -<p>They ascended the ladder and jumped upon -the deck of the vessel, which, though Charlie -knew it not, was to be his home for many a -weary day.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>IX.<br /> <small>ON BOARD.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">At</span> the close of the last chapter we had got -our hero fairly on board the Bouncing Betsey, -on what he supposed to be a brief visit, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -which his companion had resolved should be -far otherwise.</p> - -<p>Randall did not at first undeceive his youthful -attendant. He felt that it would hardly -be polite, as the ship was lying at the wharf -surrounded by other vessels, and the disturbance -and vigorous resistance which Charlie -would be apt to make when told what was in -store for him might attract a degree of attention -which might prove fatal to his plans.</p> - -<p>They had scarcely set their feet upon deck, -when they encountered Captain Brace.</p> - -<p>The mate glanced significantly at the boy -by his side, and carelessly put his finger to -his lips in token of silence, at the same time -saying, "A lad whom I have promised to initiate -into some of the mysteries of seamanship."</p> - -<p>"He may find the knowledge useful to him -some time," said the captain, with a grim -smile. "Do you think you should like going -to sea, my lad?"</p> - -<p>"No, sir," returned Charlie, promptly, "I -don't think I should."</p> - -<p>"Why not?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I should get tired of seeing the sea all -the time."</p> - -<p>"You would get used to it."</p> - -<p>"I never should like it so well as the -land. Besides, I should not like to leave my -mother."</p> - -<p>"Well, my lad, if you should ever change -your mind," said the captain, with a wicked -glance at Randall, "I hope you'll give me the -first offer of your services."</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir," said our hero, thinking the captain -very affable and polite, though, to be sure, -his appearance was hardly as prepossessing -as it might have been.</p> - -<p>"The captain seems to be a very nice man," -said he to Randall, after that officer had left -them.</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes," answered Randall, dryly, "a -very fine man the captain is. I'm glad you -like him."</p> - -<p>"Have you been to sea a long time?" inquired -Charlie.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I have been ever since I was a boy."</p> - -<p>"Do you like it?"</p> - -<p>"Very much. It seems like home to me<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -now. I shouldn't be willing to live on land -for any length of time."</p> - -<p>"Did you begin very young?"</p> - -<p>"I was about sixteen. How old are you?"</p> - -<p>"Almost fourteen. I shall be fourteen -next month."</p> - -<p>"You are a very good size for your age."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Charlie, with boyish pride, -drawing himself up to his full height. Like -most boys, he liked to be told he was large -of his age.</p> - -<p>"My father was quite a large man," added -our young hero.</p> - -<p>"I know it," muttered Randall to himself, -as the handsome face and manly form of the -father rose before him. They were imprinted -more vividly upon his memory, because he -felt that it was these very advantages which -had enabled his rival to succeed in winning -the prize for which he had vainly contended.</p> - -<p>"Did you speak?" said Charlie, hearing -indistinctly the words which his companion -muttered.</p> - -<p>"No," said Randall, shortly. "But I -promised to show you something about the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -vessel. I suppose you know the names of -the masts."</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"What do they call this?"</p> - -<p>"This is the main-mast," answered Charlie, -promptly, "and the others are called the fore-mast -and mizzen-mast."</p> - -<p>"That is right; I suppose the masts seem -high to you."</p> - -<p>"Yes, very high," said Charlie, stretching -his neck to enable him to see the top.</p> - -<p>"Then you don't think you should like to -go aloft?" said Randall, playing with him as -a cat plays with a mouse.</p> - -<p>"I don't believe I could. It would make -me dizzy."</p> - -<p>"You could do better than you think for, -if you were obliged to."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps I might," said Charlie, doubtfully. -"Do the boys on board ship have to go up -there?"</p> - -<p>"I had to when I was a boy."</p> - -<p>"Wer'n't you afraid?"</p> - -<p>"I suppose I was, but that didn't do any -good,—I had to go."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Wer'n't you afraid of losing your hold?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, but it isn't often a boy loses his hold -going up the first time. He is so frightened -that he clings to the ropes with a pretty tight -grip. But after he gets used to it—and it -doesn't seem any worse than going up stairs—he -is apt to grow careless, and then there is -sometimes an accident."</p> - -<p>"Then I suppose they fall on deck and -are instantly killed," said Charlie, shuddering.</p> - -<p>"Not always, for when the ship is in progress -it leans a good deal, so that they are -more likely to fall overboard."</p> - -<p>"And get drowned!"</p> - -<p>"Sometimes. They can't always keep up -till assistance comes, especially if they can't -swim. Sometimes their fall is broken by the -rigging, and they manage to save themselves -by catching hold."</p> - -<p>They visited other parts of the ship, and -Randall continued his explanations. The -sailors were all on board, at work in various -ways. They did not appear to notice the -mate and his young companion when they -passed, but Charlie, chancing to look behind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -him, observed one making a significant -gesture to another, which evidently referred -to them.</p> - -<p>Our young hero mentally thought this not -very polite, but did not pay much attention -to it.</p> - -<p>About this time a porter arrived from the -clothing-store already referred to, bringing a -small blue chest.</p> - -<p>"This is the ship Bouncing Betsey, isn't -it?" he inquired.</p> - -<p>"Yes," answered one of the sailors.</p> - -<p>"I was told to bring this chest here, -then."</p> - -<p>"Who is it for?"</p> - -<p>"Jack Randall."</p> - -<p>"That's the mate, you lubber. Why don't -you put a handle to his name?"</p> - -<p>"No, it's for a boy."</p> - -<p>"We haven't got any such boy aboard as I -knows on."</p> - -<p>"There ain't two ships of this name, are -there?"</p> - -<p>"Not as I ever heerd tell."</p> - -<p>"Then this must be the ship. Where<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -shall I stow this chest? I've got tired of -bringing it on my back."</p> - -<p>"You'd better go and speak to the mate -about it. There he stands. Mayhap that's -the boy the kit belongs to."</p> - -<p>The porter walked forward.</p> - -<p>"Does this belong to you?" he asked, -laying down the chest.</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Then it wasn't for a boy?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," answered the mate, carelessly. "It -is for a nephew of mine who is going with us -this voyage."</p> - -<p>"Is that the young gentleman?" asked -the porter, pointing to Charlie.</p> - -<p>"He thinks you're my nephew," said -Randall, smiling. "A good joke, isn't it?"</p> - -<p>"This young gentleman is only looking -about the ship a little," he answered. "He -don't think he should fancy going to sea."</p> - -<p>"Beg pardon, I didn't know but he might -be the one."</p> - -<p>"Oh, no, certainly not."</p> - -<p>"Shall I leave the chest here?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, anywhere. No, you may carry it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -below. Here," summoning one of the sailors, -"Show this man where to put this chest."</p> - -<p>"So your nephew is going to sea," said -Charlie, with some curiosity.</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Does he think he shall like to go?"</p> - -<p>"I don't believe he thinks much about it."</p> - -<p>"How large a boy is he?"</p> - -<p>"I should think he was about as large -as you. Yes, come to think of it, I don't -believe there can be any difference between -you."</p> - -<p>The joke was a cruel one, as Charlie found -to his cost, before long.</p> - -<p>"Is he on board now?"</p> - -<p>"I don't see him," said the mate, looking -in the opposite direction from where Charlie -was standing. "But I think he will be on -board very soon. Were you ever dressed in -sailor's clothes?"</p> - -<p>"Never," said our hero.</p> - -<p>"I wonder how you would look. You are -just about my nephew's size. Have you any -objection to trying on his clothes?"</p> - -<p>Charlie had not. In fact he was rather<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -curious to learn how he should look in this -unusual attire. Accordingly he went below, -and was soon dressed in full sailor rig. It -was a very good fit, and very becoming to our -hero, who was a remarkably handsome boy.</p> - -<p>"A good fit, is it not?" asked the mate.</p> - -<p>"Excellent," said Charlie.</p> - -<p>"One would almost think the clothes were -meant for you," said Randall, with a smile, -which Charlie did not understand.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>X.<br /> <small>CHARLIE IN A TIGHT PLACE.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Charlie</span> surveyed himself in his new attire -with some complacency. He felt that it was -becoming, and it gave him a new feeling of -manliness. In fact it seemed to him, for the -time being, as if he were really a sailor. -Charlie, however, though he was very well -pleased with his sailor's rig, did not feel in -the least tempted to wear it professionally. -Accordingly, after the survey was over, he -began to divest himself of it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span></p> - -<p>"What are you doing?" asked the mate, -laying his hand heavily upon the shoulder of -our young hero.</p> - -<p>"Taking off your nephew's clothes," returned -Charlie, looking up in considerable -surprise at the tone in which he was addressed.</p> - -<p>"What's that for?"</p> - -<p>"To put on my own."</p> - -<p>"Then you needn't trouble yourself," said -Randall, composedly; "those you have on are -your own."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean?" asked Charlie -meeting the mate's triumphant look with an -open, manly glance.</p> - -<p>"I mean," said Randall, with a sardonic -look, "that the clothes were bought for the -one who now wears them."</p> - -<p>"Bought for me!" exclaimed Charlie, in -great bewilderment.</p> - -<p>"Yes. You wondered how they happened -to fit you so well. That is easily -explained. They were picked out on purpose -for you. The old Jew in the clothing-store -took your measure with his eye while you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -were standing there with me. Faith, he's got -a pretty sharp eye."</p> - -<p>"But your nephew?" said Charlie, his -heart sinking, as he began to comprehend -the plot to which he had fallen a victim; -"I thought you said they belonged to -him."</p> - -<p>"Well," said Randall, with a harsh laugh, -"you're my nephew."</p> - -<p>"I am not," said Charlie, with something -of haughtiness in his tone, as he surveyed the -mate scornfully.</p> - -<p>"He's got his mother's look," muttered -the latter. "That's the way she looked when -she sent me about my business. She'd look -something different, I fancy, if she knew I'd -got her boy in my power. I've got the whip-hand -of her now, and she'll live yet to repent -the day she rejected Jack Randall."</p> - -<p>These thoughts flashed through his mind -in an instant, and did not prevent his answering -at once Charlie's bold denial.</p> - -<p>"There's a little too much pride about you, -youngster. It'll need taming down. You're -to be my nephew while you're aboard this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -ship. Remember, your name is Jack Randall. -Take care that you claim no other."</p> - -<p>"What good will that do?" said Charlie. -"I am not going to remain on board."</p> - -<p>"You're not, eh?" said the mate, significantly.</p> - -<p>"No," said Charlie, boldly.</p> - -<p>"Suppose I say you shall."</p> - -<p>"Then," said Charlie, firmly, "I say you are -mistaken."</p> - -<p>Our hero was a boy of spirit, and had no -idea of being disposed of without his own -consent. He commenced tugging away at his -blue jacket with the intention of pulling it -off.</p> - -<p>"What are you doing?" asked Randall, -with a frown, advancing and laying a heavy -hand on the boy's shoulder. "Haven't I told -you to keep those clothes on?"</p> - -<p>"You have no right to interfere with me," -said Charlie, stoutly, his eye flashing with indignation. -"Give me back my clothes."</p> - -<p>"You can't have them. If you strip off -those you have on you'll have to go without -any."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p> - -<p>Exasperated, Charlie made a spring forward, -and attempted to wrest his clothes from -the hands of the mate.</p> - -<p>"Ha, my fine fellow!" exclaimed Randall, -as, evading the boy's grasp, he lifted them -beyond his reach. "So you are inclined to -be mutinous, are you? Very well, we have -a remedy for all such cases, and a very simple -one it is."</p> - -<p>So saying, he drew a stout cord from his -pocket, and advanced towards our hero with -the intention of binding him.</p> - -<p>Charlie sprang for the stairs, and was half -way up before the mate caught him and -dragged him back.</p> - -<p>"Well, boy, you're a pretty tough customer—true -grit. You're just the boy to make a -sailor of. I must make sure of you."</p> - -<p>So saying, he succeeded, in spite of Charlie's -vigorous exertions, in tying his hands and -feet. Not until thus rendered quite helpless -did the brave boy suffer himself to burst into -tears.</p> - -<p>"What are you going to do with me?" he -asked.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I am going to make a sailor of you," answered -the mate.</p> - -<p>"But I don't want to go to sea," answered -Charlie.</p> - -<p>"So you said once before, but you'll change -your mind before long."</p> - -<p>"My mother will not know where I am. -She can't get along without me, for she depends -upon me in part for support."</p> - -<p>"I dare say she'll get along somehow," said -Randall, coolly. "She won't miss you much, -and she ought to feel glad that your uncle -has taken charge of you."</p> - -<p>"Uncle!" retorted the boy, with flashing -eyes. "I wouldn't own you as uncle for all -the money in Boston."</p> - -<p>"You wouldn't!" said Randall, his tone -changing, and a dark look overspreading his -face. "Very well, my bold lad, you may -have reason to repent those words. You may -find out by and by that it is as well to be civil -to your superior officer. I will do nothing -about it now, but when we are out of port -and fairly at sea, look out!"</p> - -<p>Charlie, who was quick-witted, caught a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> -hint from these words, and at once set up a -scream, hoping to draw attention from outside.</p> - -<p>"That's your game, is it?" said the mate. -"We'll soon stop that."</p> - -<p>So saying, he drew out the boy's own handkerchief, -and gagged him so that there was -no further fear of his being able to make any -disturbance which could be heard on the -wharf or on neighboring vessels.</p> - -<p>Feeling now secure, he left Charlie mute -and helpless, and ascended to the deck.</p> - -<p>"What was the noise I heard below, Mr. -Randall?" asked the captain, pausing in his -walk, and addressing his first officer.</p> - -<p>"My nephew!" said Randall, with a smile.</p> - -<p>"Ha! he is a little obstreperous, is he?"</p> - -<p>"A trifle so."</p> - -<p>"Doesn't like the society of his uncle sufficiently -to want to go to sea with him, I -suppose?"</p> - -<p>"I dare say he would like to change his -quarters," said Randall, composedly.</p> - -<p>"How did you reconcile him to his fate?"</p> - -<p>"A couple of strong cords and a gag did<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -the business. They will keep him quiet till -we get out to sea, and then perhaps we can -discover some other means of bringing him to -terms."</p> - -<p>"A slightly different application of the -cords, perhaps, Mr. Randall."</p> - -<p>The mate smiled approval of this jest, and -as his services were now in requisition to expedite -preparations for departure, he left the -captain and went about his duty.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile the mate's conduct had not been -unobserved by the crew. Among these was -an old sailor who rejoiced in the name of -Bill Sturdy. It is needless to say that this -was not his real name. No one appeared to -know what his real name was, and he had -become so used to this, that he generally -called himself so. The name Sturdy had -probably been given him on account of his -sturdy make. He was stout and very powerful. -Probably there were no two men on -board the ship who would not have felt some -hesitation in attacking Bill Sturdy.</p> - -<p>It may be added that the name was no less -appropriate if we consider it bestowed on account<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -of his character and disposition. He -was unpolished enough, having beaten about -the world all his life, yet he had been gifted -by nature with a fund of sturdy common -sense and powers of observation which made -him more thoughtful and intelligent than -most of his class. He had a kind heart, and -hated to see oppression. This was his first -voyage on board the Bouncing Betsey; the -ship on which he had last served having been -wrecked, and he with a few others having, -with difficulty, saved themselves. Since he -had engaged on board the Betsey, the stories -he had heard of the captain's brutality led -him to repent of his determination, and he -had resolved within himself to remain on -board but a single voyage.</p> - -<p>He had had his attention drawn to our -hero and the mate, and he observed that the -latter came up alone from below.</p> - -<p>"That's a trim, handsome little lad," he -said to himself; "I wonder what the mate is -so attentive to him for. There's some deviltry -in the wind, as sure as my name is Bill -Sturdy. I hope, for the boy's sake, he isn't<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -going to ship with us. If he does. I must do -what I can for him, for I mistrust he'll want -a friend."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XI.<br /> <small>OFF TO SEA.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> thoughts of our young hero as he lay -helpless, gagged and bound, were hardly of -the most cheerful character. The blow had -been so sudden, that he was quite unprepared -for it. Added to this, his apprehensions were -vague and indefinite. There seemed something -mysterious about the manner in which -he had been spirited away, and this thought -increased his feeling of discomfort. A danger -which can be measured and comprehended in -its full extent may be boldly faced, however -great, but when we are ignorant of its nature -and extent that is not so easy.</p> - -<p>Charlie understood as much as this, that it -was the intention of Randall to carry him off -to sea. But why he should have taken such -pains to ensnare him, when there are always<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -plenty of boys glad to obtain such a situation, -he could not conceive.</p> - -<p>Charlie was no coward. He was no stranger -to the bold spirit of adventure by which boys -of his age are apt to be animated. Indeed, -under different circumstances, and if the arrangement -had been of his own free choice, -it is quite possible that he might have looked -forward with pleasurable anticipations to the -life that awaited him. But there was one -thought uppermost in his mind that gave him -no little pain and anxiety, the thought of his -mother. He was her all. In the large and -busy city she knew but very few; she had -none whom she could call friends. Her hopes -were all centred in him. Still farther, it was -in a great measure owing to his activity and -industry that she had been able to live with -a degree of comfort, for though she was always -at work, the avenues of industry open -to women are few, and toil at the needle is -so unsatisfactorily compensated that Charlie, -though working fewer hours, was able to -contribute considerably more than half of the -sum required for their joint support.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span></p> - -<p>How would his mother get along during -his absence, the length of which he could not -estimate? Would she suffer not only in mind -but in bodily discomfort? Well he remembered -how pleasantly the evenings had passed -when they were together. Now there must -be a long separation. Would he ever see his -mother again? She would not be able to retain -their present lodging, now that the entire -rent would fall to her to pay. Perhaps when -he did he should be unable to obtain any -clew to her whereabouts. This was indeed a -terrible thought to poor Charlie, who chafed -like a caged lion in his confinement. He endeavored -to unloose the cords which bound -him, but with little prospect of success; for -no one better than a sailor understands the art -of tying a knot securely.</p> - -<p>While Charlie was doing his utmost to free -himself from the cords that bound him, having -already removed the gag, he was startled -by a low laugh of triumphant malice.</p> - -<p>Looking up, he saw the mate, the author -of all his misfortunes, watching him with -great apparent enjoyment.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Ah, Jack," he said, "I see you are hard -at work. Work away. If you untie those -knots you've got more skilful fingers than -the one that tied them, that's all."</p> - -<p>"Come and release me," said Charlie. "You -have no right to keep me here."</p> - -<p>"You are mistaken," said the mate, coolly. -"I have the best of all rights."</p> - -<p>"And what right is that?" demanded our -hero.</p> - -<p>"<i>The right of power!</i>" answered Randall. -"Might makes right, perhaps you have heard."</p> - -<p>"How long are you going to keep me -here?" asked Charlie, after a pause.</p> - -<p>"Till we get far enough out to sea to make -it safe to release you."</p> - -<p>Charlie kept silence. He felt that it would -be useless to appeal to the mercy of the mate, -who appeared bent upon carrying him away. -He turned his face resolutely away from Randall, -for whom he began to entertain a -stronger feeling of dislike than he had supposed -himself capable of feeling. Hitherto -he had only been accustomed to an atmosphere -of affection, and though he had met<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -with some rebuffs in his daily search for employment, -he could always return at night to -a home and a mother, with whom he could -forget whatever had been disagreeable during -the day. Now his position was entirely -changed. The only one he knew on board -the vessel was one whom he had no reason to -believe friendly, but very much the reverse.</p> - -<p>By this time the noise upon deck, which -he could hear plainly, had become greater and -greater. He could hear frequent orders given -by the captain, and also by the mate, who -had now returned to his post.</p> - -<p>Soon the vessel, which had been at rest, appeared -to be moving. He could hear the -plashing of the water against its sides. He -felt that it was in motion, slow at first, but -afterwards more rapid. He conjectured that -the ship was being towed out to sea by a -steam-tug.</p> - -<p>He wished that at least he could get to a -window, and catch a last glimpse of the land -to which he was about to bid so unexpected -a farewell. But this, tied hand and foot as he -was, was impossible, and he felt that now it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -would do him no good even if he should succeed -in breaking his bonds. Already they -were speeding out to sea as fast as the tug -could convey them. There was no redress or -help for him beyond the limits of the vessel -in which his tyrants exercised absolute control, -for he felt well assured that Captain -Brace was in league with the mate, or, at all -events, would interpose his authority to support -Randall in his plans.</p> - -<p>So time sped on, the ship continuing all -the while in steady motion.</p> - -<p>At length the tug left them and returned -to the city, leaving the vessel to shift for -itself. Although Charlie could not see what -was going on, he judged this from the noise -and shouts of command given above, to which -he listened with sharpened attention.</p> - -<p>Charlie felt that with the departure of the -steam-tug all possibility of escape had passed. -The last link which had bound him to the -shore had been snapped asunder.</p> - -<p>While he was plunged in sorrowful thought -he suddenly heard a step descending the -stairs.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> - -<p>Thinking it was the mate, of whom he felt -that he should see in future much more than -he cared, he did not turn his head.</p> - -<p>"Hallo, my lad," was the salutation of the -new-comer, in a rough, but hearty voice, "how -came you in this trim?"</p> - -<p>It was not the mate's harsh voice. Quickly -turning round, Charlie's eyes rested on the -bronzed but good-humored face of Bill Sturdy, -the stout sailor to whom reference has already -been made. Whatever may be thought -of physiognomy as an index of character, it -is undeniable that we are either attracted to -or repelled from certain faces.</p> - -<p>Now the first sight of Bill Sturdy's honest -and good-humored face seemed to Charlie like -a ray of light in a dark place. He felt that -he was a man to be trusted.</p> - -<p>"Will you be a friend to me?" asked -Charlie, with instinctive confidence.</p> - -<p>"That I will, my lad," exclaimed Bill, with -hearty emphasis; "but tell me who tied you -up in this fashion?"</p> - -<p>"His name is Randall, and I believe he is -the mate."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span></p> - -<p>"The lubberly rascal! And what did he -do that for?"</p> - -<p>"He entrapped me on board the vessel, and -now he is carrying me out to sea, against my -will."</p> - -<p>"How came you in your sailor's rig?" -asked Sturdy.</p> - -<p>Charlie explained the trick which had been -practised upon him, which Bill Sturdy denounced -in good set terms, though possibly -more strong than refined.</p> - -<p>"He's a rascal; there ain't a doubt of that," -said Bill. "I should like to overhaul him, -and teach him better manners. As for you, -my lad, I'm sorry for you. You've shipped -for the v'y'ge, and there ain't any help for it, -as I see. But you may depend upon one -thing, old Bill Sturdy will look out for you, -and will be your friend."</p> - -<p>"Thank you," said our hero, feeling more -cheerful and hopeful. It was something to -have one friend on board.</p> - -<p>"I mistrust there are some rascals aboard," -muttered Bill to himself, as he went up on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> -deck. "They'd better not interfere with me -or that young lad!" and he extended his -muscular arm with a sense of power.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XII.<br /> <small>LANDLORD AND TENANT.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> payment of a thousand dollars to Randall -had been a severe blow to old Peter -Manson, and this consideration materially -lessened the satisfaction which he felt in -Charlie's removal.</p> - -<p>We re-introduce him to our readers, engaged, -as usual, in counting over his hoards. -Preparatory to doing so, he carefully secured -the outer door, and also the door of the apartment -which he occupied.</p> - -<p>Then lifting up a plank from the floor, he -raised from beneath a large box containing -gold coins. It was very heavy, and it was -not without difficulty that the old man, who -was very feeble, succeeded in lifting it to a -level with the floor.</p> - -<p>The box was, perhaps, four fifths full.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> - -<p>The old man surveyed the deficiency with -a groan.</p> - -<p>"It might have been full," he muttered, "if -I hadn't been obliged to pay away such a sight -of money to that determined man. One thousand -dollars! two hundred bright, sparkling -coins! How many, many weary days it will -take before I can supply their place. It was -all but full. It wanted only ten more coins -to make five thousand dollars. Oh gold, gold, -gold! How beautiful you are! To me you -are food and drink and clothing and friends -and relations. I care for nothing but you."</p> - -<p>While Peter was indulging in this soliloquy, -he was engaged in counting the coins in the -box.</p> - -<p>The result of the count showed one less -than he had anticipated.</p> - -<p>The old man turned pale.</p> - -<p>"Some one has robbed me," he muttered. -"Or, perchance, I have counted wrong. I -will go over it again."</p> - -<p>This he did with eager haste and a feeling -of nervous anxiety, and, to his no small dismay, -the count resulted as before.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> - -<p>"They have taken my money!" exclaimed -Peter, tearing his white hair in anguish. -"They will make me a beggar, and I shall be -reduced to want in my old age. Oh, oh!"</p> - -<p>In the midst of his lamentations he suddenly -discovered the missing coin, which had -rolled away, without his observing it, to the -opposite side of the room.</p> - -<p>Chuckling with delight, he picked it up -and replaced it in the box.</p> - -<p>His duty satisfactorily performed, the miser -put on his cloak, and prepared for another -task. This was, to raise Mrs. Codman's rent, -and so compel her to leave the rooms which -she rented of him. This, however, was unnecessary, -since, deprived of Charlie's earnings, -his mother would have found it impossible -to pay the rent previously demanded.</p> - -<p>Peter Manson resolved to call upon his -tenant in person. He was not afraid of -recognition. He felt that the changes which -twenty years had wrought in his appearance, -would be a sufficient protection. Indeed, -this had already been tested; for Peter had -already called several times on the same<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -errand, without attracting a glance which -could be construed into recognition.</p> - -<p>It was the morning after Charlie had disappeared. -He had been absent twenty-four -hours, and his mother had heard nothing of -him. She was in a terrible state of apprehension -and anxiety, for few boys were more -regular than he in repairing home as soon as -his daily duties were over.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman had sat up late into the night, -hoping against her fears that he would return. -At length, exhausted by her vigils, she sank -upon the bed, but not to sleep. In the morning -she rose, unrefreshed, to prepare her -solitary meal. But it was in vain. Sorrow -and anxiety had taken away her appetite, -and she was unable to eat anything.</p> - -<p>Soon afterwards a knock was heard at the -door. She hastened to open it, hoping to -hear some tidings of her lost boy. What was -her disappointment to meet the bent form -and wrinkled face of Peter Manson, her landlord.