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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 t'i I ^ THE N HanD^^ A "SHORT" YARN. BY CAPT. GEOEGE CUPPLES. •X 2 o z c r HAMILTON : SPECTATOR PRINTING COMPANY. 1893. THE AUTHOR OF THE It THE WRECK OF THE GROSVENOR" ON THE AUTHOR OF "THE GREEN HAND." «*^KSxS»%S»<>^ Who are the poets of the deep ? Their names may be counted upon the fingers of one hand : They are Herman Melville; Michael Scott; Dana, the author of "Two years before che Mast"; and, greatest of all, Captain George Cupples, author of " The Green Hand." These men are great in their special walk, and they are great not only because they have interpreted the meanings of the ocean, and informed the ships and calling they write'about with the spirit of the sea, even as the song of the wind in the rigging of a vessel becomes a part of her life as she leans before the blast, but they have written as seamen also; as men, who have eaten and drank with sailors, who know the few pleasures, the long hardships of the life, whose intimacy with nature at sea ranges from her wildest to her sweetest moods, from the black hurricane of the North Atlantic to the moonlighted calm of the Doldrums. — W. Clark Russell^ in The Contemporary Review, Qr^u M '»»♦-* PHE GcREEN 4\AnD. A "SHORT"* YARN. "Come, old ship, give us a yaru!" said the young forecastlemen to an old one, on board of an Indiaman then swiftly cleaving the waves of thi Western At- lantic before the trade wind, and out- ward bound, with a hearty crew and a number of passengers. It was the second of the two dog-watches, and the ship being still in the region of evening twi- lights, her men in a good humor, and with leisure, were then usually disposed, as on this occasion, to make fast their roam- ing thoughts by help of a good yarn, when it could be got. There were plenty of individuals among a crew of forty, calculated by their experience:, or else by their flow of spirits and fancy, to spin it. Each watch into which they were divid- ed had its especial story-teller, with whose merits it twitted the other, and on op- portunity of a general reunion they were pitted against one another like two fight- ing cocks, or a couple of rival novelists in more polished literary society at home. The one was a grave, solemn, old North Sea whaler, with one eye, who professed to look down with contempt upon all raw head work, on navigation compared with seamanship, and fiction against fact. As for himself, he rested all his fame upon actual experience, and tcrid long, dry narratives of old shipmates, of his voyages and adventures, and sometimes of the most incre— ex- pedients for nice emergencies, tacks,knots and splices; he gave the very conversa- tion of his characters with all the "says he" and "says 1;" and one long recital of the old fellow's turned upon the ques- tion between himself and a new-fangled second mate about the right way to set up back-stays, in which he, the sailor, was proved correct by the loss of the ship. The other story-teller, again, was a Wapping man; a Qvely, impudent young Cockney, who had the most mir- aculous faculty of telling lies— not only palpable lies, but lies absolutely impos- sible: yet they were so sublimely told often, and he contrived to lug into them such a quantity of gorgeous tinsel orna- ment, as, in his happier efforts, decidedly to carry the day against his opponent. The London hand had seen life, too, of which, with respect to what is called the world, his competitor was as ignorant as a child. He had his sentimental vein, accordingly, in which he took the last love tale out of same "Penny Story Tel- ler" or fashionable novel he had spelled over below, and turned it over into a parody that would have thrown its un- fortunate author into convulsions of hor- ror, and his critics into shrieks of laughter. The fine language of lords and ladies, of romrntic heroines, or of foreign counts and bandits, was gravely re- tailed and gravely listened to by a throng of admiring Jack Tars; while the old whaler smoked his pipe sulkily apart, gave now and then a scornful glance out of his weather eye, and called it all "high-dio' and soger's gammon." On this occasion, however, the group forward did not solicit the services of either candidate, as they happened to have present among them a shipmate who, by general confession, "took the shine" out of both, although it was rarelv they CO II Id (tet hold of him. "Ola Jack,^' the captains private steward, was the oldest seaman on board, and having known the captain when the latter went to sea, had sailed with him almost ever since he commanded a ship, as well as lived in his house on shore. He did not now keep his watch, nor take his "trick at the helm," except when he chose, and was altogether a privileged sort of person, or one of the "idlers." His name was Jacobs, which afforded h pretext for calling him "Old Jack," with the sailors' fondness for that Christian y !^ o z c r o -.1 y * -' Short." nautical, " unfluisbed." THE GREEN HAND. cognomen which it is difficult to account for, unless because Jonah and St. John were sea-fariug characters, and the Ko- man Catholic holy clerk St. Nicholas was baptized "Davy Jones," with sundry other reasons good at sea. But old Jack was, at any rate, the best hand for a yarn in the Gloucester Indiaiuan, and had been once or twice culled ui)on to spin one to the ladies and gentlemen in the cuddy. It was partly because of his inexhaustible fund of good humor, and parti; from that love of the sea which looked out through all that the old tar had seen and undergone, and which made him still follow the bowsprit, al- though able to live comfortably ashore. In his blue jacket, white canvas troui^ors edged with blue, and glazed hat, coming forward to the galley to light his pii)e, after serving the captain's tea of an evening. Old Jack looked out over the bulwarks, sniffed the sharp sea air, and stood with his shirt sleeve fluttering as he put his linegr in liis pipe, the very embodiment of the scene — the model of a prime old salt who had ceased to "rough It," but could do so yet if needful. "Come, old ship!" said the men near the windlass as soon as Old Jack came forward, "give us a yarn, will ye?" "Yarn!" said Jack,sniiling — "what yarn, mates? 'Tis a fine night, though, for that same: the clouds Hies high, and .ihe's balling off a good ten knots sin' eight bells." "That she is, bo'; so give us a yarn now, like a reg'lar old Al, as you are!" 8»id one. " 'Vast there, mate," said a man-o'- war's-man, winking to the rest, "you're always a-cargo-puddling, Bill! D'ye think Old Jack answers to no other hail nor the Queen's? I say, old two-decker in or'nary, we all wants one o' your well said yarns this good night. Whaling Jim always rubs his down with a thought overmuch pitch tar, so if you says nay, why, we'll all save our grog and get drunk as soon as may be." "Well, well, mates, said Jack, endeav- oring to conceal his flattered feelings, "what is it to be, though?" "Let's see," said the man-o'-war's-man —"why, give us the Green Hand!" "Ay, ay, the Green Hand!" exclaimed one and all. This "Green Hand'° was a story Old Jack had already related several times, but always with some amusing varia- tions, that it seemed on each repetition a new one; the listeners testifying their satisfaction by growls of rough laughter, and by the emphatic way in which, dur- ing a pause, they smiirted their tobacco juice on the deck. What gave additional zest to this particular yarn, too, was the fact of its hero being no less than the captain himself, who was at this moment on the poop quarter-deck of the ship, pointing out something to a group of ladies by the round-house— a tall, hand- some-looking m^n of about forty, with all the mingled gravity and frank sailor in his tirm weathcr-tinted countenance. To have the power of secretly contrast- ing his present position and manners with those delineated by Old Jack'.^ epi- sode from the "skipper's" previous bio- graphy was one acme of comic delight to these rude sous of Neptune, and the narrator jiist hit this point. I»AKT 1. "Well," began he, " 'tis about six-an'- twenty year when I was an able seadMin before the mast, in an Indiumau they called the Chester Castle, lying at tht? time behind the Isle of Dogs. She was full laden, and a strong breeze blowing up that made you want to get under way. I had been on the ship two voy- ages before, and the captain says to me one day: "Jo cobs, there is a lady over at Green- wich who desires to send her boy to sea in this ship, so take the quarter-boat and go ashore with this letter, and get the young fool. From what I've heard of the youngster, he's a jackanapes as will give us more trouble than thanks. However, if the lady's bent on if, why, she can send him on board to-morrow if she likes." "All right, sir," says J, shoving the letter into my pocket, and in half an hour's time I knocks at the door of the lady's house, rigged out in my best, and hands over the screed to a fat fellow with red breeches aud yallow swabs on his shoulders, like a captain of marines, that looked' frightened at my hail, for I thou't he'd been deaf by the long spell he took before he opened the door. In five minutes I heard a woman's v'iceask the footman if there was a sailor a-wait- ing below. "I'es. inarm," says he; and "Show him up," says she. Well, I gives a scrape with my larboard foot, and a tug to my hair, when I gets to the door of such a fine room above-decks, all full o' tables an' chairs, an' sofers, an' pian- gers' an* them sort o' high-flying con- sarns. There was a lady all in silks and satins on one of the sofers, dressed out like a widow, with a pretty little girl as was playing music out of a large book, aud a picter of a man upon the wall, which I at once logged it to be for him she bad parted company from. "Sar- vint, marm,' says I. 'Come in, my good man,' says the lady. 'You're a sailor?" says she, asking, like, to be sure if I warn't the cook's mate in dish- guise, I fancy. "Well, marm," 1 said, "I make bculd to say as I hopes I am!" "Well," says she, '^Captain Steel tells me in this here letter you are going to take my son. Now," says she, "I am sore against it; couldn't you say a word to turn bis mind?" "TTie best way to do that, yer ladyship," says I, "is to let him go, if it was only the length of the Nore. The sea will turn his stomach THE GREEN HAND. for him, marm," I sayH, "and then we can send him home by a pilot." "He wanted for to go into the navy," miys the lady again, "but I couldn't think on that for a moment, on account of this fearful war; an', after all, he'll be safiT in sailing at sea nor in the army or navy: don't yon think so, my good manV" "It's all you knows about it,' thinks I, hows'- «ver, I said there wasn't n doubt on it. "Is Captain Steel a rash man".'" says •he. "How 80, mnrm'^" says I, sotuc'at taken aback. "I hopes he does not sail at night, or in storms, like too many of his profession, I'm afeard," snys she; "1 hope he always weighs the anchor in such cases very careful." "Oh, in course," says I, not knowing for the life of me, what she meant. 1 didn't like to come the rig over the poor lady, seoiu' her so anxious like; but it was no use, we was on such different tacks, ye see. "Oh, yes, marm," I says, "Captain Steel al'ays reefs taups'ls at sight of a squall brew- ing to wmd'rd; and we're as safe as a church then, ye know, with a man at the wheel as knows his duty." "This rtdieves ray mind," the lady says, "very much;" but I couldn't think why she kept sniffing all the time at her smelling- bottle as she wor a-goin' to faint. "Don't take it to heart so, yer ladyship," 1 says, at last; "I'll look after the young gentleman till he linds his sea-legs." "Thank you," says she; "but, 1 beg your pardon, would you be kind enough for to open the winder, and look out if you see Edward*? 1 thing he's in the garding— I feel sich a smell of pitch and tar!" I hears her say to the girl; and says she to me again, "Do you see Ed- ward there'/ — call to him, please." Ac- cordingly I couldn't miss sight of three ■or four young slips alongside, for they made plenty of noise: one of 'em on top of a water-barrel, smoking a cigar; an- other singing out inside of it for mercy; and the rest roaring round about it, like so many Bedlamites. "No wonder the young scamp wants to go to sea," thinks I; "he's got nothin' arthly to do but mis- chief. — Which is the young gentleman, marm'/" says I, lookiu' back into the room; "is it him with the cigar and red skull-cap'/" "Yes," said the lady; "call him up, please." "Hallo!" I sings out, and all runs off but him on the barrel, and "Hallo!" says he. "You're wanted on deck, sir," I says; and in five minutes in comes my young gemman, as grave as you please. "Edward," says the mo- ther, "this is one of Captain Steel's men." "Is he going to take me'/" says the young fellow, with his hands in his pockets. "Well, sir," I says, " 'tis a very bad look- out, is the sea, for them as dou't like it. You'll be sorry ten times over you've left sich a berth as this here afore you're down Channel." The young chap looks me all over from clew to ear-iiug, and says he, "My mother told you to say that!" "No, sir," says I, "I says it on my own hook." "Why, did you go your- self, then"/" says he. "i couldn't help it," answers I. "Oh," says the impertin- ent little devil, "but you re only one of the common sailors, ain't you?' "Split me, you little beggar," thinks I, "if 1 doesn't show you the odds betwixt a common sailor, as you call it, and a lub- ber of a boy, before long!" But 1 wasn't goin' to let him take the jaw out o' me, so I only laughed, an' says 1, "Why, I'm captain of the foreto^) at sea, any- how." "Where's your huniform, then"/" says the boy, lowering his tone a bit. "Oh," I says, "we doesn't al'ays wear huniform, you know^ sir. This here's what we call ondress." "I'm sorry, sir," says the lady, "1 didn't ax you to sit down." "No offense at all, marm," 1 says, but I took a couple o' glasses of brandy as was brought in. I saw 'twas no use goin' against the young chap; so, when he aeked what he d have to do aboard, I told him nothing to speak of, except count the sails now and then, look over the bows to see how the ship went, and go aloft with a spy-glass. "Oh," says his mother, at this, "1 ho[)e Captain Steel won't nevtr allow Edward to go ui) those dangerous ladders! It is my partic'lar re- quest be should be punished if he does." "Sartainly, marm I'll mention it to the captain," I says, "an' no doubt he'll give Ihem orders as you speak on. The cap- tain desired me to say the young gentle- man could come aboard as soon as he likes," says I, before goin' out of the door, "Very well, sir," says the lady," "I shall see the tailor this same arternoon, and get his clothes, if so be it must." The last word I said was, putting my head half in again to tell 'em, "There was no use gettin' any huniforms at present, seein' the ship's sail-maker could do all as was wanted arterward, when we got to sea." Well, two or three days after, the captain sent word to say the ship would drop down with the morning tide, and Master Collins had better be aboard by six o'clock. I went- ashore with the boat, but the young gemman's clothes warn't ready yet; so it was made up he was to come on board from Gravesend the day after. But his mother and an old lady — a friend of theirs — would have it they'd go and see his bedroom, and take a look at the ship. There was a bit of breeze with the tide, and the old Indiaman bob- bed up and down on it in the cold morn- ing; you could hear the wash of water poppling on to her rudder, with her run- ning gear blown out in a bend ;and Missus Collins thought they'd never get up the dirty black sides of the vessel, as she called 'em. The other said her husband had been a captain, an' she laid claim to a snatch of knowledge. "Sailor," says she to me, as we got under the quarter, "that there tall mast is the main bow- sprit, ain't it? and that other is the gal- lant bowling, you call it, don't you'/" says she. "No doubt, marm," says I, y :^ o z c r o y -< THE GREEN HANI) winking to tlie boys not to laugh, "ll'a all right," I says. Howsoever, as to tho bedroom, the captain Hhowcd 'em over the cabin, and put 'om off by saying the ■hip was so out of order he couldn't say which rooms was to be which yet, thougli they needn't fear Master Ned would get all comfortable; so uHliore the poor w<»- niun went, pretty well pleased, consid- erin* her heart was against the whole cousarn. Well, the next afternoon, lying off Grnvesend. out comes a wherry with young ninster. One of the men waid there was a uiidHhipiiian in it. "MidHhipman bo blowed!" snyti^I; "did ye ever see a reefer in a wherry, or sitting out o' the staru-Hheets? It's neither more nor lens nor the greenhorn we've got." "Why don't the bo'sun pipe to man side-ropes for him"/" says the other; "but, my eye, Bob," KayH he to me. "what a sight of traps the chap's pot in the boat! 'Twill be enough to heel the Chester Castle to the side he berths upon on an even keel. Do he mean to have the captain's cabin, I wonder'?" Up the side he scram- bles, with the help of a side ladder, all togged out to the uinei in a span-neW l)hie j.icket and anchor Imttons. a cap with a gold band, and .white ducks made to tit, as .Temmy .lellamy a look- ing fellow as you'd &ee of a cruise along T^ondon parks, with the watermen sing- ing out alongside to send down a tackh; for the dunnage, which it took a pair of purchas(?-hlock8 to hoist them out on board. "What's all this'?" says the mate, coming for'ard from the quarter-deck. " 'Tis the young gemman's traps, sir," I says. '"What the devil!" says the mate, "d'ye thing we've room to stow all this lumber? Strike it down into the forehold. .Tttcobs; but get out a blue shirt or two and a Scotch cap for the young whelp first, if he wants to save that smooth toggery of his for his mammy. You're as green as cabbage, I'm feared, my lad!" says he. By this time the boy was struck all of a heap, an' didn't know what to say when he saw the boat pulling for shore, except he wanted to have a sight of his bedroom. "Jacobs," said the mate, laughing like an old bear, "take him below and show him his bedroom, as he calls u." So down he went to the half-deck, where the carpenter, bo'sun. and three or four of the 'prentices had their hammocks slung. There I left hira to overhaul his big donkey of a chest, which his mother had stowed it with clothes enough for a lord ambassador, but not a blessed thing fit to use: 1 wouldn't a' given my bit of a black box for the whole on it ten times over. There was another chokeful of gingerbread, pots o* presarves, pickles, and bottles; and, thinks I, "The old lady didn't know what shares is at nea. I reckon. 'Twill all be gone for footing, my boy, before you've seen blue water, or I'm a Dutchman." In a short time we was up anchor. Soing down with a fast breeze for tho Tore; and wu Btootter. 'Twas blowing a strong breeze, with light canvas nil in aloft, and a single reef in the tops'ls, but tine enough for the Channel, exce(tt the rain— when what does I see but the "Green Hand" on the weather quarter- deck, holding on by the belaying pins, with a yumberella o- i;r his head! The men for'ard was all in a roar, but none of the otheers was on deck save the third mate. The male goes up to him and looks in his face. "Why,' savs he, "you confounded long-shore, picked-up son of a green grocer, what are you aft«'rV" an' he takes the article a slap with his lar- board Hipper, and sent it Hying to h'cward like a putf of smok«'. "Keep off tho (|unrter-d.'ck, you lubiier," says ht?, giv- ing him a wheel down into the lee> scup- pers; "it's well the captain didn't catch ye!" •■ Come aft here, seme of ye," sings o.it the third niatiit down the key of his bottio rhcHt to pay hJH Un)tin^(. If he cloHfd Ma cyoH a moment in the watch, slash comes a bucketful o' Chan- nel water over him. The third mate would keep him two hours on end, Iiirii- in* to rip out a steriisnil boom or frrense a royal mast. lie led a do^'s life of it, too, in the half-deck ; last come, *ln course, has al'ays to go and till the br»,»a(l barge, scrub the planks and do all the dirty jobs. Them owners' 'pren- tices, sich as he had for messmates, is al'ays worse to their own kind l>y far nor tho 'common sailors.' as the long- shore folks calls a forennist num. I couldn't help takin' pity on the poor lad, bein' the only one as had seen the way of his up-briiigiiig, and I felt a sort of charge of him like ; so one night I had a (juiet speel wiili him in the watch, an' as s(Min's I fell to speak kindways, there 1 setMl tho water stand in the boy's eyes. " It's a good thing." says he. Iryin' to gulj) it down—" it's a good thing mother tlon't see all this !" " Ho I ho I" says I, " my lad. 'tis all but an- other way of bein' aoasick ! You doesn't get the land cleared out, and snuff the ttlue breeze nat-ral like, all at once. Hows'ever, my lad," says I. "take my advice — bring your hammock and chest into the fok'slo ; swap half your fine clothes for Iduo shirts and canvas trou- sers ; turn to ready and willing, an' do all that's asked you— you'll soon find the differ betwixt the men and a few iK^tty otticers and 'prentices hnlf out their time. The mcn'll soon make a sailor of you ; you'll see what a seaman is ; you'll larn ten times tho knowlellins stuck to the fok'sle throughout. When we got up the Thames he went ashore to see his mother in a check shirt, and can- vas trousers made out of an old royal, with a tarpaulin hat I built for him my- self. He would have me to come the next day over to the house for a supper; so, havui' took a kindness to the young chap, why, 1 c«iuldn't suy nay. There 1 finds him ia the midst of a lot o' soft- faced slips and young ladies, a-spioning the wouderfidleiit yarns about the sea and the East Indges, makin' 'em swal- low all sorts of horse marines' nonsense al)out mar ma ids, Mt>a-8erpent8 and such like. " Hallo, my hearty !" says he, as soon as he saw me, " henve aheail here, and bring to an anchor in this blessed chair. Yoimg ladies," says he, •' this is Bob Jacobs, os I told you kissed a marmaid hisself. He's a won- derful hand, is Bob, for the fair !" Von may fancy how flabbergasted 1 was at this, though the young scamp Avas as cool as you please, and wouldn't ha' needed much to make him kiss 'em all round ; but I was al'ays milk-an'-watiT alongside of women, if they topped at all above my rating. "Well," thinks 1. " my lad, 1 wouldn't ha' said five miii- ut 's agone there was anything of the green about ye yet, but I see 'twill take another voy'ge to wash it all out." For to my thinkin', mates, 'tis more of a land-lubber to come the rig over a few IK)or creatures that never saw blue water than not to knjw the ropes you warn't told. "Oh, Mister .lacobs." says Missus Collins to me that night, before 1 went olT, " d'ye think Kdward is tired of that 'ere hoiTidsonie sea yet T " Well, marm," 1 says. " I'm afeard rot. Bui I'll tell ye, marm," says I. " if you wants to make liim cut the oonsiirn. the only thing you can do is to get him bound apprentice to it. From what I've seen of him, he's a lad that won't bear aught against his lib- erty ; an' I do believe, if he ttitrught he couldn't get free, he'd run the next day !" Well, after that, ye sec, I did- n't know wh.'it more turned up of ir. for I went ayself round to Hull, and ships in a timber craft for the Baltic, just to see some'at new. ()r,e day. the third ' voy'ge from that time, on getting the length of Blackball, we heard of a strong press from th»> men-o'-war ; and as I'd got a dreadful dislike to the sarvice, there was a lot of us merchantmen kept stowed away in holes an' comers till we could suit ourselves. At last we got tired, and a shipmate o' mine and I wanted to go and • see our 8weeth.»art8 over in the town. So we hired the slops from a Jew, and makes ourselves out to be a couple o' watermen, with badges to suit, a-carrying off a large parcel and a ticket on it. In the arternoon we came back again within sight of the Tower, where we saw the coast was clear, and made a fair \vind along Rosemary Lane and Cable street. Just then we saw a tall young fellow, in a brown coat an' a broad-brim hat, standing in the door of o z r o THE GREEN HAND. n Hliop, with a papor under Iiis arm, on lhi» look-out for HonuH'nu. " Twig the Qmikcr, Bob 1" my shlpmatL' snyu to nio. As Hooii UH he saw uh, out the Quaker Htepa, and sayH he to BUI, In a Hlcepy Hort of v'lct', " Friend, thou'rt a wati-rnmn. I l)'lieve ?" " D It, yos," says Bill, pretty nhort like, " that'H what we hails for. D'ye want a boat, in.istor V" " Swear not, friend," Hays thrt Broadbrim; '"but what I want is this, you see. Wo have a large vessj'l, belonging to our house, to send to Ila- Vina, and wlllin' to give doublu wages, but wo can't find any mariners at this present for to navigate. Now," says he, " I s'pose this oufortunate state of things Is on account of the sinful war IIS is goin' on— they're afraid of the risk. Hows'ever, niy friends," says he, " perhaps, as you knows the river, yon f'ould put us upon a way of engagin' twenty or more bold mariners as is not afeard of ventering for good pay ?" and with this he looks into his j)a|>ers ; and says Bill, " Well, sir, I don t know any myself — do you. Bob ?" and he give me a shove, and says under the rose, "No fear, mate," says Bill, " he's all over green — don't slip the chance for all handp of us at .Tobson's." '* Why, master," I says, " what 'ud you give them mar- iners you spoaks on, now ?" " Six pounds a month, friend," says he, look- ing up ; " but we gives tea in place of spirits, and we must have steady men. We can't wait, neither," says he, "more nor three days, or the vessel won't sail at all." " My eye," says Bill. " 'twon't do to lose, Bob !— stick to him, that's all." "Well, sir," I says, "I think I does have a notion of some'at of the sort. If you sends your papers to Job- son's tavern to-night, in the second lane Anchor road, over the water, why, I'll get ye as many hands to sign as ye want." "Thanks, friend," says the young Broadbrim ; " I will attend to thy advice ;" so he bids us good-day, and stepped into his door again. " Bill," says I, as we went off, " now I thinlt on it, I can't help a notion that I've seen that chap's face afore." " Very like," says Bill, "for the matter of that 'tis the same with me — them Broadbrims is so much of a piece ! But that 'ere fel- low don't know nothing of ships, sure enough, or he wouldn't offer what he did, and the crimps' houses all .of a swarm with hands !" " Take my word, mate," says I, " it's a paying trip, or he wouldn't do it — leave a Quaker alone for that ! Why, the chap's a parfit young- ster, but I'm blessed as if he don't look as starched as if he'd sat over a desk for twenty year !" Well, strike me lucky, mates all, if the whole affair warn't a complete trap ! Down comes a clerk with the papers, sure enough ; but in ten minutes more the whole blessed lot of us was pucka- lowed, and hard and fast, by a strong press-gang. They put us into a cutter off Hi'dritt stairs, and the next noon all hands wns aboard of the i'undora fri- giito at Sheerni'Bs. The fir^t time of being mustered on deck, ua: s Bill to me, " Cuss my eyes. Bob, if there isn't the 'farnal Quaker !" I looked, and (7 it was. " Thu sly, soft-sauderln' be/ giir !" soys 1. "All fair in war and .. press, mate !" suys one of the frigate's men. All the while I kept lookir.g and looking at the midshipman ; and at last I says to Bill, when we got below, giv- ing a slap to my thigh, " Blessed if It aint ! it's the Green Hand himsidf !" ".(Jreen Hand !" says Bill, sulkily enough, " who's the (.Ireen Hand ? Blow nil'. Bob, if I don't think we're the green bans ourselves, if that's what you're upon !" So 1 told him the story about Ni'd Collins. "Well," says he, " if a follow was green as China rice, cuss me if the reefers' mess wouldn't tiike it out of him in a dozen watches. The eoflfst thing I know, as you say, Bob, just now. is to come the smart hand when you're a lubber ; but to sham green after that style, ye know, why 'tis a mark or two above either you or I, messmate. For my part, I for- gives the young scamp, 'cause 1 ought to ha' known better." By the time the frigate got to sea the story was blown over the whole main- deck ; many a good laugh it gave the different messee ; and Bill, the midship- man and I got the name of the Three (.Jreen Hands. One middle watch. Mister Ned comes for'ard by the booms to me, and says he, " Well, Bob Jacobs, you don't bear a grudge, I hope ?" " Why," says I, " Mister Collins, 'twould be mutiny now, I fancy, you bein' my officer V" so I gave a laugh ; but I couldn't help feelin' hurt a little, 'twas so like a son turniu' against his father, as 'twere. "Why, Bob," says he, " did ye think me so green as not to know a seaman when I saw him ? I -vas afeard you'd know me that time." Not I, sir," I answers. " Wh.v, if we hadn't sailed so long in company I wouldn't know ye now." So Master Ned gave me to understand it was for old times he wanted to ship me in the same craft ; but he knew my mis- liking to the sarvice. though he said he'd rather ha' lost the whole haul of 'em nor myself. So many a yam we had together of a dark night, and for a couple of years we saw no small sarvice in the Pandora. But if ye'd seen Ned, the smartest leefer aboard, and the best liked by the men, in the fore-taups'l bunt in a gale, or over the maindeck hatch, with an eneu-y's frigate to lee- ward, or on a spree ashore at Lisbon or Naples, you wouldn't ha said there was anything green in his eye, I warrant ye. He was made acting leftenant of a THE GREEN HANI). Eriie he cut out near ChnirhourK lioforo e pasMed oxuiiiiiiiitioii ; bo ho K^t luo for prixe bo'fiiiii, nm] took ht>r into IMy- mouth. Soon nftt>r that the war wnn ended, and nil hiuulH of tho I'nmlora paid off. Master Ned KOt piiHMed with tlyiuK colors, nnl, I takes a look over the ladh-s, in coiling up the ropes nft or at the whei-l ; I kiiowtil the said girl at once by her good looks, and the old fellow by his grumpy yallow frontispiece. All on a sudden 1 tak»>s note of a ligg'-r coming u|> from tin. cuddy, which I mnde out at once for my AInster Ned, spite of his wig and a pair o' high-hi'cleil I)ooIh as gave him the walk of a chap treading amongst eggs. When I hears him lisp out to the skipper at the roundhouse if there was any fear of wind, 'twas all I could do to keep the juice in my check. Away he goes up to windward, holding on by ever.nhing, to look over the bulwarks behind his sweetheart, giving nic u glance over his shoulder. At night I see the two hold n sort of collogue abaft the wheel when I wns on my trick at the helm. After a while there was a row got up amongst the passougcrs. with the old nabob and the skipper, to find out who it was that kept a-singing every still night in the tirst watch, along- side of the ladies' cabin, under the poop. It couldn't be cleared up, how- s'ever, who it was. All sorts of places they said it comed from— mizzen-cha ins, quarter-galleries, lower-deck ports, ,and davit-boats. But what put the ' ol(l hunks most in such a rage was, the songs was every one on 'em sttch as Rule Britannia, Bay of Biscay, Britan- nia's Bulwarks, and All In the Downs. The captain was all at sea about it. and none of the men would any anything, for by all accounts 'twas the best i)ipe at a sea-song as was to be hoard. For my part, I knowed pretty well wh.xt wan aHont. Oic night a man come for- 'nrd from the wheel, nfter steering his dog-watch out, and " Well, I'm blessed, mates," says he on tho fok'sle, " but that chap aft yonder with the lady- he's about the greenest hand I've chanced to come across ! What d'ye think I hears him say to old Yallow Chops an hour agone ?" " What wns it, mate ?" I says. "Says he, *Do you know. Sir Chawls, is the hoshun recly green at the line— green, ye know, Sar Chawls, reely green V ' No, sir,' says -the old nabob, ''tis blue.' ' Whoy. ye don't sa-ay so !" says the young chap, pullin a long face." " Whj-, Jim," an- other hand drops in, " that's the very chap as sings them first-rate sea songs of a night ! I seed him myself come out o' the mizzen-chains !" " Hallo !" says another at this, " then there's some'at queer 1' the wind ! I thought he gave rather a weather look aloft. o c r o to -.1 comm' on deck i' the morning I'll bet a week's grog the chap's desarted from the king's flag, mates !" Well, ye know, hereup I couldn't do no less nor shove in my oar, so I takes word from all hands not to blow the gaff, an* then gives 'em the whole yarn to 10 THE GREEN HANI). the very day about the Green Hand— for somehow or another I was al'ays a yarning sort of a customer. As soon as they heard it was a love cousJim, not a man but sworo to keep a stopper on his jaw ; only, at findin' out he was a leftenant in the royal navy, all hands was for touching hats when they went past. Hows'ever, things went on till we'd crossed the line a good while ; the lef- tenant was making his way with the girl at every chance. But as for the old fellow, I didn't see he was a fathom the nearer with him ; though, as the nabob had never clapped eyes on him to know him like, 'twan't much matter before heavin in sight o' port. The captain of the Indyman was a rum, old-fashioned codger, all for plain sailing and old ways— I shouldn't say overmuch of a su>art seaman. He read the sarvice every Sunday, rigged the church and all ttrat, if it was anything short of a rcef-taups'l breeze. 'Twas queer enough, ye may think, to hear the old boy drawlin' out, " As 'twas in the begin- ning "—then, in the one key, " Haul aft the main sheet" — "Is now, and ever shall be '— '* Small, pull with the wea- ther-brace "— " Amen "—Well the main yard "— " The Lord be with you "— *' Taups'l yard well !" As for the first orticer, he was a dandy know-nothing young blade, as wanted to show off be- fore the ladies ; and the second was afraid to call the nose on his face his own, except in his watch ; the third was a good seaman, but ye may fancy the craft stood often a poor chance of being well handled. 