The Last Entry

e generations of that and a succeeding time as the most mir

be to

ose to Hyde Park. He was a rich man, a retired Cape merchant, and his life had been as chequered as Trelawney's, with nothing of romance a

fortunately for him, was shipwrecked in the neighbourhood of Simon's Bay. The survivors made their way to Cape Town, and presently young Vanderholt got a job, and afterwards a position. He then became a master, until, after some eight or ten years of heroic perseverance, attended by much good luck, behold Mr. Vanderholt full-blown into a colonial merchant

ittle brief stage. They are dismissed, therefore, with this brief referenc

in her eyes, as you saw it in her father's, whose orbs of vision, indeed, were ridiculously small-scarcely visible in their bed of socket and lash. An English mother had come to Violet's

rine, shredded by the shrieking stroke of the squall, hissed shrilly from the cut-water. The life and spirit of the reality was in that fine canvas. The sailors seemed to run as you watched, the gaffs to droop with the handling of their gear. She came rushing in a smother of spume right

r influenced his choice of dishes: he clung, with true Dutch courage, to solid sausage; he loved new bread, smoking hot; he was wedded to all the several kinds of cured fish, and often drank a pint of beer, instead of coffee or

is the greatest of the arts. How with the pen c

anderholt, looking up sideways at the picture. 'It

hint and suggest all your life, and the death-bed of tha

said his

you what I have ma

. 'And pretty wet they are; and a fine handsome sea is going to run presently, till th

ht of you? Do you know that Mynheer Vanderdecken is battling with the storms of the

, father, that you need s

less than three months of the sea-breeze, and a

may arrive home and find us absent, and there will be nobody in the world to tell

lt. 'There is no chance of it. Meanwhile, I mean to esca

efore the end of June,' exclaimed Miss Vanderholt. 'But if he should return

olt, in that sort of voice which makes you feel

ake any frie

g,' answered M

'Nothing but sea and sky and novels. Why not a

on at sea, locked up together as we should be. He is always objecting to what I say, and he listens t

u carry

e do not go to sea to be ill. A doctor will be in the way. He will be neither with us nor of us. He might begin to bore you

en afloat for two or three

than the English-infinitely more choice in their lines and curves, and so scientific that you seldom hear of a disaster in their experiments. Look at that vessel as she rushes at you. How perfect is her entry! How insinuating the swell of her bow, running into a beautiful roundness and plumpness of sides instead of the up-a

rholt's face that she was thinking of George. Find

l be the

man to me. He, of all the shipowners that I am a

long to the

N

ill not be

ntly. His face relaxed. He co

e two things, and you produce an illustration of human existence beyond the

voyage to the Equator. A stranger listening at that table to Vanderholt would have guessed that he was a man of hot temper, a Dutchman at root in his views and prejudices,

should not care t

ould I wish to be l

be at liberty to shift our course as often as we please, and settle some marine problem for good and all; not the sea-serpent-no. Who would defraud the newspapers of that joke? But I am strongly of opinion that there is a distinct difference between the dugong and the mermaid. The old idiots of the fifteenth century no doubt confounded them; and the mermaid, shocked by the hideous misrepresentation-for

I have in the matter,'

kfasted, they arose

and knowing that he rarely changed his mind, went to her room, where

of ways as deeply in love with her. Wonderful to relate, Mr. Montagu Vanderholt took a fancy to the young man, and when Ensign Parry called to ask his leave to consider himself engaged, he was astounded by the cheerful 'Certainly, with pleasure, if you are both satisfied,' which greeted him. A few questions and answers followed. Mr. Vanderholt knew very little about the

in one or two of his letters to Violet he had expressed a hope that he would be able to get home by an earlier date. It had been settled that they should be married soon

letter that her father had made up his mind to go on a cruise for his health as far as the Equator, in the old Mowbray. She was going with him alone. George would know where she was, therefore, until her return to England, which could not be delayed beyond February. She dared not hope

the City. He alighted at the offices of a firm of shipowners in Fenchurch Street, and

inutes with y

. Vanderholt. Always happy

h an office full of scribbling clerks; the walls were decorated with pictures of ships in full sail, and odd configurations on glazed yellow cloth, si

airbanks' look of expectation, and began somewhat in

been out of sorts, and have resolved to get clear of England during the winter. I have a fine boat laid up in the Thames. She is 180 tons, and I

n attitude of prayer, and said he thought that

pay?'

answered Mr. Vanderhol

e any compa

my dau

ust not swear. He must be a man of cleanly appearance, of cons

id Mr. V

you see him-was in love with a girl. He broke with her in a quarrel, and went to sea, and by a homeward ship wrote to ask her forgiveness and keep her heart whole for him, as he would shortly return. He was swept overboard in a storm, picked up floating on a buoy by a three-masted schooner, and carried to Ch

ed Mr. Vanderholt, who had listened with

mas

' said Mr. Vanderholt dryly. 'Send him

l see him to-morrow,' answered the other. 'And you reall

go if I

kets when there's nobody bowling?' said Mr. Fairbanks, placi

earted wineglass, and lighted a

in the pursuit of h

ver could contemplate a voyage of any sort wi

e gentleman of Dutch extraction

port of call!' exclaimed Mr. Fairb

City. Mr. Vanderholt talked fluently on all affairs connected with shipping. Afte

aper. A man-servant opened the door, and said that a seafaring gentleman was in the 'all, and had called by request. On a si

so hard set was it, as though fresh from the pickle of the harness-cask. The flesh of the countenance had that sort of tension which does not admit of much, or perhaps any, play of emotion. The man might expel a laugh from his throat, but was he physically equal to a smile? He h

ed him with curiosit

w?' said Mr.

in a voice as decisive as his walk and air. '

self, but did not reach the quarter-deck,' said Mr

but did not smile, nor did

at sea, Ca

rty,

away, as I di

father, who had charge of a Beth

explain what I want

me a suitable man. I confess I'd

olt's face

rst time, but his face discovered no marks of enthusiasm or admiration whilst he let his sight rest for a moment on that square of splendid, spirit-moving canvas. 'My uncle was a shipbuilder,' he continued

if he should say, 'This is our man.' He the

aid Mr. V

n Glew, lifting his hand, and bowing wit

take?' said M

tever, I tha

id Mr. Vanderholt, signing

nly when they are thirsty, and as I am seld

hing about fore a

, but the expression wa

s in my time. Seven years ago I had charge for three voy

with an appreciative flourish of hi

o maintain, I took command of a three-masted schooner to the Brazils, where I left her

but Mr. Vanderhol

way of going to work. I'm not for easing away handsomely; I'm for letting go with a run.

can,

r men. I shall want real s

thing like

e ready for sea to you. Employ your own labour. Call upon me as the work proceed

ung lady go

es

her cabin spe

that myself,

I understand, is to be a cr

run to the Eq

r for,' said Miss Vanderholt, break

h which he usually prefaced a joke. 'There is about a quarter of a mile of Equatorial water which possesses a remarkable property. Sink an object in it, and you draw it up gilt. If we strike th

ptain Glew, to see how he

r exclaime

of in books for the marines. It

n, so that we may retu

t any col

e bow, and hailed the deck, but he squinted damnably. You can't keep a true course for anything when you squint. The captain missed the patch. No

ying his own imagination; and Captain G

rrow, sir, and report. I will

Vanderholt; 'Mr. Fairbank

father and daughter, and was goin

as to the nationalit

please you,' said Mr. Vanderholt; 'but never a D

if I hadn't killed him,' said the

r nautical bow

is chair so as to resume his letter-writing; 'b

hand?' inquire

eeds mutinies

ugh visited by some tragic memories; then, tak