My Danish Sweetheart, Volume 3 of 3

r cabin, I stepped on deck to smoke a pipe-for my pipe was in my pocket when I ra

, seemed to have been slung in the middle, and it wagged at both ends. His chatter was an infinite variety of nothing; but he spoke with singular enjoyment of the sound of his own voice, with ceas

ll events, be very certain that he would not set us ashore in the Canary Islands; nor did I consider it politic to press him to land us there, for, waiving all consideration of other reasons whic

er his draughtboard for half an hour; she then went below

rking out of the blue curl from the vessel's cutwater ere the polished round of brine flashed into foam abreast of the fore-rigging. Mr. Jones stumped the deck, having relieved Abraham at noon. The fierce-faced, lemon-coloured creature with withered brow and fiery glances grasped the wheel. As I crouched under the lee of the companion-hat

, under which his thimble-shaped nose glowed in the middle of his pale face like-to match the poor creature with an elegant simile-the heart of a daisy, 'this is a very good wind fo

ut wants to get home, unless he's go

o you ha

use; they call it the Sailors' Home. There are no wives to be fo

an it need be-so Nakier and his men think, I warrant you. There's

r than the beef; and what is good enough fo

fellows' religion

d hear them swear in English! They want a grievance. That's the nature of everyth

of sailor

monkeys aloft; they're willing

the Captain's treatment of his crew would find no echo in him. Pover

unting,' I asked, 'to signal and bring-t

, s

the opportunity of a homeward-bounder through the Captain omitting to give

sir,' he exclaimed, with a singular look t

witnessed more than I should have deemed them capable of obser

ing some chafing-gear upon the swifter-shroud. I had not exchanged a word with this honest boatman since the previous day, and strolled forward to under the lee of the galley to greet him. I asked him if he was comf

nd a month's good money. There'll be something to take up when I gets home, something that'll loighten the

ve regularly entered yours

ee for whatever a man does, if so be as it's rightly done-a feeling consarn for your morals and your comforts: tell'ee, Mr. Tregarthen, the loikes of Capt'n Buntin' ain't agoin' to be fallen in with

are so well satisfied,' said I. 'A

s made me feel so ordinary as Thomas's drownd

, sah,' said a voi

ked, a copper-coloured face, with black, angry eyes flashing under a low forehead as wrinkled as the rind of an old apple, with the temper that worked in the creature, showed behind Nakier's head, and vanished in a breath. I now recollected that when I had fir

n, sah! May I spe

e contemplation of his handsome face and noble liquid Eastern eyes, dark

a sailo

t,' I re

lee me de la

w hung steadily with its frown over Nakier's shoulde

' I answered. 'I fear

give us meat we must not eat, and on dose days

ttle we think it right you may kn

s with filbert-shaped nails while he upturned his wonderful eyes. 'We are not of de Captain's religion-he sa

blades which rested upon sheaths strapped to their hips. 'One thing you may be sure of, Nakier: Captain Bunting has no right to force food upon you that is forbidden to you by your religion. There must be lawyers in Cape Town who will tell

ed, the frown deepened, and the little dangerous eyes

e as one could imagine in any love-sick Eastern maid: 'bu

oloured face

g as pearl-white a set of teeth as were ever disclosed by the

way, of early boyish dreams of travel; they carried me in fancy to the provinces of the sun; I tasted the ripe aromatic odours of tropic vegetation, there seemed a scent as of the hubble-bubble in the blue and sparkling breeze gushi

broken by Jacob's gr

as if you and the lady was to

you see anything in s

looked leis

hen,

ke in Nakier's voice. 'D

th a question that recalled Punme

e continued, 'he

ead with a s

said I. 'Fortunately, there is n

g lady sabbe n

es. His gaze fell, and he drew in his head. Just then I caught sight of Helga at the break of the poop to leew

believe that's a st

as seen it;' and I at onc

a filament of spider's web; but it was directly ahead, and it was easy to guess that unless the steamer was heading east or west she must be coming our w

ein of smoke from behind the edge of the sea, where the dark, rich central blue of it went lightening out into a tint of opal. It did not take long, howe

Captain and tell him that there is a

Captain merely to report a shi

s to leave this vessel, and the Captain might not

expected of me, and no more;' and so saying, he marched shambling aft;

is sixteen knots, and she will be abreast of us and away again quickly. I will report to the Captain myself,' wit

diately

's t

arthen,'

alone?' h

d him

y walk in

bitual grin when his face was off duty, so to speak, was of the kind that is called sardonic. It was the set of his mouth with the thick curve of its upper lip that made the smile; but his eyes bore not the least part in this expressi