'Twus one arternoon watch, off the west coast of Africay, as hot a day as I mind on, we lost the breeze with a swell, and just as it got down smooth land was made out, low upon the star- board bow, to the southeast. The cap- tain was turned in sick below, and the first orficer on deck. I was at the wheel, and I hears him say to the sec- ond how the land breeze would come ofE at night. A little after up comes Lef- tenant Collins, in his black wig and his longshore hat, an' begins to squint over the stam to nor'west'ard. " Jacobs," my lad," whispers he to me, " how do you like the looks o' things ?" " Not overmuch, sir," says I ; " small enough sea-room for the sky, there !" Up goes he to the first orficer, after a bit. "Sir," says he, " do you notice how we've risen the land within the last hour and a half ?" " No, sir" says the first mate ; " what d'ye mean ?" " Why, there's ci:irent here takin' us inside the point," says he. " Sir," says the company's man, " if I didn't know what's what, d'ye think I'd lam it off a gentleman as is so confounded preen ? There's no- thing of the sort," he says. " Look on the starboard »ve think ye'd weather that there poi^vi iWo hours after this if a gale came on fT\im the nor'west, sir '?" " Well," says the first mate, " I dare say we shouldn't, —but what o' that ?" " Why, if you'd cruised for six months off the coast of Africa as I've done," says the leften- ant, " you'd think there was something ticklish about thai white spot in the sky to nor'west ; but on the top o' that, the weather glass is fell a good bit since four bells." '* Weather-glass !'" the mate says, " why that don't matter much in respect of a gale, I fancy." Ye must understand, weather-glasses wa'n't come so much in fashion at that time, except in the royal navy. " Sir," says the mate again, " mind your business, if you've got any, and I'll mind mine !" " If I was you," the leftenant says, "I'd call the captain." "Thank ye," says the mate — " call the captain for no- thing !" Well, in an hour more the laud was quite plain on the starboard bow, and the mate comes aft again to Leftenant Collins. The clouds was be- ginning to grow out of the clear sky astern too. " Why, sir," says the mate, " I'd no notion you was a seaman at all ! What would yon do yourself, now, supposin' the case you put a little ago ?" " Well, sir," says Mr. Collins, " if you'll do it, I'll tell ye at once—" At this i)oint of old Jack's story, however, a cabin-boy came from aft to say that the captain wanted him. The old seaman knocked the ashes out of his pipe, which he had smoked at inter- vals in short puffs, put it in his jacket pocket, and got up oif the windlass end. " Why, old ship," said the man-o' -war's man, " are ye goin' to leave us in the lurch with a short yarn ?" " Can't help it, bo'," said old .Tack ; " orders must be obeyed, ye know," and away he went. " Well, mates," said one, " what was the upshot of it, if the yarn's been overhauled already. I didn't hear it myself." " Blessed if I know," said several ; " old Jack didn't get the length last time he's got now." " More luck !" said the man-o'-war's man ; " 'tis to be hoped he'll finish it next time." PART II. We left the forecastle group of the Gloucester disappointed by the abrupt departure of their story-teller, Old Jack, at so critical a thread of his yarn. As old .Jacobs went aft on the quarter-deck, where the binnacle lamp before her wheel was newly lighted, he looked in with a pass box ere asce ail appr< Kteersma liis mou in a pro] and then tain's HU \>fn)y, ha Iiiistling 1() as^em even exc( ate whist arable voyage is future n: and comi got rid o: a proniei tlie India iMisi'd to (Irisses li iMstle by II'.Illi'S liu festivity. Iilutf. goo ci'i'.s polisl ties of a iiit'ii or Willi sevei iiifii— the the poop T i!iu'.<. whe i!iit oidy i failures o gained tlu th(> cn^dit aicoinpani lively exei men pron the glimm 1m Til strik; efforts, na tear inusi poop, who trombone ticiiigs by assembled indeed, ^ chocks, wi iations ca what with ing on rel tensely rei of sudden one mome: was addit quaintly , things by "a cuddy liiotion, h( this centr |!uid plant* of the sc mass of across an( sinking li( [ Weltering tire length anon expo lol lines, THE GREEN HAND. IX with a seaman's instinct upon tin? oom- [)iiss boxes, to see how the ship heaone and violin, after sundry pi-ac- ticiugs by stealth, had for the first time assembled to play Rule Britannia. What, indeed, with the occasional abrupt checks, wild flourishes and fantastic var- iations caused b.v the ship's roll, snd what with the attitudes overhead of hold- iui,' on refractory hats and caps, of in- tensely resisting and staggering legs, or of sudden pausing above the slope which one moment before was an ascent, there was additional force in the designation (luaintly given to such an as[wct of tilings by the foremast Jacks- that of "a cuddy jig." As the still increasing liiotion, however, shook into side places this central group of cadets, civilians, aiul planters adrift, the grander features of the scene predominated; the broad mass of the ship's hull— looming now across and now athwart the streak of sinking light behind-^lrawn out by the Weltering outline of the waters; the en- tire length of her white decks, ever and anon exposed to view, with their parol- lel lines, tiieir nautical appurtenances, the cluster of hardy m^n about the windlass, the two or three old salts roll- ing to and fro along the gangway, and the variety of forms blending into both railings of the poop. High out of, and above all, rose the lofty upper line of the noble ship, statelier and statelier as the dusk closed in about her — the ex- panse of canvas whitening with sharper edge upon the gloom; the hauled up clews of the main course, with their huge blocks swelling and lifting to the fair wind— and the breasts of the loi)- sails divided by their tightened bunt- lines, like the shape of some fullbosou.- ed maiden, on which the reef points heaved like silken fringes, as if three sisters, shadowy and goddess-lilie. trod in each other's steps toward the deeper solitude of the ocean; while tl't- tall spars, the interlacing, complicated trac- ery, and the dark top-hamper showing between, gave graceful unity to her fig- ure; and her three white trucks, f.ir overhead, kept describing a small clear arc upon the deep blue zenith as she rolled: the man at the wheel midway be- fore the doors of the poop cabin, with tlie light of the binnacle upon hi.s broad throat and bearded chin, was looking aloft at a single star that had come out beyond tlie clew of the main topsail. ITie last stroke of .six bells, .or t-oven o'clock, which had begun to be struck on the ship's bell when Old Jack broke off his story, still lingered on the ear as he brought up close to the starboard (jnarter-gallery, where a little green shed or pent house afforded support and shelter to the ladies with the captain. The erect figure of the latter, as he lightly held one of hig fair guests by the arm, while pointing out to her s>uie ob- ject astern, still retained the attitude which had last caught the eyes of the forecastle group. The nuisical cadets had just begun to pass from Rule Brit- annia to Shades of Evening, and the old sailor, with his glazed hat in his hand. stood beneath,! were tinged by a gentle luster, whiluj thi! hollow shadows stole out behind.! The distant horizon, meanwhile, still la.vf in an obscure streak, which blendi^i in- to the dark side of the low fog bank, so| as to give sea and, cloud united the mo- mentary appearance of one of those! long rollers that turn over on a beach! with their glittering crest: you would! exi)ect to see next instant what actually' seemed to take place— the whole out- line plashing over in foam, and spread- 1 ing itself clearly forward, as soon as] the moon \\Tf<.s free. With the airy space that flowed from her eama out] the whole eastern sea board, liquid and! distinct, as if beyond either bow of the! lifting Indiaman one sharp finger of ii pair of compasses had flashed round,] drawing a semicircle upon the dull back- ground, still cloudy, glimmering jiud ob- scure. From the waves that undulateill toward her stern the ship was apparent- ly entering upon a smoother zon?, when' the small surges leaped up and danced I in moonshine, resembling more the on- rent of some estuary in a full tide. To northwestward, just on the skirts of llie dark, one wing of a large soft gray va- por was newly smitten by the moon | gleam; and over against it, on the south- east, where the long fog bank sank I away, there stretched an expanse of ocean which, on its farthest verge, gave] out a tint of the most delicate opal blue. The ship, to the southwestward of the I Azores, and going large before the trade THE GREEN HAND. »3 «iud, was now passing into th»! grent liiilf stream, which there runs to the Koiitiieast. Even the passengoi-s on |ik'ck were sensible of the rapid transi- tion with which the lately cold breeze bec-ame wanner and fitful, and the mo- tion of the vessel easier. They Wf>re Isiirprised, cm looking into the vsaves iilougside, to perceive them struggling;, Ills it were, under a trailing network of Iscii, weed, which, as far as one could Jilistiuctly see, appeared to keep down the Imussea of the water like so much oil, Itliittening their crests, neutralizing the Iforce of the wind, and commuuieatiug la strange somber green to the heaving IcU'meut. In the winding track of the iKliip's wake the eddies now absoiutoly llihized; the weeds she had crushed down Irose to the surface again in gurgling Icirclea of Bame, and the sliowei's of Isiiiirks came up seething on either side laniong the stalks and leaves; but as the Iiiiaonlight grew more equally diffused lit was evident she was only pioroing an lariu of that local weed bed here formed, llike an island, in the bight of the I stream. Farther ahead were scattered Ipatches and bunches of of the true Flor- jiila gulf weed, white and moss like, pvhil on the captaia'H arm, vud her pale, terrified face. "Don't be alarmed, ladles," Hnid the surgeon; "she's only hauled on the star- board tack." "And her counter to the east," said the captain. "But who tht- dev — old gentlemnn, I mean— put out the lamp?" rejoined the doctor. "Ah, I see, sir. 'But when the moon, refulgent lamp of night—' " "Such a surprise!" exclaimed the lad- ies, laughing, although ns much frighten- ed for a moment by the magical illumin- ation as by the previous circumstances. "You see," said the captain, "we are not like a house; we can bring round our scenery to any window we choose." "Very prettily imagined it was, too, I declarel" observed a stout old Bom- bay officer; "and a fine compliment t9 the ladies, by Jove, sir!" "If we had any of your pompous Ben- gal 'Quy hies' here, though, colonel," said the doctor, "they wouldn't stand beiug choused so unceremoniously out of the weather side, I suspect." "As to the agreeable little surprise I meant for the ladies," said Capt. Col- lins, "I fear it was done awkardly, never having commanded an Indiaman before, and laid up ashore this half a dozen years. But one's old feelings get fresh- ened up, and without the old Glouces- ter's points, I can't help reckoning her as a lady, too — a very particular old 'Begum' that won't let any one else be humored before herself — especially as I tcok charge of her to oblige a friend." "How easily she goes now!" said the doctor; "and a gallant sight at this mo- ment, I assure you, to any one who chooses to put his head up the com- panion." "Ah, mamma," said one of the girls, "couldn't you almost think this was our own little parlor at home, with the moon- light coming through the window on both sides of the old elm, whe' a we were sit- ting a month ago hearing about India and papa?" "Ah," responded her cousin, standing up, "but there was no track of moon- shine dancing beyond the track of the ship yonder. How blue the water is, and how much w.irmer it has grown of a sudden!" "We are crossing the great Gulf stream," said ' the captain. "Jacobs, ooen one of the stern ports." "Tis the very place and time, this is." ' • arked a good-humored cottou grow- . from the Dcccan, "for one of the col- onel's tiger hunts now." "Sir," answered the old officer, rather testily. "I am not accustomed to thrust my tiger huuts, as you choose to call my humble experiences, under people's noses."' "Certainly not. my dear sir," said the planter. "But what do you say, ladies to one of the captain's sea yarns, then^ Nothing better, I'm sur • — here and now sir, eh?" Capt. Collins smiled, and said he had never spun a yarn in his life, except when a boy, out of matter-of-fact old junk and tar. "Here is my steward, however," con tinned he, "who is the best baud at it I know, and I dure say he'll give you one." "Charming!" exclaimed the j'oung Indies. And "What was that adventure, Mr. .Jacobs," said Miss Alicia, "with a beau- ty and a nabob in it, that you alluded to a short time ago?" "I diiln't to say disactly Include upon it, your ladyship," replied old Jacobs, with a tug of his hair and a bow not just a la maitre; "but the captain can give you it better nor I can, seeing as his honor was the Nero on it, as one may say." "Oh!" said the surgeon, rubbing his hands, "a lady and a rupee-eater in the case." "Curious stories there are, too," re- marked the colonel, "of those serpents of nautch girls and rich fools they've managed to entangle. As for beauty, sir, tiey have the devil's, and they'd melt the. Honorable John's own revenue. I know a very sensible man — sha'n't mention his name, but made of rupees, and a regular beebee hater — saw one of these—" "Hush, hush, my dear sir!" interrupt- ed the planter, winking and gesticulat- ing; "very good for the weather poop- but presence of ladies!" "For which I'm not fit, you'd say, sir?" inquired the colonel, firing up again. "Oh! oh! you know, colonel!" said the unlucky planter, deprecatingly. "But a godown of best 'Banda* to a cowrie now, the sailor makes his beauty a ooid- plete Nourmahal, with rose lips and moon eyes, and his nahob a jehan pun- neh, with a crore, besides diamonds. 'Twould be worth hearing, espwiully from a Lascar. For, 'twixt you and I, colonel, we know how rare it is to heur of a man who saves his lac nowadays, with Yankees in the market, no Nu- waubs to fight, and reform in cutchev- ies." "There seems something curious about this said adventure of yours, my dear captain," said Mrs. St. Clair archly; "and a beauty, too! It makes me posi- tively inquisitive; but I hope your fair lady has heard the story?" "Why, not exactly, ma'am," replied Capt. Collins, laughing as he caught tbe doctor looking preternaturally solemn, after a sly lee wink to the colonel, >vho, having his back tc the moonlight,3tr?t.?}i- ed out his legs and indulged in a gritn. silent chuckle, until his royal tiger couu- say, ladies, arns, then? ti and now, said he had lift*, except •of-fact old rever," con laud at it I 1 give you the young ent'ire, Mr. iTith a bean- 1 alluded to iclude upon old Jacobs, a bow not i:aptain cau I, seeing as it, as one rubbing his iater in the i, too," re- •se serpents >ol8 they've for beauty, and they'd «rn revenui'. lan — sha'n't of rupees, saw one of interrupt- sesticulat- ler poop— ou'd say, firing up said the "But a a cowrie uly a 00111- lips anil ehan pun- diamonds. »,>sp»»ciall.v ou and I, s to hear nowadays, no Na- tl outohei- ions about my dear ir archly; me posi- your fair " replied laught the solcniT), nol, who, ht,gtr?t.?h- n a grim. Iger oouu- THE GREEN HAND. IS tenance was unhappily brought so far Hush in the rays as to betray a sinsridar daguerreotype, resembling one of those cut paper phantasmagoria thrown on a drawing room wall, unmistakably black and white, and in the character of Mali- cious Watchfulness. The rubicun-l, fid- gety little cotton grower twiddled his thumbs and looked modestly down on the deck with half shut eyes, as if ex- pecting some bold revelation of nautical depravity, while the romantic Miss Ali- cia cjlored and was silent. "However," said the captain, coolly, "it is no matrimonial secret at any ni-e. We both think of it when we read the oliurch service of a Sunday niifht at home, with Jacobs for the clerk." "Do, Mr. Jacobs, oblige us," request- ed the younger of the girls. "Well, miss," said he, smoothing down his hair in the doorway and hem- ming, '"tain't neither for the likes o' me to refuse a lady, nor accordin' to rules for to give such a yam in presence of a superior of&cer, much less the captain: with a midship helm, ye know, marm, ye can't haul upon one tack nor tho other. Not to say but next forenoon watch—" "I see, Jacobs, my man," interrnpt.Kl Capt. Collins, "there's nothing for it but to fore-reach upon you, or else .vo'i'll l»e 'Green-Handing' me aft as well as for- ward; so I must just make the best of it, and take the winch in my own fash- ion at once." "Ay, ay, sir! ay, ay, your honor!" said Old Jack demurely, and concealiug his gratification as he turned off into the pantry with the idea of for the first time hearing the captain relate the incideats in question. "My old shipmate," said the latter, 'is so fond of having trained his future onp- tain that it is his utmost delight to spin out every thing we ever met with to- gether into one endless yarn, which would go on from our first acquaintance to the present day, although no ship's company ever heard the last of it. Without fall- ing knowingly to leeward of the truth, he makes out every lucky coincidence almost to have been a feat of mine, and puts in little fancies of his own, so as to give the whole thing more and more of a marvellous air, the farther it Koes. The most amusing thing is that ha al- most always begins each time, I believe, at the very .beginning, like a capstan without a Paul, sticking in one thing be had forgot before, and forgetting anoth- er; sometimes dwelling longer on one part— a good deal like a ship making the same voyages over again. I knew now this evening, when I heard the men laughing and saw Old Jack on the fore- castle, what mu8t.be in the wind. How- over, we have shared so many chances, and I respect the old man so mnch, not to speak of his having dandled my little girls on his knee, and being butler, stow ard and flower gardener at home, that I can't really be angry at him, in •'pite of the sort of every man's rope he juakes of me." "How very amusing a character he is!" said one young lady. "A thought too tarry, perhaps?" sug- gested the surgeon. "So very original and like a — seaman!" remarked Miss Alicia, quietly, but as if some ofher word that crossed her mind had been rejected as descriptive of a different variety, probably higher. "Original, by Jove!" exclaimed tho col- onel. "If my khansaman or my abdar were to make such a dancing dervish and tumasha of me behind my back, by the holy Vishnu, sir, I'd rattan him my- self within an inch of his life!" "Not an unlikely thing, colonel," put in the planter; "I've caught the scoun- drels at that trick before now." "What did you do?" inquired the col- onel speculatively. "Couldn't help laughing, for my soul, sir; the puchree bund rascals did it so well and so funnily!" Tlie irascible East Indian almost start- ed up in his imaginative fury, to call for his palkee and chastise his whole veranda, when the doctor reminded him it was a long way there. "Glorious east!" exclaimed the medico, looking out astern, "where we may cure out footmen, and whence, meanwhile, we can drive such Sankrit-sounding adjur- ations with such fine moonlight!" The presence of the first oflBcer was now added to the party, who came down for a cup of tea, fresh from duty, and flavoring strongly of a pilot cheroot. "How does she head, Mr. Wood?" asked the captain. "Sou'west by west, sir— a splendid night, under everything that will draw —spray up to the starboard cat-head!" "But as to this story again, Capt. '>ol- lins?" said Mrs. St. Clair, as soon is .she had poured out the chief mate's can. "Well," said the captain, "if you choose to listen till bed time to a plain drau^cht of the affair, why, I suppose I must tell it you; and what remains then must stand over till next fine night. It may look a little romantic, being in the days when most people are such themselves, but, at any rate, we sailors, or else we should never have been at sea, you know; and so you'll allow for that, and a spice to boot of what we used to rail at sea love-making; happily there were no soft speeches in it, like those in books, for then I shouldn't tell it at all. "By the time I was twenty-four I had been nine years at sea, and ut the end of the war was third lieutenant of a crack twenty-eight, the saucy Iris, as per- fect a sloop model, though overspirred certainly, as ever was eased off the ways at Chatham or careened to a north- easter. The admiralty had learned to build by that day, and a glorious ship she X o 2: -0 ■5 i6 THE GREEN HAND. .1. was, made for going after the small fry of privateers, pirates, and slavers that swarmed about at that time. Though I had roughed it in all sorts of craft, from a first-rate to a dirty French lugger prize, and had been eastward, so as to see the sea in its pride at the Pacific, yet the feeling you have depends on the kind of ship you are in. I never knew so well what it was to be fond of a ship und the sea; and when I heard of the poor Iris, that had never been used to any- thing but blue water on three parts of the horizon at least, laying her bones not long after near Wicklow Head, I couldn't help a gulp in the throat. I once dreamed I had gone down in her. and risen again to the surface with the loss of something in my bi-aiu; while at the same moment there I was, still sitting below, on a locker in the ward-room, with the arms of her beautiful figure-head round me, and her mermaid's tail, like the best bower cable with an anchor at the end of it, far away out of soundings, over which I bobbe call, too, sir." "Good-day, your honor!" said all of them as they put on their bats to go, and covered their curiosity again with his tarpaulin. "I'm blessed. Bill," said Tom, "but we'll knock off this heri' carrivanning now, and put before the wind for Blackwall." "Won't j'ou give your savage his freedom, then?" I asked. "Sartinly, your honor," replied the roguish foretqp-man, his eye twinkling as he saw that I enjoyed the joke. "Now, Mick, my lad, ye must run like the devil so soon as we casts ye off!" "Oh, by the powers, thry me!" said the Irishman; "I'm tired o' this cannibal minnatchery! By the holv mouse, though, I must have a drop o' dew in me or I'll fall!" Mick accordinglv Kwigged off a noggin of gin. and declared himself ready to start. "Head due nor'- east from the sun, Mick, an' we'll pick ye up in the woods, and rig you out all square again," said the captain of tho gang, before presenting himself to the mob outside. "Now, gemmen and ladie.s all," said the sailor, coolly, "ye see we'ri' bent on givin' this here poor unfort'nato his liberty; an' bein' told we've got tho law on our side, why, we means to do it. More by token, there's a leftenant in the Royal navy aboard there as has made up the little salvage-money, bein' poor men, orderin us for to do it; so look out! If ye only gives him a clear oflSng he'll not do no harm. Steady, Bill; slack off the starboard sheet. Jack; let go — all!" "Oh! oh! no! no! for God's sake!" screamed the by-standers, as they scuttled off to both hands. "Shame! shame!— knock us downT catch un. Tipstaff! beadle!" "Hoornh!"^ roared the boys, and off went Mick O'Hooney in fine style, flourishing his toiv maul, with a wild "huUalo," right away over a fence, into the garden, and across a field toward the nearest wood. Every- body fell out of his way as he dashed on; then some running after him. dogs bark- ing, and the whole of the seamen giving chase with their tarpaulins in their hands^ as if to drive him far enough into the country. The whole scene was extremelj^ rich, seen through the open air from thc- tavern window, where I sat laughing till the tears came :nto my eyes at .Tack Tar's rogueishness and the stupefied Kent rustics, as they looked at each other; then at the sailors rolling away full speed along the edge of the plantation where the outlandish creature had disappeared; and lastly, at the canvas cover which lay on the spot where he had stood. They were actually consulting how to guard against possible inroads from the savage at night, since he might be lurking near, when I mouAted and rode off. I dare say even ad," said I. got so far 'ou tell ID'.' )bs hau got mi, "I dill ig with his ;ive him i< )ur honor I" 1 their hats osity again ssed, Bill." ff this her^^ before the 't you givft ?" I asked. the roguish : as he saw ^^ow, Mick, evil so soon the powers. "I'm tired By the holy a drop o' accordingly id declared d due nor'- we'll pick you out all ain of the Jelf to the and ladie.s e see we'ro unfort'nate ve got the is to do it. lant in the IS made ui> poor men, »k out! It^ g he'll not lok off the ill!" "Oh! reamed the )ff to both us downT Hoorah!"^ nt Mick ng his top ight away ind across Every- ashed on; logs bark- len givin;? leir hands,. into the extremely from the- ighing till at Jack efied Kent eh other: full speeect, different as it was every morning or hour of the day. My mother and my sister Jane were so kind, they petted me 80, and were so happy to have me down to breakfast and out walking, even to feel the smell of my cigar, that I hardly knew where I was. I gave them an ae- (".)uut of the places I had seen, with a few tremendous storms and a frigate- fi^ht or two, instead of the horse marine stories about mermaids and flying Dutch- men I used to i>a3S upon them when a eonceited youngster. Little Jane would listen \^th her ear to a large shell when ve were upon sea matters, and shut her eyes saying she could fancy the thing so perfectly in that way. Or was it about India; there was a painted sandal- wood fan, carved in open-work like the finest lace, which she would spread over her face, because the seeing through it, and its scent made her feel as if she were in the tropics. As for my mother, good simple woman, she was always between astonishment and horror, never having believed that lieutenants would be so heartless as to mast-head a midshipman for the drunkenness of a boat's crew, nor being able to understand why with a gale brewing to seaward a captain tried to get his ship as far as he could from land. The idea of my going to sea af.:ain never entered her head, the terri- ble war being over, aiid the rank I had gained being invariably explained to visitors as at least equal to that of a cap- tain among soldiers. To the present day, this is the point with respect to sea-far- iut; matters ou which my venerated and worthy parent is clearest: she will take olf her gold spectacles, smoothing down her silver hair with the other hand, and lay down the law Hs to reform in naval titles, showing that ray captain's commis- sion puts ine on a level with a military colonel. However, as usual, I got tired l)y little and little of this sort of thing; 1 fancy there's some peculiar disease gets into a sailor's brain that makes him un- I'asy with a firm floor and no offing be- jond: certainly the country about Croy- don was to my mind, at that time, the worst possible — all shut in, narrow lanes, hi!,'h hedges and orchards, no sky except overhead, and no horizon. If I could only have got a hill, there would have been some relief in having a lookout from it. Money I didn't need, and as for fame and rank I neither had the ambition, nor did I ever fancy myself intended for an admiral or a Nelson: all my wish was to be up and driving about, on account of something that waB within me. I enjoyed a good breeze as some do champagne; aud the very perfection of glory, to my thinking, was to be the soul of a gallant ship in a regular Atlan- tic howler; or to play at long bowls with one's match to leeward, off the ridges of a sea, with both weather and the enemy to think of. Accordingly, I wasn't at all inclined to go jogging along in one of your easy merchantmen where yon have nothing new to find out, and I only wait- ed to near from some friends who were bestirring themselves with the board of a ship where there might be something to do. These were my notions in those days, before getting sobered down, which I tell you for the sake of not seeming such a fool in this said adventure. Well, one evening my sister Jane and I went to a race-ball at Epsom, where, of course, we saw all the "beauty aud fash- ion," as they say, of the country round, with plenty of the army men, who were in all their glory with Waterloo and all that; we two or three poor nauticals being quite looked down upon in comparison since Nelson was dead, and we had left nothing at the end to tight with. I even heard one belle ask a dragoon "What uniform that was — was it the hors| to her. Not lung after an oldish gentle man came out with a groyihaired old I general from the refreshment room ; a thin, yellow-complcxioned man he wa.s, with no whiskers and a bald forehead, and a bilious eye. but handsome, anak on my side of the wall, half clioked, and trj'ing to croak out : " I'retty— pretty «iK'ky !" Before I had time to think tho door opened, and, by heavens ! th«'re was my very ouurmer herself, with the shade of the green leaves showered over h»r alarmed face. She had scarcely seen me before 1 sprang up and eaiiglit the cockatoo, uhich bit me like an imp incarnate till th*- blcKKl ran down my fingers as 1 handed it to its mistres**, my he:irt in my mouth and more than a quarter-deck bow in my cap. The young lady looked at me first in surprise, as may be supposed, and then, with a smile of thanks that set my brain all atioiit, " Oh, dear me." exdaimoil she, " you are hurt." " Hurt !" I said, looking so bewildered, I suppose, that she couldn't help laughing. "Tippoo is ^ery stupid," continued fhe, smiling, •' because he is out of his own country. I think. You shall have no sugar to-night, cockatoo, for biting your friends." " Were you ever— in Inilia— madam V" I stammered out. '* Not since I was a child," she an- swered ; but just then I saw the figure of the nabob sauiitering down the gar- den, and said I had particular business and must be off. " You are very busy here, fir T' said the charming young creature, archly. "You are longing till you go to sea, I dare say— like Tippoo and me." " You !" said I, staring at the key- hole, while she cnuglit my eye, and blushed a little, as I thought. " Yes, w»« are going ; I long to s»*e Imlia again, and I remember the sea, toi». like a dream." Oh, heavens ! thought I. when I heard the old gentleman call out, " Lota I Lo- ta, beebee ! Kabultah, meetoowah ? (Little girl ! Do you heir, sweet one '?) and away she vanished behind the door, with a smile to myself. The tone of the judge's voice, and His speaking Hin- doo, showed he was fond of bis daugh- ter at any rate. Off I went, too, as much confused as before, only for the new thought in my head. " The sea, the sea !** I shouted, as soon as out of hearing, and felt the wind, as 'twere, coming from rift at last like the first ripple. " Yes, by George !" said I, " outward bound for a thousand. I'll go, if it was before the mast." All at once I remembered I didn't know the ship's name or when. Next day, and the next again, I was skulking about my old placp, but nobody appeared— not so much as a shadow inside the key- hole. At last one evening just as I was going awiiy the door opened ; I sauntered slowly along when, instead of the charming Lota, out came the flat brown turban of an ugly kitmagar, with a moustache, looking round to see who r o z -0 D ;■..