</p> - -<p>The old man gave her a stealthy glance.</p> - -<p>"Why did I not know her before?" he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -thought. "She is not so very much changed. -But I—ha, ha! she don't know who I am."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman went to a drawer in her -bureau, and took therefrom six dollars.</p> - -<p>"This is the amount of your rent, I believe," -she said.</p> - -<p>The old man greedily closed his fingers -upon the money, and then, after intimating -that it was very small, avowed his determination -to raise the rent to two dollars per -week.</p> - -<p>The miser watched with gleeful exultation -the look of dismay which came over the -face of his tenant.</p> - -<p>Two dollars a week was not only beyond -Mrs. Codman's means, but was, at that time, -an exorbitant rent for the rooms which she -occupied. She would scarcely have been -justified in paying it while she had Charlie's -earnings as well as her own to depend on. -Yet there seemed now an imperative necessity -for remaining where she was, for a time at -least. It was possible that Charlie would -come back, and if she should remove, where -would he find her? Of course, he would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> -come back! The thought that there was -even a possibility of her son being lost to her -was so full of shuddering terror, that Mrs. -Codman would not for a moment indulge -it. Life without Charlie would be so full -of sadness, that she could not believe him -lost.</p> - -<p>She resolved to make an effort to arouse -the old man's compassion. She did not dream -of the spite and hatred which he felt towards -her. There are none whom the wicked hate -so heartily as those whom they have injured. -That is something beyond forgiveness.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman knew that Peter Manson was -avaricious, and to this she attributed the increase -in the rent. She had no suspicion -that he had a particular object in distressing -her.</p> - -<p>"Surely, Mr. Manson," she remonstrated, -"You do not think these rooms worth two -dollars a week. It is all we are able to do to -raise the rent we now pay."</p> - -<p>"Humph!" muttered Peter, avoiding the -eye of his tenant, "they are worth all I can -get for them."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Have you raised the rent on the other -rooms in this house?"</p> - -<p>"No, but I—I shall soon."</p> - -<p>"Then I tremble for your tenants. Mr. -Manson, if you were poor yourself, perhaps -you would have a heart to sympathize with -and pity the poor."</p> - -<p>"If I were poor!" exclaimed the old man, -betrayed into his customary whine; "I am -poor; indeed, I am very poor."</p> - -<p>"You!" repeated Mrs. Codman, incredulously. -"Why, you must receive a thousand -dollars a year from this building."</p> - -<p>"Yet I—I am poor," persisted Peter. "I -am only an agent. I—I do not own this -building; at least—I mean—there are heavy -incumbrances on it; I have to pay away -nearly every dollar I receive."</p> - -<p>"Can you let me remain a month longer -for the same rent as heretofore?" asked Mrs. -Codman, anxiously.</p> - -<p>"I—I couldn't do it," said Peter, hastily. -"Either you must pay two dollars a week, or -move out."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman hesitated.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span></p> - -<p>She went to her bureau, and found that -she had between five and six dollars remaining -in her purse. This would enable her, in -addition to what she could earn by sewing, to -get along for a month.</p> - -<p>"Very well, sir," said she, "I must stay a -month longer, at any rate. I must for my -boy's sake."</p> - -<p>"Have you a son?" asked Peter, desirous -of learning from the mother's lips that the -blow had struck home.</p> - -<p>"Yes; you have probably seen him here -sometimes."</p> - -<p>"I haven't noticed him."</p> - -<p>"I am feeling very anxious about him. -Yesterday morning he went out on an errand -for some one who had engaged him, and he -hasn't been back since. I am afraid something -must have happened to him," and the -mother's eyes filled with tears.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps he has fallen off from one of the -wharves, and got drowned," suggested Peter, -with a savage delight in the pain he was inflicting.</p> - -<p>"You don't think it possible!" exclaimed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -Mrs. Codman, starting to her feet, and looking -in the old man's face with a glance of agonized -entreaty, as if he could change by his words -the fate of her son.</p> - -<p>"Such things often happen," said Peter, -chuckling inwardly at the success of his remark; -"I knew a boy—an Irish boy, about -the size of yours—drowned the other day."</p> - -<p>"About the size of my boy! I thought -you had not noticed him."</p> - -<p>"I—I remember having seen him once," -stammered Peter. "He is about a dozen -years old, isn't he?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; but you don't—you can't think him -drowned."</p> - -<p>"How should I know?" muttered Peter. -"Boys are careless, very careless, you know -that; and like as not he might have been -playing on the wharf, and——"</p> - -<p>"No, it can't be," said Mrs. Codman, with -a feeling of relief which her knowledge of -Charlie's habits gave her. "Charlie was not -careless, and never went to play on the -wharf."</p> - -<p>The old man was disappointed to find that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -his blow had failed of its effect, but ingenious -in devising new methods of torture, he now -suggested the true cause of Charlie's absence.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps," he said, with his cruel gray -eyes fixed upon the mother, "perhaps he's -been carried off in a ship."</p> - -<p>"Carried off in a ship!" faltered Mrs. -Codman.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Peter, delighted by the evident -dismay with which this suggestion was received.</p> - -<p>"But," said Mrs. Codman, not quite comprehending -his meaning, "Charlie never had -any inclination to go to sea."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps they didn't consult him about it," -suggested Peter.</p> - -<p>"<i>What do you mean?</i>" exclaimed the -mother, with startling emphasis, half advancing -towards the old man.</p> - -<p>"You—you shouldn't be so violent," said -Peter, trembling, and starting back in alarm.</p> - -<p>"Violent! Deprive a mother of her only -child, and she may well show some vehemence."</p> - -<p>"I—I didn't do it," said Peter, hastily.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Certainly not," said Mrs. Codman, wondering -at his thinking it necessary to exculpate -himself; "but you were saying something -about—about boys being carried to sea against -their will."</p> - -<p>"I didn't mean anything," muttered Peter, -regretting that he had put her on the right -track.</p> - -<p>"But you did, otherwise you would not -have said it. For heaven's sake, tell me what -you did mean, and all you meant. Don't fear -to distress me. I can bear anything except -this utter uncertainty."</p> - -<p>She looked up earnestly in the old man's -face.</p> - -<p>Peter was somewhat amused at the idea -that he might be afraid to distress her, but -decided, on reflection, to tell her that all he -chose she should be made acquainted with.</p> - -<p>"Sometimes," he explained, "a captain is -short of hands, and fills out his number the -best way he can. Now perhaps one of the -ships at the wharves might have wanted a -boy, and the captain might have invited your -son on board, and, ha, ha! it almost makes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> -me laugh to think of it, might carry him off -before he thought where he was."</p> - -<p>"Do you laugh at the thought of such a -cruel misfortune?" asked Mrs. Codman, -startled from her grief by the old man's -chuckle.</p> - -<p>"I—excuse me, I didn't intend to; but I -thought he would be so much surprised when -he found out where he was."</p> - -<p>"And does that seem to you a fitting subject -for merriment?" demanded the outraged -mother.</p> - -<p>The miser cowed beneath her indignant -glance, and muttering something unintelligible, -slunk away.</p> - -<p>"Curse her!" he muttered, in his quavering -tones, "why can't I face her like a man? -I never could. That was the way when—when -she rejected me. But I shall have my -revenge yet."</p> - -<p>Strange to say, Peter's last suggestion -produced an effect quite different from that -which he anticipated and intended. Days -passed, and Charlie did not come; but his -mother feeling certain, she hardly knew why,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -that he had been inveigled on board some -vessel, felt sure he would some day return.</p> - -<p>"He will write to me as soon as he gets a -chance," thought the mother, "and I shall -soon see him again."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XIII.<br /> <small>CLOUDS AND SUNSHINE.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Small</span> as was the remuneration which Mrs. -Codman received for sewing, she hoped, by -great economy, to get along with the money -which she already had on hand. But troubles -never come singly, and of this she was destined -to feel the full significance.</p> - -<p>One morning she made up a bundle of -completed work, and proceeded with it to the -ready-made clothing store of Messrs. Sharp & -Keene, her employers. It was a trial to one -reared as Mrs. Codman had been, to come into -contact with men who did not think it necessary -to hide their native coarseness from one -who made shirts for them at twenty cents -apiece.</p> - -<p>On the present occasion she was kept<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> -waiting for some time, before her presence -appeared to be noticed. At length, Sharp -nodded to her from the desk.</p> - -<p>"Ahem! Mrs. Wiggins," commenced -Sharp.</p> - -<p>"Codman, sir," corrected the one addressed.</p> - -<p>"Well, the name don't signify, I suppose. -How many shirts have you got there?"</p> - -<p>"Half a dozen, sir."</p> - -<p>"Half a dozen at twenty cents apiece make -a dollar and twenty cents. Present this card -at the other desk, and you will be paid."</p> - -<p>He scratched on a card "6 shirts—$1.20," -and handed to her, at the same time calling, -in a loud voice, "Here, Thomas, pay Mrs. -Wigman a dollar and twenty cents."</p> - -<p>"Codman, sir."</p> - -<p>"It seems to me you are mighty particular -about your name."</p> - -<p>"Shall I have more work?" asked Mrs. -Codman, with some anxiety.</p> - -<p>"Well, not at present. Business is dull -just now. Nothing doing, and won't be for -some time to come."</p> - -<p>"How long before you can probably give<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -me something to do?" inquired Mrs. Codman, -apprehensively.</p> - -<p>"Can't say," was the careless reply. "It -may be a month, or six weeks. You can call -round in four or five weeks."</p> - -<p>"What am I to do between now and -then?" thought the poor woman, her heart -sinking.</p> - -<p>She must get something to do. She could -not live otherwise, more especially since the -rise in the rent, and her resources had been -so largely diminished by the withdrawal of -Charlie's services.</p> - -<p>She applied at several other shops which -she passed on the way home, but found, in -every case, that they were already overrun -with applications, and in the slack of business -would be compelled to discharge some of -those at present employed.</p> - -<p>But the hour is the darkest that's just -before day, and when fortune has done its -worst, oftentimes the tide turns, and affairs -improve.</p> - -<p>So it proved with Mrs. Codman.</p> - -<p>On reaching home, not a little depressed at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -the idea of remaining inactive, when she stood -so much in need of the proceeds of her labor, -Mrs. Codman had scarcely removed her bonnet -and shawl, when she heard a knock at her -door.</p> - -<p>In answer to her "Come in," the door -opened, and the washer-woman, who roomed -just above, entered.</p> - -<p>"How do you do, Mrs. O'Grady?" said -Mrs. Codman.</p> - -<p>"I am very well, <i>Miss</i> Codman, and I hope -it's the same wid yerself. Have you heard -anything of the swate boy that was lost?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing," was the sad reply.</p> - -<p>"Cheer up, then, <i>Miss</i> Codman. He'll be -coming back bimeby, wid his pockets full of -gold, so that you won't have to work any -more."</p> - -<p>"I am afraid that I shall not be able to -work any more at present," returned Mrs. -Codman.</p> - -<p>"And what for not? Is it sick that ye -are?"</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman related the want of success -which she had met with in procuring work.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> -She also mentioned Peter's visit and the increased -rent.</p> - -<p>"Just like him, the old spalpeen!" broke -out Mrs. O'Grady, indignantly. "He wants -to squeeze the last cint out of us poor folks, -and it don't do him any good neither. I'd be -ashamed if Mr. O'Grady wint about dressed -as he does. But may be, Miss Codman, I'll -get you a chance that'll take you out of his -reach, the mane ould rascal!"</p> - -<p>"You get me a chance! What do you -mean?" asked Mrs. Codman, turning with -surprise to her Hibernian friend and defender.</p> - -<p>"I'll tell ye, only jist sit down, for it may -take me some time."</p> - -<p>This was Mrs. O'Grady's explanation, which -it may be better to abridge, for the good lady -was wont to be somewhat prolix and discursive -in her narratives.</p> - -<p>It seems she had been employed, at sundry -times, in the house of a Mr. Bowman, a -wealthy merchant living on Mt. Vernon -Street. This gentleman had lost his wife -some months before. The only child arising<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> -from this union was a daughter, about ten -years of age. Her father did not like schools, -either public or private, for a child of her -years, and preferred that his daughter, for the -present, should be educated at home. Hitherto -she had been left pretty much to herself, and -had never been willing to apply herself to -study.</p> - -<p>Mr. Bowman was now looking out for a -suitable governess for his daughter, and it had -struck Mrs. O'Grady—who, though ignorant -and uncultivated herself, was sharp-sighted -enough to detect the marks of education and -refinement in another—that Mrs. Codman -would suit him.</p> - -<p>So Mrs. O'Grady, in her zeal, made bold to -intimate to the servants, through whom it -reached Mr. Bowman, that she knew a sweet -lady who would be just the one for a governess -for the young lady.</p> - -<p>Now the recommendation of an Irish -washer-woman may not be considered the -most valuable in an affair of this kind; but it -so happened that the suggestion reached Mr. -Bowman at a time when he was so oppressed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -with business cares that he did not know how -to spare the time necessary to seek out a -governess. He accordingly summoned Mrs. -O'Grady to a conference, and asked some -hasty questions of her, which she answered by -such a eulogistic account of Mrs. Codman, -whose condescending kindness had quite won -her heart, that Mr. Bowman desired her to -request Mrs. Codman to call upon him the -next day at a stated hour.</p> - -<p>"So you see, Miss Codman," concluded the -warmhearted Irish woman, "that you're in -luck, and all you've got to do is to call upon -Mr. Bowman to-morrow, and you'll get a nice -home, and won't have to work any more at -your sewing."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman did not at once reply.</p> - -<p>"And won't you go?" asked Mrs. O'Grady, -wondering at her silence.</p> - -<p>"I think I will," said Mrs. Codman; "and -I feel much obliged to you, my good friend, -for saying a kind word for me, though I do -not feel at all confident that I shall obtain this -place."</p> - -<p>"Niver fear for that," said the sanguine<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> -washer-woman; "he'll see at once that you're -a rale lady, and it's in luck he'll be to get -you."</p> - -<p>Undoubtedly the position of a governess -would be more remunerative, and less laborious, -than that of a seamstress, and, under -present circumstances, Mrs. Codman felt that -she could not afford to throw the chance -away. She retired that night a little more -cheerful and hopeful than would have been -the case had not this door of escape from the -evil of want been shown her.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XIV.<br /> <small>BERT.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">In</span> the breakfast-room of a house on Mt. -Vernon Street sat two persons with whom -it is necessary that we should become -acquainted.</p> - -<p>The first is a gentleman of perhaps forty-five, -rather stout, and with a pleasant expression -of countenance. He has finished his cup -of coffee, and taken up the morning paper,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -which he scans carefully, more especially -those parts relating to business.</p> - -<p>At the opposite side of the table is a young -lady of ten, with mirthful black eyes, and -very red cheeks, which are well set off by her -black hair. Altogether, she is very handsome, -a fact of which she is not altogether unconscious. -She is lively, fresh, original, and -impulsive, not under very much restraint, but -with an excellent disposition and kindly feelings, -which do not allow her to go very far -wrong. Yet it must be confessed that thus -far her education has been sadly neglected, -so that, as far as learning goes, she probably -knows less than most girls two years -younger.</p> - -<p>The room, in which the father and daughter -were seated, is tastefully furnished with that -regard to comfort which is found in our -American houses.</p> - -<p>The two whom we have thus introduced -are Benjamin Bowman, a wealthy merchant, -and his daughter Bertha, though, in that -shortening of names which is apt to take place -in a family, hers has been shortened to Bert,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> -which she appears to prefer to the longer and -more strictly feminine name.</p> - -<p>"Papa," she said, pushing away her plate, -"you ain't good company at all."</p> - -<p>"Thank you for the compliment, Bert," he -said.</p> - -<p>"But you're not, though. There you are -wearing out your eyes over that stupid paper, -and leaving me to talk to myself or Topsy. -Here, Topsy, isn't it so?"</p> - -<p>At this summons a kitten, black as the ace -of spades, and very much addicted to fun and -frolic, jumped into the lap of her young mistress, -and purred a noisy acquiescence.</p> - -<p>"There," said Bert, triumphantly, "Topsy -says I am right. I don't know what I should -do without Topsy."</p> - -<p>"She makes a very suitable companion for -you, Bert," said Mr. Bowman, smiling.</p> - -<p>"Why?" asked the cat's mistress, suspiciously.</p> - -<p>"Because you can sympathize so well. -Both are equally mischievous, and it is very -difficult to tell which knows the most of -books."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Now, papa, that is a slander. I will sue -you for libel."</p> - -<p>"On your own account, or the kitten's?" -asked Mr. Bowman. "I really don't know -which I have done injustice to."</p> - -<p>"Now you are laughing at me, papa. I -know you are."</p> - -<p>"Not entirely, Bert. The fact is, you are -terribly ignorant for one of your age."</p> - -<p>"I suppose I am," said Bert, shaking her -head in comic despair.</p> - -<p>"You'll grow up with no more knowledge -than a Hottentot."</p> - -<p>"Don't they have any schools among the -Hottentots?"</p> - -<p>"I suppose not."</p> - -<p>"How delightful that must be! Why -can't we move out where they live?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know but we shall have to," said -her father, "as, hereabouts, young ladies are -expected to know something about books. -But that reminds me I don't know but I -shall succeed in engaging a governess for you -to-day."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> - -<p>"A governess to-day!" exclaimed Bert, in -dismay.</p> - -<p>"Yes. I have made an appointment with -a lady to call here at nine o'clock, and, if I -am satisfied with her, I intend to engage -her."</p> - -<p>"And if <i>I</i> am satisfied with her," added -Bert.</p> - -<p>"Is that essential?" asked her father, smiling.</p> - -<p>"Yes, for you know she will be with me -most of the time. If she is like Julia Campbell's -governess, I sha'n't like her."</p> - -<p>"Well, and what fault do you find with -Julia Campbell's governess?" asked Mr. -Bowman, with more interest than his tone -conveyed; for he knew that if Bert did not -fancy her governess she would be a most incorrigible -little rebel, and would be likely to -profit very little by her instructions.</p> - -<p>"Oh, she's as disagreeable as she can be. -In the first place, she's an old maid,—not -that that's so <i>very</i> bad. In fact, I've about -made up my mind to be an old maid -myself."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Indeed!" said Mr. Bowman, amused. -"May I inquire your reasons?"</p> - -<p>"Too numerous to mention."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps one is, that you don't expect to -have any chance to change your name."</p> - -<p>"I have had a chance already," said Bert, -in a matter-of-fact tone.</p> - -<p>"Had a chance already!" exclaimed her -father, in amazement.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said the young lady of ten, "Charlie -Morrill offered himself the other day, and I -refused him."</p> - -<p>"What is the world coming to?" thought -Mr. Bowman. "Why did you refuse him?"</p> - -<p>"Because," said Bert, soberly, "I don't like -the way he parts his hair. But as for Julia's -governess, I know she never had an offer. -She's as homely as—as—well, I don't know -who. Then she wears glasses, and has a nose -ever so long, and a long face, and she never -smiles, and she makes Julia study terrible -hard."</p> - -<p>And Bert drew a long breath.</p> - -<p>"Not a very charming picture, certainly," -said Mr. Bowman; "but I'll promise you that,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -if the lady who applies for the post of governess -to-day should be anything like this, I -won't engage her."</p> - -<p>"That's right, papa. When do you expect -her?"</p> - -<p>"Let me see. She was to be here at nine, -and now it wants only ten minutes of that -time."</p> - -<p>"And you won't send me out of the room, -papa, will you?"</p> - -<p>Mr. Bowman hesitated.</p> - -<p>"You know I am very anxious to see -how she looks. If I like her, I will make -a sign to you, and then you can engage -her."</p> - -<p>"What sign will you make, Bert?" asked -her father, amused, and yet alive to the necessity -of securing his daughter's acquiescence -in his choice.</p> - -<p>"I don't know," said Bert, reflecting; -"suppose I wink."</p> - -<p>"And suppose the lady should see you -winking at me? What do you suppose she -would think?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, I could tell her afterwards, you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> -know, and she would feel flattered, knowing -it was a sign that I liked her."</p> - -<p>"She might not think it very lady-like in -you."</p> - -<p>"What's the use of being lady-like? I -don't want to be. There's Florence Gates; -I suppose she's lady-like. I'll show you how -she walks."</p> - -<p>Bert imitated the gait of the young lady, -swaying herself from side to side, as she -walked with mincing step, tossing her head, -and exhibiting a caricature of the airs and -affectations which girls sometimes delight to -display.</p> - -<p>"Why, she wouldn't run for a thousand -dollars," exclaimed Bert. "She would think -it beneath her dignity. If <i>she</i> is lady-like, I -don't want to be. But, hark! there goes the -bell. She's coming. Now, papa, just remember, -I shall wink if I like her, and if I -don't I'll make up a face."</p> - -<p>Bert transferred herself to an ottoman, and -took Topsy into her lap.</p> - -<p>Both she and her father looked towards -the door with curiosity.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XV.<br /> <small>MRS. CODMAN'S GOOD FORTUNE.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Mrs. Codman</span> had been carefully educated -at a large expense, and was versed in all the -accomplishments which are considered indispensable -in a young lady's education nowadays. -It was with no degree of hesitation -on this point, therefore, that she set out this -particular morning to present herself as an -applicant for the post of governess. Having -no influential friends, however, and not being -able to present references from a former employer -(this being her first essay in this line), -she feared that her application would be unsuccessful. -She could not but feel a considerable -degree of anxiety, for her circumstances -had become desperate, owing to the refusal -of her former employers to give her any more -sewing.</p> - -<p>She dressed herself as neatly as her limited -wardrobe would admit, and with hearty good -wishes and many glowing predictions of success<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> -from her humble friend, Mrs. O'Grady, -she set out.</p> - -<p>Though some years past thirty, Mrs. Codman -so far retained the freshness of youth, -that she would hardly have been taken for -this age. As a girl she had been very beautiful, -and her womanhood did not belie her -early promise. Her attire, though not expensive, -was in good taste and characterized -by a lady-like simplicity.</p> - -<p>Such was the applicant for the post of -governess, upon whom the curious eyes of -Bert and her father fell as she was ushered -into the breakfast-room by the servant, who -had received orders to do so. She entered -the room with the easy grace of a lady. Mr. -Bowman at once recognized her claim to be -considered such by deferentially rising, and -inviting her to be seated.</p> - -<p>"If I mistake not," he said, politely, "you -are the lady who has been recommended to -me as possessing excellent qualifications for -the office of governess."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps the recommendation was too -strong and decided," said Mrs. Codman,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> -modestly. "I shall be glad, however, to be -considered an applicant for the position."</p> - -<p>Here Mr. Bowman, who chanced to glance -at Bert, detected her executing a surprising -succession of winks, indicating the favorable -impression which had been made upon her -by the appearance of Mrs. Codman.</p> - -<p>Already prepossessed in favor of the applicant, -this was an additional inducement to -engage her, as her success would depend, to -a very great extent, upon the young lady's -good-will.</p> - -<p>"I suppose," he said, "you feel prepared to -teach the branches and accomplishments usually -included in the education of a young lady."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman bowed.</p> - -<p>"I ain't a young lady," interrupted Bert, -at this point, who thought she was in imminent -danger of becoming too learned.</p> - -<p>"We hope you will be some time," said -Mr. Bowman.</p> - -<p>In reply, Bert winked once more.</p> - -<p>There was a piano in the room.</p> - -<p>"Will you favor us with a specimen of -your playing?" asked Mr. Bowman.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman sat down to the piano and -played two pieces, one slow in movement, the -other rapid, showing a nice touch and easy -execution.</p> - -<p>"Thank you," said Mr. Bowman. "I am -inclined to think that I shall be glad to avail -myself of your services. Should you be willing -to engage for three months at first, to see -how we are mutually pleased with each other? -The pupil I have to offer you is a little addicted -to mischief, and I don't know how you -may like her."</p> - -<p>"I am quite willing to enter into such an -arrangement," said Mrs. Codman; "and in -reference to the last point, I am quite sure I -shall like my pupil. I begin to like her -already."</p> - -<p>"Do you?" said Bert, with much satisfaction, -rising from the ottoman, and unceremoniously -dropping the black kitten, who turned -a somerset, and ran off shaking her head.</p> - -<p>In answer, Mrs. Codman held out her hand -with a smile.</p> - -<p>Bert hurried across the room, and placed -her own in it confidingly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I am so glad you do," said she. "You -won't make me study my eyes out, will you?"</p> - -<p>"That would, indeed, be a pity," said Mrs. -Codman, looking at Bert's bright eyes, sparkling -with fun and mischief.</p> - -<p>Mr. Bowman observed these signs of agreement -between Bert and her new governess -with pleasure, and hastened to say, "In regard -to business arrangements we will speak -by and by. I think I can promise that they -will be satisfactory to you."</p> - -<p>It may be mentioned here, that Mr. Bowman, -who was by no means disposed to deal -parsimoniously with those in his employ, -fixed Mrs. Codman's salary at six hundred dollars -a year, which was four times as much as -she had ever been able to gain by her needle.</p> - -<p>"When may we expect you?" he asked. -"You have, doubtless, some preliminary arrangements -to make, for which you will -please take whatever time you may require. -Meanwhile, accept this sum in advance."</p> - -<p>He drew from his pocket-book a fifty-dollar -note, which he handed to Mrs. Codman. She -could not feel any embarrassment in accepting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -a sum so tendered, and bowing her thanks, intimated -that she would make her appearance on -the following Monday, it being now Thursday.</p> - -<p>The advance payment proved very acceptable -to Mrs. Codman, as with it she was enabled -to replenish her wardrobe, a step -rendered necessary by her residence in Mr. -Bowman's family. She was busily engaged -for the remainder of the week in supplying -its deficiencies.</p> - -<p>No one could be more overjoyed than was -the humble washer-woman at the success of -her friend, of which she felt sure from the -first, knowing Mrs. Codman to be a <i>rale lady</i>. -The latter, feeling that she owed her present -good fortune mainly to the zealous recommendation -of her friendly neighbor, purchased -a neat dress, which Mrs. O'Grady was prevailed -upon to accept, on being convinced -she would not thereby be distressing herself, -a fact of which she was assured on being told -of Mr. Bowman's liberality.</p> - -<p>Yet there was, as the reader well knows, -one thought which contributed to diminish -the joy which Mrs. Codman would otherwise<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -have felt at being restored, in a measure, to -the mode of life to which she had been accustomed, -and relieved from the necessity of -unremitting labor in order to sustain life. -This was, the thought of Charlie, her own -brave, handsome boy, who had been the joy -and life of her little household, now gone,—she -knew not whither. The uncertainty as -to his fate cost her many a sleepless night. -She was sustained, however, by a strong confidence -that he was yet living, and had little -doubt that the suggestion of Peter Manson -was correct, that he had been carried off by -the captain of some vessel short of hands. -Of course, she did not for an instant harbor -the suspicion that Peter himself had had anything -to do with his disappearance, being -quite unaware that any motive existed powerful -enough to tempt the old man to such a -crime.