' said he, promptly sitting up in his b

ht over the bows. Mr. Jones declined to report to you. I venture to do so, and I have also

less significance in his manner than was usual in it; 'but you must not, you reall

eave you without her,' s

. I want you to convert your experience of shipwreck into a

return to England, and I must entreat-indeed, Captain Bunting, I must i

it had escaped me; but he continued very bland, and his smile, being now vitalized, as

at governs the vessel; no man aboard but he can insist for an instant. But my desire is for cordial feelings between us. Let us

an eye that seemed almost wistful. I believed that h

, in other words, you force us to proceed on this voyage-you will be acting at your peril. I shall exact reparation, and whatever the la

d with bot

her. I can understand your impatience, and forgive your irritability. Yet I had thought to have some claim upon you for a

t my answer to that question!' I excla

ported!' His face beamed. 'Let me see-your home is-your home is--' he scratched his head. I viewed him without speaking. 'Ah, I have it-Tintren

nd that you refus

r harshly. You know my wishes: every hou

that was clearly no more to be influenced by me than his ship's side

ll you have the kindness to s

oor to, and re

called to Mr. Jones, who

came

to tranship

' she cried,

thrust of his meaning as though it were a boarding-pike. We ha

emed to fail her; her eyes shone bril

ntirely in his power? Could we not call upon the crew

h it within earshot of us, what meaning could I hope to convey in the brief cry I might have time to deliver? I cannot express the rage, the bitterness, the mortification, the sense, too

ssed her an ocean mail-boat. Already with the naked sight I could catch the glint of the sun upon the gilt device at her stemhead, and sharp flashes of t

had gone to him, he-that is, the mate-came on to the poop

rthen,' said he, 'and he'll be glad to kn

very visible, decipherable characters, lik

RTHEN, OF

BAY NIGHT O

S

SHIP, 'LIGHT

ASTER, TO

SE R

I coldly, and resumed

d, in a l

e object of

answered, 'make a note of it, report it, and my mot

l she get to

he shipping papers, and there will be twenty peopl

heart. It may reach her, too, as quickly as you yourself could if

tain's suggesti

ed face; 'you will feel a little happier. I shall feel happier too. I have grieved to thin

n this fashion? That fellow below has no right to detain us. If it should cost me five years of my income, I'll punish him. It is his admi

ave me with him, Hugh!' s

e if there was anything between us-meaning were we sweethearts-and I said no. I should have answered yes

uch. The corners of her little mouth twitched, she slightly glanced at me, and tried to smile on observi

'a Cape boat. In six days' time she'll be snug in dock. When I was first going

ow allowing me to exercise my common-sense again. If I was to be kept abo

le-a mail-steamer apparently. Why will not the

almost maliciously; 'but the Cap

w it me, and I'll accept the responsibili

tain's orders, Mr. T

He has nothing to do with me.

nd the master of a ship is the ma

called to me.

people in that steamer read the message, and we

w long will that little make? Is it

ew words I should have time to bawl?' Then, with the velocity of thought, I reflected that the mate would be certain to hinder any such attempt on my part, to the length, I dare say, of laying hands upon me and pulling me off the rail, so that I might subject mysel

at a speed of some twelve or thirteen knots, with Mr. Jones standing some

the ship was reading the handwriting on the black board through a telescope that flashed like silver in his hands. Beside him, twinkling in buttons and lace, stood the commander of the steamer, as I might suppose. The sun was in the south-west sky; his reddening brilliance beat full upon the ship that was thundering by faster than a hurricane could have blown the Light of the World along; and the glass in her line of portholes seemed to stream in fire as though the tall black iron sides were veritably belted with flame. There were stars of gold in her brigh

han her own length when the twinkling co

t the rail. 'They must be poor hands at spelling aboard that ship to keep me hol

ssage, do you think, M

es, miss,'

ght, where the telescope lay, pointed it

with the ease and pre

uttons is writing in what looks to be a pocket-book; the other bends over him as though to see

unter, and the white foam curving with the dazzle of sifted snow from either side the iron tooth of her shearing stem. My heart ached with the yearning for home as I followed her. At tha

ceding steamer; 'not that me and Jacob ain't satisfied, but there's ne'er a doubt t

an do I now see. Unless I can get those black fellows to back the topsail and put us aboard the ne

nquired Abraham, in a low, hoarse voic

e to help us, and the plain truth must therefore be given to them: 'The long and short of it is, Abraha

f embarrassment, as though the reference we

sir? Why do he want to keep ye both, t

Do you suppose I would leave

r own sex, as was hacting companion to her. Oi don't mean to say that one man's as g

hat Miss Nielsen is to be left without a protector

her protector, sir, ain't

turned?' said Helga warm

us with a slow gaze and a mind labouring to

le man, Oi allow, and he's evidently on the look-out for a wife. All I says is, what's the

glowing eyes, in which I looked to see a tear presently.

ed the leathern cou

t differently. When there's wan there's no call for tew, and there being wan alrea

reasoning, 'what is my remedy? You Deal boatmen have the reputation of knowing the

ed. 'My 'sperience is that what the master of a wessel chooses to do he w

we no reme

he remedy to be found?' and here he sent his eyes ro

comforters!'

ink his rum-and I'm bound to say this, that a better drop o' rum than he keeps in that there locker of his isn't to be met with afloat or ashore-I say Oi'd drink and eat at his expense, and keep my spirits as joyful as sarcumstances might permit, but taking care

round and marched aft, and as he did so the

that the message was duly noted. Now, Miss Nielsen, we may take