•• > < aa THE GREEN HAND. wag there. " Solnain, anh'b," snld the brown fellow, holtliug thi- door b«'hlud him with one paw. " Burra judge Hoh'b bhoto bhote Hdlaam Hend upinser (otticcr) sah'b ; 'oih» not dekhe (look) afUiV Hah'n cook-maid." ".loot baht hurkut-jee " ('TIh a lie, you ncoundrel), said I, lnughlnjf. " Sah'b t>een ray c'oontree V" luoulrcd the Bongtilese, nioro politoly. ''jee. yes." I nald, wish- ing to draw him out. " I Ingllteh can iH-peek," continued the dark footman, con'^edtetUy, •* ver' well, sah'b, but one danmed ndaforttine us for come i-here. Baud carry make— plenty too much poork— too much graug drink. Tumeric — chili— banana not got — not coco-tree got— pnh ! Baud coontreo, too much i-cold, sah'b !" " Curse tJie rascal's impudence !" I thought, but I asked him If he wasn't going back. " Yis. sah'b. Huoli baht (that is true). Al-ilalhah ! Mohummud burru Meer-ka. Bote too much i-sniell my coontree." " When are you going ? ' I asked, carelessly. *' Tavo day this time, sah'b." " Can you tell me the name of the ship ?" I went on. The kitmagnr looked at me slyly, stroked his moustache and meditated ; after ■which he squinted at me again, and his lips opened so as to form the magic ■word, " Biickshish V" " .Fee." said I, holding out a crown-piece, *' the ship's name and the harbor ?" " Se," began he ; the coin touched his palm — *' ring ;" his fingers closed on it, and " patnhm" dropiHMl from his leathery lips. " The Seringpatani ?" I said. " Ahn, sah'b" ** London, eh V" I added, to which he returned another reluctant assent, as if it wasn't paid for, and I walked off. However. I had not got round the cor- ner before I noticed the figure of the old gentleman himself looking after me from the doorway, his worthy kitmagar salaaming to the ground, and no doubt giving information how the " cheep up- pdser *' had tried to pump him to no purpose. The nabob looked plainly as suspicious as if «I had wanted to break into his house, since he hold his hand over his eyes to watch me out of sight. At night I told my mother and sister I should be off to London next day lor sea. What between their vexation at losing me, and their satisfaction at see- ing me more cheerful, with talking over matters we 8at up half the night. I was so ashamed, though, to tell thein what I intended, considering what a fool's chase it would seem to anyone but myself, that I kept all close ; and, I am sorrjr to say, I was so full of my love affair, with the wild adventure of it, the sea, and every thing besides, as not to feel their anxiety enough. How it was to turn out I didn't know ; but somehow or other 1 was resolved I'd con- trive to make a rope if I couldn't find one ; at the worst, I might carry the ship, gain over the men, or turn pirate and discover an island. Earljr in the morning I packed my trapo. drew a check for my prize-money, got the coacli | and bowlei) oft for Jjondon, to knock up liob Jau«)b8, my sc^a godfather, this i l>eing tlio very first step, as it seemed to me. In making the plan feasible. Bough sort of confidant as he may look, there was no man living I would havr trusted before him for keeping a secret. Bob was true as the topsail sheets, and if you oidy gave him the course to steer, without any of Uie "puzzlementa," as he culled the calcidating part, he would stick to it, blow high, blow low. He was just the fellow I wanted for the lee brace, as It were, to give my wea- ther one a purchase, even if I had alto- gether liked the notio,n of setting ofl' alone on what I couldn't help suspect- ing was a sufficiently hare-brained scheme as It stood ; and, to tell thi- tiuth. it was oidy to a stralghtfor^vard, sinjple-liearted tar like Jacobs that I couiu have plucked up courage to make it known. I knew he would enter intit it like a reefer voluteering for a cuttiuK out, and mnke nothing of the difficul- ties, eai)ecially when a love matter was at the bottom of It ; the chief question was how to discover his whereabout, ax Wappiug is rather a wide world. I adopted the expedient of going Into ail the tobacco shops to inquire after Ja- cobs, knowing him lo be a more than commonly hard smoker, and no great drinker ashore. I was beginning to be tired out, however, and give np tho quest, when, at the corner of a lane near the docks, I caught sight of a llttl' door adorned with what had apparently been part of a ship's figurehead — ^tlic face of a nymph or nereid. four times as large as life, with tarinshed gilding, and a long wooden pipe in her mouth thiit had all the effect of n bowsprit, being stayed up by a piece of marline to a hook in the wall, probably in order to keep clear of people's heads. The words painted on its two head-boards, as nnder a ship's bow, were " Betsy •Jacobs," and "Licensed " on the top of the door ; the window was stowed full of cakes of Cavendish, twists of negro- head, and coils of pigtail : so that, hav- ing heard my old shipmate speak of a certain Betsy, both as sweetheart and gartner, I made at once pretty sure of aving lighted, by chance, on his very dry-dock, and went in without more ado. I found nobody in the little shop, but a rough voice, as like as possible to .Ta- cobs's own, was chanting the sea-souj; of, " Come, cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer," in the back-room, in a curious, sleepy kind of drone, interrupted every now and then by the suck of his pipe, and a mysterious thumpmg sound which I oould only account for by the supposition that the poor fellow was miasgling clothes, or gone mad. I was THE GREEN HAND. 33 oliliged to kick on the coiintor with nil iiiy mi«ht, in <'oiiiiM>titi<>n. bt'fore nii »'ye V lis ap|)liiHl from iiiitidM to llio littlo wiiidov,' : after which, an I t>x|)«H>tLMl, lliH liend of Jncolm wuh thriMt uiit of ih» door, his hair roii^h, thr«>« dnyn' bfiird on his ohin, niid ho in hiti sliirt and IronHerH. ** IliHht !" Hiiid Iw. in a low voio,', not HCM'hiK ni(» dJHtinr'tly for tin; litfht ; "you're not nillin' tlio wntch. my lad ! Hold on a bit, and I'll Harv« your ordorH diroctly." After another stiivf of *' HenrtH of oak are our nhiiw," rtc, in tho Hiinie drawl, and ii still nioro vit'imMus thuniinnK than iM'fore, next iiiiiuite out oanio Hob attain, with a won- (li'il'id air of iinpoilni.tt! thouKh, and dnnviuK in one hand, to my jjreat Niir- |iriz(«. the slaok of a line of " half inch," oil wliich ho Kave now ami then a tuK 1111(1 an ease-off as he en me forward, like a t'cllow immorinK a newly-hooked tish. " Now, then, my hearty." said he, shad- iiij: his eyes with the other hand, " bear '• Why. .Taoohs. old ship," T said, " What's this you're after ? Don't you know your old a|)prentice, oh ?" Jacob looked at my eap and epaulet, mid jravo out his breath in a whistle, llic only other si^u of astonishment lieiiifr that he let go his nnacoountable- lonkiuK piece of cord. " Tjord blews me. Muster Ntnl !" said he — " I axes r»ardou — Ijel'tenant Collins, your honor !" " (Had you kno\v me tills time. Bob, my lad," said I. looking around ; " and a comfortable berth you've pot of it, I dare say. But what the deuce are you about in there V You haven't a savaRe ttK). like some friends of yours I fell in with a short time apo ? Or perhaps a lion or a tiger, eh, .Jacobs ?" "No, no. your honor — lions be blowed!" rei)lied he, laughing, but fiddling with Ills hands all the while, and standing be- tween me and the room, as if half ashamed. " 'Tia only tlie tiller ropes of •a small craft I am left in charge of,' •sir. But won't ye sit down, sir, till such time as my old 'ooman comes alKvard to relieve me, sir ? Here's a clieor, and maybe you'd make so free lor to take a iripe of prime Cavendish, your honor ?" " Let's have a look Into your cabin, tliough, Bob, my man." said I, cnrious to know what wns the secret, when all •n once a tremendous squall from within let me sufficiently into it. The sailor had been rocking the cradle, with a fine little fellow of a baby in it, and a line niade fast to keep it in play when he .sorTeliissed. "I've broached him to, and he's all aback, till his mammy get's a hold of him." " A good pipe the little rogue's got, though," Raid I, " and a fine child bo is, Jacobs— do for n bo'sun yet." •' Why, yes, sir." said he, nibbing his cilia with a gratified Hmile, oh the ur- chin kick"d, thr<>w out his arms and nxin'd like to break his heai't. " I'm thinking he's :i sailor nil over by na- tur', as on;> nniy say. H« don't like a calm no more nor myself ; but that's th(! (xlds of Indn' ashore, where you needs to keep swinging the hnmmockH by hand, instead of havin' it done for you. sir." In the midst of the noise, however, we were catight by the sudden apiH'ar- uiice of Mistress .Jacobs herself — a good- looking young woman, with a market- basket full of bacon and greens, and a chubby little boy holding by her apron, who came through the shop. The first thing sh«! did wns to catch up the baby out of the cradle and begin hushing it, after oiw? or two side glances of reproach at her husband, who atU'mjited to cover his disgrace by saying. " Betsy, my girl, Where's your manners ? Why don't you off hats to the leftenant ? It's my wife, your honor." Mrs. .Jacobs courtesU^l twice very respectfully, tliough not par- ticularly fond of tile profession, as I found afterward ; and I soon gained her smiles and good graces by praising h»'r child, with the remark that he was too pretty ever to turn out a sailor ; for, sharp as mothers are to detect this sort of Hattery to anyboerhaps have liked me none tlie better for it ; but i i».^i)oaed to him to got a berth in the Indiaman, sail with me for Bombay, and stand by for a foul hitch in something or other. "Why, sir," said he, "it sha'n't be said of Bob Jacobs he were ever the man to hang back where a matter was to be done that must be done. I does- n't see the whole bearings of it as yet. but ownly you give the orders, sir, and I'll stick to 'em." " 'Tis a long stretch between this and Bombay, Jacobs," said I, and plenty of room for chances." " Ay, ay, sir. no doubt," said he, " ye can talk the length of the best bower cable." " More than that, Bob, my lad," said I, " I know these company men ; if they once get out of their regular jog, they're as helpless as a pig adrift on a z r o z T) ■JO < a4 THE GREEN HAND. ."•• all grating ; and before they grow used to sailing out of convoy, with no frigates to whip them in, depend upon it. Mo- ther C^irey will have to teach them a new trick or two," '* Mayhap, sir," put in Jacobs, doubt- fully, *' the best thing 'd be if they cast the ship away altogether, as I've seen done myself for the matter of an in- surance. Yo know, sir, they let's it pass at Lloyd's now the war's over, seeiu' it bring's custom to the under- "writers, if so be ownly it don't come overoften for the profits. Hows'ever. it needs a good seaman to choose his lee- shore well, no doubt." " Oh !" answered T, laughing. " but the chances are all hands would want to be Robinson Crusoe at once ! No, no — only let's get aboard, and take things as they come." " What's the ship's name, sir ?" in- quired Jacobs, si^iking his voice and looking cautiously over his shoulder to- ward the door. " Tlie Seringa patom — do you know her ?" I said. *' Ay, ay, sir, well enough," said he, readily ; " lump of a ship she is, down off Blackwall in the stream with two more — country -built, and tumbles home rather much from below the plank-sheer for a sightly cmft, besides being flat in the eyes of her, and round in the coun- ter, where she shouldn't. Tliem Par- chee Bombay shipwrights di>e3 clap on a lot of onchristian flummeries and gilt mouldings, let alone quarter-galleries fit for the king's castle." " In short, she's tea-wagon all over," said I, " and just as slow and leewardly to boot as teak can make her." " Her lines is not that bad, though, your honor," continued Jacobs, " if you just knocked off her poop, and she'd boar a deal o' beating for a sea-boat. They've got a smart young mate, too ; for I seed lum t'other day a-sending up the yards, and now she's as square as a frigate, all ready to drop down river." The long and short of it was thiat I arranged with my old sihipmate, who was fully bent on the cruise, whether Mrs. Jacobs should approve or not, that somehow or other we should both ship our hammocks on board of the Seringa- patam — ho before the mast, and I where- ever 1 could get. On going to the agent's, however — ^Avhioh T did as soon as I could change my uniform for plain clothes — I found, to my great disappoint- ment, from a plan of the accommoda- tions, that not only were the whole of the poop-cabins taken, but those on the lower deck also. Most of the passen- gers, 1 ascertained, were ladies, with their uuivses and children, going back to India, and raw young cadets, with a few commercial and civilian nonde- scripts ; there were no troops or oflScers, and room enough, except for one gentle- man having tmgaged the entire poop at an immense e.xpense for his own use. This I, of course, supposed was the na- bob, but the clerk was too clo.se to in- form me. " You must tiy another ship, sir." said he coolly, as he shut tlie book. " Sorry for it ; but we have another to sail in a fortnight. Al, sir, far finer vessel — couple of hundi-ed tons larger— and sails faster." " You be hanged I" muttered I, walk- ing out ; and a short time after I Avas on board, the stewards told me as much again ; but on my slipping a guiuea intu the fingers of one, he suddenly recol- lected there was a gentleiuan in state- room No. 14, starboard side of the main skylight, who, being alone, miglit per- heps be inclined to take a chum, if 1 dealt Anth him privately. '* Yankee, sir, he is," said the steward, by way of a useful hint. However, I didn't need the warning ; a sight of the individual' ;• long nose, thin lips and sallow jawbone^ without a whisker on his face, and his shirt-collar turned down, was enough, as he sat overhauling his traps beside the cJUTonado, which was tethered in tlie stiitei-ooiu with its mu?.zle through the i)ort. Ho looked a good deal like a jociiey beside his horse ; or, as the wil: of a schoolboy ciidi*t said afterward, the Boston gentleman, calling himself Daniel Snout, Esquire — like Daniel pray- ing in th"} lion's den, and afraid it miglit turn roimd or roar. I must say the idea didn't quite delight me ; nor the sight of a feari'ul quantity of luggage whioh was stowed up against the bulkhead ; but, after introducing myself and objecting to the first few offers, I at last con- cluded a bargain with the American for a hundred and twenty guineas, which he remarked was "considerable lo\y, I prognosticate, mister. However." said he, '* I expect you're a couversa- tionable individual a little ; I allowed for that, you know, mister. One can't do much of a trade at sea— that's w fact ; and I calculate we'll swap infer niaiion by the way. I'm Avater-pniff. I tell you, as all our nation is. You'U not settle at Bombay. I reckon, mister?" But though I meant to pny my new messmate in my own coin at leisure afterward, and be as frank and open a.'- day Avith him — the only Ava.v to meet n Yankee — I made off at present as fasi: as possib'' to bring my things aboard, resolving to sleep at BlackAvall. and then stow myself out of sight for sick until there AAas somebody to take off the edge of his confounded talk. Next afternoon, accordingly, I found myself once more afloat, the Indiaman dropping down with the first breeze. The day after she Avns running through the Downs with it pretty strong from northeast, a fair A\nnd ; the pilot-boat suoring off close-hauled to windward. THE GREEN HAND. 25 with a white spray over her nose ; and tho three diinjiaree topsails of the Se- riiipapatajn lifting and swellinfr. as yel- low as gold, over her white courses in the blue channel haz^. The breeze In'shened till she rolled before it, and everything being topsy-turvy on deck, the lumber in the way, the men as busy iis bees setting her ship-shape — it would have been as much as a passenger's toes were worth to show them from below ; so that I was able to keep by myself, just troubling my seama,niship so much as to stand clear of the work. Enjoy it I did, too ; by Jove ! the first sniff of the weather was enough to make me forget Avhat I was there for. I was '•very now and then on the point of fist- irg a rope and singing or.t with thrt nieu ; till at length I thought it more comfortable, even for me, to run up the mizaen-shrouds when everybody was t(.rward, where I stowed myself out of sight in the cro«s-trees. About dusk, while I was waiting to sli)) down, a stronger puff than ordinary made thtm clew up the r^^izzen-royal from deck, which I took uiK>n myself to furl off-hand — quick enough to puzzle a cciuiile of boys that came aloft for the jniri)Ose, especially as, in the meaiitin\e. I had got down upon the topsail yani out of their notice. When they got on (lock again I heard the little feliows tell- ing some of the men, in a terrified sort of a way. how the mizzen-royal had (^iOier stowed itself, or else it was Dick Wilson's ghost, that fell off the same yard last voyage— moi-e by token, he used «ihvays to "make fast the gaskets just that fashion. At night, however. th^ wind having got lighter with half moonlight, there was a muster of some passengers on deck, all sick and miser- able, as they triei the ship and Mr. Snout both i^ave a heave up, "and coming out of you. ' During all this time I had felt so sure of my groimd as scarcely to trouble my- self about tlie Bengal judge and his fairy treasure of a daughter; oidy in the midst of the high spirits brought up by the breeze, I bugged myself now aiul then at the thought of their turning (Hit by degrees as things got settled, and my having such openings tJie Avholo voyage through as one couldn't miss in four or five months. Nobody would suspect tlie raAV chap I looked, with smooth hair and a high collar, of any partioilar cue: I must say there aams a little vanity at the bottom of it, but I kept thinking more and more how snug and quieitly I'd enjoy all that Avent on, sailing on one tack Avitli the iwissengers aiul th(! old rabob himself, and slipping i)ff upon the other AA'hen I could come near the charm- ing young Lota. The notion looks more like Avhat some scamp of a reefer cruis- ing ashore would have hit upon than suits my taste nowadays; but the cock- pit had but a spice of the imp in me Avhich T never could get clear of until this very voyage, as you shall see, if Ave get through Avith the log of it. 'Ta\ms no use, as I found, saying what one should liave to do, except put heart int » it — with wind, sea and a love affair to manage all at once, after making a tan- gled coil, instead of one all clear and above board. Tho first timQ I Avent down into the cuddy was that evening to tea. where all Avas at sixes and sevens, like the deck; the lamps ill trimmed. steAvurds out of the way, and a fcAV lads trying to Uear up against their stomachs by the help of brandy and biscuits. The main figure was a jolly looking East Indian, an indigo planter as he turned out, Avith a bald forehead, a hook nose, and his gills covertnl Avith AA-hite AA'hiskers that gave him all tJie cut of a cockatoo. He had his bl-own servant running about on every hand, and, being an old stager. did his best to cheer np the rest: but nse; before the end of the first watch we were run- ning outside the Spit buoy, which was nodding and plashing with the tide in the last slant of moonshine, till at last we rounded to, and down went ♦he anchor in five fathoms, off the Motherbank. What the Indiaman wanted at Ports- mouth I didn't know; but, meantime, I had given up all hopes of the nabob be- ing in her, and the only question with me was, whether I should lake the op- portunity of giving all hands the slip here, even though I left my \ankee friend disconsolate, and a clear gainer by dollars beyond <;ount. Early the next morning there were plenty of wherries looking out for fares, so, as the Indiaman was not to sail be- fore the night ebb, when th'? breeze would probably spring up fair again, I haileil one of them to go ashore at the Point for a quiet stroll over Southsea common, where I meant to overhaul the whule bearings of the case, and think if it weren't better to go home »nd wait the admiralty's pleasure for a ship. I hadn't even seen anything of Jacobs, ind the whole hotel-keeping ways of the In- diaman began to disgust me, or else I should hF.ve at once decided to take the chance of ree'ng Lo'a Hyde somehow or other in India; but, again, one could scarcely endure the notion of dr)ning on in a frigate without so much as a Brest lugger to let drive at. It was about six o'clock; the morning gun from the guard ship off the dock yard came boomiu;? down thi-ough the harbor, the blue ofSng shone like silver, and the green tideway sparkled on every surge up to wht>re it was flashing and poppling on the copper of the frigates at Spithead. I noticed them crossing yards and squaring; the farthest out hove up anchor, loosed fore- topsail, cast her head to starboard, and fired a gun as she stood slowly out to sea under all sail, with a light air freshening abeam. The noble look of her almost reconciled me of itself to the service, were it for the mere sake of havmg a share ia driving such a craft betw-e.-i wind and water. Just then, hov^ever, an incident turned up in spite of me. which I cei"bainly didn't expect, and which had more, even than I riH'konetl at the time, to do with my other adven- ture, seeing that it made me, both then and afterward, do the direct opposite of what I meant to do, and both times put a new si>oke in my wheel, as we say at sea here. I had observed a seventy-four, the Strattouj lying opi>osite the Spit buoy, on board of which, as the waterman told me, a court-martial had been held the day before, where they^ broke a first lieutenant lor insulting his captain. Both belonged , to oaie of the frig:ites. The captain I had seen, and heard of as the worst tyrant in the navy; his stip was called "a perfect hell afloat." That same week one of the boys had tried to drov^'n himself alongside, and a corporal of marines, after coming ashore and drinking a glass with his sweetheart, liad coolly walked down to the point, jumped in between two boats at the jet- ty, and kept himself under water till he was dead. The lieutenant had been dis- missed the service, and as I recognized the name I wondered whether it could actually be my school -fellow, Tom West- wood, as gallant a fellow and as merry as ever broke biscuit. Two .sailboats, one from around the Strattou's quarter, and the other from over by liosport, steering on the same tack for Southsea. diverted my attention as I saTmtere^l down to the beach. The bow of the nearest wherry grounded on the stones as I began to walk quicker toward the town gates— chiefly because I was pretty THE GREEN HAND. 27 rfady fop an early breakfast at the old Blue Posts, and also because I had a slii^ht notion of what these ?entK?men wanted on Southsea beach at odd hours. Out they jumped, however — one man in naval undress; another, a captain, in full fife'; a third, a surgeon — coining right nthwart my course to bring me to. The first I al^most at once remembered for the notorious captain of the Orestos, or L'Oreste. as the midshipmen called her, fi'om her '■'rench buih' and her character to.upther. "Hallo, you, sirl" said the other cap- tnin. decidedly; **you must stand still." "Indeed!" said I; "and why so, if you pU-ase?" "Since you are here, we don't intend nllowing you to pass for some minutes." "And what if I should do as 1 choose, sir?" I asked. "If yon stir two steps, sir, I shall slioot ynii!" replied the captain, who was one of the bullying school. "Oh. very well." I said, rathor con- fiunded by his impertinence, "then I shali stay;" and I accordin^lv stood stock stMl, wiOi my arms foldefl. until lli'^ other boat landed its partv of two. Tlipy were in plain clothes; iior did I irive them any particular attontion till Tlip seconds had stationed their men, when the captain of the Orestes had his l)aok to me. and his antagonist sto.->d di- rectly faring. As his pale, rec^olved fea- tures came out before me with the morn- ing sun on them, his lips together and liis nostrils large. I recognized my old friend Westwood. The captain had ^iroke him the day before, and now he lad accepted his challenge, being a Ininwn dead shot, while the ?ieut.»-iant li.'id never fired a bullet in cold blood: thorp was, no doubt, a settled purpose in the tyrant to crush the first m.m that liad dared to thwart his will. AVest- ^yood's second came forward and inen- tiiMied to the other that his friend was still willing to withdraw his word^ spok- ni in first heat, and would accordingly lire in the air. "Coward!" shouted tihe captain of the Orestes immediately; "I sihall shoot vou ihro'igh the heart!" "Sir." said I to his second, "I will not l'X)k on: and if that gentleman is shot, T will be witness against you both as murderers." I dropped down behind a stone ont of the line of fire, and to keep my eyes off the devilish piece of T^rk, though my hlood boiled to knock the fellow down tliat I was speaking to. Another min- ute, and the suspense was too great for nie to help looking up. .Tust at that mo- ment I saw how set WesLwood's face was; he was watching his enemy with an •\ve that showed to me what the other's n>ust be-— seeking for his life. ITie sec- 'mils gave tie word to each other in the middle, and dropped two white handker- chiefs at once, with their hands together; I caught the flash of Westwood's pistol, when, to my astonishment, I saw the cai>taia of the Orestes next momeiit jerk up his arm betwixt me and the sky, fire in the air, and slowly fall back: he was dead— shot through tiie hewrt. One glance at his face gave you a notion of the devilish meaning 'he had had ; but what was my surprise when his second walked up to Westwood, and eaid to him: "Sir, you are the murderer of Capt. Duncombe! My friend fired in the air, as you proposed." "You are mistaken, sir," answered Wertwood coldly; "Capt. Duncombe soughi, my life, and I have used the priv- ilege of self-defense." "The surgeon is of my opinion," said the other; "and I am sorry to say that we can not allow you to depart." "I shall give myself up to the authori- ties at once," said Westwood. "We have only your word for that, ^v*hich I must be permitted, in such a case, to doubt," replied the capr.iin, whose evident wish was to detain West- wood by force or threats while he sent off his surgeon. Tlie worst of it was. as I now fo'.u'd, that since the court-mar- tial and the challenge an admiralty or- der had arrived, in consideration of sev- eral gallant acts during the war. as well as private representations, restoring him to the service; so that he had, in fact, called out and shot his superior officer. As for the charge now brought forward, it was too absurd for any to believe it. unless from rage or prejudice: the case was bad enough, at any rate, without it. In the meaiitiiiie I had exchanged a word or two with "Westwood's fTi«>nd; after which, lifting up the pistol, which lay on the sand, I went up to the cap- tain. "Sir," said I, "you used the fretKloin, a little ago, of forcing me into your con- cerns, and 1 have seen the end of it. I have now got to tell, having watched your conduct, that you must submit to be made fast here for a bit. else, by the living God that made me! I'll shoot you through the head." "^The captain looked at me — ^his surgeon sidled up to him — 'and being a man near my own size, he suddenly triiMl to wrench the pistol out of my hands: how- ever, I had him the next moment und3r my knee, while Westwood's second swur- ed the little surgeon, and took a few round sea turns about his wrists and ankles with a neckerchief. Mj' comp,in- ion then gave me a hand to do the same with his superior officer — the medico all the time singing out like a bull, and the captain threatening, while the dend body lay stark and stiff behind us, the eyes -wide open, the head down, and the breast up, the hand clinching a pistol, just as he had fallen. Westwood 'id quite unconscious of everything we did, only he seemed to be watching the knees z -0 5 < 28 THE GREEN HAND. ,1;. - L lll'.l draAvn up as they stiffened, and the sand flies hovering about the mouth. "Shall we clap a stopper betwotMi their teeth V" said the second to me; he had been at sea, but who he was T neviT kneiw; "the surgeon will be heard ou the walls, he bellows so." "Never mind," said I; "we'll just drop them beyond tide mark — ^tbe lee of the stones yonder." In fact, from the noise the tide was making, J, question if the shots could have been heard even by the waterme)i, wlho had prudently sheered out of sight round a point. I couldn't help looking, when we had done this, from the cap- tain's body to his own frigate, as she was sluing rouui«l head on to us, at .sin- gle anohor, to the turn of tide, with her buoy dancing on the brisk blue swoep of water, and her tigure-head shining in the sunlight. As soon as we covered over the cori>se -with dulse weed, West- woocl started as if we had taken some- thing away from him or freed him of a spell. "Westwood," said I, laying my hand on his shoulder, "you nuvst come along with me." "He said nothing, but followed quietly round to the wherries, where I told the watermen that the other party had gone a different waj to keep clear, autl we wanted them to pull for Goi^iwrt. At Gosport W(j had Westwood rigged out in black clothes, his hair croppe; in fact th? very identical Orestes herself! She picked us out in a moment, bore up, stood across our weather bow and hailed, "What ship's that?" said the first luff in her mizzen rigging. "The Seringapatam, Honorable cojn- pany's ship, Capt. Williamsonl" aung out our first olficer, with his cap off. "Heave to till T send a boat aboard of you!" haUcHl the naval man, and there we l)ob>)etl to each other with mainyards backed. In a few minutes a master's mate, with gig's crow. Avas under our lee qtiarter, and the mate came on deck. "Sir," said he, "the port adminil will thank you to deliver these dis|>atches for Sir Charles Byde, who, I believe, is aboard." "Certainly, sir," said the first otUcer; "they shall be given to him in an hour's- time." "Good morning, and a fine voyage," said the master's mate, politely; and I took the occasion of asking if Capt. Duncombe were on board the Orestes. "No, sir," answeretl the midshipman,, "he happens to be ashore at presi?nt." I have seldom felt so relieved its when I saw the frigate haul round her main- yard and go sweeping off leeward, while we resumed our course. By noon we had sunk the land about Start i»f»int, with a breeze which it was no use wast- ing at that season to take "departures;"^ and as the afternoon set in ha/.y, avo were soon out of sight of old England for good. For my part, I was bomid oasti;\iard at last with a witness, ajul, like a young bear, again "all my troubles before me." "Tliere is two bells, though," inter- riipted the narrator, starting. "I..et ns see what sort of night it is before the ladies retire." PART III. The evening after that in which the commander of the Gloucester India- man introducer trucks in shreds and patches. Things got more ship-shape on deck — am hor-flukes l)rought in-board on the head-rail and cables stowed away — the very best sign you can have of being clear of the land. The tirst officer, as they called him, was a good-looking fellow, that thought no small-beer of himself, with his glossy blue jacket and company's buttons, white trousers, and a gold thread round his cap: he had it stuck askew to show how his hair was brushed, and changed his boots every time he came on deck. Still lie looked like a sailor, if but for the East India brown on his face, and there was no mistake about his knowing how to sot a sail, trim yards, or put the ship about; so that the stiff old skipper left a great deal to hina, besides trusting in l.im for a first-rat'e navigator that had K'arued head work at a naval school. The < rew were to be seen all mustering ho- fcre tea time in the dog-watch, with their feet just seen under the foot-mat vf the fore-course, like actors behind u play-house curtain, men that I warrant yoii had seen every country under heaven iimong them, as private as possible, and ready to enjoy their pots of tea upon the I'ors'oastle as well as their talk. The old judge evidently fought shy of company, and perhaps meant to have liis own mess-table under the poop as lung as the voyage lasted. Scarcely any of the ladies had apparently got their s(':i-<]nalnis over yet. and, for all I knew. sill' might not be on board at all, or. Jf she were, her father seemed quite Turk tiiough to keep her boxed up with jalousie llinils. Calcutta fashion, and give her a walk in the middle watch, with the poop tabooed till morning. The jolly, red-faced indigo-planter was the only one that irit'il to get up anything like spirit at the 1abl',«; indeed, he would have scraped ac- Miiaintance with me if I had been in a mood for it; nil I did was to say "yes" iind "no," and to take wine with him. "I'oor fellow!" said he, turning to three c- how open on that chap about British tyr- anny, I guess, after gettin' a little kmowlodge out of him. We'd just rise the niggurs, if they had not such a riglit down cur'ous mythullogy; but I tell you, now, mister, that's one of the very p'ints I expect to meet. Miss'narles won't do it so slick off in two thousand years. 1 kinder tbink, as this identical specool.a- tion will in ten— besides payin' like Peru- vian mines, which the miss'nary line don't. I'm a regoolar down-easter, ye see — kinder piercin' into a subject, like our nation in gin'ral — and the whull schim hangs together a little, I calculate, mister'/" "So I should think, Mr. Snout, in- deed." I said. Here the American gave another chuckle, and turned to again on his walk, double quick, till you'd have thought the whole length of the poop Sihook; when who should I see wich the tail of my eye but my friend the kit- la- gar salaaming to Mr. Snout by the break of the quarter-deck! The Yankee seem- ed rather taken aback at first, and didn't know what to make of him. 'S'iaam, sahib," said the dark servant, with an impudent look, and loud enough lor me to hear as I stepped from aft— "judge pali'b i-«end genteeman salaam; say too much hivvy boot he got — all same as il- liraphaut. S'pose master not so muuh loud walk, this side?" "Well!"^ broke out the American, look- ing at the Bengalee's flat turban and mustache as if he were too great a curi- osity to be angry with, then turning on Ms heel to proceed with his walk. "Now, mister," said he to me, "that's what I call an incalculable impudent black: but he's the fir«»t I ever saw with hair on bis lip, it'd a fact!" "Master not mind?" said the kivinagiir, raising his key next time Mr. Snout wiieeled round. "Judge sah'b burr-i hur- ra buhadoorkea! — ver' great man!" "I> niggur!" said Mr. Snoutj tramp- ing aA'ay aft; "there's your Brit'sh reg- oolatioas, I say, young man! niggurs baaing on the quarter-deck and free- born citizens put off it!" "Bhote khoob, mistree!" squeakt^l out the native again; "burra judge sf:h'b not i-sleep apter he dine?— veri well, I tell the sah b passiger mistree moor stamp-i-stamp all the moor I can snyl" So off he went to report in the ]nwj}- cabin. A little after up shot a head wrapped In a yellow bandana, j'.ist on the level of the poop-deck looking through the breast rail; and the next thing I saw was the great East Indian himself, with a broad-flapped Manilla hat over his top gear and a red-flowered Jressing-gown, standing beside the binna- cle with Capt. Williamson. "W'aat the deuce, Capt. Williamson!" said the judge with an angry glance up the Poop, "can not I close my eyelids after dinner for an instant — in my oavu private apart- ments, sir — for this hideous noise? Who the deuce is that person there — eh, eh?'' "He's an American gentleman, I be- lieve. Sir Charles," replied the captain. "Believe, sir!" said the judge; "you ought to know eveiy individual, I think, Capt. Williamson, whom you admittecl into this vessel! I expressly stipvdated for quiet, sir. I understood that no sus- picious or exceptioosible persons should travel in th«.' same conveyance with my suwruTv, I'd have taken the whole ship, sir!" "I'vt no more to do than tell him the regulations aboard. Sir Charles," said the 'japtain, "anc[ the annoyance will cease." "Tell him, indeed!" said the judge, a little more good-humoredly, "why, cap- tai:'., the man looks like a sea pirate! You should have taken only such raw griffins ns that yoimg lad on the other side. Ho, kitmagar!" "Maharaj?" said the footman, bowing down to the deck. "Slippei-s lao!" "Jee, khodabund," answered the na- tive, and imraepear- ed from the round-house door with a pair of turned-up yellow slippers. "Take them up with my salaam to that gentleman tiiere," sai^ Sir Charles in Hlndostanee, "and ask him to use them." "Hallo!" sirag out Mr. Snout, on being hove-to by the kitmagar with (•veil obi self, foi spare en THE GREEN HAND. 3« kltiri.'isiir, iir. Snout bum biir- aiil" >\\i, trnrap- irit'sh rog- il nigsure and free- e)ikt*?ht at her morninjr toilet. When I found there was to be no viiore of it for the night, the best thing to calm one's feelings was to light a cigar and walk out the wateh; but I took care it sihould rather be over the nabob's head than his daughter's, and went up to the weather side, where there was nobody else by this time, wishing her the sweet- est of dreams, and not doubting J hhould see her next day. I dare say I should have walked out the first wateh.. and the second too, if Westwood hadn't come up beside me be- fore he turned in. "Why. you look like the officer of the watch, Ned!" said my friend, at'ter tak- ing a glance round at the night. 'Yes— what?— a— a— I don't think so," stammered I, not know'ng what he said, or at least the meaning of it, though certainly it was not so deep. "I hope not though, Tom," said I again; "'tis the very thing I don't Avant to look like." "You seem bent on keeping it up and coming the innocent, at any race.'' said he; "I really didn't know you tiie first time I saw you in the cuddy." "Why, man, you never saw our theat- ricals in tlie dear old Iris on the African station! I was our best femile actor of tragetly there, and did Dosdemona so well that the black co«)k who stood for Othello actually crUyd. He said, 'No- body but 'ee dibble himself go for smud- der'misse Dasdemoner.