</p> - -<p>"I shall hear from him; I shall see him -again," she said, with earnest conviction. "He -is under the eye of Providence, wherever he -may be, and no harm shall befall him."</p> - -<p>Still, even with this strong feeling of trust,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -there was an uncertainty about the time when -her wishes could be realized, which could not -fail to weigh upon the mother's heart. Then -there was the constant longing for his bright -and enlivening presence, greater, because he -was her only child, and she was a widow.</p> - -<p>The furniture which Mrs. Codman had in -her rooms she was enabled to dispose of -without a very great sacrifice. She reserved -a few articles, endeared to her by association, -which she stored in the room of her friendly -neighbor.</p> - -<p>With her, also, she left a sum of money, -sufficient to pay for her month's rent, which -would not be due for a fortnight after her -removal to the house of Mr. Bowman. Peter -Manson was not a little surprised and disappointed -when, on visiting his tenant,—prepared -to witness her distress and hear -entreaties for a reduction of her rent,—to find -her already gone, and to hear that she had -obtained an advantageous situation, though -where, he was unable to ascertain, as Mrs. -O'Grady, with whom he was no favorite, was -not disposed to be communicative.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span></p> - -<p>Leaving Mrs. Codman thus comfortably -provided for, we must now follow the fortunes -of our young hero, Charlie, whom we -left securely bound in the forecastle of the -Bouncing Betsey.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XVI.<br /> <small>THE BEGINNING OF CHARLIE'S SEA-LIFE.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">When</span> the Bouncing Betsey was fairly out -to sea, Captain Brace, anticipating, with the -malicious delight which a petty tyrant feels -in the sufferings of those subject to him, the -grief and terror of our young hero, ordered -Charlie to be released from his bonds and -brought before him.</p> - -<p>This order the mate chose to execute in -person.</p> - -<p>The pressure of the cords, with which he -had been bound, had chafed his limbs, and -the constraint of his position had made them -ache.</p> - -<p>As the mate busied himself in unbinding -him, Charlie inquired, with a glimmering of -hope, "Are you going to let me go?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Where?" asked Randall.</p> - -<p>"On shore."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps you don't know that, by this -time, we are at least forty miles from Boston."</p> - -<p>"Could you send me back?" asked Charlie, -his heart sinking within him.</p> - -<p>"I suppose we might turn the ship about, -and go back for your accommodation," said -the mate, with a sneer; "but I don't think -Capt. Brace would consent."</p> - -<p>"Is there no way?" implored Charlie. -"Couldn't you put me on board some ship -going back?"</p> - -<p>"You can speak to the captain about that. -He has sent for you. Come along, and don't -be all day about it."</p> - -<p>Charlie stretched himself with the intent -of gaining some relief from the stricture he -had suffered, and prepared to do what he -knew there was no means of evading, he followed -Randall to the presence of Capt. Brace.</p> - -<p>"Well, Jack," said Capt. Brace, showing -his teeth in an unpleasant manner, "how do -you like life on shipboard?"</p> - -<p>"My name is not Jack," was our hero's reply.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Indeed! Perhaps you will do me the favor -to tell me what is it."</p> - -<p>"My name," said our hero, not liking the -captain's tone, "is Charlie Codman."</p> - -<p>"So you pretend to be wiser than your -uncle," said Capt. Brace, looking towards the -mate.</p> - -<p>"He is not my uncle," said Charlie, boldly. -If he had felt it to be prudent, he would have -added that he had no desire for a relationship to -Randall, but he knew that it would not be wise.</p> - -<p>"Do you dare to contradict my first officer?" -demanded the captain, with a frown.</p> - -<p>"I am only telling the truth," said Charlie, -undauntedly.</p> - -<p>"<i>Silence!</i>" roared the captain, in a passion. -"If he chooses to call you his nephew, you -shall be so; do you hear that? I say, do you -hear that?" he repeated, pounding with his -clenched fist upon the table before him.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir," said our hero.</p> - -<p>"Take care that you remember it then. -Your name, henceforth, is Jack Randall,—at -any rate, as long as you remain aboard -this ship."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span></p> - -<p>"How long am I to remain on board, sir?" -Charlie could not help asking.</p> - -<p>"How long?" repeated the captain. -"<i>Forever</i>, if I choose. And now as this is -the last conversation which I intend to hold -with you on this point, you will bear in mind -that you are shipped on board this vessel as -a boy, and that, if you don't do your duty -you'll get——"</p> - -<p>We suppress the word with which the -captain closed his sentence, not being willing -to soil our pages with it.</p> - -<p>This was rather a hard trial for our young -hero, accustomed to a mother's gentle and -affectionate words. Had he been less manly, -he would have burst into tears; but he only -turned pale a little, and bit his lips.</p> - -<p>"Take him on deck, Mr. Randall, and set -him to work," said the captain; "and mind, -Jack, that I don't hear any complaints of -you."</p> - -<p>Charlie followed the mate to the deck. -He had made up his mind that he must stay -in the ship during the voyage, or, at all -events until they reached land somewhere,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> -and resolved that, since it was forced upon -him, he would do his duty as well as he could, -and so afford as little advantage as possible to -those who seemed determined to persecute him.</p> - -<p>He was set to work by Randall, who told -him, in a sharp tone, to "mind his eye and -keep to work, if he knew what was best for -himself."</p> - -<p>The work was not difficult, but Charlie's -fingers were unpractised, and he might very -soon have incurred the wrath of the captain -and mate, if Bill Sturdy, the sailor whose -friendly advances to our hero have already -been noticed, had not approached him, the -mate being temporarily out of earshot, and -given him a little instruction.</p> - -<p>"Well, my lad, what news?" inquired -Bill. "Shipped for the voyage, are you?"</p> - -<p>"That's what the captain and mate say," -returned Charlie.</p> - -<p>"They're a pair of precious rascals," said -Bill, lowering his voice, "and it's my opinion -they're well matched, so far as villainy goes."</p> - -<p>"What made you ship on board the vessel?" -inquired Charlie.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Bless your soul, boy, I wouldn't a done -it if I'd known who was in command; leastways, -if I had known a little more about him. -But I didn't ask any questions. I had just -got in from a v'y'ge to Calcutta, and happened -to see one of my old shipmates, Jim Davis, -walking on the wharf. 'Bill,' says he, 'why -won't you ship along of me?' I asked him -where he was bound, and he telled me to -Valparaiso, on board the Bouncing Betsey. -Well, I've been most everywhere else, but I -had never been there, and reckoned I should -like to see it. Besides, I'd got tired of going -to Calcutta. I've been there, man and boy, -six or eight times. It's too hot to live there -some parts of the year. So I just told him -I was in for it if he was, provided there was -a vacancy. I asked him if he knew anything -about the officers. He said he didn't, but he -guessed they would pass. So I just stepped -into the office and shipped. There, lad, that's -the whole story. I don't mind it much myself. -They don't generally meddle much with me."</p> - -<p>"Have you sailed with bad captains before?" -inquired our hero.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes, my lad, sometimes. One captain I -sailed with—I was a young man then—was -Captain Maguire. He was a sort of an Irishman, -I surmise, and mighty fond of drink. -He was pleasant enough when he was sober, -but that wasn't often. When he was drunk, -he got into a regular fury. He would tear -round the deck like as he was crazy, and so -he was after a fashion, for he didn't seem to -know, after he had got out of his fits, what -he had done when he was in 'em. One day, -I remember, as I was at work, he came up to -me, and gave me a terrible thwack side of the -head, swearing like a trooper all the time."</p> - -<p>"What did you do?" asked Charlie, looking -up with interest into the weather-beaten -face of the old sailor.</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you," said Sturdy; "you see, I'm -pretty strong," glancing at his brawny arms -and herculean frame with pardonable complacency; -"I don't often meet a man I can't -manage as easily as the mate can manage you. -Now the captain wasn't a large man, by any -means, nor very strong, either. As to the -mates,—one of them was sick in his berth,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> -and the other was in another part of the ship; -so I just took the captain up in my arms, -and carried him down to the cabin, kickin' -and cursin', as might be expected, and laid -him down there. The officers did not see -what was goin' on, or there'd have been -trouble. As for the crew, they enjoyed it, -and wouldn't a man of 'em tell; and as the -captain didn't remember anything about it -the next day, I didn't get punished."</p> - -<p>"Did you ever get punished?" asked -Charlie.</p> - -<p>"Never since I grew up, and had these to -fight my way with," said Bill Sturdy, showing -his fists, which looked as if a blow from -either of them would have felled an ox. "No, -my lad, these are what I call my sledge-hammers, -and I'd as lives have them to rely -upon as a pair of pistols."</p> - -<p>At this point in the conversation Bill was -called off to some other part of the vessel, -and the mate coming up discovered, somewhat -to his disappointment, that our hero -had discharged his task in a manner which -did not admit of censure.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> - -<h2>XVII.<br /> <small>THE RIVAL CHAMPIONS.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> is customary to divide a ship's crew into -two watches, whose duty it is to alternate in -keeping a lookout at night. The first night-watch -commences at eight o'clock, and continues -till midnight. This watch is then relieved -by the second, who have had an -opportunity of sleeping in the mean time, and -who remain on duty till four A. M. They -then give place to the first, who are again on -duty till eight in the morning. Thus it will -be seen that a part of the crew have eight -hours' sleep, while the remainder have but -four. This inequality, however, is remedied -the next evening, when the hours are changed.</p> - -<p>Charlie was fortunate in one respect. He -was placed on the same watch with Bill -Sturdy, who had established himself, in some -sort, as the boy's protector, and did not scruple -to avow it. When some of the crew began -to tease and play rough practical jokes upon -Charlie,—a mode of treatment to which boys<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> -are frequently subjected on board ship,—Bill -Sturdy interfered, and in a sonorous voice -exclaimed,—</p> - -<p>"Look here, shipmates, don't lay a finger -on this boy!"</p> - -<p>"And why not?" inquired a burly sailor, -with naturally repulsive features.</p> - -<p>"Because I say so," retorted Bill Sturdy.</p> - -<p>"Who is he, I should like to know, that -we are to keep our distance?"</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you who he is, shipmates," was -the answer. "He's a boy that the mate has -entrapped on board without his own consent."</p> - -<p>"Isn't he the mate's nephew?"</p> - -<p>"No more than I am, though the mate -chooses to call him so. He's got a mother -living in Boston, and he's her only boy. She -doesn't know what has become of him. Now, -shipmates, he seems to be a fine lad, and I'm -going to stand by him for his sake and his -mother's."</p> - -<p>Sailors are generous when you reach their -hearts, and there was a murmur of approbation -when Bill concluded.</p> - -<p>But there is no rule without an exception,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> -and that exception was the scowling sailor -who has already been mentioned. Few knew -much about him. This was his second voyage -on board the Bouncing Betsey. Next to Bill -Sturdy he was the stoutest and most athletic -sailor on board the ship. During the previous -voyage he had been the bully of the crew, -taking advantage of his personal strength. -Now they were relieved from his tyranny. In -Bill Sturdy he had more than found his match. -No one, comparing the two men, could doubt, -that in a contest, the odds would be decidedly -in favor of Bill. Antonio, for this was his -name, for he was a Spaniard by birth, could -not help seeing the changed state of affairs. -Now no one likes to be eclipsed, and to see -the authority passing from his hands into -those of another. Certainly Antonio did not -behold this transfer with indifference. He -could not brook holding the second place, -where the first had been his. But how could -he help it? Very evidently the opinions of -the crew favored Bill Sturdy; not only because -they believed him to excel Antonio in -physical qualities, which hold a high value in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> -the eyes of a sailor, but because he had, as -yet, shown no disposition to abuse his power. -Antonio was resolved not to yield without a -struggle, and therefore determined to take -the first occasion to pick a quarrel with his -rival, as this would give him an opportunity -to measure his strength with him. Antonio -did not see, what was evident to all else, that -his rival was undeniably his superior in prowess. -People are generally slow to admit their -own inferiority. That is only natural. He -hoped, therefore, that he should be able to -re-establish his supremacy by coming off a -conqueror in the contest which he had determined -to do all in his power to bring about.</p> - -<p>Antonio's attention had not been especially -called to our hero, until he heard Bill Sturdy -avow his determination to take him under his -protection. Then, in a spirit of perverseness, -and because he thought it would open the -way for the trial of strength which he courted, -he resolved to oppose him, and openly espouse -the other side.</p> - -<p>Accordingly, when the murmurs of applause, -which had been elicited by his rival's frank<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> -and generous appeal to the sympathies of the -crew, had subsided, Antonio looked round on -the rough faces which surrounded him, and -growled,—</p> - -<p>"Well, shipmates, are you going to submit -to what this fellow says? He dares you to -touch this snivelling milk-sop of a boy."</p> - -<p>Some of the faces grew dark and threatening -at this representation. Nothing stirs up -a sailor's heart to opposition so readily as -anything which resembles a threat.</p> - -<p>Bill Sturdy hastened to reply.</p> - -<p>"He is wrong. I don't threaten any of -you. I only ask if it is right to play tricks, -and abuse a boy who has already been treated -so scurvily by the mate. I don't believe -there's any one of you that wants to curry -favor with Mr. Randall and the captain. Now -there is nothing they will like better than to -see you kicking round this lad."</p> - -<p>Neither the captain nor the mate stood very -high in the good graces of the crew, and the -effect produced by this statement showed -that it was adroitly conceived.</p> - -<p>Bill Sturdy took advantage of this to add,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> -"Now, lads, when I say I am going to stand -by this boy, and see that he isn't abused, I -know you'll stand by me."</p> - -<p>This frank and bold speech produced a -decided reaction in favor of Charlie.</p> - -<p>There was another murmur of approbation, -which was interrupted by a stamp upon the -deck by Antonio, who, with a ferocious contortion -of countenance, shouted, "If you're -all going to follow this man's lead, and do -like dogs whatever he bids you, you'll find -there's one here that dares to be independent."</p> - -<p>Saying this, he advanced suddenly to -Charlie, who was at work near by, and, seizing -him by the shoulder, was about to proceed -to some act of violence.</p> - -<p>As soon as Bill Sturdy perceived his design, -he sprang forward and gave him a powerful -blow which would have felled him to -the deck, had not Bill slipped a little, as he -delivered it.</p> - -<p>Instantly the Spaniard's sallow face was -suffused, and, with a torrent of oaths and a -howl of fury, he precipitated himself upon -Sturdy.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span></p> - -<p>But it was easier to catch a weasel asleep, -than to take the stout sailor unprepared.</p> - -<p>With his feet firmly planted upon the deck, -and his fists in a proper position, he received -the bully, parrying his blows with wonderful -dexterity, and succeeding in planting others -no less effective.</p> - -<p>A ring of sailors gathered around, eager to -watch the progress and termination of the -affray. There were not a few among them, -who enjoyed the punishment which they -foresaw the Spaniard would receive from his -antagonist. He had so tyrannized over them -in the past, that they felt little sympathy for -him now.</p> - -<p>Baffled, blinded, and howling with mingled -rage and vexation, the Spaniard continued -the unequal fight. As for Bill Sturdy, he -was cool and collected, apparently neither -angry nor excited, but wary and on the alert.</p> - -<p>At length Antonio, perceiving a marlinespike -at a little distance, sprang towards it. -It was a critical moment for Bill Sturdy, for -a marlinespike, in the hands of a furious and -determined man, is a formidable weapon.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span></p> - -<p>His movement did not escape the notice of -Sturdy.</p> - -<p>He had acted principally on the defensive -thus far, but he now saw that something decisive -must be done.</p> - -<p>Springing forward, he closed with his assailant, -lifted him from the deck, and, carrying -him to the companion-way, hurled him -down stairs.</p> - -<p>Then, turning to the crew, he exclaimed, -"Shipmates, I call you to witness that this -quarrel was forced upon me. Have I done -right or wrong?"</p> - -<p>"Right!" exclaimed all, in concert.</p> - -<p>At this moment the mate, attracted by the -noise, came on deck.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XVIII.<br /> <small>ANTONIO'S RESOLVE.</small></h2> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">What</span> has been going on?" asked Randall, -perceiving, from the position of the -sailors and their looks, that something had -happened. What it was, he surmised, having -heard something of the noise of the conflict.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span></p> - -<p>No one of the sailors spoke, but all looked -at each other in hesitating silence.</p> - -<p>"What was it? Are you all deaf?" demanded -the mate, impatiently.</p> - -<p>"A little fight, that is all, Mr. Randall," -answered Bill Sturdy, coolly hitching up his -pants.</p> - -<p>"And you were one of the parties?"</p> - -<p>"I believe I was."</p> - -<p>"And who was the other?"</p> - -<p>"Antonio."</p> - -<p>"And where is he now?"</p> - -<p>"He has gone below," said Bill, in a significant -tone.</p> - -<p>"What was the fight about?" inquired -Randall, who, in ordinary cases, would not -have cared to pursue the subject farther, but -had an undefined idea that it was in some -way connected with our hero, for whom he -felt no peculiar affection.</p> - -<p>"The fact is," said Bill Sturdy, "Antonio -undertook to abuse that lad there," pointing -to Charlie; "and I ain't one to stand by and -see a boy abused. Besides," he added, with -a latent humor which all understood, though<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -he did not allow it to alter the gravity of his -countenance, "I knew he was your nephew, -and that made me the more anxious to defend -him."</p> - -<p>Randall was placed in an awkward predicament. -He could not deny that Charlie was -his nephew after his express declaration to -that effect, while at the same time the relationship -which he claimed was far from exciting, -in his own mind, any attachment for the -boy. Still it closed his mouth for the time. -He only muttered, in an undertone, that the -boy must fight his own battles, and disappeared -from the deck.</p> - -<p>"Fight his own battles!" repeated Sturdy, -indignantly. "A pretty sort of an uncle he -is, to match a boy of fourteen against a grown -man, and a strong one at that. However," -added Sturdy, complacently, "the lad's got a -friend that is a match for Antonio at any -time."</p> - -<p>"That he has," answered a comrade; "but -I say, Bill; I couldn't help laughing to see -how you made that old shark shut up his -mouth by telling him it was his nephew you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> -were fighting for. It made him mad, but he -didn't know what to say against it."</p> - -<p>"His nephew! No, Jack, it's well the lad -isn't any kith or kin of his. A drop of his -blood would be enough to spile a decent lad."</p> - -<p>"Ay, that it would."</p> - -<p>Presently Antonio came on deck with a -sullen air, half of defiance, half of humiliation, -at his recent defeat. He smarted under the -conviction, that henceforth his authority -among the crew would be small. Hitherto -he had been the champion and bully of the -quarter-deck, and although the crew had no -liking for him, but rather a decided feeling of -an opposite nature, yet strength and prowess -always command a certain rude respect among -sailors, and that respect he enjoyed. But now -all was changed. He had been beaten, and -that in a fair fight, where all could see that -no underhand means had been employed. -Strength had been matched against strength, -and he had come off second best. That had -been a Waterloo day to him, and he knew -that he returned to the deck no longer the -same man so far as consideration went.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> - -<p>Bill Sturdy was a generous antagonist. -He had no idea of indulging in exultation -over his vanquished foe, but treated him as -if nothing had happened.</p> - -<p>But Antonio's resentment was deep and -implacable. He thirsted for revenge, and -determined to lull to sleep the suspicions of -his late opponent, until some opportunity -should present itself for an effectual and safe -revenge.</p> - -<p>Accordingly he suddenly recovered from his -sullenness, and made some half advances towards -Sturdy, which the latter met, but not -without reserve.</p> - -<p>"I can't kind o' feel as if the feller was to -be trusted," said Bill to Charlie, one evening, -as they were alone together. "There's something -in his eye that I don't like; a sort of -deceitful gleam, as if there was something -covered up that he didn't like to show. For -my part, I like to be fair and above board, -and show just what I am."</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry you have made an enemy of this -man on my account," said Charlie.</p> - -<p>"Avast, my lad, do you think I was going<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -to stand still and let him abuse you? Thank -heaven, old Bill Sturdy isn't such a lubber as -that."</p> - -<p>"But he may do you a mischief yet, Bill."</p> - -<p>"Let him come within the reach of my -arm," said Bill, swinging his brawny right -arm as he would a flail, "I guess he wouldn't -want to try it again."</p> - -<p>"But he may take you at advantage."</p> - -<p>"He will have to get up early in the -morning, then," said Sturdy, in a tone of confidence. -"No lubberly foreigner is likely to -get ahead of Bill Sturdy, I can tell you that, -my lad."</p> - -<p>Both Bill and Charlie supposed that they -were alone, and that this conversation was -unheard by any other person, but in this they -were mistaken.</p> - -<p>On the other side of the mast crouched the -dark figure of a man, who seemed to be listening -intently to the conversation between the -two. He remained very quiet, fearing, doubtless, -that he should be observed. Evidently -what he heard did not affect him pleasantly. -His brow contracted, and a scowl of hatred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> -made his features look even more dark and -forbidding than was their wont, especially -when Bill Sturdy made use of the last -expression, his face exhibited a concentrated -malice, which could only have been generated -in a heart full of evil passions.</p> - -<p>He ground his white teeth together and -muttered to himself, as he crept cautiously -from his place of concealment, and made his -way to his bunk in the forecastle. "We -shall see, we shall see. No man shall insult -and triumph over me without repenting of it. -He shall know, some time, what it is to excite -the vengeance of a desperate man. He thinks -the lion has become a lamb. He will find out -his mistake."</p> - -<p>Antonio might more appropriately have -compared himself to a serpent, for his character -had more of the subtlety of the noxious -reptile than of the boldness and freedom of -the monarch of the forest.</p> - -<p>Unconscious of the concealed listener to -their discourse, Bill Sturdy and our young -friend continued their conversation. In the -hours of darkness, when night broods upon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -the ocean, and no sound is to be heard save -the dashing of the waves against the sides of -the vessel, the sailor who is obliged to stand -his watch would find the hours pass wearily -if it were not for some method of killing the -time. Among these is the spinning of yarns, -for which sailors are so noted. This it was -that occurred to Bill, as he stood with Charlie -leaning over the side.</p> - -<p>"I say, my lad, suppose we spin a yarn -apiece, and that will make the time pass -quicker."</p> - -<p>"But I am not an old sailor, Bill; I don't -know anything about spinning yarns."</p> - -<p>"Tush, lad, I don't expect a salt-water yarn -from you. I want a land yarn. I am sure, -you have read a good many, and can think of -one now. Just lead off, and when you get -through, I'll try my hand at it."</p> - -<p>Thus adjured, Charlie said, "Let me think -a minute."</p> - -<p>Bill leaned over the rail in silent expectation.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span></p> - -<h2>XIX.<br /> <small>CHARLIE'S LAND YARN.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Charlie</span> deliberated a moment, when he -chanced to think of Nicholas Nickleby, the -only one of Dickens's works he had ever -read, and which, as it had interested him -exceedingly, had impressed itself upon his -remembrance.</p> - -<p>"Did you ever hear of Nicholas Nickleby, -Bill?" he inquired.</p> - -<p>"Yes," was Bill's unexpected response; -"when I was at Liverpool three years ago, -she was lying alongside our ship."</p> - -<p>"She!" exclaimed Charlie, in amazement.</p> - -<p>"Yes," answered Sturdy, in a matter-of-fact -tone, "she was a very good craft, and was in -the West India trade. I saw considerable of -her, being as how I got acquainted with Tom -Seagrove, one of the men on board."</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes, I see what you mean," said -Charlie; "but I don't mean a ship, I mean a -story of the same name."</p> - -<p>"No, I never heard of it. Named after the -ship, like enough."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span></p> - -<p>Charlie thought it more probable that the -vessel was named after the story, but as this -was a point of little importance to the present -occasion, he passed it by, and continued, -"Well, Bill, it's a very interesting story, and -as I remember that about as well as anything -I ever read, I believe I will tell you part of it."</p> - -<p>"Heave ahead, my lad."</p> - -<p>"You must know that this Nicholas Nickleby -was a young man whose father died when -he was about nineteen, leaving him very little -money, but a mother and sister to provide -for. He had an old uncle Ralph, who was -very rich, but an old rascal, who didn't trouble -himself about his poor relations."</p> - -<p>"That's the way with a good many rich -people," said Bill. "They leave the smaller -craft to shift for themselves."</p> - -<p>"However, on being applied to, he did -manage to get the sister a place in a millinery -establishment, and, as for Nicholas, he got -him a place as assistant teacher in a country -boarding-school."</p> - -<p>"He was a sort of first mate in the school, -wasn't he?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Well, something like that, only he didn't -fare half so well as a mate or any kind of an -officer. All the old fellow gave him for his -services was about twenty-five dollars a year -and board."</p> - -<p>"What made him ship on board the craft, -then?"</p> - -<p>"It was the only chance he had, so he -thought he'd take it till he could find a -better."</p> - -<p>"What was the captain's name?" asked Bill, -who stuck to his marine phraseology.</p> - -<p>"His name was Squeers, and a tough old -fellow he was. He had some thirty or forty -boarding scholars, whom he treated shamefully. -In the first place, he didn't allow them -enough to eat."</p> - -<p>"Why didn't they mutiny, and pitch the -lubber overboard?" exclaimed Bill, indignantly.</p> - -<p>"Because he had starved the spirit out of -them. Besides, they were mostly small, and -he had a wife as bad as himself, as well as a -daughter who was——"</p> - -<p>"A chip of the old block."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Exactly. Do you want to know how he -took away their appetites so that they wouldn't -eat so much? He used to make them swallow -a spoonful of boiling hot molasses, which -scalded their throats, and made it hard for -them to swallow."</p> - -<p>"I'd like to have overhauled him," said -Sturdy.</p> - -<p>"If you had, I don't believe there'd have -been much left of him, for he was a spindling -sort of a man, tall and thin."</p> - -<p>"And how did the young fellow like his -place?"</p> - -<p>"Not very much. He found they were -going to half-starve him, too. However, he -wouldn't have minded that so much as seeing -the poor children abused. While all this was -going on, the school-master's daughter fell in -love with him."</p> - -<p>"Was she pretty?"</p> - -<p>"No," said Charlie. "She was the image -of her father, and he wasn't anything of a -beauty. She was thin, with a hatchet face -and yellow hair. However, she continued to -make herself think that Nicholas was in love<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> -with her, and one day, when her father and -mother were gone to London to get a new -scholar, she posted off to a female friend of -hers, and told her that she had got a beau, -and invited her friend and her beau to come -to tea. When tea-time came, there they all -were in the sitting-room, drinking tea, and -faring a great deal better than Nicholas had -before, since he had been at the school, when -the other young lady and her beau began to -poke fun at Nicholas, all on account of Matilda -Squeers, whom they supposed him to be in -love with. He didn't understand it at all, -and told them so.