Johnny Ludlow, Fourth Series

nces by the young merchant-seamen whose vessels are lying in the neighbouring

hey would have remained, I think, without the dreadful tragedy that was so soon to take place in it. It was weary work waiting. Capt

which stood the lamp, that the landlady had just lighted. A carved ivory ornament, representing a procession of priests and singers, probably a present to Mrs. Richenough from some merchant-captain, stood under a glass shade on a bracket against the wall; the mantelpiece was garnished with a lo

ut not at all put out: he thought the captain had come down on some business c

a Fontaine is, but I decline to say,"

I am under your authority at sea, Captain Tanerton, but I am not on shore-and not at all in regard to

d, each of them in a civilly-cold way; but nothing more satisfactory came of it. Pym wound up by

hnny Ludlow?" asked J

a bit of it. But he seems to speak

no tidings of Verena, Sir Dace Fo

but in her movements. Advertised to sail to-day, you will be told she'll not start until to-morrow;

unknown mysteries pertaining to ships, the day that was to have witnessed her departure-Thursday-did not witness it. The brokers, Freeman and Co., l

w-with your permission," s

ady," returned the broker.

her she be ready or not, Mr. Freeman, I

mile sat on his face. Mr. Freeman looked at him. They valued Captain Tanerton as they perhaps valued no other ma

to say that you won'

ust it,"

us, Captain Tanerton

ief through their crew losing heart. No matter what impediment is met with-bad weather, accidents, what not-the men say at once it's of no use, we sailed on a Friday. They lose their spirit, and their energy w

Freeman rejoined. "You'll

lling to memory that beautiful ship of Freeman Brothers, the Lily of Japan. The Lily had been lost only six months ago; and th

On the Saturday morning she was not ready either; and it was finally decided that Monday should be the day of departure. On the Saturday afternoo

sin, he told the Squire and Coralie, even of buying the wedding-ring; and Verena was capable of letting it be put on her finger. "No, papa," dissented Coralie in her equable manner, "Vera is too fond of money and of the

nday afternoon, and then returned to London. The Rose of Delhi was positively going out on Monday, so he had to b

weight lay on his spirits, and he could not account for it. The strong instinct, which had seemed to warn him against sailing with Pym again, had gradually left him since he knew that Pym was to sail, whether or not. In striving to make the best of it, he

imes: and I thought I had never been in such a bustling scene before. The sailors knew what they were about. I conclude, but to me it seemed all confusion.

I asked of Mark Ferrar, as he

in will not come on board till

ise. "What do you mean, by

me he will join at Gravesend when we take on some passengers. The captain is not wanted on board when we are

her all river-pilots were like him. He was broad enough to make two ordinarily stout people;

, and I had given the captain up, he came on board

laughed, as he shook my hand: "but I

t starn. "Haul in head-rope." "Here, carpenter, bear a hand, get the cork-fender over the quarter-gallery." "What are you doing aft there?-why don't you slack aw

ng man, whom he did not recognize, stepped aside out of his way, and touched his cap. The

you?" h

, if you p

What do yo

ur third mate, Mr. Jones, met with an accident yesterday; he

a very decent young fellow; next, at his being superseded by a stranger, and a friend of Pym's

e master, Mr. Saxby, if you do your dut

r; I'll try to," an

he tug-boat; but this desirable tranqui

pointing out to me something on shore, when one of the crew approached hastily, and touched his cap. I found it w

. "Might I ask you when thi

r pumped out," re

to my head just now to sound her, and I fi

he has never made a cupful of water since she was bu

ere's two feet o'

ng a practical man. Taking the sounding-rod from the carpenter's hand, he wiped it dry with an old bag lying near, and then proceeded to sound

There was no diminution of water-it stood at the same level as before pumping. Upon that, he and the carpenter went down into the hold, to liste

ilot. "I must order the ship back again: I think it right to do so." And the broad pilot, who seemed a very tacit

?" cried the cap

sir," said the steward, w

d to imply the cabin was not Mr. Pym's proper place

with the readiness exacted on board ship. He hesitate

led out an order or two. Young Saxby came

want m

s below. Ask him to c

ment, and I saw what he did not. That Pym had a fiery face

ge?" cried Jack, turning round. "The cargo must be broken out to find

d steady. He had lost his wits, that was certain; for he stutt

his morning's exertions, Mr. Pym had been making free, a great deal too muc

o might

, spoke a sharp, short, stern reprim

at was in the brandy, nobody knew. He refused to obey, broke i

ho were standing round. "Mr. Ferrar, you will lock Mr.