* " "E dare say." said Westwood; "but what is the need for it now, even if you could serve as a blind for ^u^T' "My dear fellow," said I, "not at all — you've kept it up very well so far — jusl go on " "Keep it up, Ned?" inquired he; "what do you mean? I've done nothing except keep quiet, from mere want of spirits." "So much tbe better,'" 1 said; "I never saw a man look a^ove like a prophet in the wilderness; it doesn't cost you the least trouble — ^Avhy. you'd have done for Hamlet ia the Iris, if for nothing else! After all, though, a missionary don't Avear blue pilot cloth trousers, nor tie his neckerchief as you do, Tom. You must bend a white neok cloth to-mori-ow morning. I'm quite serious, W^estwood, I assure you," continued I. "Just think of the suspicious look of two navy men being aboard an Indiaraan, nobody knows how! Why, the Srst frigate we speak, or port we touch at, they'd han^l one or both of tra over at once — ^which I, for my part, shouldn't at all like." "Indeed, Collins," said Tom. turniig round, "I really cannot understand why you went out in her. It distresses nic to think that here you've got yourself into this scrape on my account. At least you'll put back in the first home- bound ship AATB — " "Oh!" exclaimed I. blushing a little in the dark, though, both at West^voofl's simplicity and my not wishing to tell him my secret yet, "I am tired of fihore; I want to see India again; I'm thinking of going into the anny, curse it! ' "The army, indeed!" said Westwood. laugliing for the first time, "and you midshipman all over. No, no— thai won't do. I see your drift; you can't deceive me. You're a true friend. Ned, to stand by an old .school mate so." "No, Tom," said I; "'tis yourself has too kind a heart, and more of a sador's. all fair and above board, than I can manage. I won't humbug you, at any rate; I tell you I've got a scheme of my o\vn, and you'll know more of it soon." Tom whistled; however, I went <»n to tell him, "The long and the short of it is this, Westwood: you'll bring both of us by the head if you don't keep up the missionary." "Missionary," repeate yt>u" name, both to the head steward .and thr skipper, as the Rev. Mr. Thomas, golni: back to Bombay." "The devil you did!" "Why, there was nothing else for it, Westwood," I said, "Avhen you were be- yond tliinking for yourself. A'.l you'vi got to do with that solemn chap in the spectacles is just to look as wise as pos- sible and let him know you beh)ng to the church. And as for shamming, yo\i needn't sham a bit— take to it. my deai- fellow, if that will do you good." I saiil this in joke, but Westwood seemed to ponder on it for a miTi.ute or two. "Indeed, Collins," said he gravely, "I do think you're right. WTiat do we sail- ors do but give up everything in life for a mere school boy notion, and keep turn- ing up salt water for years together like THE GREEN HANI). ^3 no :oi£iU!. the old monks did the ground; on'y thoy jricw corn an*l ai>i)lo« for tlidr pains, uiid we have nothiiiir l)nt ever so niuny (lull watelios and wild eruises aslior(> to rcnioinberl IJow many sadors liuve liirnod preachers and niissionariL's, jnst ix'cnuso Koniethiiij;, l)y aceulv'Ut, a>< it wt>ri', tanjjht them to put to ncMMint wliat you ean't. liclp fecliuj,' now nii.j then in the very hiok of the ;sea. What does it mean in t!u' s-cnpt'inM, Xed. uhout 'seeing the wonders of the T^ord in tlie deepV " As Wostwood sud this botli of us stopped on tlie talfrail, and. somehow or other, a toneh of I didn't, well iad away astern, witii a mari{ in the middle as if it had benn torn, on to the prot'ii yeast of tlie waves, thon riirht to tlieir blaeiv crests plnnirinK in thv» dark. It was nudnis^ht ahead, and tho clouds risen aloft over where I had l)'^eu lf>ok- inff half an honr before; ))ut the long, raf-'sed split to westward was opeiied up and a clear Klfirinjr glance of the sky as pale as death shot through it on the horizon. "I can't he sorry for Imving none to sea." said Westwood again; "but isn't it a better thing to leav-j home nnd friends, as those men do, for the sake of carrying the gospel to the heath- en?" As soon as we wheeled p round with the s-hip before us, leaning over and mounting t<» the heavi\ and her spread of canvas looming out on the dark, my thoughts righten' six knots headway. The water was liliier, lifting in long waves, scarce a speck ot foam except about the ship; but instead of having broke up with tlie snn, or sunk bi>- low the level, the long white clouds were risen high to leeward, wandering away at the top and facing us steady below out of the sky, a pretty sure sign they luid more? to do. However, the Indiaman was all alive from stem to stem; decks drying as clean as a table; hens and ducks clucking in the coops at their food; pigs grunting; stewards nnd cabin-l>oys going fore and alt, below and above, nnd the men fronj aloift coming slowly down for breakfast, with an eye into the galley funnel. Most of tlie passengers were upon deck, in knots all along the poop-netting^i, to look out for Corvo and Flores, the western- most of the Azores, which we had passed before daybreak. "I say, Fawd," said the warlike cadet with the mustache, qU of a sudden yawn- ing and stretching himself, as if he'd been struck with the thing himself, "cussed dull this vessel already, ain't it?" "Blast me, no, you fellow!" said Ford, the nautical man; "that's because you're not interested in the ocean — ^the sea — as I am. You should study the craft. Bob, my boy! I'll teach you to go aloft. I only wish it would blow harder — not a mere capful of wind, you know, but a tempest!" "By jove! Fawd," said the other, "how we shall enjoy India — even that breakfast with old Rollock! By-the-bye, ain't break- fast ready yet?" These two fellows, for my part, I took for a joint model, just trying to hit :i midhelm betwixt them, else I couldn't have got through it; accordingly they both patronized me. "Haw, Cawlins!" said one, nodding to me. "It th^t you, my boy?" said the other; "now, you're a fellow never would make a sailor!" "I dare say not," I said, gravely, "if they have all to commence as horse- marines." "Now, such ignorance," said Ford; "marines don't ride horses, Ck>llins, you fellow! How d'you think they could be fed at sea, eh?" "Well— now— that didn't occur to me," said I, in the cadet key., "Fawd, my boy, you— demmee — you know too much— you're quite a sea-cock!" "Oh, now! But I'm afraid, Witaterton, I never shall land ashore in India — I am r 1C> H D Z o .5 ,,1 < 34 THE C.REEN HAND. 4> ! In 5::; ;:.T . •••? tempted to po into the navy insteail." "I sny, Mr. Fowl," put in ii tat, uii- lickod cub of a tea-middy, f;rinnln)? as ho listened, "I've put you up to a few risen nboai'd, but 1 don't think 1 told you •we've got a dozen or so of donkeys be- low in the steerage!?" "Donkoys!— no?" said the BrifTin. "Yes." ri'plii;d the midishipman; "tbey kick like blazes, though, if they get loose in a gale; why mine, now, would kuook a hole through the side in no time. I'll show you them for a glass of grog, Mr. Ford.''^ "Done!" and away they went. "That fool, Fawd, you know, Cawlins, makes one sick with his stuff: I declare he chews little bits of tobacco in our room till he vomits as much as before," said Winterton. "I tell you what, Cawlins — you're a sensible man — I'll let you into a secret. What do you thixik? there's the deucedest pretty girl in the vessel we've none of us seen except myself. I caught a sight of her this very mawning. She don't visit the cuddy at all; papa's proud, you pusseeve — a nabob, in short." " "Oh, dear!" said I. "Yes, I do assure you, quite a bew-ty! What's to be done?— we absolutely mu.«t meet her— eh, Cawlins?" Here I mused a bit. "Oh," said I, look- ing up again, "shall we send a deputa- tion, do you think?" "Or get up a ball, Cawlins? Hallo, what's this?" said he, leaning over the breast-rail to look at a stout lady who was lugging a chubby lit- tle boy of three or four, half dressed, up the poop-stair, while her careful hus- band and a couple of daughters blocked it up above. "See, Tommy dear," said she; "look at the land — ^the nice land, you know, Tommy." "Come away my love," said her spouse, "else you won't see it." Tommy, however, hung back man- fully. "Tommy don't want wook at yand." sang out he, kicking the deck; "it all such 'mell of a sheep, ma; me wook a I "at man wis gate feel. Fare other feel, man? Oh, fat a ugwy man!" The honest tar at the wheel pulled Up his shirt, and looked terribly cut at '-his plain rainark on his phiz, which certainly wasn't the most beautiful; meanwhile be had the leech of the main-t'gallant-sail shaking. "Mind your helm, there," sang out the second mate from the capstan. "My good man," said the lady, "will you be so kind as to show us the land ?" "Ay, ay, sir," growled he, puttJng up his weather spokes. "Sorry I can't, marm; please not to speak to the man at the wheel." • Jacobs was coiling down the ropes on a «arronade close by, and stepped forward: "Beg your ladyship's pardon," said he, ''but if ye'll give me charge o' the youngster till you goes on the poop— why, I've got a babl)y at liome myself.*' 1 he stout lady handed him over, and Jacobs managed tlio little chap wonder- fully. This wits the first time Tommy luid been on deck since leaving home, ond he coiddn't see over the high bul- warks, so he fancied it was a house he was in. "Oh, snts big tees, man!" shouted he. clnpping his h.inds as soon as he noticed the sails and rigging aloft; "such warge birds in a tees!" "Ay, ay, my little man," answered Jacobs, "that's the wondtrfowl tree! Did vn ever hear 'Jack and the Bean Stalk,' Tommy?" "Oh, 'ess, to be soo, man!" said Tommy, scornfully, as if he should think he had. "Well, little 'un," said Jacobs, "that's it, ye see. It grows up every night afore Jack's door; and them's Jack and his brothers a-comin' down out on the won- derful coan'ry aloft with fruits in their hands." The little fellow was delighted and for going aloft at once. "Ye must wfiit a bit. Tommy, my lad, till you're bigccer," said Jacobs; "here, I'll show you the country though." So he lifted the boy up to let him see the bright blue sea lying high away round the sky. In place of crying, as he would have done otherwise. Tommy stared with pleasure, and finished by vowing to get big as soon as possible, Jacobs advising him to always eat as hard as he had been doing hitherto. This morning the breakfast party was in high spirits; Mr. Finch, the chief offi- cer, rigged up to the nines in white trous- ers and Company's jacket, laying himself cut to please the young ladies, with whom be began to be a regular hero. He was as blustering as a young lion and as salt-tongued as a channel pilot to the men; but with the ladies, on the poop or in the cabin, he was always twisting his sea talk into fine language, like what you see in books, as if the real thint: weren't good enough. He rubbed his hands at hearing the mate on deck sing- ing out over the skylight to trim yards, and gave a look along to the captain. "You must understand, ladies," said the mate, "this is what we marines call the 'ladies' wind.' " " Oh, delightful !" " Oh, so nice!" " You sailiifs fire so polite !" ex- claimed the young ladies. " Then does it actually bt-loug to us ?" " Why, it's a trade wind. Miss For- tescue !" eaid Ford, the nautical cadet, venturing to p it in a word ; but the la- dies paid no attention to him, and the chief mate gavii him a look of con- tempt. " You see, ladies, th^ reason is," said the mate, in a flourishing way, " be- cause it's so regular, and as gentle as THE (iREEN HAND. 35 ed and for — fts— why, it wafts your bark Into the rcK'ion of, you Ht>e, the — " •• The 'Doldrums,' " put in tlio third inntf, who was a brinier individual by fiir and a truo 8eam>in, but wished to |i.iy hi8 uoujpliniem:!*, too, be' weou his iiiouthfula. '• At any rato," Finch went on, '• it's congenial, I niay say, to the feelings of the fair ; yon uoimI never touch her liraces from one daj* to another. ] just wi.sh, Miss Forti'scue, you'd allow me the felicity of letting you see how to put the ship about." •' A soldier might put her in stays, miss," said the third mate, encouraging- ly ; " and out of 'em again ; she's a re- luiirkably easy craft, owing to her — " ■•(Jonfound it, Mr. Rickett," anid the first mate, r.urning round upon his un- lucky inferior, "you're a sight too "K.irse for talking to ladies. Well the ciii)tain didn't hear you !" Rickett looked dumfounded, not knowing what was wrong ; the old la- liU's frowned ; the young ones either Jilnshed or put their handkerchiefs to their mouths, and some took the occa- sion for walking off. The weather began to have a dilTerent turn already by the time we got up, the (loads banking to leeward, the sea ilnsky under them, and the air line be- tween rather bluish. Two or three lazy f.'iills in our wake began to look alive iiiid show themselves, and a whole black siio.il of porpoises went tumbling and rolling across the bows for half an hour. Till down they dived of a sudden, head, foremost, one after another in the same sjiot, like so many sh6ep through a gap. yiy gentleman-mate was to be seen cvtiywhore about the decks, and active enough, I must say. The next minute 111' was among two or three young ladies lift, as polite its a dancing master, sJiow- iii^' them everything in board and out, 11 -i if nobody knew it except himself. Here a young girl, one of Master Tom- my's sisters, came skipping aft, half in 11 fri.::ht. " Oh, Miss Fortescue !" cried she, "just think ! I peeped over into a nasty Mack hole there, with a ladder in it, iHiil saw ever so many common sailors hung up in bags from the ceiling. Oh, wli:it do you think ? One of them ac- tually kissed his hand to me !" " Only one of the watch below awake, miss," said the mate ; " impertinent swah — I only wish I knew who it was." ■• Poor fellows !" said the young la- dies ; " pray don't be harsh to them, but what have they been doing ?" " Oh. nothing," said he. " but swing in their hammocks sin^^'e eight bells." " Then they are so lazy as to dislike '.'Citing up to such delightful-looking oc- cupations ?" " Why, ma'am," said the mate, star- ing a little, " they've been on deck last night two watches of four hours each ; I must say that fur them." *' Dear me !" broke out the ladies ; and on this the chief othcer took occa- sion to launch out again conoendng "the weary vigils," as he called them, "which we mariners have to keep, far distant from land, without a smile from tlie eyes of the fair to bbss us ! lint, however, the very thought of it gives courage to the sailor's manly heart to disregard the billows' fearful rage, and ri'ef top- sails in the temi)est'8 angry height." Thought I, " He'd much better do it be- fore." However, the young ladies did- n't seem to see that, evidently looking upon the mate as the very pink of sea- men ; and he actually set a second lower stun-sail, to show them how fast she could walk. "D'ye know, sir," put in the third mate, coming from forward, " I'm in doubt it's godng to be rather a sneezer, sir, if ye look round the larboard stim- s'ls." Sure enough, if our fine gentleman had had time, amid his politeness, just to cost an eye beyond his spread of cloth, he would have noticed the clouds gath- ered all in a lump to northeastward, one shooting into another, the breast of them lowering down to the horizon, and getting the same color as the waves, till it bulked out bodily in the middle. You'd have fancied the belly of it scarce half a mile off from the white yard- arms, and the hollow of it twenty — coming as stealthy as a ghost that walks without feet after you, its face to yours, and the skirt of its winding sheet in " kingdom come " all the while. I went up on the poop and away behind thj spanker. T could see the sun gleam for one minute right in the eye of a stray cloud risen to northwest, with two short streaks of red, purple and yel- low together — ^what is calle < 36 THE (IRKKN HANI). nindo tli<* la08*« Hcud wiiH flyiDK fnst out from bcliiiid the top of the ch)U(l8, and Hon'tulinu away ovtT- hoaro was only the light fnun the port window.^, by which a doz«M» faces turned still whiter. The nidnieiit I shoved niv liead out of the b(M»liy hatch 1 saw it was like ro turn a regular gale from nor'east ; both courses briiiltd eluse up, and blowing out lil stays like ho lU'Uiy in, id elepiijints breaking loos<' ; the wild sUy ahi'ad of us Htaring liirht tliiough in triimiph, as it were, and tlie wind maring from aft in her Imre rigging, while a crowd of incMi in ei\<'h top were layiiiL' out along tile fred into the spirit of it. al- niont forgiving I-'iiiv-h his fine puppy lingo when I ci'w b.ini take it so coolly, stand- ing like a seaman, and sending his bull's voiee riu'lit up witli the wind into the bellit's of the topsails ; so I e'en fell to niyncit', and dragged with the steward niiou the mizzen reof-tackle till it was chock up. There we were, rimning dead b(>fore it, the huge waves swelling long and dark after us out of the mist, then the tops of them scattered into spray ; the glaring white yards swayed slowly over aloft, each dotted witJi ten or a dozen sturdy figures that leaned over ^vlth the reef-poir.ts in their hamls, waiting till the men at the earrings gave the ^^ord, anossible against the grey scud miles off and sixty feet above the water. A middy, without his cap and his hair bloaving out, stood holding on in the mnintop to quicken them ; the fii'st mate waved his hand for the helmsman to "lulT a little." The ship's head was rounding slowly up as she rose on a big blue swell that caught a wild gleam on it from west- ward, when I happened to glance toward the wheel. 1 could scarcely trust my eyes — in fact, it had never been less in my mind since coming aboard than at that very point — but outside one of the round-house doors, which was half open, a few feet from the bulwark I leaned over, of all moments in the day, there stood Lota Hyde herself at la.st ! Speak of faces ! why, I hadn't even power to turn farther round, and if I was half out of breath before, what with the wind and with pulling ray share, I was breathless now — all my notions of her never came vp to the lOok of her face at that instant. She had just half stopped, as it were, at sight of the state THE GREKN HAND. 37 of thiiiKs, her hnndit letting ro of the larj,'(> Hliiiwl, mil) hi-r Imir Ktrt'iimiinj from iiiidor ii Hlriiw Imt tied down with 11 riltlM>i>--lK'r liiw piirtcd lu'twixt dread and bt'wililfniiciit, and Iht oy«.s wiiii- doriuK round till tiicy set tied n-vazinj; Mtriiiyht at tlu> wuMie ahead, in ]mw de- Jiifht. 1 actually |(x>k>»d away aloft from hor iipiin to catch what it was she seomed to see that could be ho lH>au- tiful— the Hcco'id reef just mad<> fast, men crowdiuR in to run down and hoist away with the rest, till, as they taiknl alon»j decks, the three siiortened top- sails rose faster up ajjainst the 8CU(1, and tholr hearty roarinjf choriia ^VU8 as loud as the jrale. " K«'ep here away, uiy lad," said the mate, with another wave of his hand ; the topsails swelled fair before it, and the Indiaman jfave a pluntfe right through the next sea, ris- ing easily to it, heave after heave. The setting sun stuck two or thr«H» misty spokes of his whe«>l through a cloud that made a big wave hero and there glitter; the sliip's white yards caught some of it, and a row of broad backs, with their fet>,t stretching the foot rope as they stowed the foresail, shone bright out, red, blue and striptnl, upon the hollow of the yellow forotop-sail, in the midst of the gale ; while just under the bow- sprit you saw her black figure-head, with its white turban, and its hand to its breast, giving a cool sal.mm now and then to the spray from her bows. At that moment, though. Lota Hyde's eye was the brightest thing I could find— all the blue gone out of the waves was in it. As for her seeing myself, 1 hadn't had space to think of it yet, when all of a sudden I noticwl her glance light for the first time, as it were, ou the mate, who was standing all tlie while with his back to her, on the same plank of the f|uarter-deck. " I )owii main- course !" he sung out, putting one hand in his jacket-pocket ; " down both tacks — 4^hat's it, my men — down with it !" and out it flappep ; it blew over her head, and then loos*'. I spning forward ; but the nuite had hold of it, and put it over her again. The young lady smiled i)olitely at the mate, and gave a cold glanc«> of surprise, as I thought, at me. I felt that moment I could have knocked the mate do>vu and died happy. " Why, sir," said he, with a cold half- sneer, " I fancied none of you ptiitle- men would have favored \\a this capful of wind— plenty of air there is on deck, though." It just flashed through my mind what sort of rig I was in. I looked over my inftrrnal 'long-shore toggery, and no won- der she diiln't recollect me at all. " Curse this confounded folly," mut- tered I, and made a dart to run up the poop steps, where the breeze took me slcp aback, just as the judge himself oiK'ned the larboard door. " Why, Violet !" exclaimed he, "are you exiH)sing yourself to this disagree- able — I declare, a perfect storm !" " But see, papa," said she, taking hold of his arm, " how chaiigtKi the sea is — and the ship, .lust look where the sun was !" " CJet in— get in, do !" kept on her father ; " you can see all that again in some finer p'nfe ; you should have had a servant with you at lejist, Violet." "I lehall come out oftener than I thought, i>apa, I can tell you," said she, in an arch sort of way, before she dis- appeared. The mate touched his cap to the judge, who asked where the captain was. " (i-ad, sir," said the judge, crossly, "the ffoor resembles an earth(]uake *, every piece of furnitare swings, sir ; 'tis well enough for sleeping, but my family find it impossible to dine. If this ooltra- pooltra continues in my apartments, I must 3p?ak to Capt^iin Williamson about it. He must manage to get uito some other part of the sea, whea'e it is less rough,'' saying which he swayed himself in and shut the door. I still kept thinking and picturing her face — Jjota Hyde's— when she noticed the mate. After all, anyone that knew tack from bowline might reef topsails in a fair wind ; bu^ a girl like that would make more count of a man know- ing how to manage wind and sea than of the Duke on his horse at Waterloo beating Bonaparte ; and as for talk, z H 5 < 38 THE GREEN HAND. I .:c: Lit It"'* he would jaw away the whole voyage, no doubt, about mooulig-ht, and the ocean, and your fancy genteel mariners. "By George, though," thought I, "if the mate's a better man than me, hang me ! it's all right ; but burn my wig if I don't go and turn a Hindoo fakir, with my one arm stuck up in the air till I die ! Go it, old lady !" said I, as T glanced over the side before going be- low for the night ; " roll away, only shake something or other to do out of the pace you're going at." The next morning, when Westwo^d and I went on deck, there was still a long soa running aftei us. However, bv noon, the sun camo sifting thT«>ugh aloft, the breeze got warm, the decks were dry a-s a bone, and one just saw the large dark bine swells lift up along- side with a shower of spray between the seams of the bulwarks. By six o'clock again it had got pretty dusk ahead, and I strolled forward right to the heel of the bowsprit with VVestwood, looking down through her headboards into the heap of white foam that washed up among the woodwork evtr.v time she plunged. One knot of the men were sitting with their legs over the break of the topgallant foi'ecastle, swinging as she rolled— laughing, roaring and sing- ing as loud as they could bawl, since the wind carried it all forward out of the officers' hwiring. I was rather sur- prised to pee and hear that Jacobs' friends, Bill Dykes and Tom, were there ; the rogues wer<^ taking back their savage to the Andaman Isles again. I st:ppose. " Well, my lads," said Tom, a regu- lar sample of the man-o'-wnr's man, "this is what I call balling it off. The mate knows how to make her go, any- how." " We'll soon be into tropical regents, I consider." remarked Bill, who made a point of never using sea phrases ex- cept when he came out double salt, to make up for his gentility afloat. " Hum," grumbled a big. ugly fellow, the same so flattered at the wheel by little Tommy, "Id '»sn't like your fair winds ! I tell you what, mates, we'll be havin' it puff more from east'ard ere third watch." " What's the odds, Harry, old ship ?" said Tom ; " a fair wind still. I say, my lads," exclaimers. Thi> old gentleman staggered up, dripping like a poodle and unable to see — one heiird the water trickling through the sky-lights, and stepping awav down stairs, like a fellow with iron heels; while there was the sailor at the wheel gi-inding down his spokes in right earnest, looking aloft at the shaking foretop-sail, and tha India- man seemingly doubtful whether to fall otf or broach up. Up she rose again» howeyer.and drove round with her turk's- head inn the air, then dip through the spray as gallantly as ever. "Send that lubber from the wheel, Mr. Macleoil," said the captain, angrily, when he came down; "he nearly broached the ship to just now!" The "ugly man" put on a double gloomy face, and grumbled something abo'it "her steering wild;" but the knowiiv squint he gave to Jacobs, who relieved him. was enough to show me he was one of the best helmsmen aboard. sAs for the judge, he hadn't the least notion it was anything more than a natural mischance, owing to exposing himself. He eyed th(? bulwark as if he couldn't understand how any wave was able to rise over it, while the captain was apologizing, and hoping he wouldn't be the worse. "Eh, young gentleman," said Sir Charles, of a sudden, turning round to me. after a glance from the weather side of the lee one; "now I ob- serve the circumstances, the probability is 1 should have had myself severely in- jured on the opposite side there had it not beer, for your presence of mind, sir —eh?" Here I made a bow, and looked as mod- est as I could. "I perceive you are wet, young gentle- man,'^ said he again; "you'd better change your clothes, eh?" "Thank you, sir." I said; and as he walked off quite drenched to his cabin with the captain I heard him remark it z > H 'J a 5 t> < 40 THE GREEN HAND. IJ 4 4" ha ■ c was "wonderfully intelligent in a mere griffin." However, the wind soon got down to a fine top-gallant breeze; loss of a sea on, tht clouds sunk in a long gray bank to li'eward, and the str.inge sail plain abeam of us— a largo ship steering ' seemingly more off the wind than the Seringapatam, with top-gallant'sails set; you could just see the heads of her courses, and her black lower yards, when both of us rose together. Our first officer was all alive at the sight; the reefs were out of our t<>i>-sail3 alr»»ady, and he soon had us ploughing along under ordinary canvas, though still hugging the wind. Jn a 8hoi*t time the stranger appeared to take the challenge, for she slanted her yards, clapped her royals, and hauled down a gtun-sail, heading our course, till she was one body of white cloth on the horizcm. For a while we seemed to gain on her; but after dinner there was the other ship's hull up on our lee bough, rising her white streak out of the water steadily, and just lifting at times on the long blue seas; she was forereaching on us as plain as could be. The mate gave a stamp on the deck, and kept her away a little to set "Why," said I to Westwood, "he'll fall to leeward of himself!" "She's too much by the head, Collins," said Westwood, "that's it." "Hasn't he the sense to take the fore- course off her," said I, "instead of pack- ing more onV Why, that craft weathers on us like a schooner. I wish you and I had the Indiaman for an hour or two, Tom." It wasn't half an hour before we could see the very waves splashing up under her black weather-side and over her high bows, as she slanted right through it and rose to windward again, standing up to cross our course — a fine, frigate-built Indiaman, 'Sharper-stemmed than her kind in ordinary, and square in her spread, one yard-arm just looking over the other as they ranged aloft, and all signs of a weatherly orafi. "That's the Duke o' Bedford," said a sailor at the braces to his companion— "all oak planks, and not a splinter of teak in her. No chance." Out flew the British colors from her mizzen peak, and next the company's striped sign at her fore-royal mast-head as a signal to speak. However, the Seringapatam only ans- wered by showing her colors, and held on. All of a sudden the other Indiaman was Been slowly falling off before the wind, as if in scorn at such rude manners, and sure of passing us if she chose. For a moment the red sunset glanced through betwixt all three of her masts, every rope as fine as wire; then the canvas swung broad against it, blood-red from the sun, and she showed us her quarter-gallery. with a glimpse of her stern windows glit- tering — you even made out the crowd of passengers and soldiers on her poop, and a man or two going up her rigging. The sea beyond her lay as blue as blue could be, what with the crimson streak that came zigzag on both sides of her shafloTv, and gleamed along the smooth troughs, taking a crest or two to dance on by the way. and what with the rough of it near hand, -where the tops of the dark waves ran hither and thither in broad white flakes, we surging heavily over them. In a few minutes more the sun was not only down, but the clouds banked up to westward, of a deep purple; and almost at once you saw nothing of the other ship, except when a stray streak somehow or other caugnt lier rising, or her mast-heads came across a pale line in the clouds. The breeze got pleasanter as the night went on, and the Seringapatam rattled away in fine style, careening to It by her- self. Well, you know, nothing could be better for a good undt. -standing and high spirits among us than a fast course, fine weather, and entering the tropics. As for the tropics, if you have only a roomy ship and a good run of wind, as we had, in those latitudes every thing outside of you seems almost to have double the stuff in it that air and water have in other places; while inside of one. again, one felt twice the life he had before, and everybody else came out newer a good deal than on the parlor rug at home. As the days got each hotter than the last, and the sea bluer and bluer, we began to think better of the heavy old Seringapatam pace, teak though she was, and her sole good point right before the wind. Every night she lighted her binnacle sooner, till deuce .i bit of twilight there was. and the dark sky came down on us like the extinguish- er over a candle. How^ever. the looks of things around and aloft made full amende for it as long as we held the "trades," old Neptune shifting his scenes there so quickly that nobody missed gettin? weather and air more than he conM help, were it only a sight of how tho Indiaman got on without trouble to any living soul save the mar '^ the wheel, as one long, big. bright wavi, shoved her to another, and the slower they rose the more business she seemed to do of her- self. By the time they had furbished her up at their leisure the Seringapatam had n queer eastern style, too. throughout; with her grass mattings and husky coir chafip? gear, the yellow varnish about her. and lier three top-snils of country canvas, cut narrow towards the head bamboo stun- sail booms, and spare bits of bamboo al- ways ready for everything; besides thp bilious-like, gold-colored patcher here and there in the rest of her sails, and the out- landish ficure-head. that made you some- times think there might be 20,000 of THE GREEN HAND 41 them under the bows, dancing away with her, like Juggernaut's traveling pagoda. The decks were lively enough to look at; the men working quietly by twos and threes about the bulwarks all day long, and pairs of them to be made out at different points aloft, yarning away com- fortably together as the one passed the ball for the other's serving mallet, with now a glance at the horizon, and now a grin at the passengers below, or a cau- tious squint at the top of the mate's cap. White awnings triced over poop and quarter-deck, the cover of the waist ham- mock netting clean scrubbed, and the big, shady main course half brailed up, rust- ling and bulging above the boats and booms amidships; every hatchway and door was a round funnel of a wind sail swelling into it, and the bellies moved like so many boa-constrictors come down from aloft, and going in to catch cadets. You saw the bright white sky dazzling along under the awning checks, that glar- ed on it like snow; and the open quarter- deck ports let in so many squares of shift- ing blue light, with a draught of air into the hot carronade muzzles, that seemed to gasp for it, with their red tompions stuck out like tongues. The very look of the lifting blue water on the shady side was refreshing, and the brighter the light got, it grew the darker blue. You listened for every cool splash of it on the bends, and every rustle of the canvas aloft; and in- stead of thinking, as the landsmen did, of green leaves and a lazy nook for shelter, why, to my fancy, there's a deuced sight more satisfaction in good dark blue, with a spray over the cat- head to show you're going, and with some- Avhat to go for. For want of better, one would have given his ears to jump in head-foremost, and have a first-rate bath — the very sea itself kept rising up alongside to make an easy dive for one, and sinking into little round troughs again, where the serges would have sprinkled over your head. Now and then a bigger wave than ordin- ary would go swelling up, and out sprang a whole glittering shower of flying fish, freckling the dark side -with drops, and went flittering over into the next, or skimming the crests out of sight into a hollow. The writers and cadets were in high feather at knowing they were in the same latitude as India, and appeared In all sorts of straw hats, white trousers and white jackets. Ford had left off talking of going aloft for a while, to flourish about his swimming — ^when he looked over witb the surgeon into the smooth of a hol- low, and saw something big and green, like an immense cucumber, floating along within a fathom or two of the ship, deep down in the blue water. While the griflSn asked what it was, a little ripple broke above, a wet black horn came right out of it, and two deviliah round eyes glared up at us ahead of it, as we leaned over the quarter, set wide in a broad black snout, shaped like a grave-digger's shovel; then it sank away into the next wave. Ford shivered, in spite of the heat. "The devil?" inquired one of the writ- ers, coolly, of the surgeon. "Not just him," said the Scotchman; "it's only the first shark!" The young ladies, in their white dress- es, now made you think of angels glid- ing about. As to the only one L had an eye for, by this time it wasn't of not seeing her often enough I had to com- plain, as she seeifled to delight in noth- ing else but being somewhere or other upon deck; first one part of tho ship, then another, as if to see how different the look-out could be made, or to watch something in the waves or the horiKOQ. Instead of sitting with a needle or a book, like the rest, with the corner of one eye toward the gentlemen, or talk- ing and giggling away at no allowance, she would be noticing a man aloft as if she were there herself, or trying to see past a sail, as if she fancied there w.as something strange on the other side of it. The rest of the girls appeared shy of her at first, no doubt on account of the judge's separate quarters ami his grandee style; next they made acquaiat- auce, she speaking and smiling as if she hod known them before; then, again, most of them seemingly got jealous be- ciiuse the cadets squinted after her; while old KoUoek said Miss Hyde would be the beauty on Chowringee course, and the first officer was eternally point- ing out things to her, like a stiowiuan at a fair. However, she seemed iioi to mind it all either way: those that did talk to her would scarce hear her an- swer ere they lost her, and nher-i she was, quietly looking tlowu by herstjif into the ripples alongside; a minute af- ter she would be half playing with little Tommy, and making companions of Tommy s young sisters, to see the sheep, the pigs and the cow, or feetl the i)oul- try. As for the handsome "first otfi"'er," when he caught occasion for his polite- ness, she took it gi'aciously enough, and listened to all he said, till, of a sudden, a smile would break over her face, and she seemed to me to put him off as easy as a duchess, on tlie score, it might be, of the judge's looking for her on the poop, or something else of thi? kind. 