</p> - -<p>"'Why,' said John Brodie,—that was the -other girl's beau,—'ain't you courtin' Tilda, -here?'</p> - -<p>"Nicholas protested that he never so much -as thought of the thing. At this, Matilda -turned all sorts of colors, for she had confidently -told both of them that he was in love -with her, and, besides, she had no idea that -a poor, under-paid teacher would think of refusing -her, the——"</p> - -<p>"Captain's daughter," suggested Bill Sturdy.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Exactly so. So you see the tea-party -didn't end quite so pleasantly as it began, and -from that moment Nicholas had a bitter -enemy in the daughter of his employer."</p> - -<p>"That's the way with female craft," said -Bill. "What happened next?"</p> - -<p>"Mr. and Mrs. Squeers came home, bringing -the new boy with them. The first thing -they did was to give a whipping all round, -to make up for the time they'd been away."</p> - -<p>"I wish I'd been there," said Bill, swinging -his brawny arms.</p> - -<p>"Among the scholars was one, worse treated -than the rest, named Smike. He had been -with them ever since he was a boy of six or -eight, and his friends had deserted him. Mr. -Squeers would have cast him off, only he -found his work more than paid for the scanty -food he ate, so he kept him; but he was so -beaten and cuffed, and made to drudge so -constantly, that it would have been better for -him if he had been turned away. At last he -determined to run away."</p> - -<p>"Good for him!" said Bill.</p> - -<p>"As soon as Mr. Squeers found he was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> -gone, he went after him post haste, and, as the -boy was weak and couldn't travel very fast, -he soon overtook him, and brought him back, -bound hand and foot, in the chaise. He suspected -that Nicholas had helped Smike to -escape, so he determined to inflict a cruel -punishment upon him in presence of his assistant. -Accordingly, he armed himself with -a large whip, and, calling all the school together, -he told Smike to strip, and was just -about to lay the whip on his naked back -when Nicholas shouted out 'Stop!' Squeers -glared round, and said in a fierce voice, 'Who -said that?' 'I said it,' said Nicholas; 'I tell -you, stop!' Squeers turned white with rage, -and threatened to whip Nicholas, also. He -was about to commence the punishment, when -Nicholas sprang from his seat, and, pulling -the whip from his hand, knocked Squeers -over, and began to belabor him with his own -whip."</p> - -<p>"Good!" exclaimed Bill, who had become -much interested in the narrative. "I hope -he made him scream for mercy."</p> - -<p>"So he did, and Nicholas kept on belaboring<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> -him, notwithstanding Mrs. Squeers and -her daughter went at him tooth and nail, and -tried to pull him off. But he was so excited -with anger that he felt strong enough to cope -with half a dozen, and never left off till -Squeers was black and blue and aching all -over."</p> - -<p>"Hurrah for Nicholas!" shouted Bill -Sturdy, in great delight, at the school-master's -discomfiture. "What happened next?"</p> - -<p>"Nicholas packed up his clothes and left -the house, but took care to carry Smike with -him, knowing that he would otherwise fare -badly."</p> - -<p>"And what became of Nicholas afterwards? -Did he reach port?"</p> - -<p>"He met with a variety of adventures, but -at length became rich and happy."</p> - -<p>"That's a pretty good yarn," said Bill -Sturdy. "I should have liked to help him -whip the school-master, though."</p> - -<p>"Now, Bill, I am ready to hear your yarn," -said Charlie.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span></p> - -<h2>XX.<br /> <small>BILL STURDY'S STORY.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">After</span> pausing a moment to collect his -ideas, Bill Sturdy commenced his story.</p> - -<p>"It was, mayhap, twelve years ago, or it -might have been thirteen, since I sailed from -New York in the ship Peregrine, bound for -Havana. The Peregrine was quite a sizable -ship, and I expected a pleasant voyage, as the -captain was a frank, good-humored looking -man. So he was when he was in his sober -senses, but, unfortunately, this wasn't always -the case. However, he used to keep pretty -straight when he was at home, for if he had -shown himself out it might have been hard -for him to get employment. If Jack gets -drunk it's no serious damage to the ship, but -if the chief officer, to whom all look for commands, -allows himself to drink too much, -especially when a storm threatens, it's a pretty -bad matter. You see, my lad, that when a -captain is drunk, he does not generally know -it himself, and is apt to think that he is perfectly -able to manage the ship.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Well, Captain Harvey, for that was his -name, was an excellent seaman when he was -sober. He was a thorough sailor, and knew -every rope in the ship. But, as it happened, -it would have been better if we had had a -captain who knew less and kept sober.</p> - -<p>"Captain Harvey kept pretty straight at -first, as I was saying, and we men began to -like him. He was a pleasant-spoken man, -though he meant to be obeyed when he gave -an order. I liked him all the better, because -the captain I had gone with last was a different -kind of man. It wasn't always a word -and a blow with Captain Lafarge, but oftentimes -the blow came first. Well, times -seemed changed, and that was what I was -saying to a messmate of mine, who had sailed -with me under the other captain, when Captain -Harvey came on deck. That was the -third day out; his face looked unusually red, -and his eyes bloodshot. He staggered up to -us, gave me a blow side of the head, as he -said, or rather hiccoughed, for he couldn't -speak very plain, 'Wh—what are you—hic—doing -there, you rascal?'</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Now, my lad, I'm not one to stand a blow -very patiently; I'm rather apt to resent it, -and so I should this time, but as I looked up -I saw how matters stood, and that took away -my anger. I liked Captain Harvey, and I -knew that when he was right he would never -think of giving me a blow without any cause, -so I didn't do anything, but answered, as -respectful as I could,—</p> - -<p>"'I hope I am doing my duty, Captain -Harvey.'</p> - -<p>"'You lie,' he stuttered again.</p> - -<p>"I did not feel called upon to give any -answer to this charge. It was as well that I -didn't, for he waited a minute and then left -me.</p> - -<p>"Well, this was the first that any of us -knew of the captain's habits. We were all -sorry, even those that liked to drink themselves, -for this was the only fault we could -detect in our chief officer, and it was a pretty -serious one, as it turned out. I told you, -didn't I, that we were bound for Havana?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Charlie.</p> - -<p>"Well, it sometimes happens that there are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> -violent storms in those latitudes, and the coast -is dangerous to approach. Time passed, and -although Captain Harvey would have his -blow-out now and then, yet there had been -no particular damage so far, perhaps because -we had had pretty quiet weather. Now, -however, we had got into the region of gales, -and we all hoped the captain would keep -sober.</p> - -<p>"But that wasn't to be.</p> - -<p>"One morning, I remember, we had a powerful -gale. The ship was behaving pretty -well under it. She was a staunch craft when -we started, and bade fair to see a great many -years' service. So, on the whole, we didn't -feel uneasy till the captain came on deck.</p> - -<p>"We saw at once that he was drunk, a -good deal drunk, and not fit to take care of -the ship. He staggered up to the mate, and -asked him how fast the ship was going.</p> - -<p>"The mate reported, ten knots an hour.</p> - -<p>"'Ten knots an hour!' repeated the captain, -contemptuously. 'Is that all? We -must go faster.'</p> - -<p>"'But, Captain Harvey,' said the mate,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> -'there is a violent gale. Do you think it -prudent to increase our speed?'</p> - -<p>"'Prudent!' thundered the captain, 'do -you think I would give the order if I didn't -think so? Not a word more, sir, but call all -hands, and make sail.'</p> - -<p>"Nothing was to be done but to obey.</p> - -<p>"Accordingly the reefs were let out of the -topsails, the top gallant sails set, and even -the fore top-mast studding sail. Now, my -lad, although you are not much of a sailor, -you can understand that it was perfect madness -to carry so much sail in such a tempest. -I knew at once what would happen, and prepared -for the worst. There was a hen-coop -lying on deck, and I resolved, that if the -worst should come to the worst, I would -spring for that.</p> - -<p>"The worst did come to the worst. The -ship pitched about like a mad thing, and -creaked and groaned as if she were a human -being in the greatest distress, and I can tell -you the sailors looked black enough. We felt -that our lives were being risked, and all for -the intemperance of one man. That scene<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> -cured me of drinking grog. I haven't drank -a drop since."</p> - -<p>"Did anything happen to the ship?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, my lad, something did happen to the -ship. A heavy sea struck her amidships, and -pitched her over upon her side. After we -recovered, we found that she was strained -severely and leaking badly. Well, the end -of it was, that we had to abandon her. The -rest of the crew got on board the boats, but -there wasn't fairly room, and they were so -overloaded that I thought it would be safer -trusting to the old hen-coop. They tried to -get me on board the boats, but I had a kind -of suspicion that the boats wouldn't live. So -I stuffed all my pockets with biscuit, filled a -tin measure with water, and trusted myself to -the hen-coop."</p> - -<p>"Did the boats live?" inquired Charlie, -with interest.</p> - -<p>"Not a single one. They were never -heard from again. No doubt they all went -down in the storm.</p> - -<p>"Well, my lad, it wasn't the pleasantest -thing pitching about on a hen-coop on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> -wild sea, fifty miles, at least, from land. But -my hope was, that I should be seen by some -vessel bound for Havana. In that case I -knew I would be safe. I had provision -enough to last me three days, and I could -make my water last as long by being sparing -of it. I had to hold on to the hen-coop -pretty tight, or I should have been washed off -by some of the heavy seas. Of course, I got -completely drenched by the salt water, and -what was worse, the biscuit got drenched too, -which didn't improve its taste, I can tell you.</p> - -<p>"So I tossed about for twenty-four hours. -By this time the gale had gone down, and the -sea was more quiet. It was at this time that, -casting my eyes about to see if I could anywhere -catch sight of a sail, I descried one -apparently making towards me."</p> - -<p>"Wer'n't you delighted?"</p> - -<p>"I was at first," said Bill, "but as she came -nearer I tried not to attract her notice."</p> - -<p>"Why?" asked Charlie, in great surprise.</p> - -<p>"Because, my lad, <i>I recognized in her the -Red Rover, one of the most noted pirates that -cruised in those seas</i>."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span></p> - -<h2>XXI.<br /> <small>THE PIRATE SHIP.</small></h2> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">How</span> did you know she was a pirate?" -inquired Charlie.</p> - -<p>"I suspected her in the first place, from her -rakish look. All pirate ships, you know, are -made for speed. Besides, this particular ship -had been described to me by a messmate who -had once been on board a ship that was chased -by her, though, luckily, before the pirate had -a chance to overhaul her, two other vessels -came in sight, and frightened her away.</p> - -<p>"As soon as I made out the approaching -vessel to be the Red Rover, I repented bitterly -the signs by which I had drawn her -attention. I ceased making signals, but it -was too late. She had already seen me, and -a boat was filling with men to take me on -board. Finding I could not well help myself, -I concluded to make the best of it, and not -show any objection to going with the boat's -crew. So when they came near, and hailed -me, asking me who I was, I answered as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> -heartily as I could, 'Bill Sturdy, of the good -ship Peregrine, bound for Havana.'</p> - -<p>"'And what's become of your ship?'</p> - -<p>"'Gone to the bottom,' I answered.</p> - -<p>"'How long since?'</p> - -<p>"'About twenty-four hours.'</p> - -<p>"'How did it happen?'</p> - -<p>"In reply, I told all the circumstances, -without reserve, for concealment would have -done no good.</p> - -<p>"There was a little consultation on board -the boat, and then the officer in command -brought it up alongside my hen-coop, and -ordered me aboard.</p> - -<p>"This I did with as much alacrity as possible, -and I tell you, my lad, it did seem good -once more to be in a boat, even though it -belonged to a pirate, after pitching about on -a hen-coop for twenty-four hours.</p> - -<p>"Now that I had a chance, I looked at the -men that manned the boat. They were villainous-looking -cutthroats—mostly Spaniards, -with dark, lowering faces and forbidding expressions. -I couldn't help turning it over in my -mind, what they would be likely to do with me.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span></p> - -<p>"It didn't take long to reach the pirate -vessel. Those on board pressed forward, as -I came up and got on deck. They were all -pretty much alike. The captain was a large, -stout, muscular man, though I believe," added -Bill, with some complacency, "that I could -have got the better of him in a regular rough-and-tumble -fight. However, this isn't neither -here nor there. He came up to me, and made -me answer over again the same questions -which had been asked me before. I answered -them in the same way. After he had got -through with his questions, he fixed his sharp, -black eyes on me, and inquired, 'Do you know -the name of the ship that has picked you up?'</p> - -<p>"'I do,' said I, coolly, though I didn't feel -as cool as I appeared.</p> - -<p>"'Ha!' he exclaimed, in surprise. 'What -is it?'</p> - -<p>"'It is the Red Rover,' said I, making -believe to be unconcerned.</p> - -<p>"'And are you acquainted with its character?" -said the captain, with another of his -sharp looks.</p> - -<p>"'I believe so,' said I.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'Name it.'</p> - -<p>"'I think it is a pirate,' said I, not moving -a muscle.</p> - -<p>"'Ha!' he exclaimed, looking at me rather -curiously. 'Are you not afraid to find yourself -on board a pirate?'</p> - -<p>"'Why should I be?' I answered. 'But -for you, I should have died on the hen-coop, -and I suppose, if you had meant to take away -my life, you wouldn't have taken the trouble -to save me, since death was certain.'</p> - -<p>"'A bold fellow!' said the captain, aside, -to the mate. He spoke in the Spanish language, -but I had managed to pick up some -odd phrases in that lingo, so I knew what he -was driving at. The mate seemed to agree, -and they talked a little more. I didn't -understand, but guessed it was about me.</p> - -<p>"The pirate captain, after a short confab -with the mate, turned round, and spoke to -me. 'Well, my man,' said he, 'I don't mind -telling you that you've hit the mark in -guessing that this is the Red Rover, and a -pirate. I believe she has made something of -a reputation for herself,' he added, proudly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I bowed.</p> - -<p>"'Now I have a proposal to make to you. -We're rather short-handed. We need two or -three brave fellows, and I am inclined to -think, from your bearing, that you will suit -us. Now, if you would like it, you shall be -admitted to equal privileges with the rest of -the crew, with an equal share of whatever -booty we manage to pick up, and that I may -tell you, is not small. Here, Roderigo, step -forward, and tell this man how much your -share was last year.'</p> - -<p>"Roderigo, a villainous-looking fellow, -stepped forward, and answered, 'Nearly two -thousand dollars in goods and money.'</p> - -<p>"'You see, then, what are the inducements. -Will you join us or not?'</p> - -<p>"Now I very well knew what the consequences -of my refusal would be, so I replied, -without a moment's hesitation, 'I will.'"</p> - -<p>"What, did you become a pirate?" asked -Charlie, horror-struck.</p> - -<p>"Pretty much in the same way that you -became a sailor, my lad; because I couldn't -help it."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span></p> - -<p>"And did you join in robbing vessels, and -killing all on board?"</p> - -<p>"Hold on, my lad; you're a little too fast -for me. You'll know in due time. The -pirate captain seemed pleased with my -promptness, and made me sign the book. I -should have given a wrong name, only I had -given the right one when I was hailed, though, -for that matter, Sturdy isn't my right name. -The captain told me, in a very polite sort of -way, that if I should undertake to play them -false, or interfere with them in any way, I -should be pitched overboard. As this threat -did not seem to trouble me much, he seemed -to be satisfied that it was all right with me. -In the course of a day or two, I got acquainted -with the crew. They were mostly Spaniards, -but there was a sprinkling of other nations,—French, -Danes, Germans, and one Englishman."</p> - -<p>"Were there any Yankees?"</p> - -<p>"No, I'm proud to say there wasn't one -except myself, and I wasn't there of my own -free will. Piracy doesn't chime in with our -Yankee notions, and it's my belief you'll find<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> -precious few full-blooded Yankees that are -engaged in the business."</p> - -<p>"How did you get out of their clutches?" -asked Charlie.</p> - -<p>"That's what I'm coming to by and by. -For a few days we didn't meet a vessel, or, at -least, one that was alone, and so would do to -attack. I was glad of that, for I was ready -enough to do my duty on board the ship, but -I knew that, just as soon as we met a vessel, -I should be expected to do my share of the -fighting, and it went against my grain to engage -in any such villainous business as that. -However, I thought I wouldn't borrow -trouble, but wait till it came, and then I could -decide what to do.</p> - -<p>"At last I heard the cry I so much dreaded, -'Sail ho!' from one of the crew, who had -been sent aloft to give notice of an approaching -vessel.</p> - -<p>"'Where away?' shouted the pirate captain.</p> - -<p>"'To the eastward.'</p> - -<p>"Orders were at once given to change the -course of the vessel, and to make for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> -stranger. As soon as she saw us she made -every effort to get away, but the Red Rover -was too swift for her. When we got within -a short distance, I made out the vessel to be -the Sally Ann, which had left port about the -time the Peregrine did. I knew some of those -on board very well, and the captain was an -old school-mate of mine.</p> - -<p>"'What would they think,' I couldn't help -saying to myself, with a groan, 'if they knew -their old messmate was regularly enrolled -among the crew of the pirate that is overhauling -them?'"</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XXII.<br /> <small>HOW TO ESCAPE FROM A PIRATE.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Bill Sturdy</span> paused to take a whiff at his -pipe, and then resumed his story, in which -Charlie manifested no slight interest.</p> - -<p>"I was taken all aback," he continued, -"when I found it was the Sally Ann I was -expected to join hands with the pirates -against. I couldn't help thinking of the many -pleasant hours I had spent on board that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> -vessel, chatting and spinning yarns with the -crew. What to do I didn't know.</p> - -<p>"The pirates were already clearing for action, -and all seemed as busy as bees. You -ought to have seen the eager look there was -on their villainous faces, as they watched the -Sally Ann, just, for all the world, like a -crafty spider, lying in wait for a fat fly.</p> - -<p>"Just then the captain came up to where -I was standing, and fixed his sharp glance on -me. 'Now, my man,' said he, 'here's a chance -for you to distinguish yourself. That vessel -will no doubt prove a rich prize. Do your -duty, like a man, in the coming engagement, -and you shall have a good share of the spoils. -If you don't, or if you prove false to us, you -know your fate.'</p> - -<p>"He pointed up to the yard-arm, as much -as to say that I should be strung up, if I refused -obedience, and I've no doubt he would -have kept his word.</p> - -<p>"I just answered, 'Aye, aye, sir,' without -looking particularly concerned.</p> - -<p>"'What will you do to the crew when the -ship has fallen into your hands?' I asked.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span></p> - -<p>"'Send them to Davy Jones's locker,' he -said, with no more compunction than if he -were speaking of a litter of kittens.</p> - -<p>"Well, I felt as if I was in a pretty tight -place; some like a man I've heard of somewhere, -who was being chased by a buffalo -across a large field. At last he came to a -precipice a hundred feet high. Of course, it -would be death for him to jump off, and it -would be just as much death for him to stay -where he was. So he just waited till the old -buffalo was close to him, and then he dodged -out of the way, and the buffalo, who was -going at full speed, leaped over the precipice, -and was dashed to pieces. Well, I thought -whether I couldn't do something of that kind. -I knew that, if I shouldn't fight, the pirates -would be as good as their word, and kill me, -and if I did, I should be guilty of piracy, and -be liable to be hung as a pirate, if ever I got -caught."</p> - -<p>"That was a pretty hard choice," said -Charlie.</p> - -<p>"So it seemed to me," said Bill. "The -only thing I thought of that would do me<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> -any good, was to turn upon the pirates some -way. If I could only have jumped into the -water, unobserved, and swam to the other -ship, I would have fought to the last, in their -defence."</p> - -<p>"Why didn't you do it?"</p> - -<p>"Well, my lad, there were two objections. -In the first place, the pirates would have -seen what I was at, and fired at me in the -water. In the second place, the sailors on -board the Sally Ann, thinking that I was a -pirate, would have suspected I was up to -some mischief, and so, most likely, they would -have blazed away at me, too. So, between -the two fires, I shouldn't have stood a very -good chance."</p> - -<p>"I don't know but you are right."</p> - -<p>"No, my lad, it didn't take me very long -to decide that there was nothing to be gained -in this way. At that moment, I chanced to -go down below for something, when my eye -rested on—what do you think?"</p> - -<p>"What was it?"</p> - -<p>"<i>It was a keg of powder</i>," said Bill, shaking -the ashes from his pipe. "Perhaps, my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> -lad, you can guess what thought that put me -up to."</p> - -<p>"Was it to blow them all up?" asked -Charlie, in excitement.</p> - -<p>"You've hit it, my lad."</p> - -<p>"But that would be dangerous to you."</p> - -<p>"I knew that well enough," said the sailor. -"There was precious little chance of old Bill -Sturdy living to tell the story; but, my -lad, I'll tell you what made me overlook -that. I must either turn pirate and always -remain so, with a pretty considerable chance -of swinging from the gallows some time, or -else be butchered by the pirates for refusing -to join them. So, as there didn't seem to be -much but death in prospect, that consideration -didn't weigh much. Then I thought -that, if I did die by the explosion, I should -have the satisfaction of knowing that the rascally -pirates would share my fate, and the -Red Rover, the scourge of the seas, would -never do any more harm. Besides that, I -should save the Sally Ann, and the lives of -the captain and crew, and that was something -glorious to think of."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> - -<p>The boy's cheek glowed with sympathetic -ardor, and he clasped Bill Sturdy's rough -hand, in token of understanding and appreciating -his motive.</p> - -<p>"That seemed the only way open to me," -resumed Bill, "and I determined to adopt it. -Of course, there were nine chances out of ten -that I should be blown up with the rest of -them, but still there was a possibility of escape. -I couldn't help thinking of that, and -the more I thought, the more I had a kind of -feeling that I should escape. I thought I -would go up on deck a minute, before carrying -out my design, and see what was going -on. Well, the pirates had about got ready -for action. The decks had been cleared, the -cutlasses and pistols and other murderous -weapons had been distributed among the men, -and, altogether, there seemed precious little -chance for the poor fellows on board the Sally -Ann, especially, as I knew well enough that -they had no cannon, and only a few pistols, -that were not likely to do them much good. -There wasn't much time to lose, as the action -was going to commence. So I slipped down<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> -below, and fixed a slow match, so that it -would reach the powder in about a minute. -I had just about got it fixed, when who should -I see coming down, but the pirate captain. -It seemed as if all my plans were going to be -knocked in the head. No doubt he suspected -that all was not as it should be, and was -coming down to see what was to pay. I felt -desperate, and fetched him as powerful a -blow as I was able, on the side of his head, -and he fell like an ox, pretty effectually -stunned."</p> - -<p>"What next?"</p> - -<p>"The next thing I did was to hurry upon -deck. 'Where's the captain?' asked the -mate. 'He'll be up directly,' said I. And -so he was, but not in the sense that he understood -it.</p> - -<p>"Well, I listened on deck for about half a -minute, in a terrible state of anxiety, you -may be sure. Then, feeling that it was not -safe for me to stay any longer, I jumped into -the water, and began to swim towards the -Sally Ann. As my head rose above the -water, I saw the mate about to fire at me,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> -and I dove. When my head was fairly out -of water again, such a sound as smote upon -my ear! The light had reached the powder, -and there was a terrible explosion. The ship -was shattered to pieces. The pirates were -hurled into the air, some with mutilated -limbs, and I rather think that some of them -were considerably astonished. The captain -did go up as I promised. He was flung a -hundred feet into the air, and never came -down again alive. For my part, I was lucky -enough to reach the Sally Ann, untouched -by the falling fragments. When they found -out who I was, and how I had saved them, -their gratitude knew no bounds. The owners -made up a purse of two thousand dollars, -and presented it to me."</p> - -<p>"And what did you do with it?"</p> - -<p>"When I got back to Boston, I put it in -one of the places you call Savings Banks, and -I expect it's there now."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span></p> - -<h2>XXIII.<br /> <small>ANTONIO'S PLOT.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Such</span> is a specimen of the yarns—sometimes -true, sometimes spun out of whole cloth—with -which the sailors amused themselves -and beguiled the tedium of the night-watch.</p> - -<p>The companionship of honest and stout-hearted -Bill Sturdy proved a great source of -happiness to Charlie, and enabled him to -bear up, as otherwise he might have found it -difficult to do, under the hardships of his condition, -the persecution of the captain and the -mate, who had not forgotten their animosity, -and the uncertainty he could not but feel as -to the situation in which his mother was left, -with the painful doubt as to whether she -would be able to support herself till he could -return and relieve her necessities.</p> - -<p>"When we get back, my lad," said Bill -Sturdy, "I'll put half that money in the Savings -Bank in your name, so that if you and -your mother want it at any time, you can -use it."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span></p> - -<p>"No, Bill," said Charlie, earnestly, "you -are very kind, but I couldn't consent to that."</p> - -<p>"And why not, my lad? What do I want -of it? I've got neither chick nor child, and -am not likely to have. I've taken a fancy to -you, and the money'll do you more good than -me."</p> - -<p>"You are <i>very</i> kind," said Charlie, gratefully; -"but I mustn't take advantage of your -generosity."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense, my lad. I know what it is to -be a poor boy, without money or friends, and -nowadays money will bring friends. Mayhap -it'll start you in some business, and when -you get rich you can pay me; or if, by and -by, I take a notion to come to anchor on -shore, you'll give me a corner in your house, -where I can smoke my pipe and spin my -yarns."</p> - -<p>"That I will, Bill," said Charlie, seizing -the old sailor's rough hand. "If I have a -roof to cover me, it shall cover you too."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, my lad," said Bill. "I know -you would."</p> - -<p>Under Bill Sturdy's rough exterior there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> -was a kind heart which warmed to our young -hero, partly because of his solitary position -on board, partly on account of his manliness -and attractive qualities. So they became fast -friends.</p> - -<p>Charlie did not find his duties altogether -distasteful. He was a bright, active boy, not -without ambition, and resolved to do himself -credit in his new position, however it may -have been forced upon him. For this reason -it was that the captain and the mate, although -they watched him with lynx eyes, hoping -that he would afford them some pretext for -showing their rancorous feelings towards -him, watched ineffectually. By his activity, -and his frank and manly disposition, he was -fast ingratiating himself with the crew, who -were the more disposed to espouse his cause, -because they could not fail to notice the injustice -with which the officers treated him.</p> - -<p>But trouble was brewing for Charlie, and -soon the storm broke forth.