uld not escape: he was a prisoner. He swore for a little while at the top of his voice;

he leakage was discovered. It seemed a slight thing, after all, to have caused so much commo

e strangely serious, "slight as it may seem to you, it might have

-past three o'clock in the afternoon the brave ship, which had gone out so proudly with the tide, got back ignominiously with the end of it, and came to an anchor outside the

, sir," remarked the carpenter, wiping his hot face, as he came on deck for something

ugh we do not always recognize them. And yet, but for that return back, the mi

of his prisoner to be unfastened. I got into the waterman's wherry with him, for

. "You can come with us again to-morrow, an

an, and told him he would not take out Edward Pym. If he did, the m

ord of dissent. He there and then made Ferrar chief mate, and put another one second in Ferrar's place; a likely youn

was five o'clock. He told Ferrar of the change; who thanked h

captain. "He must take hi

went ashore: he seemed to have pretty nearly slept off the drin

ntaine! Does

to every part of the ship: he is looking still.

can't fancy that. As if Miss Fontaine

board yest

cried th

, sir," continued Ferrar, his voice as low as it

know this,

traps on board. Yesterday, wanting a memorandum-book ou

tted his brow. Was Mr. Pym drawing the careless, light-

ance that Verena was not, and could not be in the ship. "When you are safe away from land, she will come out of hiding and they will declare their

ried Jack, wondering whence

ther a young lady was on board. He said no, but that a young lady had come on board wi

we had got back

ehension as to the time of her going out. The first thing I heard was, that the Rose o

Jack. "Pym does not go out in the ship: he is supe

ss formidable adversary than Edward Pym on land: and perhaps in his heart of

out-I know not what trouble he may not draw her into. Coralie says Verena is not married; but I-Heaven help me! I

ands upon it. "I will undertake to find Pym. And, that you

is dinner-ordered that evening for six o'clock. In a short while Jack also q

owing the ship had left with the day's tide, she had supposed Mr. Pym to be then off Gravesend, or thereabouts. He told h

aptain. "Do you expect him ba

and I've just been and put 'em on again. Mr. Saxby's must b

to the ship to offer an apology, now that he was sobered. Jack was bending

o do, or how to find the fugitives: with Sir Dace, he

to-night, Mr. Ferrar?" he suddenly

s of Sir Dace Fontaine's fear and trouble. "I am going to look for him myself," added Jack, "though I'm sure I don't know in what quarter. If you do c

start, and was back again. An uncle and aunt of his lived at Clapham, and he thought he could not do better than go down there and regale them with the news: we all naturally burn t

who came forward rubbing her eyes as thou

aving with his skipper," added Mrs. Richenough, who sometimes came off

superseded," he added to himself. "I must say Pym was a foo

en," pursued Mrs. Richenough. "He do talk stern, th

ptain in t

e door shut, but it might have been my

hen, which was built out at the back. He halted at the parlou

ad aches," thought Saxby: and he opened the

man took one startled look around and then put

to have taken place in it. A chair was overturned; the ivory ornament with its glass

encountering sudden surprises at sea; but he certainly did not show himself to be so on shore. When the state of affairs h

chenough. She came forward, slightly overcome by drow

e, running to the pros

. Saxby, hardly knowing whet

d put a pillow under it. T

his captain: I heard them raving frightfully at one another. There has been a scuffle here-see

ng himself rather powerless to act; and wit

Ferrar's open door and went full butt against Mark hi

axby. What ar

e, Mr. Ferrar! Pym is dead. H

be quite sober. Yes, he seemed to be that; but agitated to trembling, and his face as pale as d

t has done it, sir,"

ebuked Ferrar. "Captain Ta

one another, sir," persisted Mrs. Richenoug

not be capable of anything of the kind. Fight with a man who ha

find his captain. He knew that Captain Tanerton intended

freshment, before going up to Sir Dace Fontaine's-which he had promised, in Sir Dace's anxiety, to do. He received Ferrar's repo

's hardly twenty minutes since I left him. He was all

says, sir, that Pym and

e captain carelessly. "Her ears m

she says, sir. I to

Ship Street, plunging into a reverie. Presently he began

t on to Ship Street, and took a look at Pym's room. A lamp was shining on the table, and his landlady had the win

nd it perfectly. It looked as though they had some secret understanding be

he saw me: and she positively denied, in answer to my questions, that any young lady was there. Mr. Pym

