A Message from the Sea

row, sir,” said Alfred R

,” returned the capta

ther inconvenien

cking about the world it has had,” replied the captain, as unconcerne

glancing at a dreadful libel on Kitty which ornamented the wall — the production of some wandering limner, whom the captain secretly admired as having studied portraiture from the figure-heads of ships — motioned to the young man to take the rush-chair on the other side of the small round table. That done, the ca

le measures! No half measures, nor making believe to blow; it blew! Now I warn’t blown clean out of the water into the sky — though I expected to be even that — but I was blown clean out of my course; and when at last it fell calm, it fell dead calm, and a strong current set one way, day and night, night and day, and I drifted — drifted — drifted — out of all the ordinary tracks and courses of ships, and drifted yet, and yet drifted. It behooves a man who takes charge of fellow-critturs’ lives, never to rest from making himself master of his calling. I never did rest, and consequently I knew pretty well (‘specially looking over the side in the dead calm of that strong current) what dangers to

ment, that the young fisherman might direct a wondering

one of my people sank into the earth breast-high. He turned pale, and ‘Haul me out smart, shipmates,’ says he, ‘for my feet are among bones.’ We soon got him on his legs again, and then we dug up the spot, and we found that the man was right, and that his feet had been among bones. More than that, they were human bones; though whether the remains of one man, or of two or three men, what with calcination and ashes, and what with a poor practical knowledge of anatomy, I can’t undertake to say. We examined the whole island and made out nothing else, save and except that, from its opposite side, I sighted a considerable tract of land, which lan

poor brother

an. “I’ll take a look out of this

My brother couldn’t know it wou

per, evidently creased and torn both before and after being written on, was much blotted and stained, and the ink had faded and run, and many words were want

him. He now left it lying before the captain, over whose shoulder he had been reading it, an

ptain, “don’t give in! Be

what?” cried the young fisherman, in complete d

he roots or wrench my teeth out of my head, sooner than I’d do nothing. Nothing!” ejaculated the captain. “Any fool or fainting heart can do that, and nothing can come of nothing — which wa

as some greater reason than he yet understood for the young m

d the captain, “Speak

said the young man, looking up for the mo

’t beautiful?” retorted the ca

fretfully in spite o

that, it’s

it?” said the captain

to tell the captain what it was, and began: “W

terrupted Captain Jorga

with his fore-finger the words, “poor father

e captain. “Five hu

tion, while the captain eyed him with equal earnestness, “was all my late father possessed. When he died,

nds,” repeated th

laid the money aside to leave to my mother — like

es

in writing at that time, respecting the mone

e captain. “My country wou

ave been laid out, this very next week, in buying me a handsome shar

d repassed his sun-browned right hand ove

e. He is a kind of bailiff or steward of manor rights here, and they are not much, and it is but a poo

ing his thin hair, and look

be made, as I am certain that the sun now shines. But, after this solemn warning from my brother’s grave in the sea, that the

observed the captain; “but about not

hy I am so grieved. Think of Kitty.

t, and he once more beat his sea-boot softly on the floor. But

got to do, before all other things, is to trace out the meaning of this paper, for the sake of the Good Name that has no one else to put it right. And still for th

said the captain, “but for certain I can’t op

the paper again, and again carefully

ong the old men living there, for’— some one. Most like, you’ll go to this

a Cornishman, and — to be

quietly. “As I ain’t acquain

then is Kit

ow you speak! Tregarthen knows

ften heard him mention it, as being

You could ask Tregarthen (or if you couldn’t I could) what nam

t to his cottage,

d have got along further than you. I have had, all my sea-going life long, to keep my wits polished bright with acid and friction, like the brass cases of the ship’s instrument

e paper exactly as before, replaced it in the bottle, put the stopper in, put the oilskin ov

aybrock cried out to the captain, “Gracious! what have you done to my son to change him like this all in a minute?” And the young widow — who was there with her work upon her arm — was at first so agitated that she frightened the little girl she held in h

Lanrean, and I don’t know where else or how much further, this very day. Worse

nd wonder and in anger, and pus

arriage put off? And you going to Lanr

ust not say why. It would be disho

mother’s heart too, for the sake of the dark secrets and counsels of a wicked stranger? Why did you ever come here?” she apostrophised the innocent captain. “Who w

ave I ever done to you, you hard and cruel c

ile the captain could only look from the one to the

ace, to shut out the traitor from her view — but kept her fingers wide asunder and looked at him all the time — “Margaret, yo

o, strange as it is, and even for not saying why you do it, strange as that is. And, Kitty darling, you are bound to think so more than any one, for true love believes everything, and bears everything, and trusts everything. And, mother dear, you are bound to think so too, for you know you have been blest wi

or not, you are a young woman of sense, and spirit, and feeling; and I’d sooner have you by my side in

opinion, but she applied herself to the consolation of Kitty, and of Kitty’s mother-in-law

im still to trust me in spite of this wretched change and mystery, and to ask him for

head-dress at her eyes. Captain Jorgan followed the lovers out, quite

mething in your line. Here’s an old lady poorly and low i

steward step into the parlour, where the captain had the great satisfaction of seeing him, through the glass door, tak

r, or that most people is so at first, or that it’ll do her good afterward,

she instantly darted a suspicious and indignant glance at the captain, as the foreigner who must somehow be responsible for this unusual spectacle. Consequently, when they came into Tregarthen’s little garden — which formed the platform from which the captain had seen Kitty peeping over the wall — the captain brought to, and stood off and on at the gate, while Kitty hurried to hide her tears in her own roo

aid Captain Jorga

away with,” said the you

tunate captain with a look of extreme disfavour.

t seems to be the general opinion in these parts. But

” observed

to exchange words of mistrust with me; and if you did, you couldn’t, because I wouldn’t. You and I are old enough to know better than to judge ag

this remark, and replied, “Sir,

is keeping. I want to help him out with it, and tewwards that end we ask you to favour us with the names of two or three old residents in the village of Lanrean. As I am taking out my pocket-book and pencil to put the names down, I may as well observe to you that

said Tregarthen, “named Davi

nd buried, and can be made of any service to us, Polreath wo

ed Penrewen. I don’t k

name,” said the captain

other named J

ame, too,” said the captai

no other excep

w York city, and realised a handsome competency by burning his house to ashes. Same na

ll any others

r good opinion yet, and likewise for the fair Devonshire Flower’s

e window when he looked up, no Kitty in the garden when he shut the gate, n

l get mine at the little hotel. Let our hour of meeting be two o’clock, and you’ll find me smoking a cigar in the sun afore the hotel door. Tell Tom Pettifer, my steward

oung fisherman appeared with his knapsack at his back; and punctually at

e, Captain Jorgan; I can

ptain. “I’ll carry it m

above, to take breath, and to look down at the beautiful sea. Suddenly the captain gave his l

with another cigar. He lighted it, and smoked it out, and still he was out of sight and waiting. He stole within sight at last, and saw the lovers, with their arms entwined and their bent heads touching, moving slowl

young companion before going out of sight again. In a

thrown away. And now that I am conveying you off from that tender little thing that loves, and relies, and hopes, I feel just as if I was the snarling crittu

ed when the captain stopped to double himself up and slap his l