'Twas the more curious how much at home she seemed among the men at work when she chanced to go forward with Tommy and his sisters, as they skipped hither and thither: the rough, blue-shirted fellows took the quids out of their cheeks as soon as they saw the party coming from aft, and began to smirk, shoving the tar buckets and I'opes aside. One forenoon an old lady tmder the poop awning, where she and her c ■> ■H O \> V < 4a THE GREEN HAND. n I" daughter were sewing together nt a bright strip of needle work, asked ine to hold her woolen yarns for her as she balled them off, being the red coat for a Sepoy killing a tiger, which hpr datigh* ter was making in yellow. I coiddn't well refuse, seeing that among the lad- ies I was reckoned a mild, quiet young man. Even in these days I must say I had a good deal of that look, and at home they used always to call me quiet Ned. My mother, good soul, never would believe I broke windows, killed cats, or fought, and tlie mystery to her always is why the neighbors had a spite at me; for if I had been a wild boy, she said, or as noisy as the little Brown next door, why, she wouldn't have obje(;to-l to my gomg to sea! — that noisy little Brown, by-the-by, is a fat bankor. So in I had to stick my thumbs at arms- length, and stoop down to the old lady, the more with a will since I guessed what they were talking of. "Well, though, Kate," continuod the old lady, winding away at the thread, "you can not deny her to be a charming creature, my love?" "Oh, if you mean pretty," said the girl, "I don't want to deny it— not 1, ma'am!— why should I, indeed?" "Pity she's a little light-headed," said her mother in a musing way. "Affected, you mean, mother." said Miss Fortescue, "and haughty." "Do you know, Kate," replied the old lady, sighing, "I fear she'll soon go in India!" "Go!" said the daughter sharply. "Yes; she won't stand tlie hot season as I did — ^these flighty girls never do. Poor thing, she certainly hasn't your stamina now, my love!" Here Miss Fortescue bit her lip, toss- ed her head, and was saying that wasn't what she cared about, though in fact she looked ready to cry, wheu ju.;t at the moment I saw Ijota Hyde heiself half above the gallery stair gazing straight at me, for the first time, too; a curious kind of a half smile on her face, as I stood with my paws out, tht» old lady jerking the yarn off my wrists, f nd I staring right over her big bonnet .it the sky astern of the awning, pretondiu!? not to listen. All at once my mouth fell, and before she could turn her face away from the funny countenance I no doubt put on, I saw her cheek rosy and her eyes sparkle with laughter, instead of seeming like one to die soon. For my part I couldn't stand it nil, so I just bolted sheer round and made three strides to the poop ladder, as dignirted as was possible with ever so many plies of red yarn foul of my wrists, and u big red ball hopping after me when I'd van- ished, like a fellow running from hot shot. I dare say they thought on the poop I'd had a stroke of the sun on my brain; but till next day I kept clear of the passengers, and took to swigging off stiff nor'westers of grog, as long as Westwood would let me. Next evening, when the cuddy dinner was scarce over, I went up to the pooii, where there was no one to be seen; the sun just sotting on our starboard quar- ter in a golden blaze that stretched over- head, with flakes of it melting, as it were, .all over the sky to port, and droi>- ping in it like threads of oil in water; the ship, with a light breeze uft, ftml stun-sails packed large upon her, run- ning almost due for the line. The waves to westward were like liquid light, and the eddies round our counter came glit- tering out, the whole spread of her miz- zen .'vnd main (lanvas shining like gold cloth against the fore: then ^twas but the royals and skj-sails britjuter than ever, as the big round sun dipped down with a red streak or two, aud the red wau>r line against his hot old faco. Every blue serge between had a oleai* gieen edge about its crest, the hollo ^vs turning themselves inside out from deep purple into bright blue, and outside in again, and the whole rim of the sea grew out cool and clear away from the ship's taffrail. A pair of sharp-headed dolphins that had kept alongside for the last few minutes, swimming near the surface, turned tail round the moment I put !ny nose over the bulwark, and shot off like two streaks of a rainbow after the flying fish. I was just n'ondei- ing where Lota Hyde could be this tim,., when on a sudden I observed little Toin- my poke his curly head out of the boohy hatch, peeping cautiously round. Set"- ing nobody, however, save the m;in nt the wheel, who was looking over his shoulder at the sun, the small rogue made a bolt out of the companion, and scampered aft under the awning to the judge's starboard door, with nothing on but his night shirt. There he rommenr- ed kicking and shoving with his bare feet and arms till the door flew open, and over went Tommy on his nose, sing- ing out in fine style. The next thing T heard was a laugh like the sound of a silver bell; and just as the bov's sis- ter ran up in a fright lest he had gone overboard, Violet Hyde came out lead- ing the little chap wrapped in a lonjr shawl that trailed astern of hire', her- self with a straw bonnet barely thrown upon her head. "Tommy says you put him to bed toO' soon, .lane!" said she, smiling, "Iss!" said Master Thomas, stoutly; "go 'way, Dzane!" "You hadn't bid me good-night— wasn't that it, Tom? But, oh! what a sea!" exclaimed she, catching sight of it under the awning. The little fellow wanted to see it too, so the young lady lifted him in her irnis —no small weight, I dare say— and they both looked over the bulwark: the whole THE GREEN HAND. 43 i skj- far out of the awning to westward being spotted with orange scales, turn- [ iiiR iilmost scarlet, faster than the dusk [from both ends could close in: tlnj clear, I firoonish tint of it above the optjnings of the canvas going up into fatlioniL'ss I blue overhead, the horizon purple, and I one or two still black clouds tipped with I Terinillion against the fair sky, while the Indiaman stole alon?, scarce plash- I ing under her bends. Every now and then you heard a whiz and a flutter, ns the flying fish broke out of a bigger surge, sometimes just missing the ship's side: at last two or three fell over the mizzen chains, and pop came one all of n siidilen into the white breast of Miss Hyde's dress, inside her scarf, where only tlie wings kopt it from disappear- ing. She started, Jane screaraod, but the little boy coolly pulled it out, com- m<'ucing to overhaul it in great delight. "Oh. fat a funny ickoo bird!" shouted he; ''it's fell down out of 'ese t'ees!" looking aloft. "No, no," said Miss Hyde. !au;?hi)ig, as she drew her shoulders together with a sliiver, "birds' noses don't drop water! 'Twill die if you don't put it in again. Tommy. 'Tis a fish!" "A fish!" said he. opening his eyes wider and smacking his lips; "yes. Tom- my eat it for my beckfust!" However, the young lady took it oat of his hand and dropped it overboard, on which the small ogre went off rather (hscon tented, and kissed her more as a favor than otherwise. It was almost (lark already, the water shining up in the ship's wake and the stars coming out aloft; so I was left wondering at the impudence of flying fish, and" the blessings of being a little fat imp in a frock and trousers, compared with this puzzle of a "traverse" between bt-iiig a third lieutenant and hailing for a "grif- fin." The night following, after a sultry hot day, the wind had varied a good deal, and the ship was running almost elose hauled on a warm southeasterly breeze, and somewhat of a swell in the water. Early in the first watch there was a heavy shower, after which I went on deck, leaving Westwood at his book. The half moon was just getting down to leeward, clear of a ragged dark cloud, and a long space of faint white licht spread away on the horizon behind the sheets of the sail hauled aft. so that you just saw a sort of a glimmer under thcin on the black heave of the swell between. Every time she rolled to lee- ward on it a gleam of the moonshine slipped inside the shadow of her high bulwarks, from one wet carronade to an- otliev, and went glistening over the moist decks, and among the boats nnd boons, that looked like some big brute cr other lying stretched out on his paws, till you saw the men's faces on the fore- castle as if they were so many mutineers skulking in the dark before they rushed aft; then up she righted again, and all was dark inboard. The awnings were off, and the gruff third mate creaking slowly to and fro in his soaked shoes, the judge stood talking with the captain before one of the round-house doors; directly after I noticed a young lady's figure in a white dress close by the mizzen rigging, ap- parently intent on the sea to leeward. "Well, now or never!" thought I, step- ping over in the shadow of the main sheet. I heard her draw a long breath, and then, without turning her head at the sound of my foot, "I wonder if thero \ii anything so strange in India!" ex- claimed she; "is there, now?" "No, by , no, madam!" said I, start- ing, and watching as the huge cloud grew darker witlx a rusty stain in it, while three or four broad-backed swells, one beyond the other, rose up black against the setting moon, as if they'd plunge right into her. Miss Hyde turn- ed round, with one hand on ihe bulwark to steady herself, and half looked at me. "I thought," said she; "where is papa? — I thought my father — " I begged pardon for intruding, but next minute she appeared to have forgorren it, and said, in a musing sort of w.iy, paitly to hereelf, partly to me, "I seem to remember it all — as if I just saw tluit black wave — and — that monstrous cloud over again! Oh! really that is the very same top it had then — see!" "Yes," said I, leanmg forward, with a notion I had seen it before, though heaven knew when. "Did you ever read about Columbus and Vasco da Gama?" asked she, though directly afterward her features broke in- to a laughing smile as she caught sight of mine — at the thought, I suppose, of my ridiculous figure the last time .she saw me. "No, never," said I; "but look to wind- ward, ma'am; 'tis coming on a squall again. For heaven's sake. Miss Hy laik, as five or siv. large drops f .11 o : his face out of it. All at once you heard a long sitgh, as it were in the canvas aioft a olap like two or three fnrronades fi/,'i off, as all the sails top-'^-ei "ant into the masts — then a hum in t'ae air fav a". ' near — and whish! rush! (ame the raiu in sheets and bucketfuls off the edge of a cloud over our heads, plashing and washing about the deck with coils of rope; ship rolling without a breath of wind in her sails; sails flapping out and in; the rain pouring down ten times faster than the scupper-holes would let it out; and smok- ing gray in th? dark hollow of the swells that sank under the force oC it. The first officer came on deck, roaring in the hubbub to clew up and furl the royals before the wind came again. It got pitch dark, you couldn't see your hand before you, and we had all lost mark of each other, as the men came shoving in be- tween us. However, I knew whereabouts Miss Hyde was, so I felt along the lar- board rigging till I found a backstay clasped in her hands, and the soaked sleeve of her muslin dress, while she leant back on a carronade, to keep from being jerked down into the water that rushed un over her feet with every roll, full of ropes and a capstan bar or two. Without saying a word, I took up Lota in my arms and carried her aft in spite of the roll and confusion, steering for the glimmer of the binnacle, till I got her inside of their own cabins, where there was a lamp swinging about, and laid her on a sofa. I felt somehow or other as I went that the sweet creature hadn't fainted, though all the while as still as death; accordingly I made off again at once to find the judge, who, no doubt, was calling for his daughter, with a poor chance of being heard. In a min- ute or two more the rain was over; it "wns light enough to make out the hori- zon as the belt of foam came brondeninj out of it; the ship gave two or three \vil3| bounds, the wheel jolting and creakiiigl up swelled the black waves again ov«l one side, the top-sails flapped full as thel squall rushed roaring into them, iiiidl away she rose; the)i toiv into it like al seared horse, shaking her head audi throwing the snow-white foam into hejl fore-chains. 'Twas as much as threJ men could do to grind down her whceJ leaning and grinning to it; you just savfj the Indiaman herself scarce so far I'orl ward as the booms, and the broad swd|| mounting with her out of the dark, nil she slowly s<)uared yards before it, takf ing in t'gallajit sails while she did so] with her top-sail yards lowered on thel caps. Hov/ever, the look of it was worssl than its force, else the swell wouldn'tj have risen so fast, as every sailor knew;! and by two-bells of the mid-watch shel was bowling under all, as easy as before,! the mate of the watch setting a stun-f sail. L When I went down, shaking myself! like a Newfoundland, Westwood wml swinging in his cot with a book turndl to a lamp, reading Don Quixote in Span clock in oiu'l of the black squalls, half of the passen- gers had been pretty well ducke save myself by a cluthch of the i)ort sill at arms-length, where, heaven knew, I couldn't keep long. The mate looked over and canght sight of my face by a flicker of the smnmer lightning, as 1 was hlip- f)iug down. I gave him one curse as oud as I could bail, and then let go the moulding. "Man overboard!" shouted he, and the men after him; however, I wasn't alto- gether overboard yet, for I felt the other part of the rope bring me up with a jerk and a swing right under the ouarter- boat, where I clung like a cat. How to get on deck again withont being seen was the question, and anxious enough I was at thought of the burning train in- side; when out jumped someone over my head. I heard a splash in the water, and saw a fellow's face go sinking into the bright wake astern, while the boat itself was coming down over me with the davits. I still had the guide line from the life-buoy round my wrist, and one moment's thought was oniough to make mo give a furious tug, when away I sprang clear into the eddies. The first thing I saw at coming up was the ship's lighted stern windows driving to leeward, then the lifebuoy flaring and dipping on a swell, and a bare head, with two hands, sinking a few feet from me. I made for him at once, and held him up by the hair as I struck out for the buoy. A couple of minutes after the men in the boat had hold of us and it; the ship came sheering round to the wind, and we were very shortly aboard again. "Confound it, Simm, what took you overboard, man?** asked the middy in the boat of his dripping messmate, the fat reefer. "Oh, bother!" said he, "if you must know, why, I mistopk the quarter boats; I thought 'twas the other I was in, when you kickeair of broad fins under Ford's hat, and a big round snout touched it ; then a dozen feet of white belly gave a gulp in the water, the hat gave a gulp as it was drawn down, and a few s:uall air-bells rose to the top. " He prefers some flavors to others, you see. Ford," said I. " 'Tis th(> second hat T'vo seen you lose ; I hope your head won't be in the third ; but you mariners, you see — " How- ever, Ford had bivltefl to his cabin. On turning round J perceived Miss Hyde with the general's lady under the awn- iu).' on the other side, where the old lady leaned against a cushion, with her hands crossed, and her bonnet strings loose — though a strapping, raw-boned Irishwoman she was — and kept Miss Hyde's maid fanning her from behind with a large feather punkah. The old lady had started ait Ford's cry, and cave a look round at me, half fierce and half otherwise, as" if she expected to know what was the matter at once. " Only my friend lost hia hat, ma'am," said I, stepping forward. " These cadets are so taygious, my dear !" said she to the young lady, fall- ing back again without the least notice of me. " They plague the life of mo ; but the brigadier can't drill them as he would if this were a trooi)-ship— I wish hd could, for the sake of the profession ! — now, my dear, dho kape out of the s-hun !" However, I stuck where I was, fancy- ing I caught the slightest bit of an areh twinkle ui the corner of the young lady's eye, though she didn't look at me. " Keep going, can't ye ?" said the old lady crossly, to the maid. " No, ma'am, indeed," said the girl, glancing over to her young mistress. " I'm ready to drop !" " Send up pap's kitmagar, then, Wil- kins," said Miss Hyde ; and the girl went off toward the gallery stair, mut- tering she " hoped she didn't come here to be — made a l)la«'k Indian slave to — at least to an old—" the remainder being lost in the stair. As I leaned on the rail netting behind the old lady, I happened to tread on her fat pug dog's tail, whereupon the ugly brute made its teeth meet without further notice in the small of my leg, after which it gave a yelp and ran beneath the chairs. " What's that. Die ?" exclaimed its mistress : " Good hivens ! is the same griffin here yet, my dear ? Hadn't ye even the spirit to take a hint ? — ^I say, was it you hurt Dianny, young man ?" " Oh, dear ! no, ma'am, not for the world !" said I, looking at my trousers, hard as the thing was to stand, but thinking to smooth her over, though I wasn't quite up to the old Irishwoman, it turned out. " Ha ! ha ! so she bit you ?" said she, with a flash of her hawk's eye, and leaning back again, ooolly. " If he'd only kicked poor Die for it under my chair, now, I'd have forgiven him ; but he hadn't ayven the heart at the time to drop her a curse— and I thinking all the while, too, by the luke of his eye, he was from the county Clare. My heain; warms to the county Clare al- ways, because, although I'm not Irish myself, you know, I'd once a school- fellow was born in it — without counting all my relations ! Oh, the smooth spal- peen i" continued she, harder than be- fore, glancing at me as I looked all abroad from one to the other ; " listen, ni\er you let that follow spake to you, niv dear ! he's too — " But here I walked quietly off, to put the poop's length between me and the talking old vixen, cursing her and her dog both (luite enough to have pleased her Irish fancy. On the quarter-deck the judge and the general seemed to enjoy the heat and quiet, sitting with tiheir feet up be- fore the roundhouse, and smoking their long red-twisted hookahs, while they watched th» wreaths of smoke go whirl- ing straight up from the bowls to the awning, and listeni>d to the faint bub- 3» H z q 3 ,.1 < 48 THE GREEN HAND. — •■( l-tt:: k: < • >♦•■ I bio of it through tlip wnter In the l)ot- tles, just iliopjuiig a word now nnd then to fiich other. A lull, thin native ser- vant, with lonj,', sooty hair han^ng from his snow-white tnrban, stood behind tlie jndfre's clniir, bolt uprijfht, with aa'ins folded, nnd twic<' us solemn as Sir Charles himself ; you saw a stern win- dow shinin;,' far abaft, through one of the roundhouse doors, and the fat old fellow of a consumah (Kast Indian steward) busy laying the cloth for tiflin, while the sole breath of air there was oame out of thereaway. Suddenly ei^ht bells struck ; and ev- eryone seemed jilud of something new ; the judge's fonsiimah came out salaam- ing to say tilHu was ready ; the cuddy passengers went below for wine and water and biscuit ; and the men were at dinner. There being nothing to take ctire of on deck, and the heat, of course, getting gi-eater, not a soul staid up but myself, but I preferretl at the moment lighting a cheroot and going up aft to see dear of the awnings. The cockatoo had been left on the poop rail, with his silver chain hitched round one of the mizzeu backstays, where it shifted from one leg to the other, hooked itself up the backstays as far as it could go, then hurried down again, and mused a bit, as wise as Solomon, then screamed out at the top of its voice, " Tii>— tip — pr-)r-rotty cacka— tip- poo — cok-ka — whoe-yew-ew-ew !" finish- ing by a whistle of triumph fit to have split one's ears, or brought a gale of wind— though not on account of skill in its books, at any rate. Again it took to swinging quietly head down, at a furious rate, and then slued upright to plume its fenthers, and shake the pink tuft on its head. No sooner had I got up the stair, however, than to my per- fect delight I saw Violet Hyde was still sitting aft, and the old Irishwoman gone ; so I stepped to the taffrail at once, and for something to be about, I hauled up the shark hook from astern. The moment I caught her eye, the young lady smiled— by way of making up, no doubt, for the old one. "How very lonely it is !" said she, rising and look- ing out ; " the ship seems almost de- serted, except by us." " Bv .love : I almost wish it were, thought I. " A dead *.'alm, madam," I said, '* and likely to hold : the under- swell's gone quite down, and a haze growing." " Are we sure ever to leave this spot, then ?" asked she, with a slight look of anxiety. " Never fear it, ma'am," said I ; "as soon as the haze melts again ; we're near a breeze T assure you — only, by the length of the calm and the heat together, not to speak of our being so far to east- 'ard, I'm afraid we mayn't get rid of it without a gale to match." " Indeed ?" said Miss Hyde. The fact was, Wesiwooil and I had been keeping a log. and calculatetl just now we were somewhere to southeast- ward of Ascen-^ion ; whereas, by the (captain nnd mate's reckoning, she was much farther to the west. " 1 never thought the sea could ap- pear so dreadfnl," said she, as if to her- self—" much more than in a storm." " Why, madam," said I, " you haven't exactly oeeii onu this voyage — one need^* to be close-hauled off the Cape for that." Somehow or other, in speaking to her. by this time I forgot entirely about keeping up the sham cadet, and slipped into my own way again ; so that all at once 1 felt her two dark-blue eyes look- ing at me curiously. *• How I— why !" exclaimed she sud- denly, and then, laughing, " you seem to know all about it I — why, you 8i)eak— have you been studying sea affairs so thoroughly, sir, with your friend, who— but I do tliink, now, one can scarcely trust to what you have said ?" " Well— why— well," said I, fiddlinir . with the shark Iiook, " I don't know how it is ; but I feel as if I must have been at sea some time or other before ; you wouldn't suppose it, ma'am, but whenever I fix my eyes on a particular rope, I seem almost to know the name of it !" " And its use, too ?" asked she, mer- rily. " I shouldn't wonder," said I ; " per- haps I was born at soa, you know, ma'am ?" and I gave a side look to no- tice how she took it. " Ah, perhaps !" said Miss Hyde. Laughing ; " but do you know one some- times fancies these things ; and now I think of it, sir, I even imagined for a moment I had seen yourself before !" "Oh," said I, "that couldn't be the case ; I'm sure, for my part, I should recollect clear enough if I'd seen — a — a lady anywhere. I think you said some- tling of the kind, ma'am, that night of the last squall — about the water and the clouds, ma'am, you remember ?" The young lady looked away, though a notion seemed to flash through her mind. " Yes," said she, " that terrible rain— you were -" " Washed into the lee scuppers," said I, indifferently, for I didn't want her to suspect it was I who kissed her hand in the dark as I carried her in. " I hope Sir Charles and yourself got in safe, madam ?" However, she was watching the water alongside, and suddenly she exclaimed : " Dear ! what a pretty little firfi !" " By heavens !' said I, seeing the oi-eature with its sharp nose and blue bars, as it glanced about near the sur- face, and then swam in below the ship's bilge again — " that's one of our old vil- THE GREEN HAND. 49 kt'pt trj'iHK to ina.stt'r his "The liinkce. for ti tlion- liiin's iulot8--ho"s lying right noross our kt'cl ! 1 wish 1 oould catch that «liiirk !" The i)ork was of no use for sncli nn old sea hiwyer, ami I cast a wistful eye (It: the Jrishwoiuan's fat pug-dog stretched asleep on her shawl l)y the hiiUvark. She was far gone in the fiiinily way, and, thought I, " He'd take lliiit in a tnce," 1 even laid out some marline from a stern l(K'ker, and notic^'d liDW neatly one could jtass the hook iiiiiler her belly round to the tail, anil seize her so snugly on, muzzled and all ; Imt it was no go, with the devil to pay Mlierward. All of a sudden I heard .simalxHly hawking and spitting above the awning forsvard, ni'ar where the tiK'katoo still will be drowninl I" but recollecting our himgry green trieud ou the other side, 1 jumi>ed down for the end of a rope to slip myself quietly alongside with. However, at the very iiioment, Tom, the nuin-o'-wai''s-man, happening to come up from the fori- hatchway to throw something overboard, and seeing Miss Hyde's cockatoo, oft' went his shoes and jacket at once, and I heard the splash as he struck the wa- ter. 1 had scarce tinu^ to think either before 1 saw Mick O'Hooney's »ed head shoot iu> on deck, and heard him sing out, "Man overboard, by the i»owers, boys! Folly my laderl hurrool" And over he sprang. "Here's a dipl" said another, and in half a minute (!very mau who could swim was floundering in the smooth water alongside, or his h^-'id showing us it came up, i»itching the cockatoo to each other, and lUl ready to injoy their bath, though, for my part, 1 made but one spring to the ship's starboard qujir- ter, to use the only chance of saving the thoughtless fellows from a blood.v fate to some of them. I knew the shark v.'ould be cautious at first on such a. sudden to do, .'nul 1 had marked his whereabouts while the men w»'re all well toward the bows, and "Hang it!" thotiglit 1, seeing the old fat woman's pug in my way, "Dianny, or die-all, I bear no uuilice; but you umst go for it, ujy beauty." As quick as thcnight I made one turn of marline rouiul her nose, took oft" the pork, and lashed her all fast on to the hook all standing, in spite of her s(iueaks, then twisted the lady's shawl round the chain for a blind to it, and flung the whole right over the larlward : up fn>iu rilDiiKHiilc to tail ou tu tho Hue and nin hiiii t>(it of wator. Ho away they went with it full upood toward tho Ikiws as hooh as tho ladioH were out of tho way, dra^ifing two or throe cadetH, back foremost, head over heels dowu tho poop stair, till, iu Hpite of hJH tiiKKiuK, the Hluirk d round snout Khowed over the taffrull, with tho inouth wide open under hia chiu, as it were, and otie row of teeth laid Hat be- liind anoUier, like a comb maker's shop. A running bow line passed round his handsome waist, then another pull, and over ho came on the pow), fioundorinj; fourteen foot long, and nourishing his tail for room, till the carpenter cho:)pod it across in a lucky moment with his axe. All hands gathered round the shark to see him cut up, which was as good as a play to them, becalmed as wo were, when, to my no small dismay, I heard Mrs. Brigadier Brady's's loud voice ask- ing where her dog was, and the briga- dier himself, who seemed more afraid of his wife than any body else, kept poking about with his red-faced English butler to find the animal. "For Grod's sake," said he in a half whisper, twenty times over, "haven't ye seen Mrs. Brady's dog, any of ye? She'll rout the ship inside out for it, cai)tain, if we don'i soon ase her mind." However, I knew only Miss Hyde was aware who caught the shark, and as she didn't appear to have told, why, of course, I kept all fast to myself. "Hero's a 'bacpy box," sung out the old big boatswain, standing astride over the tail, while the cook and his black mate ripped away from the tail up. "Hand over, if you please, sir," says ugly Harry; "it's mine, Mr. Burton." Harry gave it a wipe over his knee, and coolly bit a quid off the end of his lost pig-tail. The next thing was Ford's hat, which no one claimed, so black Sambo clapped it. on his woolly head. "What's that you've got there now. Sambo'/" said the boatswain; "out wtih it, my lad." "Golly!" chuckled the nigger, rolling the whites of his eyes and grinning like mad; "oh, sar, Misser Barton, dis 'ere shark reg'lar navigator! I 'clare to yoii. Bar, am got chr'ometer aboard! Oh, gum! berry much t'ink dis you own lost silber tickler, Misser Barton." "Bless me, so it is, my lad," said the boatswain, Scs the black handed him a silver watch as big as a turnip, and he looked at the cook, who was busy fumb- ling with his knife. "Sorry as you was taxed with it, doc- tor," said he. doubtfully; "well, I'm blowed, though! it only goes an hour and a half, and here it's a-ticking yet!" Here a burst of laughter went round, and somebody sung out, "Maybe tho onld pawnbroker Judas of a shark winded it up hisHclf. jist to mark the time of his goin' otT the iKMtks." "I say, doctor," hailed another, "too cussed bad, ain't it, though, to cut up yer uiuie'/" "Ha! ha! ha" cried the cadots .snd writers, looking at the Scotch snrgfon. "d'ye hoar that, doctor'/ I wouldn't stanM it. 'Hiey say you ain't particular in Kdinbro, though. Some rum mistakes happened there, eh, doctor?" The Scotchman got into a pas^ i this, being the worst cut they .n! give any fellow from a country s.iui'f they were famous for kindred and body- snatching at once; but all of a sudd>'ii there was a "Hidloo! shiver my tawsi'N! What's this? loot's see!" and tho whol.' IK)opful of us were shoving together and jumping on each other's shoulders to have a look. "Well, well!" said the old boatswain, as he peered curiously into the mesa of shark's bowels, "I'll be d— d!" "The likes o' that, now!" croaked the old sail maker, lifting up his two hands; "'tain't lucky, Mr. Burton." "My eye! them'fc; not young sharks, anyhow," said one of the men. "What's t'ou think they be, innn." said the north country Chips, "but litter o' young blind poops? An' h«ri t' ou'd un. see, as deed's mutton! r^ him! but some un got an' bated • k wi' 't— -Uiere's naut else in 's guts. The whole poop was one roar of Jaugli- ter when Mrs. Brady's pug was found (lolivered of four pups inside the f^hark since she went overboard, and two and his man servant only kept dodginfr the boatswain round a sort of a quag- mire of blood and grease, whib^ the old vixen caught Mick by his red hair and whiskers. "Where's my dog, ye mur- THE GREEN HAND. 5' mo of his ick!" said (Icrinjr Hpajpoon?" snld hIip, pniitiug for lirciith; "what liavc ye doiic with my Dl- iiiiiiy, yo moiinthorV Spukc, or I'll—" "He the holy eleven thouHand, yer liidyHhip." Haid Micit, "an* it's loHt did ye thinli hIio worl iHu't tliere hve of Nmh back? WhiHper, yer ladysliip'H riv'rence— who's laid in, poor craythure, an'-" "Oh, yon Irish thief!" roared Mrs. Hrudy, hitting him a Hlap an he tried to rise that sent him down again, "is it tiiiit yon'd Hay to — " "So, thin," snng out Miek, rubbing his ear and guarding with one arm, "rest yer sow!, but I'm innyceut. Av tiiut'U plase, mim, oeh, an' I'll swoar KJie died o virgin—" 'I'ug came both Mrs, Brady's hands tlirough his hair, while the butler caught 11 ivick in the stomach from Mick's foot. "Murtherl" gasped Uie poor fellow, •'sure an' I dun know sne was ayvon a fainyle; bad luck to ye, mates, give \\z a hand. Och! an' is this the road ye threat a counthryman, mimV" "Me your counthryman! ye bog-trottin' •wretch, ye!" screamed the old fury, her brogue getting worse the more she heot- ed; "take that! Don't rise, if ye dare!" "Faix, thin, yer ladyship darlin'," said O'Hooney, grinning in spite of his hard usage, "I tould a lie; och! lave some of me hair. Murther intirelyl I'm—" All the time none of us could .stir for sheer laughing; but seeing poor Mick like to fare hard with the old vixen, who was near as big as himself, and as strong as a horse,I whispered to the men r.i) run round and let go the poop awning; so down it came, with a few buckets of water in it, over the five of them, and you just saw Mrs. Brady's sharp elbow through the canvas lifted for the next sinp, when we had her all fast, strug- ^;liIlg like a cat in a bag, while O'Hooney iir.d the boatswain crept out below. "D— d breeze that we've had!" said the bo'sun, shaking himself on the fore- castle. "Couldn't ye have Imwsed jvor on the old jade's petticuts, Mick," said one of his shipmates, "and capsized her all standing?" "Sorra fut you'd stir yourself, mate," said he, wiping his face, "wid such, a shay grinnydeer. She'd manhandle ye ai-! asy's twirl a mop." After all this you may suppose one didn't weary even of the calm. As soon as the decks were clear most of us took tea on the poop, for fear of meeting the brigadier's lady below, " every one hold- ing his cup ready for a start. Kollock, the planter, who had slept and swung in his cot half the day, was like to split his sides when he heard the story. By- tho-by, I believe both the little pupa lived and throve on goats' milk, and ^e men called one of them "Young Jonah," though he bad so much of the terrier that the old lady dlMowned Iiim. Tt was nuite dark and cool for a night near tne lino, though not a ripplo stirred, and I staid aftor the rent to smoke a cigar, stopping I'vory now and then near the aftermost buU's-cye that shone through the dock, and thinking of Lota. "By .fovo!" thought I. "she hasn't sai < 52 THE GREEN HAND, l*^"! U <••" .••*' ■«4 •C-' ' .Jl""^ can be, and he—' Here the rlanter'a voice shook a little, and he stoppwl, puffing at his cheroot till the S'horc end of it just lighted up his hook nose and r>art of his big white whiskers in the dark, only 5'ou saw his eye glistening too. "Devil take it," thought 1; "who'd have expected the old boy to be so sharp, though V" "Well, but Collins," said he ut last, "just you enter heart and soul into your profession; I'd stake my life you'll rise, who knows how far'? — get your captain's pay even; then you may think of it— that is, if she — " "Why," said I, "d'ye suppose the judge would — " "Judge!" exclaimed Mr, Kollock, "when — worse and worse! — weron't we talking of pretty little Kate Fortescue? My dear boy, you don't intend to say you mean Miss Hyde! I left that to your first officer, as they call him. Why, that your • girl wll be the beauty of Calcutta!' At this X fancied some one else gave a whistle near us. "Of course, sir," said I, raising my voice, "you didn't suppose me such a fool." In fact, Miss Fortescue had never entered my head at all. "Something strange about you, Col- lins," said the planter, a little shortly; "you puzzle me, I must say." As W(> turned to go below I heird some- body walk down the poop ladder, and then the mate's voice sung out from the binnacle to "strike eight bells." The calm was as dead as ever next morning, and, if possible, hotter than be- fore: not a rope changed aloft, nor a cloth in the sails moved; but it was pret- ty hazy around us, which made the wa- ter a sort of pale, old bottle blue, that sickened you to look at and a long dip- plug and ilrawlinx heave gradually got up as if there wore blankets on it; the ship, of course, shifting round md round again slowly, like a dog going to lie down, and the helm getting "very now and then a sudden jolt. Near noon it cleared up with a blaze of 'iigiit, ns it were; the sole difference at lirst being that what looked like melting lead be- fore now turned into so many huge, bright sheets of tin, every bend of it as good as flashing up thousands of needlos in you eyes. A good deal surprised we were, however, shortly aft^r to find there was a sail in sight, another square- rl)L,ged vessel, seemingly ur» on the hori- zon six or seven miles off. Being end to ua at the time, though every glass in the ship was brought to bear on her. 