Twixt Land & Sea_ Tales

he King of the Netherlands, commanded by an outraged and infuriated lieutenant, left the cove at an unexpectedly early hour. When Freya's father came down to the shore,

," he lamented to his hard daughter. He was amazed at he

e smoke belching out suddenly from her short black funnel rolled between the masts of the Bonito, obscuring for a moment the sunlit whiteness of her sails, consecrated to the service of love. Jasper did not even turn his head for a glance. But Heemskirk, on the bridge, had gazed long and earnestly at the brig from the distance, gripping hard the brass rail in front o

oved that rascally trader? He tried not to think, but, worse than thoughts, definite impressions beset him in his retreat. He saw her-a vision plain, close to, detailed, plastic, coloured, lighted up-he saw her hanging round the neck of that fellow. And he shut his eyes, only to discover that this was no remedy. The

the Neptun, giving up Ternate altogether, steamed north in view of the mountainous coast of Celebes, and then crossing the broad straits took up her station on the low coast of virgin forests, inviolate and mute, in waters phosphorescent at night; deep blue in daytime with gleaming green patches over the submerged reefs. For days the Neptun could be seen moving smoothly up and down the sombre face of th

.

ilent, ghostly white, and solemnly stealthy in her imperceptible progress; and Jasper, his elbow in the main rigging, and his head leaning against his hand, thought of Freya. Everything in the world reminded him of her. The beauty of the loved woman exists in the beauties of Nature. The swel

nt to her something of Freya's soul. Her deck was the foothold of their love. The possessi

floating in air as calm and limpid as the glance

side, on evenings like this

rinkle, under a sky without a cloud, as if all Nature had assumed its most clement mood in a spirit of mockery, that the gunboat Neptun, detac

like a man with something weighing on his mind. Jasper had noticed it, but the mate, turning away, as though he had not liked being looked at, had muttered shamefacedly of a headache and a touch of fever. He must have had it very badly when, dodging

said Jasper, with perfect good humour. "He has tr

ooked vaporous and sylph-like in the moonlight. The gunboat, short, squat, with her stumpy dark spars naked like dead trees

jesting final whisper of the "Mind, kid, I'd never forgive you!" with a quick pressure on his arm, which he answered by a quiet, confident smile. Heemskirk was haunted in another fashion. There were no whispers in it; it was more like visions. He saw that girl hanging round the neck of a low vagabond-that vagabond, the vagabond who had just answered his hail. He saw her stealing bare-

the brig. The white warrant officer in her, perhaps the gunner, climbed aboard. He was a short man, with a rotund stomach and a wheezy voice. His immovable fat face looked lifeless in the moonlight, and he walke

his visits there were looked upon with some suspicion. But he did not mind much the displeasure of the authorities, so terrifying to old Nelson. He prepared to leave the brig, and Schultz followed him to the rail as if to say something, b

matter?" J

h had even fascinated the steady Freya herself. But where was its

," said Jasp

us trouble. Jasper gave him a keen glance, but this was not the time to investigate the morbid outbreak of a feverish man

desperately. "He means harm to you

th inexplica

him an opening." Jasper cut him sh

lling right across the quarter-deck, made no sign at his approach, but secretly he felt something l

nner of their casual meetings in old Nelson's bungalow. They ignored each othe

you've just come out of?" ask

half a cargo of rice, for which I got nothing in exchange, and went away. There's no t

uppose the rascals don't deserve a

en there, you know," observ

ren, you may be sure there's something fishy about th

animate object, and no more. But now a silence fell. Heemskirk had thought, all at once: "She will tell him all about it. She will tell him while she hangs round his neck laughing." And the sudden desire to annihila

onclude that the

very in a flush of ma

ng to take her to

of this," said Jasper, aware that the matter was

ainly. And as to you, I sh

ed by a stony immobility. It lasted but an instant. Then

s,

ope from the gunboat! We are

at for, sir?" came a

t deliberation. "We might have been-becalmed in here-for d

easiness of a new sort, looked intently at the brig. The thought that he was parted from her-for the first time since they came together-shook the apparently c

e, entered his protest against the whole of the proceedings. What he was thinking of was the delay. He counted the days. Makassar was actually on his way; and to be towed there really saved time. On the other hand, there would be some vexing formalities to

though he were studying his own comical, deeply-split shadow. Then he made a sign to the rotund gunner, who had kept at hand, motionless,

the brig with

myn

time," went on Heemskirk, giving his orders in Engli

myn

on deck and in ch

myn

he brig, his very heart were being taken out of h

ns have you

as had a licence to carry a certain quantity of f

hich were on board when I bought her, f

are the

n. Mate ha

sion of them," said H

myn

o imply?" cried out Jasper; then bit

a moment a heavy, as

o his gunner. The fat m

of a warrant-officer, getting into his boat, arrived on board the Neptun and hurried straight into his commander's cabin, his excitement at something he had to communicate being betrayed by

er; and, though he had avoided speaking to anybody since he had finished with Hee

very well when I l

in front of him demanded a rigid carriage, understood with difficulty. Not a single one of

e is very well. But, mein Go

ce would be over. The roadstead of Makassar was in sight already. Heemskirk passed by him going on the bridge. For the first time the lieutenant looked at Jasper with marked intention; and the strange roll of his eyes was so funny-it

ture, the power to snatch the calm, adorable Freya to his breast, and carry her off to the end of the world; to see this beautiful thing embodying worthily his pride and his love, to

esides, that sense of superiority which the certitude of being loved gives to a young man, that illusion of being set above the Fates by a tender look in a

e. "Hallo," he thought, "he is going through Spermonde Passage. We shall be rounding Tamissa reef presently." And again he returned to the contemplation of his brig, that main-stay of his material and emotional existence which would be soon in his hands again. On a sea, calm like a millpond, a he

er by its unexpectedness. Slowly he looked about. Swift as lightni

on Tamissa re

shooting across the gunboat's stern with the impetus of her speed. He followed her fine, gliding form with eyes growing big with incredulity, wild with horror. The cries on board of her came to him only as a dreadful and confused murmur through the loud thumping of blood in his ears, while she held on. She ran upright in a terrible display of her gift of speed, with an incomparable air of life and grace. She ran on till the smooth level of water in front of her bows seemed to sink down suddenly as if sucked away; and, w

lled a voice f

of destruction. "Hold him! Stick to him!" vociferated the lieutenant at the top of the bridge-ladder, while Jasper struggled madly without a word, only his head eme

eased st

give him plenty of room to fall after the struggle. He did not even sway perceptibly. Half an hour later, when the Neptun anchored in front of the town, he had not stir

ck, as if lost in a brown study. Heemskirk came up close, and stared at him thoughtfully, with his fingers over his lips. Here he was, the favoured vagabond, the only man to whom that infernal gi

t any other expression but bewilderment, me

n-the-reef!" he repeated still lower, and as if attending

rrogant eyes, over which secret disenchantment, the unavoidable shadow of all passion, seemed to pass like a saddening cloud. "On the very top," he repeated, rousing himself in fie