</p> - -<p>The scuffle between Bill Sturdy and Antonio, -of which Charlie was the occasion, will -not have been forgotten. Antonio had before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> -hated Bill on account of his superiority in -strength, which deprived him of his former -champion's life. This feeling was increased -by the issue of the contest which had resulted -in his humiliation and defeat, and his anger -was also stirred up against Charlie, who had -been the occasion of it. Yet he did not dare -to venture upon abuse, because it was generally -understood that Bill Sturdy had constituted -himself Charlie's especial friend and -protector.</p> - -<p>But there were other ways of compassing -his end. Antonio was subtile. He felt that -his revenge must be a more secret one, and -he desired that it should involve both Bill -Sturdy and his <i>protégé</i>. If he could only involve -Charlie in some offence which would -draw upon him the active displeasure of the -captain, and subject him to public punishment, -he felt sure that Bill Sturdy would not -stand tamely by and see it inflicted, while -any interference would be insubordination, -and get his rival into serious trouble.</p> - -<p>After reflection Antonio decided to implicate -Charlie in a charge of theft. It happened<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> -that the captain had a valuable gold -ring, set with diamonds, which, for reasons -unnecessary to state, he prized even beyond its -pecuniary value. Captain Brace, however, -was not a careful man. He would sometimes -take off his ring, and lay it down on -the cabin table. On one occasion Antonio, -while upon deck, observed the captain pass, -and ascertained by a swift glance that the -ring was not upon his finger. He watched -his opportunity, and slipping down into the -cabin, found, as he anticipated, the ring upon -the table. It was the work of a moment to -snatch and conceal it in his pocket.</p> - -<p>He returned to the work in which he had -been engaged, and resumed it, supposing he -had not been observed.</p> - -<p>In this he was mistaken.</p> - -<p>Bill Sturdy had had his eye upon him from -the time of his difficulty with him. He could -see Antonio's craftiness in his face, and the -apparent affability and conciliatory manner -of the latter afterwards had by no means deceived -him.</p> - -<p>"Look out for squalls," thought he. "He's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> -too fair seeming to be trusted. I've no doubt -he's hatching up something or other. I'll -keep a sharp lookout for him."</p> - -<p>When Antonio made his stealthy visit to the -cabin, as above described, the vigilant eye of -Bill Sturdy was upon him and his movements.</p> - -<p>In a moment he reappeared. Bill saw it -all out of the corner of his eye, though he appeared -to be looking in just the opposite -direction.</p> - -<p>"What's the fellow up to?" he thought. -"Some mischief, I reckon. What business -has he in the cabin? I must watch him."</p> - -<p>Of course, Antonio's object will be understood. -He meant to place the ring in Charlie's -chest, and when the loss should be discovered -by the captain, he would suggest that a general -search should be instituted, the result of -which must involve our young hero.</p> - -<p>Charlie was, of course, quite unconscious -of the machinations which were being formed -against him, and even Bill was not yet quite -certain for what purpose Antonio had made -his visit to the cabin.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span></p> - -<p>Antonio felt the necessity of doing quickly -what he had in contemplation.</p> - -<p>Going below, he made his way to the chest -belonging to our hero, and, lifting the cover, -for it was unlocked, let the ring drop into one -corner.</p> - -<p>Bill Sturdy saw his second disappearance -from the deck. He could not ascertain precisely -what he was doing, without following -him,—a thing which he did not wish to do, -since it would arouse Antonio's suspicions, -and place him on his guard.</p> - -<p>Antonio came up with an expression of -malicious satisfaction, which Bill did not fail -to notice.</p> - -<p>"I wish," he thought, "I knew exactly -what the fellow has been doing."</p> - -<p>Bill was destined to learn ere long.</p> - -<p>The captain went below, and glanced carelessly -at the place where he remembered to -have left the ring. To his surprise, it had -disappeared.</p> - -<p>"What can have become of it?" he thought.</p> - -<p>He instituted a careful examination, but -did not succeed in finding the lost article.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span></p> - -<p>He prized it beyond its actual value, which -was considerable, and began to feel alarmed. -It occurred to him that he might have been -mistaken about leaving it on the table. It -might possibly have been dropped upon deck.</p> - -<p>Going on deck, he communicated his loss -to the crew and requested a general search.</p> - -<p>"I think, Captain Brace," said Antonio, -officiously, "that I can guess where it is."</p> - -<p>"Where?"</p> - -<p>"I saw that boy have it," pointing to -Charlie.</p> - -<p>"It's a lie!" exclaimed Charlie, surprised -and indignant.</p> - -<p>"We'll see about that," said the captain, -with a sneer. "Do you know what he did -with it, Antonio?"</p> - -<p>"I think he may have hidden it in his -chest."</p> - -<p>"Let his chest be brought on deck, and -publicly examined. If he is found guilty, he -shall be punished, as sure as my name is -Brace."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span></p> - -<h2>XXIV.<br /> <small>CHARLIE GETS INTO TROUBLE.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Charlie</span>, at first taken by surprise when the -charge of theft was brought against him, now -looked scornfully indignant. Ignorant of the -ways of the world, and the wickedness of -which some men are capable, he never, for a -moment, feared the result of the investigation. -As for the crew, they had already become -interested in his favor, and now pitied -him for the unfortunate position in which he -found himself placed. None of them believed -him guilty.</p> - -<p>As the captain had directed, his chest was -brought on deck.</p> - -<p>Before this was searched, however, he was -subjected to a personal examination, at which -nothing was discovered. There was a -murmur of satisfaction.</p> - -<p>"The lad never stole the ring," said a stout -seaman, standing next to the real perpetrator -of the crime, Antonio.</p> - -<p>"Don't be too sure of that," said the Spaniard,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> -in a malignant tone. "His chest hasn't -been searched yet."</p> - -<p>"I don't care for that; I can tell by his -face. A lad, with such a figure-head as -that, wouldn't do anything mean or dishonorable."</p> - -<p>"You seem to have taken a great fancy to -him," sneered Antonio. "You mustn't trust -too much to appearances. He looks to me as -if he were guilty."</p> - -<p>Charlie's cheeks were flushed, but not with -shame or confusion. It was indignation, that -he should be suspected of such a disgraceful -crime.</p> - -<p>By his side stood Bill Sturdy, who took -an opportunity of whispering into his ear, -"Never you mind, my lad, even if the ring is -found in your chest."</p> - -<p>"But it isn't there," said Charlie.</p> - -<p>"It may be," said Bill, who, by this time, -suspected the nature of Antonio's two errands -below.</p> - -<p>"How should it be there?" asked Charlie -quite in the dark.</p> - -<p>"It might have been put there, my lad."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span></p> - -<p>"But who could put it there?" persisted -our hero, but little enlightened.</p> - -<p>"Hark you, my lad," said Bill, still farther -lowering his tones; "you've got more than one -enemy on board this ship."</p> - -<p>"The mate?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, and the captain too, for that matter."</p> - -<p>"But neither of them would put the ring -in my chest."</p> - -<p>"No, probably not."</p> - -<p>"Then who would?"</p> - -<p>"There is another enemy besides these -two."</p> - -<p>"Do you mean Antonio?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"But he seemed friendly lately."</p> - -<p>"He isn't to be trusted, my lad. He's borne -a grudge against both of us ever since I -got the better of him the other day, and he's -made up his mind to be revenged. I've been -watching him when he didn't suspect it, and -know more than he thinks I do."</p> - -<p>"Do you know anything of this affair, -Bill?" asked Charlie, looking up hopefully -into the face of his friend.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I expect I do."</p> - -<p>"What is it?" questioned our hero, eagerly.</p> - -<p>"I shall save it till it will do some good. -But see, they have nearly finished searching -your chest. Perhaps the ring is not there -after all."</p> - -<p>As Bill said, the search was nearly completed. -Charlie's clothes had been unceremoniously -tumbled out upon deck, which was -not calculated to improve their appearance, -and the captain and mate, who had shown -themselves particularly active on the occasion, -were peering about in search of the lost -ring.</p> - -<p>It chanced, however, that the ring had got -in a fold of one of the shirts which lay upon -deck. Of course, therefore, the search in the -chest proved unavailing.</p> - -<p>"I doubt whether it is here," said the captain, -in a tone of disappointment.</p> - -<p>"Let us look a little longer," said the mate, -who could not so easily resign the chance of -getting into trouble the boy whom he hated -with a malevolence such as his nature was capable -of.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span></p> - -<p>Antonio became alarmed at the prospect of -all his plans being frustrated by a failure to -find the ring.</p> - -<p>When the mate also gave up the search, he -came forward, and, addressing the captain, -said,—</p> - -<p>"Captain Brace, if you will let me assist in -the search, perhaps I can succeed in finding -it."</p> - -<p>"You are the one that saw the boy have -it, are you?" queried the captain.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"How long since?"</p> - -<p>"About half an hour."</p> - -<p>"Why did you not mention it at the time?"</p> - -<p>"I thought perhaps he had only picked it -up, and would give it back to you," said the -Spaniard, in some confusion. "I didn't want -to charge him with the theft till I felt sure -he meant to steal it."</p> - -<p>"And what makes you feel sure he did so -intend?"</p> - -<p>"Because when you said the ring was lost, -he did not come forward and restore it."</p> - -<p>"Ay," said Captain Brace, "that is strongly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> -against him. If it is found that he has concealed -it anywhere, he shall repent it, by——"</p> - -<p>It is unnecessary to stain our pages by -printing the oath with which he emphasized -this assertion.</p> - -<p>"What reason have you for supposing that -he concealed it in his chest?" asked the -mate.</p> - -<p>"Because I saw him go down below," answered -Antonio, with unblushing falsehood.</p> - -<p>"It's a lie," said Charlie, boldly. "I haven't -been below this morning."</p> - -<p>"Silence!" thundered the captain, scowling -menacingly; "don't add falsehood to theft."</p> - -<p>"I haven't been guilty of theft," said -Charlie boldly.</p> - -<p>"Silence!" again thundered the captain, -"or it will be the worse for you."</p> - -<p>"You had better not say anything more, -my lad," whispered Bill Sturdy; "we shall -yet bring you off with flying colors. Don't -you fear. Bill Sturdy is your friend, and he -will stand by you."</p> - -<p>Charlie looked grateful.</p> - -<p>When his statement had been so unequivocably<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> -denied by our hero, Antonio suffered -himself to look at him for one instant, -but in that brief glance was concentrated -so much of spite and venom and malice, -that the boy could not help shuddering, as if -the countenance of a fiend had been unexpectedly -revealed to him.</p> - -<p>"I think, Captain Brace," said Randall, -"that we may venture to let Antonio assist -us, since he may succeed where we have -failed."</p> - -<p>"Very well," said the captain, "I have no -objection to offer. On the contrary, if he -succeeds in finding it, I will take care that he -shall be rewarded."</p> - -<p>Antonio was already on his knees before -the chest. There was a murmur of disapprobation -among the crew. They were in favor -of fair play, and this undue eagerness to convict -our hero of guilt did not commend itself -to their sense of justice and generosity. But -Antonio cared little for the sensation which -his conduct might excite among his fellow-seamen. -He cared more for the gratification -of his revenge than for personal popularity.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span></p> - -<p>A glance satisfied him that the ring was -not in the chest. He next began to examine -carefully the clothes which had been taken -out and were lying on deck.</p> - -<p>In lifting and shaking a shirt the ring -rolled out.</p> - -<p>"<i>There is your ring</i>, Captain Brace," said -he, in a tone of exultation, as he picked it up -and extended it to the captain.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XXV.<br /> <small>THE REAL CULPRIT IS DISCOVERED.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> discovery of the ring made a profound -impression upon all present. The sailors -looked at first surprised, and then sorrowful, -for they could not escape the conviction that -Charlie had been tempted by the richness of -the prize and had actually stolen it.</p> - -<p>Charlie was overwhelmed with astonishment -and indignation, and the thought that -he was considered guilty made him feel very -uncomfortable.</p> - -<p>The captain, the mate, and Antonio could -hardly conceal the satisfaction which this discovery<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> -afforded them. Each had motives of -his own, the captain being, of course, glad to -recover an article which he valued, but of the -three perhaps there was none that felt a more -malicious satisfaction than the one who had -devised the plot. He glanced exultantly at -Charlie and Bill Sturdy, who he knew would -be equally affected by his favorite's misfortune.</p> - -<p>Bill Sturdy returned his glance composedly. -Antonio was disappointed to find that -he neither looked disturbed nor frightened. -Bill waited calmly the course of events.</p> - -<p>Captain Brace exclaimed in his harsh voice, -"It seems we have a thief on board. We'll -soon teach him the way all such rascals will -be treated on board this ship. Boy, take off -your jacket."</p> - -<p>"Captain Brace," said Charlie, with glowing -cheeks, and in a tone that might have -convinced any one not prejudiced against him, -"just hear what I am going to say. I didn't -steal your ring, indeed I didn't. I would -scorn to do such a thing. Ever since I could -speak my mother has taught me how mean a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> -thing it is to take what belongs to another. -I own that appearances are against me."</p> - -<p>Here Randall stepped forward with an evil -smile upon his face.</p> - -<p>"Captain Brace, as I am the uncle of this -boy, perhaps you will allow me to tell you -how much dependence can be placed upon -his word. He is an artful young rascal. I -am sorry to say it, since he is related to -me, but the fact is, he was on the point of -being arrested for theft just before we sailed, -when I, to protect him from imprisonment, -and snatch him from the custody of the law, -took him to sea with me. I have said this -against my will, because, although I know -you, Captain Brace, would not be imposed -upon by his story, I thought there might be -others that would."</p> - -<p>The sailors looked at each other, not knowing -what to think, while the captain exclaimed, -sternly, "So this is not the first of your tricks, -my fine fellow. You shall have justice done -you on the sea, if not on the land. Strip, I -tell you."</p> - -<p>Charlie was so thunderstruck by Randall's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> -bold falsehood that he actually had nothing -to say. He mechanically began to take off -his jacket.</p> - -<p>At this moment the clarion voice of Bill -Sturdy was heard, as, hitching up his trousers -a bit, he left the mast against which he -had been leaning, and advanced into the midst -of the assembled sailors.</p> - -<p>"Captain Brace," he said, in a tone firm -but respectful, "if you'll allow me, I'll tell -you what I know of this affair."</p> - -<p>"So you know something about it, do you?"</p> - -<p>"I thought so," said Randall, in a low voice, -for he had disliked Bill from the first.</p> - -<p>"I do," was the composed reply, "but I -have no reason to be ashamed of what I do -know."</p> - -<p>"I think," said the mate, "we already -know all that we require, since we have discovered -the thief."</p> - -<p>He was apprehensive, from Bill's tone, that -what he had to say might put a different face -on the matter, and perhaps clear Charlie.</p> - -<p>Captain Brace, however, did not choose to -be guided by the implied advice of his first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> -officer. He had a curiosity to learn what -Sturdy had to communicate.</p> - -<p>"Say on; what do you know of this affair?"</p> - -<p>"Very well, sir. About an hour ago you -came up from the cabin and began to pace -the deck."</p> - -<p>The captain assented.</p> - -<p>"As you passed I observed one of the crew -take a hasty glance at your finger. I looked -also, and saw that you were not wearing your -ring as usual."</p> - -<p>"Well?"</p> - -<p>"The sailor that I mentioned just now."</p> - -<p>"Who was he?"</p> - -<p>"I would rather not mention his name just -at present, unless you insist upon it."</p> - -<p>The captain did not insist, and Sturdy -proceeded.</p> - -<p>"I thought I would just keep my eyes -open, and see what followed. Pretty soon -the sailor I spoke of looked about him to see -if he was unnoticed, and crept slyly down -below. A little later he came up and went -to work again."</p> - -<p>"Was that all?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span></p> - -<p>"It was not," answered Sturdy. "He kept -at work about ten minutes longer, and then -stole towards the forecastle with the same -secrecy as before. I should have followed -him down, but I thought he would notice me. -My mind misgave me that he was in some -mischief. I determined I would remember -what happened, and if anything turned up, I -should know how it came about."</p> - -<p>"And what do you make of all this?" said -Randall, sneering. "To my mind it is a foolish -story, and, even if true, amounts to -nothing."</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you what I think, and am about -sure of, Mr. Randall," said Bill, without betraying -a particle of excitement, but continuing -to speak with the same calm composure -as before, "I believe that man in the first -place stole the captain's ring, and then went -and put it into the lad's chest, in order that -it might be found there, and the guilt fixed -on him."</p> - -<p>This assertion made a sensation among the -crew, and there was a general feeling that -Charlie was innocent.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Who is this man of whom you have been -speaking?" said the captain.</p> - -<p>"I don't need to name him," said Bill. "I -don't need even to look at him. If you will -look around you, Captain Brace, you can tell -by his looks who the man is that has hatched -this wicked plot against an innocent boy."</p> - -<p>Instantly the eyes of all, as if by some -common impulse, were fixed upon the form of -Antonio, who, confused, thunderstruck by -the minute detail of his movements, which -he had supposed unnoticed by any one, now -stood with his face alternately flushing and -paling, looking the very picture of confession -and detected guilt.</p> - -<p>Unable to bear the glances fixed upon him, -he exclaimed, in a voice hoarse with passion, -"It is false. I never did it."</p> - -<p>"No one has accused you that I know of," -said Bill Sturdy, coolly. "Leastways, nobody -that I know of, excepting yourself, and -your face is enough to do that. However, I -don't mind saying that you are the man I -mean. If Captain Brace will take the trouble -to remember, you are the first one that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> -thought of searching for the ring, and told him -falsely that you had seen it in the hands of -that lad there. Then again, when the chest -had been searched, and the ring couldn't be -found, you came forward and offered to look -for it yourself, and finally you did find it. -That's all I've got to say, only, if you are not -the real thief I am a liar, and so is that face -of yours."</p> - -<p>Carried away by his rage, Antonio, forgetting -the prudence which his past experience -might have taught him, threw himself suddenly -upon Bill Sturdy, and nearly succeeded -in laying him prostrate upon the deck.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XXVI.<br /> <small>A STORM BREWING.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Antonio's</span> assault was so unexpected that -Bill Sturdy, being, of course, quite unprepared -for it, staggered and seemed about to -fall. But, as one who slips upon the ice -instinctively makes an effort to preserve his -equilibrium, so Sturdy immediately recovered -from the momentary disadvantage, and seizing -Antonio with both hands threw him to -the deck without any great apparent effort.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span></p> - -<p>Probably if Antonio had gained the advantage, -Captain Brace would have been in no -haste to put a stop to the conflict. As it -was, his brows knit with anger as he exclaimed, -in a stentorian voice,—</p> - -<p>"Stop this fighting, you lubbers! Don't -you know better the respect which is due to -my presence, you—rascals! I'll let you know -that I am not to be insulted on my own -deck."</p> - -<p>"It wasn't a fight of my seeking, Captain -Brace," said Bill, coolly. "I ain't disposed to -be quarrelsome, and I guess he won't want to -try it again immediately."</p> - -<p>As he said this he glanced at Antonio, who, -sorely bruised by the fall, was slowly rising -from the deck, and slinking away with a -crestfallen and malignant look. Had he not -been moved by an uncontrollable impulse of -rage and disappointment, he would scarcely -have ventured upon this open attack, knowing, -as had been incontestably proved, that he -was no match for the Herculean strength of -Bill Sturdy.</p> - -<p>"Silence!" roared the captain, in answer to -Bill's vindication of himself. "One would -think from your manner that you were the -captain of this ship instead of me."</p> - -<p>"If I were the captain," said Bill, bluntly,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> -"I'd have that man," pointing to Antonio, -"put ashore at the first port. I wouldn't -harbor such a rascal aboard the ship."</p> - -<p>"Silence!" again thundered the captain. -"Don't you know your place? If you don't, -by all the saints in the calendar, I'll make -you know it before twenty-four hours have -passed over your head. Let me tell you that -I don't require any help in commanding this -vessel. When I do, I will call on you. Till -then, you may keep your advice to yourself."</p> - -<p>Bill shrugged his shoulders, but thought it -prudent, on the whole, to say nothing. Not -that he feared for himself. He had a good -deal of confidence in the strength with which -nature had endowed him, but he feared that -any unguarded words of his might incite the -captain and mate to visit new hardships upon -his young <i>protégé</i>, Charlie.</p> - -<p>"As to the matter of the ring," said the -captain, "my mind is not made up. Mr. -Randall, will you attend me?"</p> - -<p>The mate went below with Captain Brace.</p> - -<p>After a moment's silence the captain said, -"I don't like that fellow, Mr. Randall."</p> - -<p>"Do you mean Antonio?"</p> - -<p>"No; this Sturdy, who takes such airs -upon himself."</p> - -<p>"Neither do I," answered Randall, promptly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span></p> - -<p>"He's a mutinous rebel. I can see it in his -eye," pursued the captain.</p> - -<p>"I have no doubt he would be if he had a -good opportunity."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps I shall give him one," said the -captain, significantly.</p> - -<p>"He's as strong as a bull," said the mate.</p> - -<p>"Yes; the fellow has fists like sledge-hammers, -but he may use them once too often. -We will speak of that hereafter. Now what -do you think of this robbery?"</p> - -<p>"I suppose Antonio was the thief," said -Randall, reluctantly.</p> - -<p>"You think Sturdy's story is correct?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; Antonio is a deep rascal, though of -the two I hate Sturdy most."</p> - -<p>"Did you suppose your nephew to be the -thief before the latter told his story?"</p> - -<p>"I did not."</p> - -<p>"Yet you countenanced the charge."</p> - -<p>"Because I thought a flogging would do -the boy no harm."</p> - -<p>"You don't seem to have any great affection -for your nephew."</p> - -<p>"I do not."</p> - -<p>"And the reason?"</p> - -<p>"Is simply this. The boy's mother jilted -me, or rather refused me outright when I offered -my hand in marriage."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Ha, that's where the shoe pinches."</p> - -<p>"You are right."</p> - -<p>"Well, I don't care to interfere with any -little private revenge you may desire to take, -as long as it chimes in with my own purposes. -The boy shall be flogged if you wish it."</p> - -<p>"I do."</p> - -<p>"Find some pretext then, as long as the -charge of robbery won't serve."</p> - -<p>"Then," said Randall, "you might announce -that, although the charge of theft had -not been sustained, he had been guilty of an -offence that called for punishment—insolence -to his officers."</p> - -<p>"That is a good idea. And in regard to -Antonio——"</p> - -<p>"I have no doubt the rascal stole the ring, -and deserves punishment, but I don't want -him flogged, as it would gratify Sturdy too -much."</p> - -<p>"My own feeling."</p> - -<p>"You can say that you have been unable -to determine who is guilty in the matter, and -shall wait for further evidence."</p> - -<p>"Very well conceived, Mr. Randall. I -shall follow your advice, and thank you -for it."</p> - -<p>"I am glad to have been of service to you, -Captain Brace."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span></p> - -<p>"And now, Mr. Randall, if you will go on -deck, I will be up presently."</p> - -<p>The mate reappeared on deck with a satisfied -air, occasionally looking with a glance of -triumphant spite at Charlie, who was standing -beside his tried and trusty friend, Bill -Sturdy.</p> - -<p>"You don't know what's in store for you, -my lad," he muttered. "Pity his mother -could not be here to see his fair flesh quivering -under the keen lash. Her heart would -feel every stroke. She might repent then, -the scorn with which she repelled the suit of -John Randall. How I hate that boy! He -brings up his father before me. So much the -better. When he shrinks beneath the lash, I -shall think it is my old rival upon whom it -is falling."</p> - -<p>Bill Sturdy, meanwhile, said in a low voice -to Charlie, "I don't like the looks of the mate -this morning. He's hatching mischief of -some kind, if I'm not greatly mistaken."</p> - -<p>"Against us?"</p> - -<p>"That's what I mistrust, my lad; against -one or both of us. He hates us both, and I -ain't quite sure which he hates the most."</p> - -<p>"And yet I never did him any injury."</p> - -<p>"Then he's done you some harm, depend -upon it. People hate worst those they have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> -injured most, and he's done you a great wrong -in stealing you from home."</p> - -<p>"What do you suppose made him do that, -Bill?"</p> - -<p>"He had some private reason; there ain't -a question about that. It wasn't because -we were in want of a boy. We might have -picked up plenty that would have been glad -to come."</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid you'll get into trouble with -him for taking my part," said Charlie, with -some anxiety.</p> - -<p>"Don't trouble yourself about me," said -Sturdy, shrugging his shoulders. "I ain't in -any way frightened by his black looks, and -if he tries to do you any mischief, he'll find -you've got one friend."</p> - -<p>Before Charlie had an opportunity to reply, -Captain Brace came on deck, and looked -around him with a glance that showed a -storm was brewing.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XXVII.<br /> <small>THE LASH.</small></h2> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">Pipe</span> all hands to see punishment inflicted," -ordered Captain Brace.</p> - -<p>Charlie and Bill Sturdy looked at each -other, uncertain where the blow was to fall.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span></p> - -<p>"It must be Antonio," thought our hero.</p> - -<p>Evidently Antonio was of the same opinion, -for over his swarthy face there stole a pallor -which showed his apprehension.</p> - -<p>Such was the understanding of the crew -also, as they could think of no other wrongdoer. -Little pity was excited in behalf of the -supposed sufferer. He had so abused his -position when champion of the crew, that he -had forfeited the good-will of all; and even -if this had not been the case, his treacherous -and mean attempt to bring Charlie into -trouble would have been sufficient to bring -him into disfavor.</p> - -<p>The uncertainty as to the victim was dissipated -by the captain's next words.</p> - -<p>"Jack Randall, come here!"</p> - -<p>Charlie came forward.</p> - -<p>"Boy," said Captain Brace, sternly, "you -were guilty of insolence to me this morning. -This shall never go unpunished while I am in -command of a vessel. As to the ring, you -may or may not have stolen it. It rests between -you and Antonio. As it cannot be -proved of either, neither will be punished on -this account."</p> - -<p>Antonio's sallow face lighted up with joy -at this unexpected escape, a joy which was -not reflected on the faces of the crew.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span></p> - -<p>"It is for insolence, therefore, and not on -account of theft," pursued the captain, "that -I sentence you, Jack Randall, to a dozen -lashes on the bare back. Off with your -jacket!"</p> - -<p>Charlie was a brave boy, but the prospect -of this ignominious punishment caused his -check to pale and his voice to tremble, as he -exclaimed, "Captain Brace, if I have been -guilty of insolence or want of proper respect -to you, it was not intentional. Do not compel -me to submit to this disgraceful punishment."</p> - -<p>There was a movement of sympathy among -the crew, and more than one heart softened -at the sight of Charlie's manly front, though -his lips quivered, and pride alone kept back -the tears from his eyes. Bill Sturdy started, -but checked himself, to hear what the captain -would say in response.</p> - -<p>"It is too late," he said, coldly. "You -should have thought of all that before you -indulged in insolence."</p> - -<p>"But——"</p> - -<p>"It is too late, I say," roared the captain, -irritated. "Strip, you young rascal, or you -shall have some help about it, and that of a -rough kind."</p> - -<p>It seemed as if all chance of escape was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> -over for poor Charlie. But at that moment -Bill Sturdy pressed forward, and, hitching up -his trousers, as he was wont to do preparatory -to speaking, said, in a distinct tone of voice, -"Captain Brace."