'twas hard to say what she was; then she and we v^ent bobbing and going up and down with a long round heave be- tween us, slowly enough, but always at cross purposes. like two fellows see- sawing on a plank over a dyke. When she was up Ave were down, and we just caught sight of her royal, no bigger than a gull on the water; jerk went our rud- der, and next time she seemed to have vanished out of the glasses altogether, till we walked round to the other side, and made her out again under the twn- ing on the opposite beam, At length she lifted broad to us for a moment or two, showing a long pale sort of hull with a red streak, apparently without ports, and brig-rigged, though the space betwixt her two masts was curious for that kind of craft, "Wonderfully light sparred for her size that brig, sir," said the third olfioer, dropping his glass. "Ay, so she is, Mr. Small." replied Capt. Williamson. "What would you call her, then*? You've as good a knowl- edge of craft as any man, Mr. Small, I think." , "Why," said the old mate, screwing his eye harder for a good look, "I'd say she'.s — not a cruiser, Capt. Williamson— no, nor a Greenock Indyman — nor a — " "Oh!" said Finch, "some Africaii tim- berer or other, I dare say, Small." "Well, Mr. Finch." said the third mate, handing him the glass, "mayhtp you'll just say yourself, sir. ' "No, no, Mr. Small," said the captain; "I'd trust to you as soon as any man, sir, in a matter of the kind." "Why, the hull of hor's wonderful Yankee-like, sir," said Small again; "I'tn thinking they've been and squared htv out of a schooner, and a d — d bad jol) of it, sir! Bless us! what a leanheadi'd pair o' taup'ls. too— as high as our fore one, sir." Suddenly the old mate gav.- his thigh a slap, and laid down liis glass on the cnpstan. "Lord, sir!" said he. "that's the thing; she's nothing more nov less than a .John Capreau, Capt. Wil- liamson!" "I dare say you're right, Mr. Sm.'ill." said the skipper, taking the glass. ".Tust so; ay, ay. I thought it myself!" "Pity old Nap's noxed up yonder ther(>. sir," said the first officer, rubbing liis hand:-* and pointing to eastward. wh<'n' he thought St. Helena was. "AVhy, sii-, we should have the peppering of ilic Frenchman; I don't suppose we'd need to care though she were twice the size and, what's more, we want fresh water bpfore seeing the cape, sir!" "W'll," said the old skipper, laughin" "that is the worst of it. Finch! As for spirit, you've as much as any man, Mr. Finch, and I do .think we'd know how to take the weather hand of him— eh'?" "I'll be bound we should!" said Fincli. laughing too. As for the Frenchman, both Westwood and I had made him out by his rig ai once, thanks to man-o'-war practice; l)nt we smiled to each otner at the notion of making a prize of r.ijosiour, und;'r Finch's management, with not a gun THE GREEN HAND.- 53 tliat could he used for half a day, aud I'vorythinw else at sixes and sevens. In a little while it was proposed among the cadets, hot as the calm was, to make a party to go and see the b^reueh vessel. Ford, of course, was at the head of it. Winterton thought ihey wouUl no doubt have lots of champagne on lioard; and some others who could row wiintehind the brig in the distance, and as 1h(> judge stood talking to his daughter on the poop, I heard hpr say. "Is the other vessel not coming nearer already, I'.'ipa? See how much more distinct its sails are this moment; therel— one al- uKtst observes the white canvas." "Pooh! Lota, child," answered Sir <'harles, "that cannot be — 'tis perfectly calm, don't you know." Tn fact, however. Lota showed a sail- or's eye for air, and I Avas noticing it ni.vself; but it was only the air made it look so. "Ah! now." exclaimed she Kgain, "'tis as distant as ever! That must have been the light;" besides, the brig had been lifting on a wide swell. "I beg pardon. Sir Charles," said the tiiate, coming up and taking oflf his cap, "but might I use the freedom — perhaps yourself and Miss Hyde would like to visit the French brig?" 'Hie judge looked at his daughter as much as to ask if she would '.ike it. "Oh, yes! so much!" exclaimed she, her bright eyes sparkling; "shall we?" "No, the deuce! Not I!" said Sir riiarles; "I shall take my siesta. Quite safe, sir— eh?" "Oh, quite safe. Sir Charles!" said Finch; "a dead calm, sir; I'll take the ut- most care you may be sure, Sir Charles — as safe as the deck, sir!" "Oh, very well," replied the judge, and he walked down to see after his tiihn. The young lady was going down the (luarter gallery stair, when I caught my opiwrtunity to say "I hope you'll excuse it. Miss Hyde, ma'am, but I do trust you'll not risk going in the boat so far, just now !" Half a minute after I si*oke she turned i-ound and looked at me with a curious sort of expression in her charm- ing face, wliich 1 couldn't make out — whether it was mi8chi.evous, whether it was pettish, or whether 'twas inquisi- tive. " Dear me !" sjiid she ; " why — do you—" " Tlie weather might change," I said, looking round about, " and 1 shouldn't woider if it did, or a swell might get up, or — " " 1 must say. Mr, — Mr. Collins," said she, laughing lightly," you are very glconiy in anticipating — almost timorous, I declare ! I wonder how you came to l)e so weather-wise 1 But why did you not advise — i)cor Mrs. Brady ?" I couldn't see her face as she spoke, but the tone of the last A\"oi*ds made me feel I'd have given worlds to look around and : i;e what it was like at tlie moment. " Perhaps, ma'am," said I, "you may rememV)er the rain ?" " Well, we shall see, sir," replie •J < 54 THE GREEN HAND. .•ruf- — "V U •••• ■ " Smythe's coming yet," said a writer. " We can't wait any longer for hdm," replied tbe mate ; " ease away the falls handsomely on deck !" " Stop," said I. " I'll go, then !" " Too late, young gentleman," an- swered the mate, sbari»ly ; *' you'll cant us gunnel up, sir !— lower away there !" However, I caught hold of a rope and let myself down the side time enough to jump lightly into her stern sheets the moment tiiey touched the water. The ofRcer stared at tue as he took the yoke lines to steer ; but he said nothing, and tlie boat shoved off ; while Miss Hyde's blue eyes only opened, out, as it were, for an instant, at seeing me drop in so unceremoniously, and her companion laughed. " I shouldn't have supposed you so nimble, Mr. Collins," said the writer, looking at me through his eye-glass. " Oh," said I, " Ford and 1 have prac- ticed a good deal lately." _" Ha, ha !" said the civilian ; " should- n't be surprised now if your friend were to take the navigation out of Mr. Finch's hands some day." " Bless me, yes, sir !" said Finch, with a guffaw, iis he snt handling the lines carelessly, and siniling to the ladies, with his cap over one ear ; "to be sure — ha ! ha ! ha !— it's certain, Mr. Bev- eridge. Wouldn't you take the helm there sir ?" (to me). " Oh, no, thank you, sir," replied I, modestly ; " I'm not quite so far yet ; but we've got a loan of Hamilton Moore and Falconer's Dictionary, from the mid- shipmen, and mean to—" " No doubt you'll teach us a trick or two yet," said Finch, with a sneer. " Now, for instance," said I ; " aloft yonder you've got the throat halliards jammed in the block with a gasket, and the raizzen-top-sail clew lines rove wrong side of it, wliich Hamilton Moore dis- tinctly—" " Hang the lubber that did it, so they are !" exclaimed the mate, looking through the spy-glass we had with us. '• Now you've your jibs hauled down, sir," continued T, • and if a squall comes on abeam, no doubt they'd wish to shbrt(pe. Mr Finch!" said the old skipper, hastily, "and stand over to meet her. Confound this! we must have those people out of that brig in a trice! We shall soon have a touch of the horse latitudes, or mj' name's not Richard Williamson— ay, and bid good- by to 'era, too, I think!" For a (juarter of an hour or so, ac- cordingly, we kept forging slowly ahead, while the brig continued to near us. No one spoke, almost; you heard the lazy swash of the water round our fore- chains, and the stillness aboard had a gloomy enough effect, as one noticed the top of the haze creep up into round vapory heads upon the sky, and felt it darkening aloft besides. We were scarce three-quarters of a mile apart, and could see her sharp bo^'s dip over the bright sheathing as she rolled easily on the swell, when the Indiaman suddenly lost way again, sheered head round, and slap went all her sail? from the royals down, as if she had fired a broadside. Almost the next moment a low growl ran muttering and rumbling far away round the horizon from the clouds anil back to them again, as if they had been some huge monster or other on the watch, with its broad, grim muzzle shootinj; quietly over us as it lay; the brig dipped her gilt figm-e-head abeam of us. and then showed her long red streak, tlio swell sinking fast, and the whole sca far and wide coming out from the sky as dark and round as the mahogany drum-head of the capstan. "Bless me. Small," said the captain, "but I hope they've not knocked a hole in my gig; ay, there ihey are, I think, looking over the brig's quarter, h\it dor't seem to have a boat to swim. Got the cutter hauled alongside, Mr. Steb- Uing," continued he to the fourth mate, "and go aboard for them at once — con- founded Iwthering, this! Mind, get my gig safe, sir. if you pleasp; can ye par- ley-voo, though, Mr. Stebbing?" "Not a >vord, sir," said the youni; mate, a gentlemanly, rather soft, fellow, whom the other three all used to snub. "Bless me, can't we muster a bit <>' French among usV" said the skipper; "catch a monshoor that knows a word of English like any other man, 'special- ly if they've a chance of keeping niv gig!" "Well, sir." said T, "I'll be happy 1o go with the officer, as I can speak French well enough." "Thank ye, young gentleman, thank ye," said he; "you'll do it as Avell as any man, I m sure— only look sharp, if you please, and bring my gig with you." So down the side we bundled into the cutter, and pulled straight for the bri;:, wliich had just hoisted French colors; not old "three-patches," of course," but the new Kestoration fl*Jg. I overhauled her well as we got ne.nr. and a beautiful Jong schooner model slu> was, with sharp bows, and a fine easy- run hull from stem to stem, but dreml- fully dirty and spoiled with top b\il- warks, as if they meant to mak:lare of the water, and the people near the brig's gangway; b\it I saw two or three dark-faced, very French-like, in- dividuals, in broad-brimmed straw hats Mild white trousers, seemingly passengers. wUle about twenty Krooman and no- j:r(M»s, and as many seamen with un- sliaven chins, ear-rings and striped frocks, wor<> in knots before the long boat, turn- ed keel up amidships, careless enough, to all appearance, about us. One of the piussengers leaneen, showing a scar on his hairy breast, one man — whom I marked for the brig's siu-geon — beside him, and another wait- ing for us near the bulwarks, a leathery- fiUfd little fellow, with twinkling black (y(^, and a sort of cocked hat fore and !itt on his cropped head. "Moi, monsieur," said he, slapping his liand on his breast, as the mate looked about him, "oui, je suis capitaine, mon- sieur." "Good-day, sir," said Stebbing; "^^e've just come aboard for our pa.ssengers — ii:id the gig — sir, if you please." "Certainement, mons'ieur," said the French skipper, bowing and taking a Iiaper from his pocket, which he handed to the mate; "I oohiprends, sare; mon- sieur le capitaine de la fregate anglaise. il nous demaiwle nos — vat you call — lieppares; voila! I have 'ad le honneur, messieurs, to be already saroh by vun off vos crusoes — ponr des esclaves! vous inui^nez cela, messieurs!" and here the worthy Frenchman cast up his hands and gave a grin which seemed meant for innoi-ent horror. "Siaifs! chez le brigan- tiu Louis Bourbon, Capitaine Jean Du- I»rez? Non!" said he, talking away like a windmill; "de Marseilles a I'lsle de France, avec les vins chiosis — " "You mistake, monsieur," said I, in French; "the ship is an Tndiaman, an«l we have only come for our friends, who 'HO enjoying yonr wine, I dare say; but We must — " "Comment?" said he, staring; "what, monsieur? have de gotness to — " Here the mustached passenger sudden- ly raised himself off the mast, and made one srtride between us to the bulwarks, where he looked straight out at the Indiaman, his arms still folded, then from "s to the French master. He was a noble looking man, with an eye I never saw the like of in any one t'lse, 'twas so clear, bold and prompt; it actually went into you like a sword, and I couldn't help fancying him in the thick of a battle, v>:th thousands of men nnd milee of smoke. "Dnprez," said he, quickly, "jo vous le dis encKU'e — debaniuez ccs mis'>rablesl — nous combattrons!" "Then, mon ami." said the surgeon, in a low, cool, determined tone, stepping up and laying u hand on his should?r, "aussi, nous couperons les ailes de I'Aigle, seul*^- ment! Hush, mon ami, restrain this un- fortunate madness of yoursi — c'est bieu malapropos a present!" and ho whisjiewxl something additional, on which the pas- senger fell back and leaned against tlu» mainmast as before. "Ah!" said the French master, shaking his head, and giving his forehead a tap. "le pauvre homme-la! He has had a coup de soliel, messieurs, or rather of th" moon, you perceive, fron sleeping in its rays. Mu foi!" exclaimed ':e, on my ox- plaining the matter, "c'est pos-siblo? — we did suppose your boat intended to visit us when evidently deterred by the exces- sive undulation! My friends, resign yourselves to a misfort — " "Great heavens! Mr. Stebbing,'" said I. "the boat is lost!" "By George! Avhat will the captain say^ then?" replietl he. However, as soon as I told him the sal truth, poor Stebbing, being a good-heurteil fellow, actually put his hands to nis face and sobbed. All this time the brig's crew were gab- bing and kicking up a confouadeened I must say I could easily fancy what a chill, dreary- like, awful notion of the sea must have come for the first time on a landsman, not to speak of delicate young girls fresh from home, at sight of the drenched quar- ter deck leaning bare down to leeward, the sleet and spray battering bleak against the round-house doors, where I had seen Miss Hyde led sobbing in, with her wet hair about her face; then tho ship driving o£E from where she had lost them, with her three strong lower masts aslant into the gale, ghastly white and dripping, her soaked sheets of canvas blown gray and stiff into the rigging, and it strained taut as iron; while you saw little of her higher than the tops, as tho scud and the dark together closed aloft. Poor Miss Fortescue'a mother was in fits below in her berth; the two watchos were on the yards aloft, where no eyo could see them, struggling hard to furl the reef, so altogether it was a gloomy enough moment. I staid a while on deck, wrapped in .'i pea-coat, keeping my feet and hanging' on, and thinking how right down in earnest matters could turn of a sudden. I wasn't remarkably thoughtful in thos> days, I dare say, but there did I kee]), straining my eyes into the mist to see, I couldn't tell what, and repeating over and over again to myself these few words out of the prayer book, "In the midst of life we are in death," though scarce know- ing what I said. However, the Indiaman's officers and crew had work enough in managing her at present. After a sunset more like the putting out of him than anything else, with a flaring snuff and a dingy sort of smoke that followed, the wind grew fi'oni sou'west into a regular long gale, that drove the tops of the heavy seas into tho dead-lights astern, rising aft out of the dark like so many capes with the snow drifting off them oVfer the poop. At midnight it blew great guns witli a witness; the ship, under storm stay-sails and close-reefed main-top-sail, going 1:2 knots or more, when, as both the captain and mate reckoned, we were near St. Helena on our present course, and to haul on a wind was as much as her spars were worth, Her helm was put hard down and we lay to for morning, the ship drifting off bodily to leeward with the water. The night was quite dark, the rain coming in sudden spits out of the wind; you only heard the wet gale sob and hiss through the bare rigging into her storm canvas, when the look-out man ahead sang out, "Land— land close to starboard!" "Bless me, sir," said the mate to the captain, "it's the Rock; well that we did—" "Hard up! hard up with the helm!" yelled the man again; "it's a ship!" I ran to the weather main chains and saw a broad black mass, as it were, rising high abeam, and seeming to come out from the black of the night, with a gleam or two in it which they had taken for lights ashore in the island. The Seringapatam's wheel was put up already, but she hung in the gale, doubt- ful whether U> fall off or not; and the moment she did sink into the trough we should have had a sea over her broadside THE GREEN HAND. 59 fit to wash away men, boats and all, let alone the other ship, bearing down at 12 knots. "Show the head of the foretop-mast- stay-sail!" shouted I, with all my strength, to the forecastle, and up it went slapping its hanks to the blast; the Indiaman sprang round heeling to her ports on the next sea, maintop-sail before the wind, and the stay-sail down again. Next minute a large ship with the foam washing over her cat-heads, and her martingale gear drijpping under her white bowsprit, came lifting close past us — as black as shadows aloft, save the glimmer of her main-tack to the lanterns aboard —and knot after knot of dim faces above her bulwarks shot by, till you saw her captain standing high in the mizzen chains, with a speaking trumpet. He roared out something or other through it, and the skipper sung out under both his hands, "Ay, ay, sir!" in answer; but it turned out after that nobody knew ■what it was, unless it might be, as I thought, "Where are you going?" The minute following we saw her quar- ter lanterns like two will-o'-the-wisps be- yond a wave, and she was gone — a big frigate running under half her canvas, strong though the gale blew. "Why, Mr. Finch," said Capt. Wil- liamson, as soon as he had time to draw breath, "who was tliat bid show the fo'top-mast-stay-sail — 'twan't you ?" "No," said the mate; "I like to know who had the hanged impudence to give orders here without — " "Well, now, Finch," continued the old skipper, "I'm not sure but that was our only chanoe at the mioment, sir; and if 'twaa one of the men, why, I'd pass it over, or even give him an extra glass of [ grog in a quiet way." No one could say who it was, however, I rnd, for my part, the sight of the frigate i made me still more caiitious than before I of letting out what Westwood and I were; in fact, I couldn't help feeling rather uneasy; and I was glad to hear the superstitious old sail-maker whisper- ing about how he feared there was no luck to be looked for when "drowned men and ghostesses began to work the Ist.ip." The first streak of dawn was hardly [seen when a sail could be made out in it I fur on our lee bow, which the officers sup- I posed to be the frigate; Westwood and I, [however, were of opinion it was the iFreiich brig, although by sunrise we lost |sis;ht of her aguin. rOvery one in the cuddy talked of lour unfortunate friends and their melan- It'holy fate; even Ford and Winterton Iwere missed, while old Mr. Rollock had Ibeen the life of the passengers. But there was naturally still more felt for the Mor girl Fortescue; it made all Jf us gloctmy for a day or two, though the fresh breeze, and the Indiaman's fast motion, alter our wearisome spell of a calm, did a gi-eat deal to bring things round again. Westwood was greatly taken up with my account of the brig and her peoiJe, both of us agreeing there was something suspicioua about her, though I thought she was probably neither more nor less than a slavei', and he had a notion she was, after something deeper; what that might be 'twas hard to conceive, as they didn't appear like pirates. One thing, however, we did conclude from the mat- ter, that the brig couldn't have been at all inclined for visitors; and, in fact, there was little doubt but she would actually refuse letting the boat aboard if they reached her, so, in all likelihood, our un- happy friends had been swamped on that very account just as the squall came on. When this idea got about the ship, of course you may suppose neither passen- gers nor crew to have felt particularly amiable toward the French vessel; and if we had met her again, with any good oc- casion for it, all hands were much inclin- ed to give her a right-down thrashing, if not to make prize of her as a bad char- acter. "Well, Tom," said I to Westwood one day, "I wish those good folks mayn't be disappointed, but I do suspect this blessed mate of ours will turn out to have run us into some fine mess or other with his navigation. Did you notice how blue the sky looked this morning, over to east- ward, compared to what it did just now where the sun set?" "No," said Westwood, "not particularly; but what of that?" "Why, in the Iris," replied I, "we used always to reckon that a sign here- abouts of land. Just you see to-morrow morning if the dawn hasn't a hazy yellow look in it just before the breeze fails; in which cese 'tis the African coast to a certainty. Pity these 'Hyson Munduugo' men, as Jack calls them, shouldn't have their eyes about 'em as well as on the log slate. I dare say now," continued I, Ifuighing, "you heard the first mate bothering lately about the great varia- tion of the compass here? Well, what tlo you suppose was the reason of it, but the sly devil of a kitmagar shoving in his block fior grinding cun-y under the feel of the binnacle every time he was done using it. I saw him get a kick one morn- ing from the man at the wheel, who chanced to look down and noticed him. Good solid iron it is, though painted and Piolished like marble, and the circumcised rascal unluckily considered the whole bin- nacle aa a sort of second Mecca for se- curity." "Hang the fellow!" said Westwood; "but I don't see much to laugh at, Ned. Why, if you're right we shall be all soak- ed and fried into African fever before reaching the vape, and we've had misfor- » r J 'J 6o THE GREEN HAND. to- 3C-: c;; tunes enough already. Only think of an exquisite creature liki' Miss — " "Oh," iuteriMpted I, fancying Master Torn began lately to show dutHcient ad- miration for her, "betwixt an old hum- drum and a conceited fool like that, what could you expect V All I say is, my dear parson, stand by for a pinch when it comes." On going down to tea in the cuddy we found the party full of spirits, and, for the tirst time, there was no men- tion of their lost fellow passengers, ex- ceirt among a knot of cadets and writ- ers rather elevateil by the Madeira after tiinner, who were gathered around the Ilev. Mr. Knowles, pretending to talk regretfully of his Yankee fi*iend, Mr. Daniel Snout. " Yes, gentlemen," said tlie misv^inn- ary, who was a worthy, simple-hearted person, "in spate of some uncouthness. and perhaps limited views— the result of defefttive education — he was an excellent man, I think." " Oh, certainly, certainly," said a writer, looking to his friends, " and the one thing newlful you six)ke of just now, sir, I daresay he had it always in his eye, now v" " Mixetl, I fear," rejrfied the mission- ary, " with some element of woaldly feeling, for in Ameiioa they are apt to make even tlie soul, as well as religous association, matter of commerce ; but Mr. Snout, I have reason to be assured, hiid the ti'ue Avelfare of India at heait — we had much interesting conversation on the sul)ject." " Ah," said the sharp civilian, " he was fond of getting information, was poor Daniel ! Was that why he asked you so many questions about the Hindoo gods, Mr. Knowles V" " He alreadj' possessed much general knowledge of their strange mythology himself," answered the missionary, "and I confess that 1 was siuprised at it, es- pecially as he confessed to me that that gorgeous country, with its many bound- less capabilities, should have occupied his thoughts more and more from boy- hood, amidst the secular activity of modern life— even as it occurred unto myself." Here the worthy man took off his large speotach^, gave them a wipe, and put them on again, while he finished his " Before this deplorable dispensation," continued he again, " he was on the point of revealing to mo a great scheme at once for the enlightenment, I believe, of tha.t benig'hibed land, and for more lucrative support of those engaged in it. I fear, gentlemen, it was enthusiasm, but I have gi'oimds for thinking that our departed friend has L'ft in this vessel many packages of volumes translated into several dialects of the great Hindoo tongue — ^not omitting, I am convinced, the best of bcside his lioai within, or hour, " Guess I ain't." "My young fricaids," said the missidii- 1 ary, as v,c all went along the lighttil passage, " such levity is unseemly ;" and indeed the look of the stJiterooin I dooi", fastened outside as the steward ] had left it before the gale came im, made the brisk cadets keep quiet until the lashing on it was unfastened — 'twas so like breaking in upon a ghost. How- ever, as it chancetl, Mr. Snout's goods had got loose during the late roll, and heaped down to leeward against t he door, so whenever they turned the handle a whole bundle of packages came j tumbling out of the dark, as it biirst open, with a shower of small affairs like so manv stones after them. " What's all this ?" exclaimed the cadets, stooping to look at the articles by the lamplight, strewed as they were over the dt^^k. The reverend gentle- man Stooped too, stood straight, wii)id his spectacles and lixed them on his liOse ; then stooped again ; at leu^th one long exclamation of surprise broke | out of his mouth. They w^ere nothiiij; but ugly little images, done in earthen- ware, painted and gilded, and exactly the same. The writer dived into a can- vas package, and there was a lot of a different kind, somewhat larger and nc- Her. Everyone made free with a hale for himself, shouting out his discoveiies | to the rest. " I say, Smythe, this is Vishnu ; it's | marked on the corner." " D— n it, Ramsay, here's Brahma i " " Ha ! ha ! ha ! if I haven't got Siva ! ' " I say, what's this, though '/ " screamed a young lad, hauling at the I biggest bale of all, while the missionary stood stock upright, a perfect picture of bewildei-ment, " Lo !" being all he could say- "What can 'Lingams' be, eh? went on the young griffin, reaxling the mark outside— "Lingams— extra fine | gilt, Staffordshire— 70 Rs. per doz.— D.S. to Bombay;' and what may Liing'imsl be ?" and he pulled out a sample, meant for an improvement on the shapeless | black stones reckoned so sacrud by Hin- doo ladies that love their lofds, as I knew from seeing them one moruiug I THE GREEN HAND. 6i ?ral of tlic near Madras, bringing gifts nnil bowing to fho Lingam at a pretty little white toraple unil«>r an old banian-tro.\ For my piirt, I had lighted on a gross or so ^^{ Keutlenien and ladies with three heads and five arms, ijacked nicely tlirough each other in cotton, but inside tii(> state room. At this last i>rizo, liowt'ver, the poor missionary could stand it 111) longer. "Oh! oh!" groaned he, clapping his hand to his hend, and walking slowly oft' to his bertJi ; while, as the truth ;:lt'nuied on the cadets and us, we sat down on the deck amid the spoil, and roMi'cd with laughter like to go into fits at the unfortunate Yankee's scheme for (•oiivorting India. "Well, hang me!" said a writer, as .soKii as he could si>eiak, " but this is a stioak beyond tlie Society for Diffusing IVcfiil Knowledge !" " Every man his own priest — ha ! ha ! lia !" shouted another. " I say, Smythe," sung nut a cadet, "just fancy— ha ! ha I ' D. Snout & Co.' - ho I ho ! ho ! — you kno'^'- it's too rich to enjoy by ourselves. ' Mythulog>' stoic. Bombay, near the cathedral ! Clieap Brahmas, wholesale and retail — eh V families supplied !" " By George ! he's a genius lost !" said Smythe ; " but the parson needn't have broken with him for that. I sliouldu't wonder now, if they had joined l>aitM>n-ship, but Daniel might have thought of mining all their heads nith ^'unpowder and percussion springs, so iliar the mi.ssion;iry could have gone .trouud afterwards and blown up hea- thenism by a touch." The :ioist> of all this soon brought .nloug the rest of the gentlemen, and IVw could help laughing. When the tiling got wind on deck, however, nei- ther the old skipper nor the men seemed TO like it much. What with the notion of the .ship's being taken, as it Avere. with a thousand or two of ugly little iiiiiw fnd pagan idols, besides bringing ii|i a drowned man's concerns, and ■■ yawhawing." as they said, into his very iloor, it was thought the best thing to have them all chucked overboard iieNt morning. Twas a beautifully nue night, clear aloft, and the moon rising large on our lailioard bow, out of a delicate pale sort of haze, as the ship headed south- "ard with the breeze ; for I marked the l':;7,(> particularly, as well as the color of the sky that lay over it like a deep- blue hollow, going away down beyond aiiii filling up with the light. There Was no living thing below for heat, and die showers of cockroaches that went whirring at the lamps, and marching with their irfernal feelers out, 8ti*aight 'ip your legs ; so fore and aft the decks wer(> astir with us all. Ta'k of moonlight on land 1 bi:t even in the tropics you have to see it pour- ing right down n drew farther up, till it came raining as it were in a single sheet from one bend of the horizon to another— the water scame rippling to the breeze, only heavuig in long low swells that you heard just wasli her bend.s— one track brighter tlian *^he rest, shining and glan<.'ing like a looking glass, drawn out for a mile or so across our quarter, and the sliip's shadow under her other bow. You taw the men far forward in her head, clus- tered in a heap on the iKiwsprit heel, tnjojnng it mightily, and looking out or straight aloft as if to polish their ma- hogany faces and get their bushy whis- kers silvered ; while the awnir.gs lieing off the poop the planks in it came out like so much ivory from the .^hfide of the spiinker, which sent down a perfect gush of I'ght on every one moving past. For th(! air again, as all the passengers said, was balmy ; though for ray part — per- haps it might be a fancy ef mine — btjt now a lid then 1 thought it sniffed a lit- tle too much tliat, way to be altogetlwu' pleasant in the circumstances. 0° loiu'se. no sinner Irid I caught sight of Sir Charles Hyd.' than I looked for his daughter, and at last saw some- one talking to a young lady seated near tlie ufter-trraiings with her head t'U'ned rounu seawai'd, whom it didn't reqvirt! nuch guessing for m-» to name. Not having seen her at ad since the affair or the boats' I strolled aft. wlieu 1 was lather surprised to Hnd that her of her nose and lip as clear as the liorizon or the sky. Tlie very moment that a bitter thought flashed into my mind— for to my fancy she looked vexed at seeing me, and a color seemed mounting up to her che*dc, even through the fairy sort of glimmer on it. Could Tom Westwood have been actiag no more than the cle-'^al near such a creature ? And if a fellow like him took it in his head, what chance had I ? The next minute accordingly, she rose off her seat, gave me a slight bow in answer to niLae, and walked direct to the gallery stair, where she disappeared. 6a THE GREEN HAND. " Wo Avore tnlkiiin of that iinlupky ad- TiMituri' the othw day," spid Wostwowl, glancing at me, but rather taken aback, at 1 thuughit. " Ay ?" said I, carolcssly. " Yes," oontinue' about five east ; but I think it's a good deal over the mark— say I'll be down myself directly." " A deuced sight below the mark, rn- ther," said I, walking aft again whwc Westwood kept still looking out for the black dot. " You'll see it nearer now, Ned," said he ; " more like a negro's head or his hand thtui a piece of wood — oh ?" " Curious," I said ; " it lies well iii> for our beam still — spite of the breeze. Must be a shark's back fin, I think, making for convoy." In ten minutes longer the light swell in the distance gave it a lift up fair into the moonshine ; it gleamed for a ui(h ment, and then seemed to i-oll across into the blue glimmer of the sea. " By Jove ! Collins," said Westwood, gazing eagerly at it, " 'tis moi'e like a bottle to my sight." We walked back and forward, lookin;; o.Kh time over the taffrail, till at lengili thii afl'air \u question could be seen dipping and creeping ahead in tlie smooth, shining wash of the surfaee, just to go bobbing across our bows, and be missed to windward. " Crossing our hawse, I do declare ! Hanged if that ain't foreroaching on us with a witness !" exclaimed the two of us together ; " and a bottle it is," said Westwood. I slipped down the poop stair, ami along to the forecastle, where I told Jacobs; when two or three of the men went out on the- martingale stays with the bight of a line and a couple of blocks in it, ready to throw round this said floating oddity, and haul it alonK- side as it surged past. Shortly after wo had it safe in our hands; a square-built old Dutchman it was, tight corked, with a red rag round the neck, and crusted over With salt — almost like one of Yan- derdeoken's messages home, coming up as it did from the wide glittering sea of a tropical moonlight night, nine weeks or so after leaving land. The men who had got it seemed afraid of their prize, so Westwood and I had no difliculty in smuggling it away below to our berth. where we both sat down on a locker and looked at one another. "What poor devil hove this overbo.