Ferrar: for the c

ked it civilly: would he tell me where Verena Fontaine was. Pym replied in an unwilling tone; he was evidently sulky. Verena Fontaine was at home again with her people; and he had

ue, sir," hesitated Ferrar. "I was not sure, you k

e added, after a pause: "one hardly knows what to believe. However, she was not there, so far as I co

ace, sir?" cried Ferrar, thi

n angr

y off his head, ran full tilt against Ferrar. It was all over, he cried out in exc

said the captain. "And, se

. "What will poor Miss Verena do? I saw he

ed the captain, taki

y home from Clapham, when a young lady met and passed me, going pretty nearly as quick as I was. She had her face muffled

lances of intelligence under the light of the s

cident. It would not, I am sure, be pleasant to Miss Verena Fontaine's

plied Saxby. "I'll n

epped on to open the house-door. "This seems to bear

captain-for they had reached the do

by Captain Tanerton. There was no present opportunity for private con

Garden, and called at the Tavistock to tell Mr. Brandon of the return of the ship. Mr. Brandon kept me to dinner. About

wed me in. "You are as welcome as flowers in May. Here I am, wi

is not come

s head was turned seaward-I told you so. But she has not. And now

. But how di

lie broke off to say, in her equable way, as she helped me to place the pieces. "When he got there, he found the ship was back again. This put him out a little, as you may judge; and something else put h

" The reader must remember that I knew

stowaway, and go out with Pym and the ship. Poor papa! He w

ould not

chimney, as the sweeps do. I told papa so. He brought me this news when he ca

look at her game

e and shut himself in his little library. I sent Ozias to ask if he would have a cup of tea or coffee made; p

o: not

go near him when he gets into a fit of temper. It is so silly of papa! Ver

t bishop. It leaves

ains behind," added Coralie. "And that

would now. Captain Tane

erseded. Was Pym very much the worse for what he took,

gh. And he was about as

his place, papa says; an

d of that: very. He

a gentleman, is he?

learning at St. Peter's charity-school. But every instinct Mark possesses is that of a refined, kindly, modest gentleman; and he has contrived to improve himself so greatly by dint of study and observation, that

ralie. "I should search for Verena myself then-and search in earnest.

notion where

t flashed across me the other night where she might have hidden

not tell

her's private affairs. I did keep back a letter of Vera's; one she wrote to Pym

low tone. "Or taken means myself to see

was going away in a day or tw

the tea-cups Coralie asked him whether Sir Dace had rung for anything. No, the man answered; most li

ther game," I said to Coralie, as

oralie, glancing round at the cloc

not care for me to stay longer. Miss Deveen and Cattledon had gone out to dinner som

lock must ha

tood at the same time-twenty minutes to ten. I to

tay here till twenty minutes to twelve if you li

as tru

ous!" excla

rprised eyes. There stood Verena, h

r. "Have you been desperately angry, Coral?" she lightl

uable answer: "but you have acted childis

as sorry not to stay and go in to dinner with you," she broke off, with a smile-"I went straight to our old lodgings, to good old Mother Ball. 'They are frightful tyrants at home,' I said to her, 'I'm not

ned Coral. "But I only thought of it on Sat

mate, mad

wicked

music in a school: and, if you'll believe me, Coral, the old mother would never let me stir out without Louise. When Edward Pym came up in the evening to take

e Rose of Delhi yesterday afternoon?" cried Co

fternoon service. I made haste, and went out with him, calling to Louise that she'd catch us up before we reached the church, and we ran off in just the contrary direction. "I should like to s

at her. "He is g

left the docks this morning. H

She glanced again at her

e to take walks with you, Vera, how

he is really very nice. Coming through Fitzroy Square, she called upon some friends of hers who live there, the Barretts-he is a professor of music. Mrs.

king your pleasure

Verena, dropping her voice after a pause of

at-

ld summons, Ozias drew open the front-door. He looked so glad to see me, poor stupid old fellow. I was talking to him in the passage when I heard papa's c

of it, then!" int

"Instead of that, he came on into the room. I c

oralie, for Verena

d at the curtains as if he thought they were alive, and then and there backed out of

e has looked more like a maniac than a rational man, an

e as an angel now, and make it up to hi

calls at bedtime. Ozias stood at the door showing

er did he set eyes on us than he started

t was Sir Dace I wanted," he said in qu

the library. It was a little room nearly opposite the front-entrance, and

te. A prevision o

ice Captain Tanerton's face? I never saw him look like that. And what does he do here?

young Saxby called it. Sir Dace, looking frightfully scared, started with them down to Ship S

g, laughingly, "there's no telling, Johnny, at wha