</p> - -<p>"Well?" said the captain. "What have -you to say?"</p> - -<p>"I should like to make a proposal to you, -sir."</p> - -<p>"A proposal," repeated the captain, mystified. -"What am I to understand by -that?"</p> - -<p>"It's just this, Captain Brace. You're the -captain of this vessel, and you've got a right -to flog that boy, I suppose, according to the -law.</p> - -<p>"Of course I have," said the captain, -fiercely. "Do you presume to question that -right?"</p> - -<p>"I don't think proper to question it just -now," said Bill; "but, Captain Brace, just -look at that boy. Look at his bright, honest -face, and you can't have the heart to abuse -him."</p> - -<p>"Abuse him!" exclaimed the captain, -stamping on the deck in his fury; "say that -again, and I'll have you flogged with him."</p> - -<p>"It was something of that kind that I was -going to propose," said Bill Sturdy.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span></p> - -<p>Captain Brace stared at him in astonishment, -a feeling which was shared by the -crew.</p> - -<p>"If you want to be flogged," said the captain, -grimly, "we will try to accommodate -you."</p> - -<p>"It is in this way that I mean," exclaimed -Bill. "I've taken a liking to that lad, and -I've promised him I'll stand his friend. Now, -Captain Brace, if somebody must be flogged, -spare him, and flog me in his place."</p> - -<p>Surprise was depicted on every face, and -the sunburnt and rough-visaged men about -him felt an involuntary thrill of respect and -admiration, as Sturdy manfully came forward -and offered his own back to the punishment, -which is properly regarded as an insult to -manhood, though the disgrace attaches not to -the one who endures, but to the one who inflicts -it.</p> - -<p>Charlie was the first to speak. His generous -heart revolted at the idea of escaping punishment -at the expense of his friend.</p> - -<p>"No, Bill Sturdy," said he, manfully, "I -don't want you to suffer in my place. It'll -be hard to bear it," and his lip quivered; -"but it would be weak and cowardly for me -to let anybody else suffer in my place."</p> - -<p>Charlie began to take off his jacket.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span></p> - -<p>There was a murmuring among the crew, -testifying to the excitement which they felt.</p> - -<p>"Put on your jacket, my lad," said Bill. -"I'm older and tougher than you, and I can -bear it better."</p> - -<p>And the stout seaman pulled off his shirt, -and displayed his brawny shoulders, and a -chest whose breadth and depth betokened a -strength which could not be styled less than -Herculean.</p> - -<p>Antonio looked on, his eye blazing with -vindictive joy. Whichever was flogged, his -satisfaction would be equal.</p> - -<p>"Hark you!" exclaimed Captain Brace, -interfering at this juncture. "I think that I -shall choose to have a voice in this matter. -So you wish," turning to Sturdy, "to relieve -this boy of his punishment, do you?"</p> - -<p>"I do," said the old seaman.</p> - -<p>"I don't want him to," interrupted Charlie. -"It is mine, and I will bear it."</p> - -<p>"It seems the parties are not agreed," said -the captain, sardonically.</p> - -<p>"Spare him," said Bill Sturdy, his eyes -resting affectionately on Charlie. "He is so -young."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps the best way in which I can -please you both is to divide the punishment -between you. I had sentenced this lad to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> -receive twelve lashes. Since you wish to do -him a service, you shall receive six, and he -the other six."</p> - -<p>"I do not consent," said Sturdy, comprehending -the captain's purpose to humiliate -both. "If his back is to receive a single lash, -my offer will not save him from the disgrace, -and that is worse than the pain."</p> - -<p>At this juncture the mate whispered something -in the captain's ear.</p> - -<p>The face of the latter lighted up with -satisfaction, and his next words revealed the -nature of the mate's suggestion.</p> - -<p>"I consent to the substitution," he said, and -then paused.</p> - -<p>Bill Sturdy's face glowed with generous -satisfaction, and with heroic forgetfulness of -self, he began to strip for punishment.</p> - -<p>A moment, and his back, broad and ample, -was bared and the thick, corded muscles -could be seen.</p> - -<p>"Antonio, come forward," said Captain -Brace.</p> - -<p>Antonio advanced amid the general surprise -of the crew, and somewhat to his own, -and stood still, awaiting orders.</p> - -<p>"Now," said Captain Brace, his tone showing -his malignant satisfaction. "I appoint -you as my deputy to administer twelve<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> -lashes to this man; mind that you don't -spare him."</p> - -<p>Antonio did not need this injunction. His -eyes were full of fiendish triumph, as he seized -the instrument of torture, and flourished it -above his head.</p> - -<p>As for Bill Sturdy, when he knew that -Antonio was to be employed to inflict punishment -upon him, this refinement of torture -shook his resolution for a moment. It was, -indeed, the bitterest drop in the cup. But -not for an instant did his resolution falter. -He would save Charlie at all hazards. He -quickly recovered himself, and said, in a firm -voice, "I am ready."</p> - -<p>Instantly the lash was whirled aloft, and -buried itself in his flesh.</p> - -<p>There was a quiver, and that was all.</p> - -<p>One—two—three—four—</p> - -<p>In fast succession the blows fall upon -his flesh, he meanwhile standing firmly -braced, though his cheek was paler than -its wont.</p> - -<p>Charlie's heart sickened, and he closed his -eyes to shut out the fearful spectacle.</p> - -<p>As for Antonio, he seemed to revel in the -task which had been assigned him. His eyes -fairly danced with baleful light, and he seemed -almost beside himself. It was this, perhaps,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> -that led him to exceed by one the strokes -which he had been ordered to administer.</p> - -<p>A moment after, and the lash was wrested -from him by Bill Sturdy, who threw him to -the deck, with one powerful grasp tore the -covering from his back, and buried the lash -which had scarred his own back in the flesh -of his late executioner who with face distorted -with fright and pain roared for mercy.</p> - -<p>"That is to pay for the blow you struck -on your own account, you scoundrel," exclaimed -Sturdy. "And now," as the lash -descended once more with prodigious force, -and the victim fairly writhed under it, "you -are one in my debt."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XXVIII.<br /> <small>TWO CONFERENCES.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">So</span> strongly were the sympathies of the -crew with Sturdy, more especially since he -had shown himself capable of such disinterested -and heroic self-sacrifice, and so decidedly -were their feelings enlisted against Antonio, -who acted like a fiend rather than a man in -the execution of the welcome duty assigned -him by the captain, that this sudden turning -of the tables, the summary revenge taken by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> -Bill Sturdy in return for the additional blow -Antonio had inflicted, was greeted with a -triumphant shout from the sailors, which -seemed to spring from them spontaneously.</p> - -<p>Captain Brace bit his lip, and Randall's -face darkened with rage. They felt that the -humiliation which they had intended for Bill -Sturdy had recoiled upon the head of their -own agent.</p> - -<p>The worst of it was they could not prudently -resent it. Antonio had in the eyes of all -been guilty of a glaring offence in exceeding -his orders, and had justly brought upon himself -the punishment he had received. However, -the justice or injustice of the matter -would have weighed little with Captain -Brace if he had not been assured that it -would not be safe for him to go further. -The law, at the time of which I am speaking, -gave almost unlimited power to the commander -of a vessel over the lives and liberties -of those who were placed under him, yet -most were aware that there was a point at -which it was wise to pause. At the commencement -of the scene, there had been audible -murmurs among the crew, the significance -of which the captain and mate would understand. -The habit of subordination, and the -knowledge that this was in a certain sense a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> -voluntary act on the part of Bill Sturdy, had -prevented anything more, but if the captain -had gone to greater extremities, the consequences -might have been serious.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Antonio picked himself up, -smarting under the terrible wounds which -had been inflicted by the lash wielded -with the whole of Bill Sturdy's enormous -strength. Indeed, although he had received -but two stripes, and his enemy thirteen, it -may be doubted whether the pain inflicted by -those two were not equal to that of the greater -number.</p> - -<p>Antonio had slunk down into the forecastle -to bathe his back and obtain fresh -clothes, for his shirt had been rent asunder. -Bill Sturdy, on the other hand, proceeded to -attire himself on deck and went about his -work, without showing outwardly the pain -which he must have been suffering.</p> - -<p>Captain Brace took no public notice of the -retribution which had followed the punishment. -He didn't dare to act as he wished, -and therefore chose to pass it unnoticed. -But an hour afterwards, as he sat in conference -with the mate, his fury burst the -bounds he had imposed upon it.</p> - -<p>"Curse that fellow!" he exclaimed. "Is -he forever destined to thwart my designs? I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> -felt that I could willingly have flogged him -myself till the last breath left his body."</p> - -<p>"It is a pity Antonio ventured to exceed -his orders."</p> - -<p>"Yes, the fool was richly repaid for his -act, but I could wish it had been by a different -hand."</p> - -<p>"That extra blow gave Sturdy a pretext -for his summary vengeance. But for that his -conduct could have been construed into mutiny -and disrespect to you."</p> - -<p>"And then I might have put him in irons."</p> - -<p>"You might do it now, but for——"</p> - -<p>"But for the crew, you would say. That -alone prevents me. The fellow, unluckily, -has secured their sympathy. Would that I -could devise some way for taking vengeance -safely upon this rebellious scoundrel."</p> - -<p>The mate leaned his head upon his hand, -and gave himself up to reflection. Something -occurred to him, for lifting his head again, he -asked,—</p> - -<p>"Have you ever been in Rio Janeiro, Captain -Brace?"</p> - -<p>"Never but once, and that some nine or -ten years since."</p> - -<p>"There are desperadoes in that city, as in -others," pursued Randall, fixing his eyes intently -upon the captain.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I do not quite catch your meaning, Mr. -Randall."</p> - -<p>"Men who are little troubled by conscientious -scruples, but are willing to undertake -the most dangerous and illegal enterprises—<i>for -small consideration</i>.</p> - -<p>"I begin to understand you now," said the -captain.</p> - -<p>"Shall I proceed?"</p> - -<p>"Do so."</p> - -<p>The mate rightly construed this into an intimation -that his proposition, though hinting -at crime, would not prove distasteful to the -captain. This, knowing the character of his -superior officer, did not surprise him, and he -proceeded.</p> - -<p>"I think you apprehend my meaning, Captain -Brace. This man is a thorn in our sides. -He is exerting a bad influence on board the -ship. He is undermining your influence with -the crew."</p> - -<p>"That is all true, Mr. Randall. What, -then, is your advice in this state of affairs?"</p> - -<p>"My advice is, that this fellow <i>should be -removed</i>."</p> - -<p>"To a place better fitted for him," suggested -the captain, with a grim smile.</p> - -<p>"Precisely so."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p> - -<p>"And through the agency of such men as -you have spoken of?"</p> - -<p>"That is my proposition."</p> - -<p>"It deserves thinking of. May I ask if -you have any acquaintance among the fraternity, -or whether you have ever had any occasion -to employ their services?"</p> - -<p>"I did on one occasion."</p> - -<p>"Do you mind giving the particulars?"</p> - -<p>"To you, no. Some years since I shipped -as common sailor on board the Porcupine, -bound from New York to Rio. On the voyage -one of the sailors on several occasions -insulted me, and I determined upon revenge. -At Rio I fell in with a desperate character, -who for a comparatively small sum engaged -to do my bidding."</p> - -<p>"Well?"</p> - -<p>"There is not much to tell. One night -this man was passing through a narrow street, -quite unsuspicious of danger, when he was -suddenly struck from behind by a bludgeon, -and—<i>he never came back to the ship</i>."</p> - -<p>"Did no suspicion attach to you?"</p> - -<p>"How should there? Who was to betray -me? Not my agent, or in so doing he would -betray himself. This is the first time I have -ever spoken of it, but I am safe with -you."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Perfectly. You say the consideration -was small."</p> - -<p>"Fifty dollars only. I dare say the fellow -considered himself well paid. Besides -he took whatever his victim had about -him."</p> - -<p>"Thank you for the suggestion, Mr. Randall. -I will furnish the money, if you will -undertake the management of the business -when we reach Rio."</p> - -<p>"With pleasure," replied the mate, and he -probably spoke the truth.</p> - -<p>While this conversation was going on, -Charlie in another part of the vessel was commiserating -Bill Sturdy on his injuries.</p> - -<p>"And it was on my account, too," said the -boy, regretfully.</p> - -<p>"Better me than you, my lad," said the -old sailor stoutly. "Don't trouble yourself -about that. It was my own free will, -and if I had been unwilling all the power of -the captain couldn't have made me submit to -it. Besides there was one thing that repaid -me for it all. Antonio got something he'll -remember to the latest day of his life, I -reckon. However that ain't what I want to -say now. It's just this. I haven't any particular -inducements to stay aboard this vessel, -and I've about made up my mind to give<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> -them the slip at the first port we come to, if -you'll go with me."</p> - -<p>"Where do we touch first?"</p> - -<p>"At Rio, I surmise."</p> - -<p>"I'm ready to go with you, Bill, whenever -you say the word," said Charlie, promptly.</p> - -<p>"That's right, my lad."</p> - -<p>And so the agreement was made.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XXIX.<br /> <small>DANGER THREATENS BILL STURDY.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> is my intention to pass rapidly over the -time which intervened between the events -which have been described, and the arrival of -the Bouncing Betsey at Rio Janeiro. Nothing -happened of sufficient interest to call for -record.</p> - -<p>As for our hero and Bill Sturdy, their position -was, unquestionably, more agreeable -and less disturbed by incidents than before. -This was not owing to any change in the feelings -of the captain and mate, but in consequence -of the iniquitous compact into which -they had entered. They felt secure of ultimate -vengeance; they could, therefore, afford -to wait. Indeed, they felt that they should -be more likely to secure the end they had in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> -view if, for the present, they should so act as -to lull asleep any suspicions which might be -entertained of their agency in the affair after -it was over.</p> - -<p>But Bill Sturdy was not deceived. He -determined to keep his "weather-eye open," -as he expressed it, and be on the lookout for -squalls.</p> - -<p>So the time passed.</p> - -<p>It was a bright, tropical day. The thick -garments which all had worn on leaving port -were laid aside, and every one was dressed in -light and thin attire.</p> - -<p>"We shall probably reach Rio to-morrow, -Mr. Randall," observed the captain.</p> - -<p>"Yes; if the present wind holds, there can -be no doubt of it."</p> - -<p>"And the little plan which we have been -contemplating need no longer be delayed."</p> - -<p>Randall smiled acquiescence.</p> - -<p>The wind held favorable, and the next -evening saw them in port.</p> - -<p>The captain and mate went on shore, leaving -the vessel in charge of the second mate.</p> - -<p>We have nothing to do with the motions -of the captain, but will follow Randall, who, -never backward in ill-doing, at once set about -the execution of his scheme.</p> - -<p>Having been in the city before, he was well<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> -acquainted with localities, and therefore was -able to direct his steps at once to that quarter -where he felt he was most likely to meet the -man he was in quest of.</p> - -<p>He entered a low drinking-saloon, and -ordered a glass of liquor, partly to gratify his -taste, partly that while drinking he might -have leisure to look about him.</p> - -<p>It was a low, square room, dark and unsightly, -frequented evidently by the lowest -ranks only. At this time there was but one -man present besides Randall.</p> - -<p>This man was tall, low-browed, with shaggy -black eyebrows, and a face on which villainy -was stamped in Nature's plainest and most -ineffaceable characters.</p> - -<p>"There's a man," thought the mate, "that -will serve my turn, and, to judge from his -looks, will be troubled by no unnecessary -scruples on the subject."</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, the other, lifting his eyes from -the glass, had observed his close scrutiny, and -chose to take offence at it. He rose from his -seat, and, advancing towards Randall, observed, -in a menacing tone, "It appears to me, señor, -that you are impertinent."</p> - -<p>Randall understood the language in which -this was spoken, and coolly inquired, "How -so?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span></p> - -<p>"You have been staring at me as if you had -some particular object in it."</p> - -<p>"So I have," returned the mate, in the same -tone as before.</p> - -<p>"Explain yourself, señor, and if, as I mistrust, -you mean to insult me, I will make you -better acquainted with my good knife," and -he tapped the knife significantly.</p> - -<p>"It is an acquaintance which I do not -court," said Randall, shrugging his shoulders. -"But it appears to me that it is not well -talking without something to moisten the -throat. I shall be happy to have you drink -with me."</p> - -<p>"I beg your pardon, señor, for my suspicions, -which, I see, were wrong. I see that -you are a gentleman. Henceforth I will treat -you as such."</p> - -<p>"I thought you would learn to know me -better," said Randall, filling both glasses; -"let me drink to our better acquaintance."</p> - -<p>Both sat down very amicably. The glass -had made them friends.</p> - -<p>"I should like to ask your advice on a certain -point," said Randall.</p> - -<p>"I will give it with pleasure."</p> - -<p>"I have an enemy—a deadly foe—whom I -detest. What would you do if you were in -my place?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span></p> - -<p>"You say he is your deadly foe?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"I would give him a passport to another -world. That is my advice."</p> - -<p>"And you would feel no compunctions?"</p> - -<p>"No more than if I were crushing a -spider."</p> - -<p>"I will own, then," said Randall, "that I -have thought of this, but it is difficult for me -to act in the matter."</p> - -<p>"Then hire another to do it."</p> - -<p>"Ah, if I could only find some brave man -who would undertake the job."</p> - -<p>"Well?"</p> - -<p>"I would engage him to do it for me, -if——"</p> - -<p>"Well?"</p> - -<p>"If we could agree upon the terms."</p> - -<p>"You need seek no further for your man, -then," said the stranger, gulping down another -glass.</p> - -<p>"How is that?" asked Randall, pretending -not to understand him fully.</p> - -<p>"Because, you see before you one who is -willing to undertake it."</p> - -<p>"You?"</p> - -<p>"And why not?"</p> - -<p>"Certainly, there is no good reason."</p> - -<p>"Now tell me about it."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span></p> - -<p>"First, let us settle about the price to be -paid."</p> - -<p>"As you please."</p> - -<p>After some little discussion this was finally -fixed at sixty dollars. For this paltry sum, -added to the booty which he might find upon -the person of his victim, this miserable man -was willing to commit one of the worst of -crimes.</p> - -<p>"Now," continued the mate, "I must give -you some directions which will enable you to -identify the person."</p> - -<p>"Is he a sailor?"</p> - -<p>"He is."</p> - -<p>"On board what ship?"</p> - -<p>"The Bouncing Betsey."</p> - -<p>"Lying where?"</p> - -<p>Randall indicated the wharf at which the -vessel was moored.</p> - -<p>"Now describe the man."</p> - -<p>"He is rather below the common height, -broad-shouldered, extraordinarily strong; in -fact such a Hercules that it will be well for -you to take him by surprise."</p> - -<p>"This will make me equal with him," said -the Brazilian, displaying his knife.</p> - -<p>"That and the darkness."</p> - -<p>"When shall I be likely to meet him?"</p> - -<p>"He will receive permission to come on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> -shore to-morrow night," said Randall. "You -must be hovering about the vessel, and watch -the sailors as they come from the ship. When -you see him, you will follow him."</p> - -<p>"Trust me for that."</p> - -<p>"And when all is over, and you furnish -me evidence that you have done the deed, -the money shall be yours."</p> - -<p>"I require a portion in advance. How do -I know but you will play me false?"</p> - -<p>"My good friend, I should expect, in that -case, to become your victim. However, your -request is reasonable. You shall have one -third of the sum stipulated in advance."</p> - -<p>He placed twenty dollars in the hands of -his companion, and, rising, paid his score. He -then betook himself to the ship, and, on the -arrival of Captain Brace, acquainted him with -the result of his visit. The latter expressed -great satisfaction.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Bill Sturdy and Charlie were -speaking of the plan they had in view,—that -of escaping from the ship.</p> - -<p>"Suppose," said Charlie, "we cannot obtain -permission to go on shore together."</p> - -<p>"Then I will come to the wharf at midnight, -and you can leave your bunk unobserved -and join me."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span></p> - -<h2>XXX.<br /> <small>THE PASS OF DEATH.</small></h2> - -<p>"<span class="smcap">Have</span> I permission to go on shore, Captain -Brace?" inquired Bill Sturdy on the following -morning.</p> - -<p>"I shall require your services on board -during the day," said the captain, acting in -accordance with the suggestion and arrangements -of the mate. "At nightfall you can -go if you like."</p> - -<p>Charlie, learning from Bill Sturdy, the -result of his application, did not prefer a request -till evening. His request was unceremoniously -refused. The Captain had no desire -that our young hero should be present at the -assault upon Bill, as his presence might prevent -the attack being made, and its success, -in consequence of Sturdy's great strength, -depended on its unexpectedness.</p> - -<p>"Never mind," said Bill, in a low voice, -"wait till midnight. Meanwhile I will be -seeking out a proper place of concealment. -When the Cathedral clock strikes midnight, -rise quietly and take a bundle of clothes, if -you can do it unobserved, and jump upon -the wharf. I will be waiting for you."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span></p> - -<p>Cheered by this hope, Charlie was content -to wait.</p> - -<p>He went below, and opening his chest, put -together in a bundle the clothes which he had -on when he went on board the vessel for the -first time. His little preparation having now -been made, he sat down and commenced a -letter to his mother which it was his purpose -to mail in the city, to be completed when the -result of his attempt to escape should be -known.</p> - -<p>We must now follow the movements of the -villain with whom Randall had conferred. -He had no idea of failing to carry out his -part of the contract. Aside from the pecuniary -inducement, his savage temper and utter -want of principle, made him rather court such -adventures, even for their own sake. Just -before nightfall he stationed himself at a point -on the wharf where he would have an opportunity -of observing all that went on board the -vessel.</p> - -<p>With his keen eyes he scrutinized the forms -of the sailors with a view of verifying Randall's -description, and so picking out the one -who was destined to be his victim. Circumstances -conspired to lead him to a wrong conclusion -upon this point.</p> - -<p>Bill Sturdy was, at that time, below, making<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> -preparations to go on shore. It has already -been remarked, that previous to his enrolment -among the crew, Antonio had been, physically -the most powerful among them. -Although inferior to Bill Sturdy, yet he possessed -a formidable amount of strength, and -on board most vessels might have challenged -comparison with any. But if Antonio was -one in a hundred, Sturdy was one in a thousand. -Seldom, very seldom, is there concentrated -in the human frame so much power as -he possessed. He would not have been found -unequal to the feats of strength which have -made famous the name of Richard Cœur de -Lion, the English king, who won, in so remarkable -a degree, the chivalrous respect and -affection of the English people, and whose -feats still live in the pages of the greatest of -modern romances.</p> - -<p>Antonio was, in form, not altogether unlike -Bill Sturdy. At all events, the resemblance -was so great that the mate's description of -Sturdy might easily be supposed to apply to -him. Hence, when the Brazilian cast a scrutinizing -glance over the persons of the crew, -he at once selected Antonio as the one -intended.</p> - -<p>"That is the fellow," he muttered. "He -looks powerful, but my good knife will prevent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> -his being dangerous to me, provided I -steal upon him from behind, and give him one -sharp, decisive blow."</p> - -<p>Bill Sturdy was not the only one permitted -to go on shore that evening. Several others -had similar permission extended to them, -leaving behind only enough to keep the proper -watch on board the vessel.</p> - -<p>A company, including Antonio, left the -vessel together some five minutes before Bill -Sturdy made his appearance. The Brazilian, -fixing his attention upon him, followed them -at a little distance, cautiously avoiding the -appearance of doing so, lest he might attract -observation. He did not expect to carry out -his design at present, partly because it was -not yet dark, and partly also because he -wished to wait till Antonio was alone. He -was resolved to keep him in view, for hours, -if need be, until a favorable opportunity -should present itself for the commission of -the crime he meditated.</p> - -<p>The first place the men visited was a low -drinking saloon, situated on a street considered -hardly reputable. It was not long before -they became noisy and drunk.</p> - -<p>One by one they staggered out of the drinking-saloon. -Among the last to go was Antonio. -He had probably drank more than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> -any of his comrades, but he had a strong -head, and showed his potations less in his gait -than many of the rest. He walked out with -a steady step, somewhat to the disappointment -of the Brazilian, who had been keeping -vigilant guard, and relied upon the effects of -the liquor to make him an easier conquest.</p> - -<p>It was already dark, but the street was too -public, and he would be too liable to interruption -and detection to make it prudent to -attack at present. He therefore cautiously -followed Antonio, hoping that he would presently -turn into some narrow lane or alley.</p> - -<p>In this hope he was not disappointed. At -a little distance there was a narrow alley leading -from the street in which Antonio was now -walking to another of equal size. Antonio -stood a little doubtful at the entrance, but -finally entered. If he had only known that -there was one close upon his heels, who was -tracking him with the keenness of an Indian -upon the trail of his foeman, he might have -hesitated before entering what, to him, was -destined to prove "the pass of death."</p> - -<p>But he did not know this.</p> - -<p>The alley was a long one, little frequented -at that hour, and unlighted. Cautiously behind -the doomed sailor walked the hired -assassin. And now Antonio is nearly midway.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> -Between them there is a distance of -fifty feet. Over this interval creeps the murderer -with noiseless feet. Then, snatching -the ever-ready knife from his girdle, he lifts -his hand, and the descending knife is buried -in the back of Antonio, entering just below -his neck. He sank to the ground with a convulsive -shudder, and a sharp cry of pain.</p> - -<p>The Brazilian stood over him. Antonio -looked up into his face, supposing it might -be Bill Sturdy, whose enmity he judged by -his own.</p> - -<p>And the thought came to him.</p> - -<p>Half lifting himself from the ground with -his last remaining strength, he ejaculated, -feebly, "Were you hired to do this?"</p> - -<p>"I was," said the assassin, briefly.</p> - -<p>Antonio could have but one thought as to -the one who had instigated the murder. He -was satisfied it was Bill, and that thought -made death doubly bitter.</p> - -<p>With a curse upon his lips, a bitter malediction -upon his rival, he died.</p> - -<p>Quickly stripping his victim of whatever -he had about him worth taking, his murderer -crept away.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span></p> - -<h2>XXXI.<br /> <small>CHARLIE'S ESCAPE FROM THE SHIP.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Randall</span> had made an appointment to -meet his agent at midnight at the place where -they originally met.</p> - -<p>Some ten minutes before the hour he entered, -and found the Brazilian seated at a -table with a bottle before him.</p> - -<p>"I am here first," said the latter, nonchalantly, -as he laid down a glass which he had -drained.</p> - -<p>"So it seems," said Randall. "And now, -what success?" he asked, eagerly.</p> - -<p>"The best."</p> - -<p>"You have——"</p> - -<p>"I have earned my reward."</p> - -<p>"Good!" exclaimed the mate, his eyes -flashing with revengeful malice.</p> - -<p>"And now," said the assassin, coolly, "I am -ready to receive my pay."</p> - -<p>"You shall have it as soon as you prove to -me that you have stated the truth."</p> - -<p>"Do you dare to doubt my word?" said -the Brazilian, fiercely.</p> - -<p>"Not at all."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Why, then, do you demand this proof? -Have I not told you?"