^rd, I wonder now?" said he. "I dare say it may have knocked about God knows how long since ids cfFair was settled." "Why, for that matter, Westwood." replied I, "I fancy it's much more iir- portant to find there's a strong e»isterly current hereabouts just now." Here pulled ( lilve gra wiiH a and sei' only sup "No. nicanV" •The haps," (jod's sa south wet think— w 1 fear- three— (t del', thoi liut kept fiUMte— * say for either." "Did by post, make it wood, th bottle m tie, 'tis tl luek aft< ^^'hy, I £ planter v rascally trying th over, we T. RoUod Kfli THE GREEN HAND. 63 Here VVestwxxxl got a cork-screw aud piilltHl out the cork with a true parHon- likf gravity. Ah we liad expectetl, there AviiH u paper tacked _to it, crumpleJ up, and 8cmwled over lu what we could only HUPiKJse waw blood. "No. 20," read he— "what doea that mean V" "The twentieth bottle launched, per- haps," said I; and be went on, " 'For Gud's sake, if you find this keep to the southwest; we are going that way, we tliiiik — ^we've fallen among regular thugH, 1 fear — just from the folly of these three— (they're looking over my shoul- ilcf, though)— we are not ilMreated yet, liut kept below and watched. Yours in fiaste— What this signature is I can't say for the life of me, Ned; uo date either." "Did the fellow think lie Avas writing by poet, I -wonder?" said 1, trying to make it out. "By the lowers! West- vrooi], though," and I jumped up, "that bottle might have come from the Paci- tic, 'tis true, but what if it were old llol- kick after all! Thugs, did you say? >\'liy, I shouldn't wonder if the jolly old planter were on the hooks still. That rascally brig!" And accordingly, on trying the scrawl at tbe end over and over, we both agreed it was nothing but T. Rollock. PART V. The next evening our friend the cap- tain found his fair audience by the taf- frail increased to a round dozyn, while several of the gentlemen passengers lounged near, and the chief oflicer divid- ed his attention between the gay group of ladies below and the fanning maintop sail high up, with its corresponding stud diug-sail hung far ovd and aloft to the breeze, the narrative naving by this time eoutracted a sort of professional inter- est, even to his matter-of-fact taste, which enabled him to enjoy greatly the occasional glances of sly humor directed to him by his superior, for whom he evidently entertained a kind of admiring respect, that seemed to be enhanceil es he listened. As for the commander him- self, he related the adventures in ques- tion with a spirit and vividness of man- ner that contributed to them no small charm, amusingly contrasted with the cool, dry, indifferent sort of gravity of countenance, nmid which the keen, gray, seawardly ey*>, undfT the peak of the iiavnl cap, kept changing and twinkling as it seemed to run through the experi- ence of youth again — sometimes almost approaching to an undeniable wink. The expression of it at this time, however, Wiis more serious, while it appeHred to run along the dotted reef band of the n^izzen-topsail above as across the entry in a log book, and as if there was some- thing interesting to come. "Well,my deer captain, "asked his raat- roaly relative, "what comes next? You and your friend had picked up a— a— what was it now?" Ah! I remember, ma'am, said the naval ninn, daughing; the bottle— that was where I was. Weil, as you may con- ceive, this said scrap of penmanship in the bottle did take both of us rather on end, and for two or three minute** West- wood and I sat staring at each other and the uncouth looking list in au in- quiring sort of way, like two coido over a l>eetle. Westwood, for his part, was doubtful of its being the planter at all; but tlie whole thing, when I thought of it, made itself as clear to mo so far as two half hitches, and the angi'ier J was at myself for being done by a frog eat- ing, bloody politeful set of Frenchmen like these. Could we ^nly have clajiped eyes on the villainous, thieving craft at the time, by .love! if I wouldn't have nuinned a boat from the Indiaman, leave or no leave, and boarded her in auoth«:>r fash on! But where they were now, what they meant and whether we should ever see Uiem again, heaven only knew. For all we could say, indeed, something strange might have turned up at home in Euroi>e — a new war, old Bony got loose once moi-e, or what not— .-ind I could scarce fall asleep for guessing and bothering over the matter, as rest- less as the first night we cruised down channel in the old Pandora. Early in the morning watch a sudden stir of the men on deck woke me, aud I bundled up in five minutes' time. But it was only the second mate setting them to wash decks, and out they came from all quarters, yawning, stretching them- selves, and tucking up their trousers, as they passed the full buckets lazily along; while a couple of boys could be seen hard at work to keep the head pump going up against the gray sky over the bow. However, I was so anxiows to have the first look-out ahead, that I njade a bold push through the thick ©f it for the bowsprit, where I went out till I could see nothing astern of me but the India man's big black bows and figure head swinging, as it were, round the spar 1 sat upon, with the spread of her canvas coming dim after me out of the fog, and a lazy snatch of foam lift- ing to her cutwater as the breeze died away. The sun was just beginning to rise — ten minutes before it had been al- most quite dark — ^there was a mist on the water, and the sails were heavy with dew, when a circle began to open round us where the surface looked as smooth and dirty as in a dock, the haze seeming to shine through as the sun- light came sifting through it like silver gauze. You saw the big red top of the sun glare against the water line, and a wet gleam of crimson came sliding from one smooth blue swell to another, while the back of the haze astern turned from J' «4 THE GREEN HAND. •::x bhio to piirplo, niul wonfc lifting away into va|»<)ry ntrcnks iukI luitchi^H. All o( a HiiddtMi tlio ship c-aiuo eltuir out alt)ft and on the wator, with bi-r whilo Hli'i-ali UH briKlit aw snow, licr fore- royal and triwlt Krildcd, her broad lorcsall as r<'d us blood, and ovt-ry faco on dculc shininj,' ifs it look»'d ahead, where I felt like a fellow held up on a toastin>? fork against the tiery wheel the sini inatlo ere clearinu the horizon. Two or threi' strips of eloiul melted ii; it like lnnii»s i>f HUjjar in hot wine; and, after overhanlini; the whole sea-board ronnd and round, I kept straining my eyes into ih«> light with the notion tliere was sometliiim to be seen in that (luartor, but to no pur- jMise; there wasn t the slight^'st siirn of the brig or any otiier blessed tiling. What struck mo a little, however, was the look of the water just as the fog was elearing away. T1h> swell was sink- ing down, tlu! wind fallen for a time to a dead ealni, and when the smooth fa<'e of it cfinght the light full from aloft it HtMMuod to come out aJl over long wind- ing wrinkles and eddies, running in a broad path as it Avere, twisted and wov- en togotlior riglit into tiie wake of the sunrise. When I cnme in-board from the bowsprit, big ITany and another grumpy oid salt were standing by the bitts. taking a forecastle observation, and gave me a squint as much as to ask if T had como out of the east. ■)[• had bepn trying to pocket tlu^ flying lib boom. Do you notice anything strange about the water at allV" I asked, in mu off- hand soit of way. wishing to see if rhe nieu liad remarked aught of what 1 sus- pectied. Tho old fellow g.ave me a •lueer look out of the tail of his evr-. and the ugly man aoenuxl to be measuring me from licad to foot. "Xo. sir," said the first f.'irelesslv can t say as how I does;" while Ilarrv coolly commenced sharpening his she.'ith knif(> on his shoe. •Did you ever h(>ar of currents here- abouts?" said T to the other man "Hereaway?" said he; "whv. bless ve. sir. it's unpossible as I could ha' heord tell on sich a thing, 'cau.se. .ve see. sir. there ain't none so far out at sea— - al'ays axin your pardon, ye know, sir." M'hile he hitched un his " trousers and looked alof«- as if there were something wrong about ihe jib-halliards. The Tndiaraan by this time had quite lost stetn-age-way. and canu; sheerintf slowly round, broadside to the sun, while the water began to glitter like a single sheet of quicksilver, trembling and swell- ing to the firm edge of it far off; the I>ale blue sky filling deep aloft with light, and a long white haze growing out of the horizon to eastward. I kept still looking over from the fo^re-chains with my arms folded, and an eye to the water on the starboard side, next the sun, where, just a fathom or two from the bright copper of her Hheathlng alon« the water-line, you could see into ii. Every now and then little bell« an.l bubbles, i\h T thought, would como ii|i in it and break short of the Hurfacr; and Hometiines I fancied the line of a slight rii)ple. as line as a rope-yarn, went turning and glistening round one oftlx' ship's quarters, across her shadow. Just then the old sailor behind me shoved IiIh face over th«' bulwark too. all warts ami wrinkles, like a ripe walnut shell, wiili a round knob of a nose in the middle of it, and wH'niwI to be watching to se*' ir, below, when he suddenly 8r. I noticed his watch-mate give himahartl shove in the ribs with his huge elbow, and a quick screw of his weather top- light, while he kept the lee one doggedly fixed on myself. I accordingly walknl slowly aft as if to tho quarter-deck, aii'i (mme round the long-bo:it again, riulit ab'-east of them. Harry was pacing foic and aft with his arms folded, when bis companion made sf>me remark nv heat, peering all about him, a' right up into tlie air aloft. "Well, then, shipm.' ' dabbing his handkercl tarpaulin again, "Iv'c self — ownly 'twas in tli. look j'e— an' afore the see, we hove o'board A WUl ■ ight o' ih! on ii, nine of ;iis iiy- *i'nin, d'y.' (TeW, let alone six dozen odds of a rgo!" "Cargo!" exclaimed his comimnion in ourprise. "Ay, black passengers they was, yo Into ii. bella ani cuuie iM> lo HUrfaci'; llnu of :i yarn, went ()IU> of till' lutlow. JunI shoved liw warta aiiil hIu'II, Willi > middle <>f K to HW t uirtod liis isibloalonu'- wine with laud, catcli- ort of way. lid thcu lit ■d listUissly itch of oily t'tly on till' till all iir lat, beyoiiil wly awiiy ar of till' le glitteriiii; oticed my with UM', ■ions oar.;^o t wistfully t, as if III' and rotiii'l ,vay, to SCO Ml a suddiii neotiny liis t's the ri'ii- somo cur- ehr' , Jiowcvcr. him a hnnl uKc i>ll)i)\v, ;ither top- doKfft'dly ly walktil -deck, iiii'l s,'ain, riulit )acing fiii'i' when lii> liis iiy- .I'liin. 1, d'vi' ercw. ijio!" npauion in t o' >n was, you ugly ras- :hat it is. passengers up in till' 'em's trot , ye Hee! I ing rouiiil. shore-look- ing cuHtonuM IIS walked lift just now, with them hlooily soft (nutations o' his iiliuiK-" "Why," said .lack, "it's him .Imnlis iiiiii llie larlmard wnleh calls the (Jreeu Maud, an' a blessed good joke they has iilioiit him. to .ill iiiiiie'iranee; but tln'y k'-eps pretty <'l(ise." "('l<)se ln' (I d!" growled Harry. '• I iloesii't like the cut of his jib, I tell ye, sliipiiiatel .Fist yon take my word for ii. that 'ere fellow's done some'm Imd 111 home, or he's bent on soiiie'at afloat ; its all one! LJon't ye mink liow he keeps liitx-hiinling' and skulking fon> an' aft, iiiii to say look-out lo wind'ard every unw an' atniin, us mm-li as he expeett-d 11 sail to heave in sight V" "Well, I'm blowed but yoii'n' right. Harry I" said the other, taking y I his here Bob .Jacobs o' yours, blow '111 if there ain't overmany of his kind ill the whole larboard watch. .lack! A niaii-o'-war's-man's iiTays a blackguard out on a man-o'-war. look ye." "Why. bless me. shipmat*'." said .Tai'k, low(>ring his voitv, "by that re<'konin' a man don't know his friends in this here iraft! The sooner we gives the mate 11 hint. 'i<> better, to my thinking." "Xo. \\ me. no. .Tack." said Harry: "keep fast, or ye'll kick up a wors<> nitty. lM»y. .Ti.st you hould on till we s V hat's to turn up: owuly stand by an. look out for the squalls, that's nil. Ti e's the skipi>er laid up below in liis bei .1, I hears, au4l to my notions that 'er.' mate of ours is no more but a hlesse in ease of an oppi>rtun- ily fill- inis<'hief, especially wlicii ] lierrd him begin ni speculate if "that 'ere proud old beugar i tupniady a cussed sigbt too well, not to speak on the way the land blinks looms afore you sights it." "Lived in them there woods, did ye?" inquired Jack. "Ay, bo', an' a rum rig it wos too, suro eTiOugih,'" eaid Haxry, "the very same time I told you on i' the Bight o' Benin." 'My eyes," exdoimed the other, "a maji never knows what he may come to. Let's into rights of it, Harry, can't ye, ofort; eight bells strikes?" "Woods!" said Harry; "I believe ye, old ship. I seed enough o' woods that time, after all— and 'twa'n't that long a€on<\ eilther; Di not say how long, but it wos'n't last voyage. A sharp, clinker-built craft of a schooner she wor; I'm not going to give ye her right name, but they called her the Lubberhater— an' if there \^a'n't all sorbs on us aboard, it's blaming ye— on's a big, double-j'inted, man-eatinr chap of a Yankee was our skipper, as sly as slush— more by token he had a wart alongside o' one eye, as made him look two ways at it— Job Prioe by name*, an' arter he'd made Ms fortin I heerd he took up a teetotal ohapel afloat on the Mississ- hippey. She'd got a hell of a long no6<>. that 'ere schooner^ so, my boy, we leaves everything astarn, chase or race, I prom- ise ye; an' as for a blessed old teu-gnn brig what kept a crusin' there-away, why. we jist got used to her, like, al'ays lowers our main-sail afore taking the wind of her, by way o' good-bye, quite perlito. Blowed if it wem't rum, though, for tf see the brig's white figure-head over tb" swell, roUin' under a cloud o' canvas, sten-s'ls crowded out alow an' aloft, as she jogged arter us! Then she'd haul her wind and fir a gun, and go beating: away up in chase of some o. .er riaft, as caught the chance of runnin' ouu wiheii- ever they sees the Lubberhater well ai sea. Why, s'elp me. Bob, if the tradei>; oil the coast didn't pay Job Price half a dozen 'olacks apiece every trip, just for i<' play ':hat 'ere dodge. At last, one timo, not long after I joined the craft, whai does he do but nigh-hand loses her cargo. all C'Win' to reckonin' overmuch on this here traverse. Out we comes one night in the tail of a squall, an' as soon as ir cleari?, there, sure enough, we made otit the brig, hard after us, as we thinks; .s THE GREEN HAND. 67 ■i)f lua friends, ye ace, \7<\s jist outside the l)ar in Noon ri\er. Well, bloody soon the iniiser begins to ovoriiaul us; aa one sjaff-tops'l wouldn't do, nor yet another, till the flyin'-jib an* bonnets maxle her walk away from them in right 'amest, when, slap! comes a long shot that took rlie foretopmast out of us it a *winkling. So when the moonlight corned out, lo and behold, instead of the brig's two masts stifiE and straight againist the haze, there was three spanking sticks all ataunto, my boy, in a fine new sloop-o'-war lus had fresh come on the stfljtion — the Irish, they called her— and a fast ship she wor. But all said and dooe, the schooner had till? heels of her in aught short of u I'eef- tJtups'l breeze; though, as for the other two, the sloop-o'-war picked off both on 'em in the end," At this point of the fellow's account, I, Ned CoUins, begaji bo prick up my ears, pretty sure it was the dear old Iris he was talking of; and, thought I, "Oho! my mate, we shall have you directly; listen- ing's fair, with a chap of this breed." "Well," said he, " twas the next trip after that, we finds the ooast cleai-, as <:()mmoinly was — for, d'ye see, they <'i)uldn't touch us if so be we hadn't a slave aboard — in fact wo herd as how the (Tuiser was up by Serry Lony, and left some young lufftenant or other on the watch with a sort o' liafceen-rigged tender, A precious raw chap he was by all ac- counts; and, sure enough, tJliere he kept idying off and on, in shore, 'stead of out of sight to seaward till the craft would make a bolt; an' as sooii as ye dropped an .inchor, he'd send a boat aboard with a n«fer, to ax if you'd got slaves in the Jiold, In course, ye know. Job Price soni'.s back a message, 'palm-ile an' iv'ry, I'.n gould if we cajn,' h'ists the Poptinguee colors, brings up his Portinguee papers, ■Mii makes the Portinguee steward nkip- (iT for the spell; but anyhow, bein' no li'.^s than three slavers in the mouth of ill.; Bomny river at the time, why, he meant to show fight if need be, and jist manhandle the young navy sprig to his heart's content, Hows'ever, the second or iliird night, all on a sudden, we found he'd slif'ered off for decency's sake, as it might bi'. an hour or two afore we'd begun to laft off the niggers. Well, mate, right in ilie midst of it, there comes sich a tor- nauy off the land as we'd to slip c.ible and run fair out to sea aft«jr the other craft what hrd got sooner full — one on 'em went ashore in eight — an' we'd not 90 blacks aboard yet, with barely a day's water stowed in. The next morning, out o' sight of land, we got the sea-breeze, and stood in again under everything, till we made Fernandy Po ileyand three leagues g in l»i.s list, as fresili to all seKiinin' as a tish, like a snporearjro or Koine'at u' the sort, as theiu craft coumionly has. 'What stihooiier's that?' axes the master, all aboard like; an' says .Tob, says he, out o' breath, 'Never you nun«l; I Kiies-s you'll h't's have some wa.tt>r. for we wants it iihnighty keen.' 'Well,' says the other. shaking liiis heatain,' says he. 'I'll do a deal for a uuui in a strait, tickerly for yerself. an' I think we'd manage witJi a single hand more. I'll give ye two casks an' a bag o' gould dust for one black, Jind wie'il send aboaixl for him, jn^^t nov>', our- selves!' 'No,' ro-ars .Tol< Price, walkin' close up to him; 'ye've riz me, ye cussed P»ritiHher ye, an' I tell ye we'll take what Ave Avnnts!' '\o jokw, though. bundles a score o' strapiring men- o'-Avar's-raen out of the cabin! Ouie or tAvo of US got a cut about the hmd, an' my gentleman supeipcnrgo claps a pistol to my mr fn>m aft, feO Ave kntn-ked under AAnthout more t' voices 'You're too cust spry for i)layur jokes on. I <'>alc'late, squire,' he says. Mokes I' says the young felk'J', 'why, it's no joke — in course you knows me.' 'Niver seed ye atwiCK'Hi the eyes afore,' says .lob. 'but don't Ite-ar no malice, mister, noAV.' 'That'.« it,' says the t'other, lookin' at the schoon- er again — 'jio more 1 dot's; so jisit think ii bit, Imin't ye i"eaJly a nigger or so aboard o' yv — ^if ilt wa.s jist one'/' 'Squash the one,' says .Tob. sihaki.n' his hetid nellicolly like, an' 'Sorry for it,' s .slide off in fine style after the pair o' brigs, as Avas nigh half hull down t<> to seaward l)y this time. Tliere mt AA'as left ne<-k an' heel beiow in the triid- er, an' we hanlt;>l up sec min'ly for th ■ huul ; an' arter a bit says the skipper to me. ' Foster, my lad, I despise thi--^ way o' things." says he ; " ain't there m; way on gettin' clear V " ' Never say die, cap'n !' I says, an" says he : ' I cah'ulate they left consid- erabl(> few hands aboanl ?' " ' None but them sleei)y-like scum o iv'ry men,' T says ; but be blowed if 1 sapci'iiiuin' all the time, till down drops the little black devil throttled on the neck. " ■ That's for tliinkin' a blwldy luwer.' siiys he, lookiii;,' as savitch as the devil. •mm] {tot the knife in his ti eth, when he inrnod throu>,'h and sawed throu;;h the M'iziu" roniKl my wrists, an' in course I sets every m.in clear in quick-sticks. " ' Now !' says ,Iob. lookin" ronnd, 'the cinicker the better ; that cu.ssed lubber- latin' hound's got my schooner. but niaybe. lads, this here iv'ry man'U pay expenses. By th' AlmiRhty. if I'm made -Hit a i)irate, I'll arn the name.' *■ Well, we squints up the hatchway. Mild si-ed a .votinj; midshii)nnin standin' with his back to us. watchin' the brig's crew at the traces, an' a justol in one hand, when all at once our skii»per slips off his shoes, run up the stair as ents, an' bloddy highannies ; but b'ow me I if 1 didn't thiidi the farther ye went aloft the more monkeys and iwirrykiets ye loused out. jabbcrin' all night so as a fellow couldn't close an eye ; an' as for the sky. lie blowed if I ever once sighted it. 80. d'ye see, it puts ail notions o' fruits and fiowers out o' my head, an' all them .Inmmy- .I(\ssauiy sort o' hap|>.v-golucky yarns a.bont barbers' ileyands and shipherd- nsses what tliey used to spell out 0' dic.>ihinars at school — all gammon, mate !" " liOrd love ye, no, surely," said Jack; " it's in the Bible !" " Ay, ay," said Harry. " that's arter ye've gone to Davy .lones. no doubt ; but I've been in the South Sy ileyaiuls since, myself, an' be blowed if it's much better llien> ! Hows'ever, still anon, I txH>k a new fancy, an' away 1 makes for the river, in san^h of a nigger village, as they calls 'em ; an' stu'e enough it weren't long ere right I plumps in the midst on a lot o' cane huts among tre«'s. But such a shine an' a nitt.v as I kicks up, ye see. bein' half naketl. for all the world iike a wild nnm o' the woods, an' for a full hour I has the town by my- self, so I hoists my shirt on a stick over the hut I took, by way of a Hag o' truce, an" at last they all begins for to swann in again. ^\'eIl. ye see. I knoweaway — an' in course with that they logs me down at once for a reg'lar holy jxissel from .lerusalem. Tlie long an' the short on it was. tile fittish-man takes me under charge, an' sets me to tell fortius or the like with an ould quadrant they'd got soin.'where. gives me a hut an" two black wives, begad ! an' there I lives for two the classic style, and his skin, as it was, didn't appear of the whitest.) " So there, ye know I sits afore a hut pnindin' away at maize, with nothink else but a waistcloth round me, an' my two legs stuck out, till such time as the lufftenaut an' two boats' crews had sarched the villache, havin' heerd, no doubt, of a white man thereabouts, an' at last off they went. Well, in course, at first tliis here affair gives the fittish- man a lift in the niggerses' eyes, by reason o' havin' turned a white man black— 'cause, ye see, them fittish-men has a reg'lar-bred knowledge on plants lui' sich like. "But, hows'ever, in a day or two I begins for to get rayther oneasy, seein' it didn't wash off, an' accordently I made beknown as much to the fittish- man, when, 'my boy, if he doesn't shake his mop head, an' rubs noses, as much as to say, * We ain't a-goin' to part.' 'Twas no use ; an' thinks I, 'Ye man- eatin' scum' be blowed if I don't put your neck out, then !' So I turns to with my knife on a log o' wood, carves a himmache tAvice as big an' ugly as his'n, an' builds a hut over it, where I plays nil the conjurin' tricks I could ndnd on, till, be hanged, if the niggers didn't begin to leave the fittish-man pretty fast, an' make a blessed sight more o' me. I takes a couple more ■wives, an' gets drunk every day on E aim-wine an' toddy juice. As for the ogs an' the yams they brought me, why, I couldn't stow 'em away ; an' in place o' wantin' myself white again. I rubs myself over an' over with that 'ere nut, let alone palm-ile, till the bloody ould fitti»h-man looks brown alongside o' me. At ast the king o' the niggers thereaway— King Ohimbey, they called him, or some'at o' the sort— he sends for to see me, an' away to his town they takes me, a mile or two up the coun- tiy, where I seed him ; but I'm blowed, Jack, if he'd got a crown on at all, ownly a ould red marine's coat, an' a pair o' top boots, what was laid away when he warn't in state. Hows'ever. he gives me two white beans an' a red un, in sign o' high favor, an' gives me to know as I wor to stay there. P ' one thing I couldn't make out, why ti black king's hut an' the osst-house, as they calls it, was all stuck round with bones an' dead men's skulls T'wam't long, though, ere I finds it out, mate. That 'ere fittish man, d'ye see, wor a downright imp to look at, an' devellish wicked he eyed me ; but still anon I sends over for my wives, turns a black feller out on h's hut. an' slings a ham- mock in it ; when the next day or so I meets the first fittish-man in the woods, an' the poor divvle looks wonder- ful friendly like, makin' me all kinds o' woful signs, an' seemin'ly as much as to say for to keep a bright look-out on the other. All on a sudden what does he do but he runs a bit, as far as a tree, and picks up a sort o' red mushroom, an' he rubs with it across the back o' my hand, gives a wink and scuttles off. What it meaned I couldn't make out. till I gets back to the town, when I chanced to look at my flipper, and there I see a clean white streak alongst it T Well, I thinks, liberty's sweet, an' I'm blessed if a man's able to cruise much to windward o' downright slavery, thinks I, if he's black ! Howsomever, thinks I, I'll just hold on a bit longer. Well, next day lihe black king had the blue devils with drinkin' rum, an' he couldn't sleep nohow, 'cause, as I'd made out, he'd killed his uncle, they said— I doesn't know but he'd eaten him, too : anyhow, I see'd him eat as much of a fat hog, raw, as 'd sarve out half the watoh, so the fittish-man tells him there was naught for it but to please the fit- tish. What that wor blowed if I knew; but no sooner sundown nor they hauls me out o' my hut, claps me in a stink- in' hole as dark as pitch, an' leaves me to smell hell till mO'rnin', as 1 thought. Jist about the end o' the midwatch ther kicks up a rumpus like close-reef taup- s'ls in a hurricane, smash goes the sticks over me ; I seed the stars, an' a whole lot o' strange blacks with long spears a-fightin', yellin', tramplin' an' twistin' in _ tJhe midst o" the huts, an' off I'm hoisted in the gang, on some feller's back or other, at hve knots the hour through the wooiis, till do\7n we comes in a drove, plash among the very swamps close by the river, where, lo an' behold I I makes out a schooner afloat at her anchor. The next thing I feels a blasted red-hot iron come hiss across my shoulders, so I jumped up and sang out like blazes, in course. But my flippers bein' all fast, 'twas no use ; T got one shove as sent me head foremost into a long canoe, with thirty or forty niggers stowed away like cattle, an' out the men pulls for the schooner. A big bright fire there was ashore, astarn of us, I mind, where they heate^ the irons, with a chap in a straw hat sarvin' out rum to the wild blacks front a cask ; an' ve saw the pitch-black woods behind, with the branches shoved out red in the light on it, an' a b!oody-like patch on the water under a clump ()' sooty mangroves. I'll be d — tl. .Tack, if I didn't feel the life sick in me that time, for, d'ye see, I hears nothin*^ spoke round me but cussed French, Por- tingeeae, an' nigger tongue — 'specially when it just lightens on me what sort on a case I were in ; an' thinks I, * By G — d, if I'm not took for a slave, arter all I— an' be hanged up I left that 'ere 'farnal mushroom a-lyin' under that there tree yonder !' I begins to think o' matters an' things, an' about Bristol quay, an' my old mother an' my sister THE GREEN HAND. 71 ns was at school — mind ye, mate, all iitwixt shovin' off the mangroves an' comin' bump against the schooner's side —an' blow me if I doesn't turn to an' nigh hand commences for to blubber, when jist then what does I catch sight (•n, by the lantern over the side, but that 'ere villain of a fittish-man. an' what's more, King Chimbey hisself. Itoth hauled in the net. An' with that I gives a chuckle, as ye may suppose, an' no mistake ; for, tliinks I, eo far as concerns myself, this here can't last long, blow me, for sooner or later I'll find some 'un to speak to, even an' I iiiver gets rid o' this here outer dark- lu'ss ; be blowed if 1 hain't got a white mind, anyways, an' I'll be free, my boy I But I laughs, in course, when I seed the fittish-man grin at me for, thinks I, ' My cocks, you're logged down for a pretty long spell of it !" "Well, bo', somehow I knows n-) more about it till such time as T sort o' wakes up in pitch dark, all choke and sweat, an' a feller's dirty big toe in my mouth, with mine in some un else's eye, so out T spits it, au' makes scramble for my life. By the roll an' the splash, I know- (sl I wor down in the schooner's hold, an' V)e hanged if there wa'n't twenty or thirty holding on like bees to an oi»eu weather port, where the fresh wind and the spray came a-blowiug through: but there, my boy, 'twere no go for to get so much as the tip o' yer nose, .\ccord- cntly up I prizes myself witJi my feet on another poor devil's wool— for, d'ye see, by that time I minds a man's face no more nor so. much timber— an' tl feels for the hatch over me, ^vhere by jrood luck, as I thought, there finds it not battened down yet, so I shoveeggar, this here!' says he. '.list give him the gag, my lads,' says he; 'the planters often think more of a dumby, 'cause he works the more, and a stout piece o' goods this is!' says he. Well, mate, what does they do but one pulls out a knife, an' be blowed if they warn't a-goin' for to cut out my tongue; but the men aloft sung out to hoist away the yards, so they left me ready olinchod till they'd belay the ropes. Ne.vt, a hand forud, by good luck, hailed 'Sail O!' and they'd some'at else to Uiink o' besides me; for there, my boy, little more nor three miles to wind'ard, I seed the Irish as she come driving bodily out o' the mist, shakin' out her three to'gnll.int- sails, an' a white spi-ay flying with her off one surge to another. Bloody bad it was. mind ye, for my windpipe, for every time the schooner pitched, away swings my feet clear o' the niggers' heads, 'cause, d'ye see. we chanced for to be stowed on the 'tween decks, an' another tier there was, stuffed in her lower hold — an' there I stuck, mate, so as 1 couldn't help watchin' th'j whole chase, till at last the hatch slaks nip a bit, and down I plumps into the dark again. "Well, bo', the '>reeze got lighter, rn' to all seemin' the curseep:ins to Ko directly. What's more, mate, I nev- er saw 11 siuall craft y«*t handled better in a sea, as that 'ere chap did, nor the same thinj? done cleaner at any rate, for they jist come, ni^h hand tip on our Itowspint end, as the schooner lifted, then up in the wind they went like dock work, with a starnwa.v on as carried the f'lucca rifrht alongside on lis, like a coachman, backinjj up a lane, and sfrind we both heavtMl on the swell, with the topmast hamper, an' its canvas f.)r a fender atwixt us. AlK)ard .jumi>s the man-o'-war's-men, in course, cuthish in hand, an' for five minutes s(»nie tt»ii>;li work there was on deck, by the tramp, the shots, an' tiu> curses over our heads, when off they shoved the hatches, anil I seed a tall youn;; fellow in a ;jold- banded cap look below. He blowed if I wasn't jroin' to sin^ out atrain, for, d'.ve see, I'm blessed if I took mind on the chap at all. as much by reason o' the blood an' the smoke he'd ;rot on Lis fact? as au;,'ht else. Hows'ever, I lields bit, meantime, on accoiint o' .Tob I'rice an' that 'ere jdnitevy consarn, till what does I think, a hour or two arter. A\lien I finds as this here were the very luff- tenant as chastvl us weeks on end in the Cameroons. So a close stopper, sure enou.sih, I keeps on my jaM ; an' as for scentin;; me ^ar Serry Lone, next ,'ht, an' went aboard ol a Yankee Itrig as were to sail next day; and I tells the skipper part o' the story, offerin' for to worlv my passajie across for nothin', whi|) in the fok'sle, 'cause 1 was a black, SI) I sluny my hammtuk aft with the ni;:jri'r stoo'rtl. D'ye .••ee, I mis;;iv;'tl myself a bit Avheu wi> sank 1h(> coast, ftir, thinks I, it's in .Vfri-ay as that 'ere blessed mushroom are to be ft)und. to take the color off nit . Hows'ever, I think it carn't l)Ut wear out in time, now I've >,'ot out o' that 'ere ct>nfouniled mess, wheri\ sure enou;.''h. things was awiinst me; so :ii last the v'yajje were up, an' the briu pit into New Orleans. There I walks aft to the skii)per for to take leave, when, says he, womlerful friendly like. 'Now. my latl,' sa.vs he, 'I'm noin' up river a bit tt) see a friend as takes a interest in yt)m' kiutl, an' if ye likes, why, I'll l>ay yer ))assa.Re that far.' In course 1 a.mees. and u]) i-iver we iJcM^s, till we lantls at a fine house where I'm left in a farh.inily, ye know, while the skipper an' his frientl has their tlinner. All at once the jreu'liMuan shoves liis iie;'.'l out of a ili>ure. takes a look at me. an' in a;,^iin; arter that I hears the chink t>" ilt)llars, then the skipper walks out. shuts the iloure. an' says he to me. ■Xt>w,' he says, 'that's a cute sort t)' tale yt)u tould me, my lad, but it's a lie. I guess!' 'Lie, .sir!' says I; "what d'ye mean'/' for. ye see, that 'ere matti»r o' the iv'ry brig made me sing small at first. 'Xo slack, Pumpey,' says he, lift- in' his forefina't^r like a school master: 'ain't .ver name Pumpey V says he. 'Pum- l>ey, be d d!' says I; 'my name's .Tack Brown.' for that wor the name I'd givetl him afore. 'Oh,' says he, 'jist say it's tJineral Wa.shington, right off! Come," says he. 'I guess I'tl jist tell ye what tribe yen belongs to — you're a Mandiu- gy niggur,' says he. 'It's all very well.' he savs. 'that 'ere yarn, but that's wot they'd all say when they comes, they've been d.ved black! Why,' says he, 'iloesn't I see that 'ere brand one night on yer back; there's yer arms all over pagan tattocMu'.' 'Bless ye, cap'n, I says, a- holdin' ui) my arm, 'it's crowns and an- eliors!' liis nose hereawa Of whni mate, 1' s.ivs he, •'Mt>rri' i !.'i)(>d l']i free bi>ri se be I ii.innet loulil ye tlieu" •In Afrit rlie pity en 'em tht\v ain we're a- (iver tt) yen talk." papers ut >ays he. for to < more, yt>' ir. let al he says. IM wards, !i either h ine Pumi pirch int( liiy bi>nes inside tin lioiiltlin' i sMvs. 'it's or ihey'l lio'sun's 11 he, "never ye tells 11 or sioh li' d'ye see, 1 jist hush mean'/' I sliiver likt 'T agiiin. says liL', that he p' •i.e lloW l..i,4c was ihe wirli iioiitKly s( set>(l it w tlie tlioug sits right Habbergas skipptMl s' lie. "Pumii ",vou knoAA they've h T dtai't k self, they' an" then; itow.' say! no Ihiglisl 'lause by tlirow at ' iiiiit's the w.'ilks me i-'iv's me THE GREEN HAND. 73 .liorsl' 'Crowns I' says he, tiinnn' up Ills uose; 'what i!s wi> know o' crowns* iicieaway; we .'lin't h(irl»t»rs yet, I ffiiess.' Of what ho m.'iuu'd l)y Imrlcrs lierc, mate, I'm hanj^cd if I kiuiwed — ''Sides,' siiys he, '.vou speak hi-okeii Aiuerrjcane!' ■'Mcrri' aiK'V' 1 says; 'why, 1 :-peaks i-'Dixl l''im'lish, an' Kood reason, b'-in' a lire burn Briton, as wliite as yerself, jf so he 1 coidd ownly chip hands lor a ii.iiinet on Home of them mushrooms I Kiuld ye on!" 'Where does they >?row, theuV axes he, screwin' one eye up. •In Afrieay yonder, sir,' I says; 'niorys file pity I hadn't tlie ehanee to lay hands nil 'em ajrain!' 'Plioo!' says he, 'jrlad they ain't herel An' does you think A\e're a-goiu' for to send all the way i.ver to Afrieay for them mushroom's yoii talks on'.' Tell ye wleit. yer free piiliers ud do ye a si;;ht more .trood here.' >ays he. 'It's no use with a l»laok skin lor to elaim wliite laws; an' >vhat's !!ii>re, ye're too tarnation u;rly faeed for it. let alone color, I'umpey. my man!' lie says. ^ 'I tell ye what it Is, (.'ap'n Ivlwards,' says I, ' my frontispi.jco ain't lu'ither here nor there, but if you calls me Pumpey a^aiii, blowed an' I don't pitch into ye!' aiii»ei', liuuldin'^ it lialf shut, 'Harkee. hid," ho says, 'it's no jro your tryin' for to run, iir they'll make you think anjrels o' lio'sim's mates. Kut what's more.' says lie, "never you whisper a word o' what ye tells me, about nuts an' mushrooms, III' sieli like trash, no more will T; for, d'ye see, my lad. in that case they would jist hush ye up for acodV 'Who d'ye mean'/' I says, all abroad, an' of* a shiver like, mindin' on' the slav,^ sehoon- "V ajrain. 