</p> - -<p>"Because," said Randall, "you must know, -that in this matter I am the agent of another, -and that the money with which I pay you is -not mine, but only what he has intrusted to -me."</p> - -<p>"Well?"</p> - -<p>"You will easily understand that, though -I may be perfectly satisfied with your assurance, -he is a different person. He has never -met with you, and may very reasonably require -some proof that the deed has been done."</p> - -<p>"Would you know the hair of this man?" -asked the Brazilian.</p> - -<p>"I should."</p> - -<p>He drew from his bosom a lock of hair -which he had severed from the head of his -victim.</p> - -<p>Randall looked at it eagerly, turned pale, -and uttered an exclamation of mingled surprise -and dismay.</p> - -<p>"You have made a great mistake," he said.</p> - -<p>"A mistake?" echoed the other.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Randall; "you must have killed -the wrong man!"</p> - -<p>"What makes you think so?"</p> - -<p>"Because the hair should be sandy. This -is black."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Beware," said the assassin, suspiciously, -"how you attempt to trick me out of my -reward. The knife which has drunk the blood -of one can, on occasion, do the same thing for -another."</p> - -<p>"Your suspicions are unjust," said the -mate. "In any event, you are welcome to what -you have already received, and we must enter -upon a new contract for the other."</p> - -<p>"Umph!" muttered his companion, but -half appeased.</p> - -<p>"And now let us go and see who has been -the victim of this unlucky mistake."</p> - -<p>Together they proceed cautiously to the -alley where the sailor yet lay, cold and rigid, -his face wearing the look of dark, sullen -hatred and ferocity which had been habitual -to it in life.</p> - -<p>"Good heavens!" exclaimed Randall. -"This is Antonio."</p> - -<p>"Is it not the man you intended?"</p> - -<p>"No; it is his deadly foe. But what a -fearful look he wears in death. Was there -any struggle?"</p> - -<p>"No; he had no chance."</p> - -<p>"You did not kill him instantly?"</p> - -<p>"He had time to ask a question."</p> - -<p>"What was it?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span></p> - -<p>"He asked if I had been hired to murder -him."</p> - -<p>"And you answered——"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Did you tell him by whom you were -hired?"</p> - -<p>"I had no opportunity. He had just -strength to ask the question, and then -died."</p> - -<p>"He supposed it to be another," said Randall. -"But it can't be helped, and we may -as well leave this place, or we may incur suspicion. -I don't know that I care much for -the mistake. He was an ugly fellow."</p> - -<p>"About the other?"</p> - -<p>"If you will be on the wharf to-morrow -morning, I will take care that the man is on -deck. You could not fail to recognize him, -but to avoid all mistake, I will go forward -and speak to him."</p> - -<p>"And am I to receive no more than twenty -dollars for what I have already done?" asked -the Brazilian, discontentedly.</p> - -<p>"Did you take nothing from the corpse?"</p> - -<p>The assassin had found considerable money, -and the thought of this tended to appease -him.</p> - -<p>"You are welcome to that, whatever it is, -and for the new enterprise you shall have as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> -much as I promised in the first place. You -see, therefore, that you will be a gainer by the -mistake that has taken place, while I shall be -out of pocket by it."</p> - -<p>"You said you were but an agent."</p> - -<p>"So I am, but this money will come from -me."</p> - -<p>Here the two villains parted company, one -betaking himself to his ship, the other returning -to the drinking-saloon, where he spent -the remainder of the night in drunken revelry.</p> - -<p>In the meantime the man against whose -life Randall had plotted unsuccessfully was -preparing another disappointment for the -mate.</p> - -<p>On leaving the ship, not dreaming how important -to him had been the ten minutes by -which his comrades had preceded him, Bill -Sturdy struck for the central part of the city -by the most direct route.</p> - -<p>Turning a corner, he unexpectedly fell in -with a sailor who had been a messmate on a -former voyage. Bill ascertained that his comrade -was about to sail in two days for Liverpool, -and from thence to New York.</p> - -<p>"Can your captain take another hand?" -asked Sturdy.</p> - -<p>"I have no doubt he would like one, for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> -we are short-handed. We lost a sailor overboard -just before we got into Rio."</p> - -<p>"Do you carry any passengers?"</p> - -<p>"A few."</p> - -<p>"I shall want to secure a berth for one."</p> - -<p>"You don't mean to say, Bill, that you've -been spliced?"</p> - -<p>"Not quite so bad as that. The passenger -is a boy."</p> - -<p>"A son of yours?"</p> - -<p>"I wish he was," said Bill, earnestly; "but -I'll tell you more about this matter another -time. For the present, keep dark. And that -reminds me, can you tell me of any quiet, -decent place where the lad and I can come to -anchor?"</p> - -<p>"I know of a widow woman who will give -you good rooms."</p> - -<p>Bill took down the address.</p> - -<p>Toward twelve o'clock he returned to the -wharf at which the vessel was lying. While -he was standing in the shadow of a large -building the cathedral clock struck twelve.</p> - -<p>A moment after, and a youthful form -appeared upon deck, descended the side -swiftly, and stepped on the wharf.</p> - -<p>"Here I am, my lad," said Sturdy, in a low -voice, coming out from his place of concealment.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I was afraid you wouldn't be here," -whispered Charlie.</p> - -<p>"Trust me for that. And now we must -be making sail, or the pirates will be after -us."</p> - -<p>And this is the way Charlie took leave of -the Bouncing Betsey.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XXXII.<br /> <small>FIRST LESSONS.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">We</span> will not attempt to depict the rage and -vexation of Randall and the captain when -they ascertained that Bill Sturdy had made -his escape from the vessel and taken Charlie -with him. For they entertained no doubt -from the previous intimacy of the two that -they had deserted the ship in company. They -instituted as strict a search as they were able, -and even offered a reward to any of the crew -who should be instrumental in bringing back -either, but particularly the boy. None of -the sailors, however, would have betrayed our -hero, even if they had had the opportunity. -Captain Brace was finally obliged to put to -sea without those whom he was so desirous of -getting back into his power. He was compelled -at the last to ship two new hands in -place of Bill Sturdy and Antonio.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span></p> - -<p>As for Bill Sturdy, he embarked on the -Liverpool-bound vessel. He was desirous -that Charlie should go as passenger, offering -to pay his fare, that he might be spared the -hardships of a boy on board ship. But to this -arrangement our hero strongly objected. He -said he had no intention of being idle, and as -to the hardships, he was willing to encounter -them. Bill, therefore, withdrew his objections, -and Charlie became one of the crew. -He soon became a favorite, and as the captain -and mate were quite different in character and -disposition from those of the Bouncing Betsey, -his voyage proved much more pleasant and -satisfactory.</p> - -<p>We must now take leave of our young hero, -well assured that he is in good hands, and, -transferring the scene to Boston, inquire into -the fate of our friends there.</p> - -<p>It will be remembered that Mrs. Codman, -after the abduction of her son, was successful -in obtaining the post of governess to a rather -playful and mischievous young lady, the only -daughter of a wealthy merchant named Bowman.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman found her pupil as playful as -a kitten, and about as fond of study. To -confess the truth, Miss Bert Bowman was -deplorably ignorant for a young lady of her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> -age. Her governess, however, soon ascertained -that it was from no want of natural capacity, -but rather because she had been so much -indulged, that nothing had been required of -her beyond what the young lady chose to -perform, and that was exceedingly little. In -a private conversation with Mrs. Codman, -Mr. Bowman explained the deficiencies of -Bert with their cause, and went on to say, -"Now, my dear madam, I wish to surrender -Bert to your charge entirely. I feel assured -that I may rely upon your judgment to adopt -such a course as may be best adapted to reconcile -her to study, of which at present, she -has a great dread. I would not counsel too -great strictness at first, though I do not -apprehend that from you. Neither perhaps -ought we to try to advance very rapidly at -first. Step by step, will be the most judicious -way. In regard to hours, text-books, and -studies generally, you will do as you think -best."</p> - -<p>"I thank you, Mr. Bowman," replied Mrs. -Codman, "for your dependence on my judgment, -and hope to deserve it. I hope my -young pupil, who, I am convinced is not wanting -in intelligence, will do justice to her -natural capacity."</p> - -<p>The next day Mrs. Codman commenced her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> -undertaking, for such it may appropriately be -called.</p> - -<p>"Bertha," said she, pointing to the clock, -"it is nine o'clock. Suppose we commence -our studies."</p> - -<p>"Just let me have another race with Topsy," -said Bert, who was flying round the room -in pursuit of the black kitten, who was evidently -regarded by her young mistress as a -congenial companion.</p> - -<p>"I am afraid I must say no, my dear child," -said Mrs. Codman gently; "there is nothing -like punctuality. So if you will just ring the -bell, I will ask Jane to take away Topsy for -the present."</p> - -<p>"Can't Topsy come to school with me?" -asked Bert, disappointed.</p> - -<p>"I am afraid if she did my other pupil -would not make very much progress."</p> - -<p>Bert unwillingly acquiesced in the dismission -of her favorite companion.</p> - -<p>"You won't keep me as long as they do in -school, will you, Mrs. Codman?" asked Bert. -"If I had to study four or six hours, I should -certainly go into a fit."</p> - -<p>"I dare say you would," replied her teacher, -smiling. "Therefore I sha'n't keep you so -long. In fact, as you are the only scholar, we -sha'n't bind ourselves to so many hours, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> -rather to so much learned, so that it will -depend a good deal on how well you study."</p> - -<p>"That's good," said Bert. "Only, Mrs. -Codman, you mustn't be too hard upon me. -I don't believe I can get very long lessons."</p> - -<p>"I mean to be quite easy at first. I shall -not ask much, but that little I shall be strict -in requiring."</p> - -<p>Bert wasn't quite sure how she liked the -latter part of this remark.</p> - -<p>"Before setting you any lessons, I must -find out how much you know."</p> - -<p>"I guess it won't take me long to tell you -all I ever learned."</p> - -<p>"Here is a reading-book. Let me hear you -read."</p> - -<p>Bert took the book, and stumbled through -a paragraph, invariably mispronouncing all -words of over one syllable.</p> - -<p>"There," said she, taking a long breath; -"I'm glad that is over."</p> - -<p>"Now," said Mrs. Codman, taking the book, -"let me read it aloud."</p> - -<p>She was an excellent reader, and Bert, -though she could not read herself, recognized -the fact.</p> - -<p>"I wish I could read as well as that," said -Bert. "How awfully you must have studied -when you were a girl."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Not so hard as you think for, perhaps," -said her teacher, smiling. "Success depends -more upon a series of small efforts, than any -great one."</p> - -<p>"Do you think I shall ever read well?" -asked Bert doubtfully.</p> - -<p>"I am sure you will, if you will give a moderate -amount of attention. Do you know -anything of arithmetic?"</p> - -<p>"Do you mean the Multiplication Table?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, that is a part of it."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Bert, "I know some lines about -it. Charlie Morrill taught me them one day."</p> - -<p>"What are they?"</p> - -<p>Bert repeated these lines, which no doubt -are familiar to many of my readers:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"><div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Multiplication is vexation,</div> -<div class="verse i2">Division is as bad,</div> -<div class="verse">The rule of Three doth trouble me,</div> -<div class="verse i2">And Practice makes me mad.</div> -</div></div></div> - -<p>Mrs. Codman smiled. "Perhaps you will like -them better as you grow better acquainted. -Can you tell me how much are four times -four?"</p> - -<p>Bert went through a variety of motions in -counting her fingers, and finally announced as -the result of her computation, that four times -four made twenty-nine.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span></p> - -<p>"That is hardly right."</p> - -<p>"I'm awful ignorant, ain't I?" asked Bert.</p> - -<p>"Considerably so, I confess. But we shall -be able to remedy that."</p> - -<p>"You won't make me study my eyes out?"</p> - -<p>"That would be a pity. You see mine are -not yet gone, and I don't mean to ask you to -study any harder than I did."</p> - -<p>Bert looked at the eyes of her teacher -which were quite as bright as her own, and -lost her apprehensions on that score.</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you why I asked," said she, after -a pause. "There's a girl that goes to school—she's -only twelve years old—and she has -to wear spectacles, and I heard somebody say -it was because she studied so hard. I shouldn't -want to be obliged to wear spectacles."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman could not forbear laughing at -the idea of her frolicsome little scholar, with -a pair of glasses perched upon her nose, and -promised her that if she found there was any -prospect of her being obliged to wear them, -she would advise her at once giving up study.</p> - -<p>"Then I hope," thought Bert, "I shall need -them soon."</p> - -<p>"Now," proceeded Mrs. Codman. "I am -going to give you short and easy lessons in -reading, spelling, and arithmetic. It won't -take you long to get there, if you only try.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> -When you have recited them, we are to go -out and ride in the carriage."</p> - -<p>"Oh, that will be nice," exclaimed the child. -"Tell me what the lesson is, quick."</p> - -<p>The lessons were got and said sooner than -could have been expected, and so Bert had -taken the first step in ascending the hill of -learning.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XXXIII.<br /> <small>A LETTER FROM CHARLIE.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Bert</span> had plenty of capacity. She could -get her lessons in an incredibly short time -when there was any inducement. At other -times she would sit for two or three hours -with the book before her, but with her attention -straying to other things, and, as a natural -consequence, would know no more at the -end of that time than at the beginning. Fortunately -Mrs. Codman had the gift of patience, -and though she was gentle, was, at the same -time, firm.</p> - -<p>Of one thing Bert became convinced,—that -study was not so terrible as she had imagined. -At the end of three months she had made so -great an improvement, that her father was -equally surprised and delighted, and was disposed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> -to do full justice to Mrs. Codman's -merits as a governess. "Who knows but you -will become quite a learned lady in time, -Bert?" he said, playfully.</p> - -<p>"No doubt of it, papa," replied Bert. "By -the time I am eighteen, I expect to wear green -glasses and write books."</p> - -<p>"That will, indeed, be a miraculous transformation. -And what is to become of Topsy, -then?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, she'll be an old cat then, and won't -feel any more like racing round than I do. -She'll just curl up in a chair beside me, and -I will use her fur to wipe my pens on. She -is just the right color for that, you know."</p> - -<p>"Quite a sensible plan. I confess. Indeed, -it will be well for you to have something of -that kind to be employed about, as you will -probably have no beaux."</p> - -<p>"No beaux, papa? And why am I to have -no beaux, I should like to know?"</p> - -<p>"Because it takes two to make a bargain."</p> - -<p>"Well, perhaps I sha'n't," replied Bert, tossing -her head. "Perhaps you don't know -that I have picked out my future husband."</p> - -<p>"Whew! That is getting along faster than -I had anticipated. May I be permitted to -know who is to be my son-in-law? I think I -can guess, however."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Who?"</p> - -<p>"Mr. Bradley."</p> - -<p>Mr. Bradley was an old bachelor, of about -fifty, partially bald and more than partially -homely, who had now and then dined with -Mr. Bowman and had taken more notice of -the young lady than she at all desired.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Bradley!" repeated Bert, in a contemptuous -manner. "I'd a good deal rather -marry Topsy."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps," suggested her father, "the superior -length of the kitten's whiskers causes -you to give her the preference. Am I to understand -that she is your choice?"</p> - -<p>"No, it is a very handsome boy, and his -name is Charlie Codman."</p> - -<p>A look of regret stole over Mrs. Codman's -face—the expression of a sorrow caused by -her uncertainty with regard to Charlie's fate.</p> - -<p>"A son of yours?" asked Mr. Bowman, in -some surprise.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman replied in the affirmative.</p> - -<p>"You ought to see his miniature, papa. He -is very handsome."</p> - -<p>"And you have lost your heart to him. -Perhaps he may not return the compliment."</p> - -<p>"I hope he will," said the young lady.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps Mrs. Codman will allow me to -look at the miniature of my future son-in-law,"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> -said Mr. Bowman, not guessing the mother's -sorrow and its cause.</p> - -<p>While Mrs. Codman was absent from the -room, Bert gave her father a brief account of -Charlie's disappearance.</p> - -<p>"You must pardon me, Mrs. Codman," said -Mr. Bowman, in a tone of feeling, when she -had returned, "for speaking in the lively tone -I did. I little guessed the anxiety you must -feel about your son. Is this the miniature?"</p> - -<p>"A very attractive face!" he said. "I -don't wonder at Bert's taking a fancy to it."</p> - -<p>"I cannot wonder at your sorrow in losing, -even for a time, such a boy as this face seems -to indicate," he added.</p> - -<p>"You think there is a chance of his coming -back to me?" asked Mrs. Codman, anxiously.</p> - -<p>"I am hardly prepared to express an opinion -on the scanty information which Bert has -been able to give me. If you are willing to -tell me the story in detail, I will tell you -what I think of the chances."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman told the story, mentioning, -also, the name of Peter Manson, and the language -which he had used.</p> - -<p>"I sometimes see this man," said the merchant, -"and know him by reputation. He is -a miser."</p> - -<p>"He pretends to be very poor."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span></p> - -<p>"All pretence. I do not see what object -he could have had in spiriting your son -away."</p> - -<p>Further conversation followed, but, as might -be expected, no satisfactory result was reached. -Mrs. Codman, however, felt relieved and more -hopeful in the knowledge that her employer -knew of her loss, and would do what he could -to discover Charlie.</p> - -<p>It was only a week later that he came into -the school-room with a smile upon his face.</p> - -<p>"Father, you bring good news; isn't it so?" -said Bert.</p> - -<p>"I hope so."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman looked up with a glance of -eager inquiry.</p> - -<p>"As I took up the morning paper," said the -merchant, "my eyes, by chance, ran down the -list of advertised letters. Recognizing the -name of Mrs. Codman among them, I took the -liberty of sending to the office for it. It is -post-marked at Rio Janeiro."</p> - -<p>"Oh, give it to me quick!" exclaimed Mrs. -Codman, in agitation.</p> - -<p>"Is it from Charlie?" asked Bert.</p> - -<p>"It is, it is!" exclaimed the happy mother, -as she recognized the familiar handwriting; -and too impatient to unseal the letter, she -tore it open and devoured the contents.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span></p> - -<p>It was the letter which Charlie had commenced -on shipboard. We will give the -greater part of it.</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> -<p> -"<span class="smcap">Dearest Mother</span>,—<br /> -</p> - -<p>"I hope this letter will reach you in safety, -and will relieve you of some of the anxiety -you must have felt about your wandering boy. -You will start with surprise when you see -where this is dated. I am three thousand -miles from you, dear mother, but not by my -own act. But I must tell you how I came to -leave you. (This portion of the letter is -omitted.) You mustn't think I have suffered -all the time on board the ship, though it is -hard work, and, for some reason, the captain -and mate have both been my enemies. I have -had one faithful friend, to whom I am very -much indebted. He is a rough sailor, and -neither educated nor refined, but he has a -warm heart, and has been very kind to your -boy. Indeed, mother, I don't know how much -trouble I should have had, if it hadn't been -for honest Bill Sturdy. Some time I hope -you will have the pleasure of taking him by -the hand, and thanking him for all he has -done for me. The greatest act of friendship -for which I have to thank him I will not -write here, but I will tell you some time.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span></p> - -<p>"As we were neither of us treated as well -as we ought to be, we have deserted the vessel, -and transferred ourselves to a ship bound -to Liverpool, and thence to New York; so -that it may be some months from now before -I see you again.</p> - -<p>"I am so afraid you have suffered since I -left you, not only from solitude and anxiety -about me, but have been compelled to labor -beyond your strength. You were so poorly -paid for that horrid sewing, and had to work -so hard at it. But when I come back we -will live together, as we once did; and though -it will not be a luxurious home, it shall be a -happy one. As you may have moved elsewhere, -you must leave word with those who -occupy our old room where you live, so that -when I come back, which will be just as soon -as I can, I may come at once to you, and tell -you how much I have missed you.</p> - -<p class="right"> -<span style="margin-right: 3em;">"From your affectionate,</span><br /> -"<span class="smcap">Charlie</span>." -</p> -</div> - -<p>Knowing that Mr. Bowman felt a friendly -interest in Charlie's welfare, Mrs. Codman, her -eyes dim with happy tears, handed him the -letter, which he read attentively.</p> - -<p>"A very good letter," he said, "and very -creditable to the writer. When he returns,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> -if you and he are both willing, I will receive -him at once into my counting-room. His -letter is sufficient recommendation."</p> - -<p>How differently the world looks according -to the mood in which we view it. No one -could have convinced Mrs. Codman, after the -reception of this letter, that it was not a perfect -paradise. The patient sorrow which her -face had worn the day before, gave place to -a sweet and happy expression, which made -her look quite charming.</p> - -<p>"Mrs. Codman is really a beautiful woman," -thought Mr. Bowman, as unobserved, he -watched her laughing with Bert, glancing -over the newspaper which he was supposed -to be reading.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XXXIV.<br /> <small>THE RETURN OF THE BETSEY.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was a fine morning when the Bouncing -Betsey, after a quick and prosperous voyage -from Valparaiso, entered Boston harbor. -There had been few or no changes on board -since the ship left Rio Janeiro on the passage -out. Captain Brace is still in command, and -unfortunately has not at all mended his ways, -but has richly merited, as he has obtained, -the general dislike of the crew, not one of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span> -whom will sail with him again unless forced -by dire necessity. Second in odium as he is -in command, comes Randall the mate. He -cares little how he is regarded by the men -under him. To him the voyage has proved -in some respects a disappointment. He has -not recovered from the vexation occasioned -by the escape of Bill Sturdy and Charlie. He -has anticipated with eagerness the return to -Boston, where he hopes first to meet with the -deserters, and secondly intends to wrest a -further sum from the fears of Peter Manson.</p> - -<p>Before visiting the miser, however, it is his -intention to find out what he can about Mrs. -Codman, and how she has fared. He hopes -in his vindictiveness she has been reduced to -the deepest distress, and the hardest shifts to -procure a livelihood.</p> - -<p>He made his way to the tenement-house -where Mrs. Codman formerly lodged. He -went up to the door of her former room and -knocked, but it was opened by a stranger, who -could give him no information about the person -for whom he inquired.</p> - -<p>Perplexed and quite at a loss to obtain a -clew to the knowledge he desired, he went -back to Washington Street, and mingled in -the busy throng that crowded the sidewalks. -He walked leisurely along, gazing listlessly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span> -into the shop windows, but intent upon his -own thoughts.</p> - -<p>Chancing to let his eyes rest upon a passing -carriage, he was startled by the glimpse of a -face which he was sure he knew. It was an -elegant carriage, drawn by two spirited horses, -and evidently the equipage of a person of -wealth. A negro coachman in livery sat upon -the box, and wielded the reins with a dexterous -hand. There were two persons inside—one -was a child of ten, a lively young girl, -across whose face a hundred changeful expressions -flit. She was talking in an animated -strain to a lady with a beautiful and -expressive face, who sat beside her.</p> - -<p>These two persons were Bert and her governess. -The latter was looking better than -when she was introduced to the reader. Surrounded -by comforts and luxuries, and above -all relieved from her most pressing anxiety -by the letter which she had received from -Charlie, her cheeks had recovered their wonted -fullness and bloom, and the rare beauty for -which she had been distinguished in her -youth.</p> - -<p>Randall could scarcely believe his eyes. -This was the woman whom he had pictured -to himself as struggling amid the deepest -poverty to obtain a scanty subsistence, worn<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span> -out by harrowing anxiety for the loss of her -only son. What a contrast to his anticipations -was the reality! He saw her tastefully -dressed—the picture of health and happiness—with -the same beauty that had dazzled him -in times past, surrounded by evidence of prosperity -and luxury.</p> - -<p>"What can it mean?" he thought in bewilderment. -"Is it possible that my eyes are -deceived by an accidental resemblance?"</p> - -<p>The carriage had already passed him, but -as it was obliged to proceed slowly on account -of a press of carriages, he had no difficulty, -by quickening his pace a little, in overtaking -it, and again scanning the face whose presence -there had filled him with so much surprise.</p> - -<p>The first explanation which suggested itself -to him as possible was, that Mrs. Codman had -attracted the attention of some wealthy gentleman, -who forgetting the distance which -circumstances had established between them, -had laid himself and his fortune at her feet. -But even then how could she appear so lighthearted -and happy unless Charlie had returned? -There was another supposition that -old Peter Manson had died, and on his deathbed, -repenting his past wickedness and injustice, -had repaired the wrong of which he had -been guilty, as far as he could, by leaving all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span> -his possessions to Mrs. Codman. This was -to Randall the most disagreeable supposition -of the two, for it would effectually stand in -the way of the designs which he cherished -against the same property.</p> - -<p>Determined not to lose sight of Mrs. Codman, -he with considerable difficulty kept pace -with the carriage. It chanced that Bert and -her governess were just returning from a -drive, otherwise they might have led Randall -a long chase. At present they were not very -far from home.</p> - -<p>From the opposite side of the street Randall -watched them descend the steps of the -carriage, and enter the house. He paused -long enough afterwards to cross the street, -note down the name of Bowman together -with the number, that he might be able to -identify it hereafter. He then examined the -house itself with some curiosity. The appearance -of the house indicated clearly enough -the wealth of the owner.</p> - -<p>"I wish I knew," muttered the mate, "on -what footing Mrs. Codman resides here. She -must either be the wife of the proprietor or -his housekeeper, one or the other."</p> - -<p>At this moment an infirm old woman limped -out of the side-gate, with a basket slung on -her arm.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span></p> - -<p>Pressing forward, he accosted her.</p> - -<p>"You seem heavily laden, my good -woman."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said she, "thanks to the good lady -who lives in the house."</p> - -<p>"What is her name?"</p> - -<p>"It's Mrs. Codman. Do you know her, -sir?"</p> - -<p>"I am not sure. I once knew some one of -the name. But there is a different name on -the door—Bowman."</p> - -<p>"Yes, he is the gentleman of the house."</p> - -<p>"And Mrs. Codman?"</p> - -<p>"She is the young lady's governess."</p> - -<p>"How long has she been there?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know, sir."</p> - -<p>"Never mind. It doesn't matter much."</p> - -<p>"I wish I could tell you, sir."</p> - -<p>"It's of no consequence at all, and you -needn't mention that any questions have been -asked you. But I am afraid I have been -detaining you. Here is something to pay -you for your trouble."</p> - -<p>So saying he slipped half a dollar into her -hand and, avoiding her profuse thanks, walked -hastily away.</p> - -<p>"Now, for a visit to the miser," he said to -himself.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span></p> - -<h2>XXXV.<br /> <small>CHARLIE TURNS UP UNEXPECTEDLY.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">There</span> was but little variety in the monotonous -life of Peter Manson. His life was -one struggle for gold, his thoughts were continually -upon gold; gold seemed to be the -end and aim of his existence. But what -did he propose to do with it all? He was not -an old man yet, but all the infirmities of age -were upon him.</p> - -<p>Peter had not forgotten nor ceased to -lament the heavy draft which had been made -upon him by Randall. The thousands which -he had left could not compensate to him for -the one he had lost. So, in the hope of -making it up, he strove to live even more -economically than before, if, indeed, that -were possible. The additional privations to -which he subjected himself began to tell -upon the old man's constitution. He grew -thinner and weaker and more shrivelled than -before, and all this to save a penny or two -additional each day.</p> - -<p>As Peter was crawling feebly along towards -his gloomy den one afternoon, clad in -the invariable blue cloak, he was startled by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> -hearing a hoarse voice behind him, calling -out, "Peter Manson—Peter, I say!"</p> - -<p>"Who calls?" asked Peter, in a quavering -voice, slowly turning round.</p> - -<p>"Don't you remember me?" asked Randall, -for it was he.</p> - -<p>Peter muttered something unintelligible as -he cast a terrified glance at the mate, and -quickened his pace.</p> - -<p>"You're not very polite, Peter," said the -other, quickly overtaking and joining the old -man. "Is this the way to greet an old friend, -whom you have not seen for nearly a year?"</p> - -<p>Peter looked anxious and alarmed, and -glanced askance at his companion.</p> - -<p>By this time they had reached the miser's -quarters, and Peter, taking out a key, opened -the door.</p> - -<p>He opened it just sufficiently to admit himself, -and was then about to close it when -Randall, unceremoniously pushing him aside, -entered also.</p> - -<p>"By your leave, Peter, I will spend a short -time with you."</p> - -<p>"I have no fire," said Peter Manson, hastily.</p> - -<p>"I dare say not," said Randall, carelessly, -"but you can easily kindle one."</p> - -<p>"I—I have no fuel."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span></p> - -<p>"None at all?"</p> - -<p>"Why, a little—a very little," stammered -Peter, uneasily.</p> - -<p>"I thought so. Come, lead the way. I -won't trouble you to light the fire. I'll do it -myself."</p> - -<p>With something that sounded like a groan, -the old man led the way, and ushered his -unwelcome guest into the room described in -one of the earlier chapters.</p> - -<p>Randall used as much wood in kindling a -fire as would have lasted Peter a whole day.</p> - -<p>"You will ruin me," he said, in dismay.</p> - -<p>"Then you'll be ruined in a good cause," -said Randall. "But I say, Peter, don't you -remember what we talked about when I -visited you last?"</p> - -<p>The old man groaned, thinking of the thousand -dollars.</p> - -<p>"Seems to me it has not left a very agreeable -impression upon your mind," remarked -his companion. "Don't you want me to tell -you of the boy that I spirited away?"</p> - -<p>"Is he dead?" asked Peter, eagerly.</p> - -<p>"No; curse him, he escaped from me."</p> - -<p>"You—you didn't let him know about the -money?"</p> - -<p>"Which you feloniously kept from him? -Was that what you mean?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Ye—yes."</p> - -<p>"No, I didn't."</p> - -<p>Peter looked relieved.</p> - -<p>"Where is he now?"</p> - -<p>"Heaven knows! I don't. He deserted -from the ship at Rio Janeiro. But let me ask -you, in turn, Peter, what has become of the -mother, whom each of us has so much reason -to hate?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know."</p> - -<p>"Then she is no longer a tenant of yours?"</p> - -<p>"She moved in less than a month after you -went away."</p> - -<p>"Couldn't pay her rent, ha!"</p> - -<p>"Yes; she paid it as long as she stayed. I -have not seen or heard anything of her -since."</p> - -<p>"I have," said the mate, significantly.</p> - -<p>"You!" exclaimed Peter, eagerly.</p> - -<p>"I saw her to-day."</p> - -<p>"How—where?"</p> - -<p>"In a carriage."</p> - -<p>"A carriage!" echoed Peter, in surprise.</p> - -<p>"Yes; looking as bright and handsome as -when she rejected you with scorn."</p> - -<p>The miser frowned.</p> - -<p>"Where did you meet her?"</p> - -<p>"On Washington Street. I was walking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span> -there when I chanced to look into a gay carriage -that was driving by, and saw her."</p> - -<p>"Are you sure you are not mistaken?"</p> - -<p>"No. I followed her to her place of residence."</p> - -<p>"Where is it?"</p> - -<p>"No.——Mt. Vernon Street."</p> - -<p>"She must be rich, then."</p> - -<p>"No; she is a governess there, though -enjoying, I should think, unusual privileges, -and is, no doubt, happy."</p> - -<p>Peter made no reply, but seemed occupied -by other thoughts.</p> - -<p>"And now, Peter, have you any idea what -I came for?"</p> - -<p>"To tell me this."</p> - -<p>"I am not fool enough to take all this -trouble."</p> - -<p>"Then I don't know."</p> - -<p>"I want money, Peter."</p> - -<p>Peter could not be said to change color, but -he grew more ghastly than before, at this -demand.</p> - -<p>"I have nothing to give you," he said.</p> - -<p>"Tell that to the marines. You must give -me another thousand dollars."</p> - -<p>"Another thousand dollars!" exclaimed the -old man. "Where do you think I should get -it? Did I not impoverish myself in satisfying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span> -your last demand, and have I not been obliged -to live on bread and water since?"</p> - -<p>Randall shrugged his shoulders.</p> - -<p>"I dare say you have lived on bread and -water, but as to being obliged to, that is nonsense. -I ask you again, to give me a thousand -dollars. You will have thousands -left."</p> - -<p>"I shall be a beggar," said the old man, -passionately.</p> - -<p>"A beggar!" returned Randall, laughing -scornfully.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Peter, with energy. "You -promised, when I gave you a thousand dollars,"—his -voice faltered as he recalled the -sacrifice,—"that you would ask no more. -Now, you come back for another sum as large, -and it is not yet a year. You shall not have -it!" he exclaimed, passionately; "not if I -had it fifty times over."</p> - -<p>"Bethink you what you are saying, old -man," said Randall, menacingly. "Do you -know that I can go to Mrs. Codman and denounce -you?"</p> - -<p>"You will not," said Peter, trembling.</p> - -<p>"But I will, unless you comply with my -demand. Now what do you say? Better be -reasonable, and consent, before I compel -you."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Never!" exclaimed the miser, desperately.</p> - -<p>"I will denounce you to the police. Shall -I have the money?"</p> - -<p>But Peter was no longer to be moved, even -by his fears. His love of money overcame -every other consideration, and again he exclaimed, -"Never!" with all the energy of -which he was capable.</p> - -<p>"Is this your final answer?"</p> - -<p>"It is."</p> - -<p>"Then I will help myself," said Randall, -coolly, leaving his chair, and beginning to lift -up the trap-door, beneath which was the -miser's box of treasure.</p> - -<p>As soon as Peter fairly comprehended his -design, and saw the gold coins in the grasp of -the purloiner, unable to restrain himself, he -threw himself upon the mate with a cry as of -a lioness deprived of her young, and grasped -the strong man by the throat with fingers, -which, though naturally weak, despair and -rage made strong. At all events, it was not -particularly comfortable, and provoked Randall, -who seized the old man in his strong -arms, and, with a muttered curse, hurled -him to the floor, where he lay pale and -senseless.</p> - -<p>"Confusion!" muttered Randall, in dismay, -for Peter had uttered a shrill scream as he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> -fell. "I am afraid I shall get into an ugly -scrape."</p> - -<p>He was not altogether wrong.</p> - -<p>The scream had been heard by two, at least, -who were passing. The door was burst open, -and in rushed Bill Sturdy and Charlie, our -young hero, who had just returned to Boston, -and were passing on their way up from the -wharf at which the vessel was lying.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Randall!" exclaimed Charlie, in surprised -recognition.</p> - -<p>Randall strove to escape through the opened -door, but Sturdy, seizing him in his powerful -grasp, cried, "Not so fast, my hearty! You've -been up to some mischief, and if I don't see -justice done you, may I never see salt water -again!"</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XXXVI.<br /> <small>HOW CHARLIE COMES INTO HIS FORTUNE.</small></h2> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Probably</span> there were no two persons then -living whom Randall at that moment cared -less about seeing than Bill Sturdy and our -hero. Though astonished beyond expression -to see them there, his position was too critical -to allow him to waste time in giving expression -to his surprise.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Let me go, you scoundrel!" he exclaimed, -making a desperate effort to elude Bill's -grasp.</p> - -<p>He might as well have striven to tear himself -from the grasp of a lion.</p> - -<p>"Not so fast, Mr. Randall," said Bill -Sturdy.</p> - -<p>"You mutinous scoundrel!" hissed the -mate.</p> - -<p>"You forget," said his captor, coolly, "that -we are not now on the quarter-deck. Here I -am your equal, Mr. Randall, and perhaps you -may find me a little ahead."</p> - -<p>"Let me go, if you know what is best for -yourself," ejaculated Randall, almost foaming -at the mouth.</p> - -<p>"If you know what is best for yourself," -said Bill composedly, "I would advise you -to be quiet."</p> - -<p>"And now," he continued, tightening his -grasp a little, "just let me know what mischief -you have been up to?"</p> - -<p>"I am not responsible to you," said Randall -haughtily.</p> - -<p>"Responsible or not, you must give an -account of yourself."</p> - -<p>"If you will let me go, I will make it worth -your while."</p> - -<p>"Do you think I am mean enough to accept<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span> -a bribe?" exclaimed Sturdy, with honest -indignation. "Let me know what you have -been doing."</p> - -<p>"This old man!" said Randall, curbing his -pride, "foolishly thought I meant to rob him, -and shrieked for assistance."</p> - -<p>"Is that all?" asked Bill, keenly glancing -at the box of gold. "Things look as if you -were going to rob him in reality."</p> - -<p>"I am not in the habit of thieving," said -Randall, haughtily.</p> - -<p>At this moment the miser, who had been -insensible, began to show signs of returning -consciousness.</p> - -<p>"Go and get some water, Charlie," said -Bill. "The old man looks as if he might -come to with a little help."</p> - -<p>There was a pail half full of water standing -near by. Charlie sprinkled Peter's face, -and a moment after he gasped and opened -his eyes. He cast a frightened glance from -face to face till his eyes rested on Randall, -when he shuddered, and cried feebly, "Take -him away, take him away! He will rob -me."</p> - -<p>"Not while I am here to prevent him," -returned Bill, in a tone of assurance.</p> - -<p>"You are friends, then?" said the miser, -anxiously.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Of course we are. Did this man attempt -to rob you?"</p> - -<p>"Take care not to make any false accusations, -old man," said Randall, menacingly.</p> - -<p>"Speak the truth without fear," said Bill -Sturdy; "I'll bear you out in it. He can't -do you any harm."</p> - -<p>"He demanded a thousand dollars from -me," said the old man, "and when I would -not give it to him he was going to help -himself."</p> - -<p>"What do you say to that, Mr. Randall?" -asked Sturdy.</p> - -<p>"I say this," said the mate, turning a malignant -glance upon the miser, "that it was a -regular bargain—a matter of business. This -man owed me the money—he knows best -what for, and refused to pay it."</p> - -<p>"I did not," said Peter, hastily, "he had -already been paid in full."</p> - -<p>"Take care, Peter, or I may tell what it -was for."</p> - -<p>"I defy you," said the miser in a quavering -tone of defiance. "You are a bad man."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps you don't know who this boy -is?" said Randall.</p> - -<p>"Who is he?" asked Peter, doubtfully.</p> - -<p>"He is one who has reason to consider you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span> -his enemy," said Randall, "even more than -myself."</p> - -<p>At this unexpected statement Bill Sturdy -and Charlie looked at each other in surprise.</p> - -<p>"Do you know this old man, then, -Charlie?" asked Sturdy, at length.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said our hero; "it is Mr. Manson, -of whom my mother used to hire a room."</p> - -<p>"The landlord?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"And what harm has he ever done to -you?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know," said Charlie, shaking his -head, "unless," and an anxious look came -over his face, "he has distressed her for rent -since I have been gone."</p> - -<p>"Is that so?" demanded the sailor, sternly.</p> - -<p>"No, no!" said Peter Manson, hastily. -"She left my tenement a good many months -ago."</p> - -<p>"And where is she now?" asked Charlie, -eagerly—for, having just landed, he knew -nothing of his mother's whereabouts.</p> - -<p>"Then you have not seen her?" asked -Randall, with the sudden thought that he -might make better terms for himself by selling -his knowledge on the subject.</p> - -<p>"No," said Charlie. "Is she well? Tell -me, I entreat you, if you know."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I do know," said Randall, composedly, -"both where she is and how she has fared."</p> - -<p>"Tell me quick."</p> - -<p>"That depend upon circumstances. While -I am held in custody I have little inducement -to do you a favor."</p> - -<p>"Sturdy will release you, won't you, -Sturdy. Only tell me where my mother is, -that I may go to her at once."</p> - -<p>"Why," said Bill, cautiously, "I don't know, -exactly. He may be trying a game, and giving -us information won't be worth anything."</p> - -<p>"You can keep me here till you have sent -to ascertain if I have told you the truth."</p> - -<p>"No, no," said Peter Manson, terrified at the -prospect, "don't let him stay here. He would -rob me."</p> - -<p>"Rob you," sneered Randall; "it looks well -in you whose money has been dishonestly -gained, to charge me with theft."</p> - -<p>"He—you won't mind what he says, gentlemen," -said Peter Manson, trembling. "He -only says it to spite me."</p> - -<p>"To spite you! Yes, you old hunks, I will -spite you, and that with a vengeance! Hark -you, Sturdy, I have kept this old man's secret -long enough, and though I hate you, and that -boy there, I believe I hate him worse. If I -will reveal to this boy a secret which will insure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> -to him a property of from twenty to -thirty thousand dollars, will you agree to let -me go, and give me a thousand dollars?"</p> - -<p>"Can you do it?" demanded Sturdy, in -surprise.</p> - -<p>"I can."</p> - -<p>"Well, it ain't for me to say, but if I -were Charlie here I would close with your -terms."</p> - -<p>"Don't you believe him," said Peter, terrified. -"He is only making a fool of you. He -can't do what he says."</p> - -<p>Charlie was not a little astonished at the -turn affairs had taken.</p> - -<p>"I shouldn't wonder," said Bill, "if there -might be something in this, as long as the old -man seems so afraid the secret will be let -out."</p> - -<p>"You will find that I have told you the -truth," said Randall; "tell me quickly yes or -no. If you decline, you will lose more than -I shall."</p> - -<p>"Then," said Charlie, "I will accept your -terms so far as I am concerned."</p> - -<p>"And I'll bear witness to it," said Bill, "if -you will carry out your part of the agreement."</p> - -<p>"That I will do to your satisfaction. The -first thing to be explained is, that in carrying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span> -this boy to sea I was only acting as the agent -of another."</p> - -<p>"And that other!"</p> - -<p>"Was Peter Manson—the man you see before -you."</p> - -<p>"It is false," said the miser, turning ghastly -pale.</p> - -<p>"Moreover," said Randall, "I was well paid -for the service. I received a thousand dollars."</p> - -<p>"Oh, oh!" cried the old man, swaying -backward and forward—"a thousand dollars -in bright gold, and I so poor."</p> - -<p>"You see he admits it," said Randall.</p> - -<p>"And what did he want Charlie carried -away for?"</p> - -<p>"Reason enough for that. He feared the -boy might learn that it was his wealth which -he has been hoarding up."</p> - -<p>"Mine!" exclaimed Charlie, in unbounded -surprise.</p> - -<p>"Did you never hear your mother speak of -a certain Peter Thornton, who by purloining -and making off with twenty thousand dollars -caused your grandfather to fail?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes, often."</p> - -<p>"<i>That man is Peter Thornton!</i>" said Randall, -pointing with his finger to the miser.</p> - -<p>The latter half rose from his seat, and then, -as if he had received a mortal wound sank to -the floor.</p> - -<p>"You require no other confirmation of my -words," said the mate.</p> - -<p>"Why my lad, you will be a rich man," -said Bill Sturdy, his face beaming with satisfaction.</p> - -<p>"How glad mother will be!" exclaimed -Charlie. "Where is she, Mr. Randall? I -want so much to see her."</p> - -<p>The mate gave Charlie briefly the information -he required, and added, "You will probably -need my assistance to establish your -claim to the property of which yonder old -man has so long deprived you. I shall hold -myself at your service, trusting to your honor -to pay me the thousand dollars agreed -upon."</p> - -<p>"You shall not trust in vain, Mr. Randall," -said Charlie, promptly. "Place me in possession<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> -of what is rightfully mine, and you -shall have no reason to complain."</p> - -<p>"Very well, I shall stop at the Tremont -House for the present. There you or your -lawyer will find me. I advise you to employ -legal assistance."</p> - -<p>"I will do so, and thank you for the suggestion. -As soon as I have seen my mother -I shall proceed to business."</p> - -<p>Randall withdrew, but was quickly followed -by Charlie and his friend.</p> - -<p>"Where are you going, my lad?" asked the -sailor.</p> - -<p>"You needn't ask, Bill,—to see my best -friend, my mother. It is for her sake that I -welcome this fortune. She shall never want -any more while I have money. We will -have a nice little home, where you shall be -welcome, Bill, always and all the time."</p> - -<p>Bill pressed the hand of our young hero in -his own rough palm, and there was a suspicious -moisture about his eyes, but he said -nothing.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span></p> - -<h2>XXXVII.<br /> <small>REUNITED AT LAST.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Mrs. Codman</span> was sitting in a little room -opening out from the breakfast-room, which -had been appropriated as a sort of study by -Bert and herself.</p> - -<p>Topsy, the kitten, who had not yet attained -the sobriety and demureness of old cat-hood, -was running round after her tail.</p> - -<p>"Oh, dear," sighed Bert, who was puzzling -over a lesson in geography, "I can't study -any to-day."</p> - -<p>"Why not?" asked Mrs. Codman.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I feel so restless."</p> - -<p>"That isn't very unusual, is it?" asked her -governess, with a smile.</p> - -<p>"I feel more so than usual. Something is -going to happen, I know."</p> - -<p>"Something does happen every day, doesn't -there?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Well, you know what I mean; something -out of the way. I shouldn't wonder if Charlie -got home to-day."</p> - -<p>"Heaven grant he may!" exclaimed his -mother, fervently.</p> - -<p>By a strange coincidence—and coincidences -do sometimes happen in real life, though not -quite so often, perhaps, as in stories,—Mrs. -Codman had hardly given utterance to her -wish when the bell rang.</p> - -<p>Bert jumped from her seat.</p> - -<p>"It is he, I know it is!" she exclaimed. -"Do let me go to the door."</p> - -<p>"You are very fanciful to-day, Bert," said -Mrs. Codman. But she did not forbid her -going. Bert's earnestness had given birth -to a wild hope on her part, that it might be -as she had fancied.</p> - -<p>Before the loitering servant had a chance -to reach the door, Bert had already opened -it.</p> - -<p>Bill Sturdy and Charlie stood on the steps, -Charlie looking handsome and manly, with -an eager look on his bright face. Sturdy, it -must be owned, looked and felt a little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span> -awkward, not being accustomed to call as a -visitor at houses as elegant as Mr. Bowman's.</p> - -<p>"Oh! this is Charlie, isn't it?" exclaimed -Bert, with childish delight, instinctively putting -out her hand.</p> - -<p>"What, do you know me?" asked Charlie, -pleased with this cordial reception, but astonished -at being recognized.</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes."</p> - -<p>"Is my mother here?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; I will go and call her. But won't -you come in?"</p> - -<p>"I would rather you would call her," said -Charlie, bashfully.</p> - -<p>Bert danced back into the little study.</p> - -<p>"I was right, Mrs. Codman," said she, -triumphantly, "It is Charlie."</p> - -<p>"Has he come?" asked the mother, precipitately, -letting fall, as she rose, the astonished -kitten, who had clambered into her lap. -"Oh, where is he?"</p> - -<p>"At the door."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman waited for no more, but hastened -to the door, and, in a moment, the -mother was face to face with her lost boy.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span> -Of the delight of that meeting, of the numberless -questions which each had to ask, with -what fond pride the mother noted the increased -manliness of Charlie, I cannot speak -in detail. Both hearts were full to overflowing -with love and gratitude.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Bert was endeavoring, in her -way, to entertain Bill Sturdy, who, though no -man was braver or more self-reliant among -his comrades, felt abashed in the presence of -Bert, whom he looked upon as made of finer -clay than himself. And, indeed, the beauty -and sprightliness of the child made her look -like a charming picture, and even Charlie's -eyes could not help straying to her, from time -to time, while he was talking with his -mother.</p> - -<p>Bill was perched upon an elegant chair, -scarcely daring to rest his whole weight upon -it, for fear it might give way under him, -swinging his hat awkwardly in his hand.</p> - -<p>"You are Bill Sturdy, are you not?" -said Bert, determined to become better -acquainted.</p> - -<p>"How do you know that is my name?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span> -asked Bill, half fancying she must have learned -it in some supernatural way.</p> - -<p>"Oh, Charlie wrote about you in his letter."</p> - -<p>"Did his mother get a letter from him, -then?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; it was from some place with a hard -name. I never can remember those geography -names."</p> - -<p>"Was it Rio Janeiro?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; that was it. What an awful time -he must have had! Do you like going to -sea?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, miss; I feel more at home on the sea -than on the land."</p> - -<p>"You do! Well, that's funny. I know -I should be sea-sick, and that must be -horrid."</p> - -<p>"Well, it doesn't feel very pleasant," said -Bill, with a smile.</p> - -<p>"Oh, Mr. Sturdy, did you ever see a -whale?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, miss, plenty of them."</p> - -<p>"I suppose you never came near being -swallowed by one—like Jonah, you know?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span></p> - -<p>"No, miss; I don't think I should like -that."</p> - -<p>"What lots of adventures you must have -had! You must stay to dinner, and afterwards -you can tell me of some."</p> - -<p>"I don't think I could, thank you, miss, all -the same," said Bill, alarmed at the suggestion. -"Not but I'd be glad to spin you a -yarn some time."</p> - -<p>Just then Charlie bethought himself of his -companion.</p> - -<p>"Mother," said he, "you must let me introduce -to you my good friend, Bill Sturdy. -You don't know how kind he has been to -me."</p> - -<p>"I am quite ready to believe it," said Mrs. -Codman, holding out her hand quickly.</p> - -<p>Bill took it shyly in his.</p> - -<p>"I thank you most heartily for all you have -done for my dear boy," said she.</p> - -<p>"Anybody that wasn't a brute would have -done as much, ma'am."</p> - -<p>"Then I am afraid there are a great many -brutes in the world."</p> - -<p>Charlie stopped to dinner, but Bill could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span> -not be prevailed upon to do so. "You see, -my boy," he explained to Charlie, "it don't -come nat'ral; I shouldn't know how to behave. -So I'll just go back to my boardinghouse, -and you'll find me there after dinner."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2>XXXVIII.<br /> <small>REACHING PORT.</small></h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Will</span> the reader imagine a year to have -passed?</p> - -<p>During the time several things have happened.</p> - -<p>In the first place, Mr. Bowman has invited -Charlie to become a member of his -family.</p> - -<p>In the second place, charmed by the beauty -and grace, as well as the more valuable qualities -of Mrs. Codman, with whom he has -had a good chance of becoming acquainted -during her residence in his family, he has -invited her to become his wife. Mrs. Codman<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> -was taken by surprise, but found this -proposition not altogether unwelcome. She -had become attached to Bert, who added her -persuasions to those of her father, and at -length her governess promised to assume to -her a nearer relation.</p> - -<p>Through the testimony of Randall, the -identity of Peter Manson with Peter Thornton -was fully established, and the law decided -that the miser's wealth must go to Charlie -and his mother. It was found to exceed the -estimate which had been made of it, verging -close upon forty thousand dollars. Including -interest for twenty years, all this, and -more of right, belonged to those who had so -long been defrauded of it.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman could not help pitying the -miserable and disconsolate old man, pinched -with privation, which had enfeebled him, and -made him old before his time. She continued -to allow him the use of the old building -which he had occupied so many years, and -allowed him a certain sum payable on the -first of every month, to provide for his -wants.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span></p> - -<p>The sudden loss of the gold which he had -been hoarding up so long did not kill Peter -Manson, but it affected his intellect. The -habit of avarice never left him. He saved -up nine tenths of his allowance, and starved -himself on the remainder. Attempts were -made to remedy this by bringing him supplies -of fuel and provisions, but these he -economized as before. One day, when Charlie -looked in to see how he was getting along, -he beheld a sight which made him start back -in affright.</p> - -<p>The old man lay stretched out upon the -floor cold and dead, with a few gold pieces -firmly clutched in his grasp. He had received -a sudden summons while engaged in -counting over the little gold he had accumulated -from his allowance.</p> - -<p>So ended the wasted life of Peter Manson, -the miser.</p> - -<p>From him we turn to others who have -figured in these pages.</p> - -<p>Randall received the thousand dollars -which had been promised as the reward of -his disclosure. It appeared as if prosperity,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span> -rather than retribution, was to attend him. -He succeeded in obtaining the command of a -fine ship, with an excellent salary, and sailed -with fair prospects. But his tyrannical habits -had not deserted him. His unjustifiable -abuse aroused the deadly anger of one of the -crew, a man of excitable temper, who, before -he could be withheld, plunged a knife into -his heart one day, just after punishment, -killing him instantly.</p> - -<p>As for Captain Brace, he, too, demands a -word. Brief mention will suffice. In a fit -of ungovernable rage he burst a blood-vessel, -and he, too, died instantly, without a moment's -preparation, in which to repent of the -many wrongs he had committed.</p> - -<p>From the sad fate of these miserable men -we turn gladly to brighter scenes.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Codman, now Mrs. Bowman, has had -no cause to regret her second choice. Her -husband commands her respect and esteem, -and makes her very happy. Charlie is now -at an excellent school. After he has completed -a liberal course of instruction, he will -enter the counting-room of his step-father,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span> -where, as we cannot doubt, an honorable and -useful career awaits him.</p> - -<p>As for Bill Sturdy,—honest, brave, stout-hearted -Bill Sturdy,—he could not be persuaded -to abandon the sea, but now sails as -captain of a vessel belonging to Mr. Bowman. -He is unboundedly popular with his crew, -whom he treats as comrades in whose welfare -he is interested. Whenever he is in port, -Captain Sturdy dines once with Mr. Bowman. -He feels more at his ease now than when he -was only a forecastle hand, but he will always -be modest and unassuming. He is a prime -favorite with Bert, and always brings her -home something when he returns from foreign -parts.</p> - -<p>It is not ours to read the future; but I -should not be surprised, when Charlie -grows to manhood, if we should find Bert's -early choice of him as her husband prophetic.</p> - -<p>So we bid farewell to Charlie Codman. -His trials and struggles have come early in -life, but now his bark has drifted into smoother -waters. The sky above him is cloudless.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span> -His character has been strengthened by his -combat with adversity. Let us hope that his -manhood may redeem the promise of his -youth, and be graced by all the noblest -attributes of humanity.</p> - - -<p class="center no-indent p2">THE END.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -</div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Charlie Codman's Cruise, by Horatio Alger - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE *** - -***** This file should be named 54294-h.htm or 54294-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/4/2/9/54294/ - -Produced by Nahum Maso i Carcases and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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