'Why, the i>lanter's people,' siiys he, 'as I've sold ye to;' an' with that he p'ints into his mouth, and shuts t]ie doure. Well, mate, ye may fancy hew I feels! Here I stands, n'win' a li.i'k round for a fair oIKhk; iiut th.^re "as Itulwarks two fadoin hijjh all round' the house, a biir blood hound chained witli his muzzle on his two paws, an' imliody seems for to mind me. So I seed it were all up wonst more; an' at the thought of a knife in my tougiie. T sits rijjrht down in the fai-handy. re^'lar Haliberuasted, Avhen out that ' nv l)lastcd sldpiied shoots his head njiain, an' says lie. 'I'umpey, my lad, Rood tlay,' says he; 'you knows some'at o' the water, .-m' as they've boat work at tiin-s hereaway, T don't know but, If you behaves yer- si'lf. they'll trust .vou ^^ith an oar i.ow :iu' then; for I tould yer mister jist now.' says he, 'as how you carn't speak no IhiKiish!' Well, T jrives him a damn. 'ause by that time I hadn't a word to throw at a dog; an' .shortly artev up ' I'liies the ovevsr-er- witli his black mate, ^valks me off to a sIkkI, strips me, and i.'i\ 's me a pair o' cotton drawers an' a broad hat — so out i jroes the uext moru- in' for to hoe sugar enne with a gang o' niggeiN. "Well, mate, after that I kept close enough — says no more,but mumbles a lot o' no man's jargon, as maiv"s 'em ill log me down for a sort o' double (Juiiiea savitdh— 'cause why, I were hanged afeard for my tongue, seeiu' ]( so be I lost it, I'd be a niggt>r lorever, sure enough. So tlie blacks, for most part beiu' country br.'d, th-.y talks nothing but a blessetl jumble, for all tlie world like iiabbies at home; and what does they do but they fancies me a reg'lar .\frican nigger, as proud as Tommy, an' a'inost ready for to worshup me they wor. Why, the poor divils ud tiring me yams an' fish, they kisses my flippers an' toes as I'd be the Po])e; in' as for the young girls, I'm blowed if I wa'n't all the go among 'em, though I carn't say the same where Ixuli's \»hite, ye know. What with the sun ;ind the cocoi.nut ih' to my thiiikin" I get.s black- er an' blacker; lilessed if I di.ln't fancy a feller's very mind tarned iiigg(>r. T I'arns their confounded lingo, an' I an- another. As know well to wind'ard of it!" I was more amused with this account of the ugly rascal's adventures, that I remembered two or three of the occa- sione he mentioned, and he told them protty exactly, so far as I had to do witn them. As for the fittish-man's cu- rious nut, and that extraordinary mush- room of his, why, ten to one thought I, but all the while the fellow never once touched a piece of soap! which, no dotibt, had as much to do with it as anything besides. Somehow or other, notwithstand- ing, I had taken almost a fancy to the villain— such a rough sample of man- kind he was with his uncouth grumpy voice and his huge black beard; and he gave the story in a cool, scornful sort of way that was laughable in itself. "So my lad," I thought, "it seems yoru and I have met twice before; but if you pl:iy any of yonr tricks this time. Master Harry, I hope you've found your match;" and certainly, if I had fancied my g-^ri- tleman was in the slaver's hold that time off tbe African coast, I'd have "lubbor- rated" him with a vengeance. "I say, mates," said he, again, with a sulky kind of importance, to those of the watch who had gathered round dur- ing the last half of his . yarn, "there's three things I hates — an' good reason!" "What he's they, Harry?" asked tie rest. "One's a Yankee," said he, "and be blowed to him! the second's a slaver; and the third is— I carn't abide a nigger, no- how. But d'ye see, there's one thing as I likes-" Here eight bells struck out, and ut> THE GREEN HAND. IS iidred dol- i a public nin', wh>r. 3, as they i-gallantry, jist sticks a blesstil itches my at at sun- I slipped • gets safe imed Jack, now. But 1 you talks why, mny- im niggers "I don't slaves jist aushrooms. ees more ' a Yankof' ■re a-hoein' e wouldn't •ty in ddl- e, mate, is ars is for colors iis lut what 1 trough this loesn't keoi> his account res, that i ' the occa- told them lad to do i-man's cu- [lary mush- thought I. never once I, no doubt. ls anything twithstanJ- incy to the of mon- th grumpy d; and he iful sort of jelf. seems yoiu but if you me, Master ur match:" Jd my K'^Ti- d that time ve "lubber- lin, with 8 those of round dur- n, "there's reason!" asked the , "and be slaver; and nigger, no- i thing as I It, and UP 1 tumbled the watch below, with Jacob's hearty face among them; so 1 made my way aft, and, of course, missed hearing what that said delightful thing might be which this tarry Aesop approved of so much. While I was listening, I had scarcely noticed that within the last few minutes a light air had begun to play aloft among the higher canvas, a faint cat's-paw came ruffling here and there a patch of the wa- ter, till by this time the Indiaman was answering her wheel again, and moving slowly ihead, as the breeze came down and crept out to the leeches of her sails, with a sluggish lifting of her heavy fore-course. The men were all below at lireakfast, forAvard, and, of course, at that hour the poop above me was quite a Babel of idlers' voices, while I looked into the compass and watched the ship's head falling gradually off from northeast- by-north, near which it had stuck pretty dose since daybreak. The sun was brought before her opposite b«?am, and such a perfect gush of hazy white light shot from that quarter over the Jnr- boiird bulwarks, that thereaway, in fact, there might have been a fleet of ships, or ii knot of islands, and wo none the wiser, as you couldn't look into it at all. The fhief mote came handing a wonderfully timid young ladj down the poop ladder with great care, and as soon as they weie safe on the quarter-deck, she ask- ed, with a conhding sort of lisp, "And where are we going now, Mr. Finch?" "Well, miss," . simpere*! he, "wherever you i^ease, I'll be glad to conduct you." "Oh, but the f»hip, 1 mean," replied she, giggling prettily. "Why," said Finch, stooping down to the binnacle, "she heads due southeast at present, miss." "I am so glad you are going on again!" said the young lady; "but. oh! when shall Ave see dear land once more, Mr. Finch?" "Not for more than a week, I fear," answered the mate, "when we arrive off the Cape of Good Hope. But there, miss, your poetic feelings will be gratified, I assure you. The hills there, I might say, Miss Brodie," he went on, "not to speak of the woods, are quite dramatic. You musn't suppose the rongh mariner, rude as he seems, Mis^TBrodie, is entirely devoid of romance in his sentiments, I hope?" and he looked down for the twen- tieth time that morning at his boots, as he handed her down the cabin hatch- way, longing to see the Cape, no doubt. "Much romance, as you call it, there is in ugly Harry yonder!" thought T; and comparing this sort of stuff, aft. with the matter-of-fact notions before the mast, made me the more anxious for what might turn up in a few hours, with this gallant first officer left in full diarge and the captain, as I understood, unable to leave his cot. A good enough seaman the fellow was, so far as your regular deep-sea work went, which those India voyagers had chiefly to do with then; but for aught out of the way, or a sud- . den pinch, why, the peace had just new- ly set them free of tneir leading strings, and here this young mate brought his new-fangled school navigation, forsooth, to run the Seringapatam into some mess or other; whereas, in a case of the kind, I had no doubt he would prove as help- less as a child. By this time, for my part, all my wishes for some ticklish ad- venture were almost gone,when I thought of our feelings at the loss of the boat, as well as the number of innocent young creatures on board, with Lota Hyde her- self among them, while hero I had got myself fairly set down for a raw griffin. Yet neither Westwood nor I, unless it came to the very worst, could venture to make himself openly useful. I was puz- zled both what to think of our exact case, and what to do; whereiis a pretty s^hort time in these latitudes, as the fore- mast-man had said, might finish our busi- ness altogether; indeed, the whole look of things, somehow or otJier, at that moment, had a strange, unsettled touch about it, out of which one accustomed to those parts might be sure some change would come. The air a little while ago was quite suffocntiisg, the heat got greater, and the breeze, though it seemed to strengthen aloft, at times sank quietly out of her lower canvas, like a breath drawn in, and caught it again ns quietly ere it fell to the masts. What with the slow huge heave of the water, as it washed glitteriug past, and what with the blue tropical sky overhead getting: paler and paler at the horizon astern from fair heat — while the sunlight and the white haze on our larboard beam made it a complete puzzle to behold — why, I felt just like some fellow in one of those stupid dreams after a heavy supper, with nothing at all in them> when you don't know how long or how often you've dreamt it before. Deuce the hand or foot you can stir, and yet you've a notion of something horrid that's sure to come upon you. We couldn't be much more tban a hundred miles or so to south'ard of St. Helena: but we might be two thousand miles off the land, or we might be fifty. I had only been once in my life near the coast thereaway, and certainly my recollections of it weren't the most pleasant. As for the charts, so little was known of it that we couldn't depend upon them; yet there was no doubt the ship had been all night long in a strong set of water toward northeast right across her course. For my own part, I was as anxious as any one else to reach the Cape, and get rid of all this cursed nonsense; for since last night I saw quite well by her look that Violet Hyde would never favor me if I kept in her wake till the day of judg- ment. . There was I, too, every time I came on deck and saw those round- house door8,my heart leapt into my throat 76 THE GREEN HAND. St*'' I" — l ••-■•I, mill I ilidu'r kno\s- port frmii stiirboMnl. Hilt what was tlic udds that IM have kiHHi'd the wvy pitch slu> walked uuou, when she wasn't fur nn'V Bfiiij.' It'i-p ill love don't shari»«'n llu' facnltics, iifilhcr, and the iiiore I thoii^'ht of mal- ters I lie stupider 1 seemed to Ket. "(Jreen Maud!" thoiiKht I. "irs .laeohs and th« larboard watch call nie, it appears; why, they're ri>;ht enough! A ureeu hand I came afloat nine years aK<». and. my .love! though I know the sea and what lieloims to it, from sheer likinjj to them, as 'twere, it seems ii jrrein hand I'm to slick, seein>,' I know so hlesSfd little of womeiikind, not to sp(>ak of that whol-? • ■oiifoiinded world ashorel With all one's schemes and one's w«>atlier-<'y(.'l. soinethinyr new always keeps turninK"!' to show one what an :iss he is; and. liaiiK ii'el if 1 don't beu'iii to siipposi^ I'm only tit for working small traverses upon >lav.'rs anil jack-nasty faces, after all I There's Westwoud. without troultliii!; Iiimself. seems to weatln-r niion me. with her, like a Baltimore elipper on a DuTch schiiytl" In short, 1 wanted to leave the S;'rinwipiitaiu as sodii as I could, wish them all a j.'ood voyayt? tojjether away for Ilonihay, sit down under Tahle ^louiitain. damn my own eyi>s, and then lierhaps Kii and iravel aiiii.iiij; the llot- leiitots liy way of a chaiiK ■. The chief cllicer came aft loward I iiiinu le apiin, with a strut in his Hill' mire full of imiiortance than tile suit, ever, of course. "This hn-i'ze 'II hold, I think,^Iacleod'.'" said he to the second mate, who was shulHiii;,' about in a lounifiiiK. unseamau- like way he had, as if be felt uncomfort- •ible on the tiuarier-ileck. and both hands in his jacket pockets. "W<'ll," said thi' Scotchman, "do ye not think it's too early besrnn, .sir'.'" and he looked about like an old owl. winking ajrainst the jjlar«' of light past the main- sheet to larboard. "I'll not say but it will, thoufih," continued he, " but 'odsake, sir, it's ter- rible warm I" "Can't be loiiK 'ere we yet into Caiie Town, now," said the mate, "so you'll turn the men on deck as .soon as break- fast's over, jNIr. Macleoetter for him." "No doubt, no doubt, sir," said the green leaf?" "what if second mate, thoughtfully, jiutliiig liis forefinger up his twisted nose, which I noticed he did in such caH<»H, as if tlu> twist had to do with his nieinor.v — "im doubt, sir, that's just it! The doctor's u sharp Kdinbro lad — did he we audit bvi cominou about the captain, sir'?" "No," said Finch, "except that li.' wanted to go on deck this morning, ami the surgi'on took .away his clothes, aii that, though, when he's taken that wav.' "Well, what is it?" asked the niiih'. crrelessly. "Oo!" said Macb'oil. "it can't be ili:r this tiiu<', of course, sir; it's when lu's near the land. The captain knows tlir smell of it, these times, Mr. Finch, iis well's a cockroach does, an' it's then In asks for a green leaf, nnd wants to un straight ashore; I mind h<' did It llii' voy'ge before last, sir. He's a iiiuti man, the captain, as I said, for ord'nnr. but wlu n he's roused, he's a — " "Why, what was the matter wlili him'?" said I'iiuh, more attentive tlmii before; "yon don't me:in to say — (io mu. Mr. iMadcHKl." The second mate, however, looKcd ciui- tious, dosed his lips firmly, and twirinl his red whiskers, as he glauce nothing, nothing; just I'm thinking, sir. what they call disgestiou ashore, all frac the stomach, Mr* Finch. We usetl jusi for to Io<'k the state-room door, an' neviT let on we heard; but at any rate, sir. this is no tlu> thing at all, ye knowl- Meesti'r Semm," eontinueil he to llu fat midshipman, who came slowly \\\< from the steerage, picking his teeth with a iM)cket-kiiife, "go foiTed and get tlv bo'sun to turn up all hands." "Sir," said I, stejipiug up to the mate next moment, before the round-housi'. "might I use the freedom of askiui: whereabouts we are at present?" Findi gave me a look of cool indift'er- enw, without stiiTing head or hand;whioh I saw, however, was ])ut on, as, evfr since our boating affair, the man ovi- (ielltiy ( lellllcd H •Oh, c .'^iirry I show yo sri below ndil off .1 light V C.ipe of riiii look 'Are J I. serioii! •Oh, n knows tlir Finch, as its then li' wants to '.:" lia it 111'' s 11 »l""'i for ord'nav'. natter Aviili entive tluui say— Ott ""■ looKod caii- lUiil twirli'il eil with I nil y — "hoo, it"> lihikinn, sir. ore, all fill'' u.setl just >r, an' ni-vi'r ] ly rate, sir. ye know 1- tie to llu' slowly "1' teeth with] ind get till' to the matt' I ound-hoiis of askin,!.' | nt?" ;ool indifi'T- hand;which n, as, ovtrl e man ovi- ili'iitiy (lete.-pi!idrant. sextant, and ihroiionicter work, after all. which every yiiiiiiK gentleman don't Itclievc in." Then he muttered aloud, as if to liim- st'lf, "Well, if the captjiiii should chiiucc to ask for a Krecii leaf, 1 know where ti) find it for him I" 1 Avas Avas jiii-t on the point of Kiving liiin Kome anjrr.v answer or other, and perhaps spoihnjr all, when I ftdt a taj» nil ui.v shonMer, and on turniii},' round naw llie Imlian judjrt', wh<> liad found me in llic way either of his passage or his pros- pect of stepping out of tlie starboai'fl door "Eh!" said he his ]tardon — "eh, ii;; to do -with joeularl.v, as T begged young sir? I've noth- pardons — always leave that to the governor-general and council- msl Been doing anything wrong, then'.' .\li, what's this— still calm, _or some of your wind again, Mr. Olticer'r" ".\. line breeze, like t() hold. Sir t'liarles." answered the mate, all bows and politeness. "Sol" said Sir Charles; "but I dim't sec Captain Williamson at all this morning; where is he'/" "I am sorry to say he is very unw(>ll. Sir Charles," said Finch. "Indeetll" exclaimed the judge, with whom the captain stood for all the sea- manship on board, and looking round ii^ain rather dissatisfied. "Don't like that, though! 1 liopr h(> won't be long unable to atteinl to things, sir: let me know as soon as lu> is re- divered, if you please." "Certainly, Sir Charles," said the chief officer, touching his <'ai). with .-^onic ap pi'arance of pi(iue. "but 1 hope. sir. 1 uii- ilirstand mv duties in ccmmand. Sir Charles." "Dare say. sir," said the judge, "as i>lhper. probabl.v. Commander absent — liiirrible accident!-*, already," he muttered, irossly, changing his usual high, sharj) key to a har.sh crooik, like a saAV going through a heavy spar; "something sure to K'l wrong— wish we'd done with this ilfueed tiresome voyage! Ha, young gei\- thnian!" exehiimed he, turning as he went in, "d've play ehess— suppose not- ch!" "Why, yds sir." said I, "I do." "Well." continued he, overhaiding me mure carefully than i»e had dom,' before, though latterly 1 had begun to be son.e- what in his good gra, '"after rll, you've a clios eye, if you know the game at all. C^une in. Ihtn, for (Jod's sake, and let's begin. lOver since the poor brigadier went, I've had only myself or a girl to jilay .•igainstl '(Jad, sir, there is sonu thing I can't ex- I'less how horrible to my mind in being matched against ii'tliodj -or. what'.'- woi's<', a woman! liiit recidlect. young gentlem.'in, I cannot bear a tyro!" ami he glanceil at me as we walked into the large poon cabin as shar]>ly .and .as cold as a nor wester ere it breaks lo wind- Wiiril. Now. I happened to know tli.- game, and to be particul.irly fond of it, so. restless as I felt otherwise. 1 g.ive the old nabid) .a (jniet inxl, laiil donii my grilhn-lo(dart I sat at first all of a tingle and tremble, thinking liow near his lovely daughter might be; jind there were the breakfast cups laid out on a round table at the other .side, behind me. However. I made my move. Sir Charles made his. ami jntclied into the game in a half-iin|)atient. half longdicad- ed sort (»f way. anxu)us to get to the thick of it, as it were. onc(> more. Not a word wa^ said, and you only h(>ard the suck of the smoke bubbling through the water-bottle of his pipe, after each nnn c the judge made, till I .set myself to the jilay in right earnest; and oAving to tin? old gentleman's haste at the beginning, or his over-shaii)ness, I hooked him into a mess Avith Avhich F used to catch the old hands at chess in the cock-pit, just by fancying Avhat they m"ant to be ,'(t. The judge lifted his head, h)oked at me. and Avent on again. "Your queen is in chiH-k. Sir Charles." said 1, next time, by wa.v of n polite hint. "Check, though, young gentleman!" said he, chuckling, as he droi)ned one of his outlandish knights. Avhich I wasn't yet up to the lks of. close to Avimhvard of my blessed old Ttirk of a king; so the skirmish was just getting to be a fair set lo, Avhen T chanced to lift my eyes, and soAv the egin to pour the tea out of a silver tea pot, I didn't know where I was! "Oh, I forgot," said the judge, wav- ing his hand from me to her, in a hiUTy, "Mr. Kobbins. Violet!— ho, kituiagar, curry I'ao!" "Oil," said she stiffly, with a cold turn of her pretty lip, "I have met Mr. —Mr.—" "Collin.-^, ma'am," said I. "I have met this gentleman by acci- dent before." "So you have— so you have," said her father; "but you play chess well Mr. — a — a— what's his name'?— ah! Colley. 'Gad you play wt'll, sir — we must have it out!" The young lady glanced at me again with a sort of astonishment; at last she said, no doubt for form's sake, though as indifferent as possible, "You have known your friend the missionary gen- tleman long, I believe, sir? — the Rev. Mr. Thomas— I think that is his name?" "Oh, no, ma'am," said I, hastily, for the judge was the last man I wish'Kl .should join Westwood and me together; "only since we ci-ossed the line, or so." "Why, I thought he said you were at school together!" said she lu surprise. "Why — hem — certainly not, ma'am; a — a — ^I — a — a — I don't remember the gen- tleman there," I blundered out. "Eh, what?— check to your (lueen, young gentleman, surely?" asked Sir Charles. "What's this, though? Al- ways like to hear a mystery explained, so"— and he gave nie one of his sharp glances. "Why— why— surely, young man, now I think of it in that >vay, I have seen you before m some peculiar circumstance or other— •u land, too. Why, where was it? Let me see, now," putting his finger to his forehead to think; while I sat pretty uneasy, like a small pawn that had been trying to get to the head of the board, and turn into a knight or a bishop, when it falls foul of a grand figured-out king and qiHen. However, the queen is the only piece you need mind at disciiuce, anil blestted hard it is to escape from her, «,( course. Actsordiugly I cared little enough for the old nabob finding out I liad gone in chase of them; but there sat hU charming little daughter, with her eyi'.s on her teacup; and whether the turn uf her face meant coolness, or malice, or amusement, I didn't know — though slir seemed a little anxious too, I thouglit, lest her father should recollect me. "It wasn't before me, young man'.'" asked he, looking up of a sudden; "no, that must have been in India — muxt have been iu England, when I was lust there— let me see." And ^ couldn't ht'lp fancying what a man's fecungs must bi-, tried for his life, as I caught a side viow of his temples working dead in my woke, as it were. The thing was laughalili' enough, and for a moment I net Lota's eye, as he mentioned England- 'twas too short a glimpse, though, to make out -and, thought I, "Ile'll be down en Surrey directly, and then Croydon —lust of all, the back of his garden wall, I suppose!" "Check" it Wivs, and what I was going to say I couldn't exactly conceive, unless I patched up some false place or other, with matters to matoli, and mentioned it to the old fellow - though small chance of it's answeriiii; with such a devil of a lawyer — when all at once I thought I heard a hail from aloft, then the second mate's voice roar- ed close outside, "Hullo!— aloft thercl" The next moment I started up, and look- ed at Miss Hyde, as I heard plainly enough the cry, "On deck there --land O!" I turned round at once, and walktnl out of the round house to the quarhr deck, where, two minutes after, the whole of the passengers were *?rowiiiii,' from below, the judge and his daughter already on the poop. Far aloft, uiwii the fore to' -gallant yard, in the iiot glare of the sun, a sailor was standinir with his hand over his eyes, and look- ing to the horizon, as the Indianiaii stood quietly before the light breeze. "Whereaway?" was the next liail from deck. "Broad on our larboard bow, sir," was the answer. PART VI. Well, ma'am, continued the nav.U man, on again resuming his narrative. as I told you, the sudden hail of "land" brought us all on deck in a twiuklinj;, in the midst of my ticldish conversatioii with the judge. "Hallo! you aloft!" shouted the cliief oflicer himself; "d'ye hear, sirrah! uso your eyes before hailing tJie deck!" "Laad, sir!" came falling down acaia out of the sunlight; "land it is, sir- broad away on our larboard bow. sir.' By this time it was about half past iiiiii' or Heading iii>\v wer ui> into I which h ijiiiver V. like an ( of lier 8(1 large as ' net Lotii's land— 'twas make out down (11 oydon— last len wall. 1 imd wliiu In't exactly aome falsi> 1 to )natoli, Id fellow- answoriii;: r — whou all I liail from voice ro.Ti- oft ther.'!" », and look- ard plainly there --land ind walki^l the quart ir after, th' is daughter aloft, ui'on ,n the hot as Ptandini.' and lo;)k- Iridiaiiuiii breeztv next liiiil the nav.il narrative. .1 of "iHii'l" twinkling. lonversaciou d the ohief sirrah! vis^' deck:" down aeaiu it is, sii;- bow, sir. half Itiist iiiiu> or ten o'cln(;k in the uiorning. Hoading nearly uied to ijiiivor I'.nd writhe far away fraui Ler like an eel in water; while the spread of her sails against it loomed twice as liii-ge as ordinary, from the sort of hazy double-edged look they had, witli la twinkling thread of sun drawing all round them like a frame, as if <>u>) baw through a wrong-screwed glass, Vou'd have thought by the glance un- )ired in the meantime to be steadying and sucking, though the water kept smooth and her bows scarce made any iioiso in it. The wide soft swells of the .sea just floated up of a pale blue, and lifted her on, till she went seething gent- ly down into it again; only if you put your head over the starboard side and listened you thought you heard a sort of dull poppling ripple coming along the bends from round her counter. As for the line of horizon on one bow or the other, 'twas hardly to be nipie out at all, with a streaky white ha'/e overlying it, iiip in the. sky as it were, on both sides, behind the dazzle of light. How- ever, the passengers were faucyiug all kinds of fine tropical matters lay hid- ilen thereaway; and, in fact, what with the notion of land after a short voyage, and what with the faint specks of bright cloud that seemed to be melting off in j the glare, to any one last from Graves- end, that had never seen anything stran- 1 Kor than Richmond Hill of a Sunday, the whole thing ahead of the ship woold I have rather an enchanted sort of a look. At length the third mate was seen to 1 shove his' spy-^ass together in the top- gallant cross-trees, and came slowly down the rigging. "Well, Mr. Rickett?" said the chief lotticiT, meeting him as he had landed I on ileck. "Well, sir," said Rickett, "it is land, I after all, Mr. Finch!" 'File mate rapi)ed out an oath, and [took another turn; Macleod screwtid bis mouth as if he Ts-ere going to whistle, then pulled his red whiskers instead, and looked queer at Rickett; while Rickett [Stood peering into his spy-glass as he would have done into his hat, had he htill been a foremast man. The mate's jeye met his, then turned to the passen- gers leaning •ver the poop railing; and Ithey all three walked to the capstan, where they began to overhaul the charts and laid their beads together out of ear- shot. Now, whether this said land just made out ou the northeast trended away back to southeast, as th(.> dearer look of the horizon to starboard made one think, it was hard to say; though in that way of it there were seeiuiugly two platis for widening her dist«nei». Kithor Finch might think it better to keep hold of a fair wind, and just edge her off enough to drop the point on her weather ijuarter — when, of course, if things stood as they were, we should soon set a good stretch of water betwixt us and the coast — or else they might brace direct round on the other tack, and head right southwest'ard out to sea again; though if we were still in it, the current would set us every bit as much in its own direction as ever. Accordingly I sidleil nearer to the capstan, and witched anxiously for what the third mate had to propose, after humming and hawing a little, and scratching his head imder his cap for half a minute. "At any rate, Mr. Finch, sir," .said he, "more especially the captain being off charge, I may say, why, I'd advise ye, sir, to — " Here he dropped his voice; but Finch apparently agreed to what he said. "Ready about ship there!" said the second mate aloud to the boats w;iiii forward; and in ten minutes afterwanl lihe Seringapatam was fairly round, as I bad expected, heading at a right angle to her former course, with the breeze before her starboard beam, and the sun blazing on the other. I walked forward to the bows and actually start- ed to hear how loud and clear the ripple had got under them of a sudden; meeting her with a plash, as if she wore making six or seven knots headway, while the canvas seemed to draw so much stiffer aloft, you'd have supposed the breeze had freshened as .loon as the helm was put down. The mates looked over the side and aloft, rubbing their hands and smiling to each other, as much as to say how fast she was hauling off the bad neighborhood she was in, though the heat -was as great as ever, and you didn't feel a breath more air below, nor see the water ruffle. To my notioo^ in fact, it was just the set of the cuiTent against her that seemingly freshened her way, the ship being now direct in its teeth; so that, of course, it would keep bearing her up all the time away northeastward, with her own leeway to help it; and the less could anyone notice the difference betwixt the water going past her side, and her passing the water. This tack of hers, which Rickett, no doubt, thought such a safe plan, raigbt be the very one to put her in a really dangerou.^ way yet: for when they tlid discover this imdertow, how wore they to take 8o THE GREEN HAND. l» li- m — ■ I'C her out of it after allV Prolialily l»y tiyiiif,' to stiind fair across rlic str>'aiii of it to southward, wlii<-h, without tlirco viin"s till- wind wt- liad, would at best tai<«> us out many miles near n* the land it set uiHMi. or leave t;s iiei-h'i:)s l»e- ( aimed in the midst of it. The truth was, tliat tilou^'ll 1 hadn't SI en what the laiiil was liive, and (•ouldii't have said, My the .-hart. \vher«! we w.-re, I iiei^aii to have a ruirit ii(vti'. a <(ini>!e of years before. reKardiuLr a ]>art.i"iilar spot ori toe southwest coast. \\lierc The ••urrent at some seisons. as he i)hrased it, made a regular race- course meeting. The old fellow jjave nie also, at the tini(>. some beariiitrs of the nearest coast, with the landmark.s nt the mouth of a river a little farther north, whicli. he said, lie Avould know if ,v()": set him ri;.'ht downi there of a dark ni^'ht, th'Mi^di he hail been in jiis bed at ort the minute bcfor ', if there was just a ri^bt streak of sky t>> tlu! eastward — namely, a bisr blr.i'k rock like two stej)s, and a block at the foot of them, .somewhat the shai)e of a ped hol,\ sTone, runniujj down on one side out of a lii^h headland, like an admiral's cocked hat, with six mop- be«ided trees upon the root of th'> rock, for all the world like ha'rs on a wart. Here T recollected how my worthy authority jKiinted modestly for examiile to a c-ise of the kind on iiis own tiose. Tlie ojMHisite shore of its mouth was Hat, Mith a heavy white surf; '.tit it shut i'l so far uuon the other, lie said, Ih-tt. steeriiifr from the southward, one would never know tliere was a river there at all. The Bambar he called it; but if he meant the Bamb.irooirne, we could scarcely be near it. or tlitit much roward boinn abrc'sr of St. H.'lemi. For all I saw, indeed, we niiylit liave nothing tt) eastwi'vd of us save a lianl coast, or else the sain'y coast farther doAvn. suf)alinv: ->ut oi tsijrht of land. At any rate. I kiicw we must hav" pot iiiio tlie tail of tin pri^at sea stream from round ine C ;(>e of Good Hope, which Mould, no aorbt, split iy had piiess :o .suppose we were jiettinp up .somewhere near (^ape Frio, the like^liest T-lace in the worhl to find old Bob Marnn's "maze." v.iiich we used to joke about so in the Tris. ^Vhat w.Ks to be done, thoujrh. reipiired t< be done (piickly. anp|»in>>; a>."r'i. My licnrt sw<>lled. .,s it were.in .r.y throat, how- ever, at sach an appearance of sjrood undei'staudiiij,' betwixt (he two- where- as there was she, an hour apo that, wi: morninji'. wmild scari'cly favor me wiiii a l(H>k or a word — and. for the life i>t me. 1 couldn't have spoken to Westwon I at the time, much less pone hand iii hand; for that matter, he didn't .-■(""ii lo be suspecting aupht wroup to truubl' him.Sflf about. What to say or i\>< either. I couldn't think; siiict? 'he umi. he cut me out. and the less friendly I felt to him, the less could i risk t'i;r chance of ,'^howinp us both up for wli: , we were — which, of coui'se, would br-i u' him ill for the Avoist of it ; as if I, by Jovel were poiiip to serve him some 1okinp out the red and yellow punka frinpe for a cover over her, whih the passeiipers were one and all re.idy to cry at not .s<*'iiip the land, and lenv- inp it behind. The judpe himself w;,^ the only man that seemed to have ;i r the awninps, and ilie ipiartiT- deck and por-i had to be well .^wablicl to ke.'p tlie>M ;ir all cool, the st^im of it risiiip inside with a i»itehy, hempen suit of smell yo.i never fi'el sav(> ii> Tlir lro))icy. tli(. Serinpai'atam stiil teelii;; the I'l'eeze aloft, and liftinp on th-' w iicr with a ri:ipl(> forward, altiiouph her lii.' courses vi-ent laiipin,'-' fc,re and aft evny time she swunp. The lonp white ]h\v on the horizon bepan to melt a.s th-' sn,i heipliteiied. cl<>arinp from under ili'' wake of tiie lipht, till now you coiiM f rly see the sky to the eastwupl. N^'ar niKin. in fact, Ave had almost Oi'nji- Ped the haze alrop>'ther <> i the shi|i's !'■ how much away sh « had nude in ili'' two hours. Avh;'n. on second thouphts. ,iim1 by noiicinp soni<> marks in the loom "'' it, 1 hiid no doubt but iiiouph she in be fart she set —so tin leaving as the 1 the pas: "tiffin," I could the mat "Ah," confiden leaA'inp Mr. Fii different "it's ai: there to J'ou and told tha you knc and eye tAveen tl a felloAV sb;]), an ward m Iiim for •dare sa^ in Sir C it to a 1] "Land carelessl; quadrant bead?" oareles.sl.1 —or witi it— only Fiiich,"^ i know. h( fret stroi stand sti oa eartl Ford— Cn l.v. ' more to tiash all knoAvs •• HOAA-, seeniinalA Wi. not '■ ("nrrt I.'Uiffhinp ine.'-in ?" • WhyJ <'niid.A','' ; a 'id vei fil)-" eve i.ist niph Tliis throuph t-'iMN. th( ^^■'lat ha( " Tliere oir lee fixed dur " we oar I'ii'd yon. I The mn n''d "Lo lais wa.- P If oat a\h '•■* sharp *l"i.r of W ^ THE GREEN HAND. 8i that vvi: ■ nie ^vitli ]\o life III Wcsnvoii 1 > liaml 111 't .-'("'"M i'l to tvoiiM • y or 'I'l I'ricnilly I [ risk tl;r > for \vh;:i oiild br-p;: is if 1, I'v 80I110 low ji liim oni nu' I Ivt'I't tH'ks ^Yt IV , at Viol.t ( «Vlff':'r''llt e strot.<'li''l a over till' . nidko oiit -uttifij; Ikv see beit( r. r from tln' hoail a,ii';i';i hair ii lii I — fonfoMinl 1 tilUO Clllr- md yelliiw r her, wljili' I ail re;i(l.v . ami leiiv- limseU' wii'^ to have m u.^er in tin- V luiuntfs hreak nf tieed him \n)oii till' 'hen ilu' inxioiislv and if li'' (wevcr. tit'' I had jii^i ;nod slct'l'. fe, bnt 111' soon, ta'idinj m'' he qnarti'i'- II swal'lii'il sK'am ef ii I'lnpen snit ,ve in till- ,tiil feel ill.' 1 th'^ w iti'V .„di her lii; I aft ev.'vy white h.i/i' as til-' SIM under 'li' you ciMllit oastwiii'l. Imost Mi'iiii- !.he shil''* clad ti. ^1 ■ ide in ili'' Diichts, mill loom "' she iiii-!i h, be farther off, why, it was only ■nh.ile she set more up to the northoastward —so that we were actually, so to lipeak, leaving it by getting nearer! However, as the men were at dinner, and most of the passengers gone off the poop down to "tiffin," I made up my mind to try -what I could do in a quiet way toward making the mate tliink of it more seriously. "Ah," said I, in a would-bo brisk and confidential kind of way, "glad we're leaving that— a— you knovv, that land, Mr. Finch." "Indeed, sir," said he, in- differently. "Oh, you know," said I, "it's all very well for the passengers there to talk fine about land— land, but you and I, Mr. Finch, don't need to be told that it's always dangerous at sea, you know." The mate lifted his head and eyed me for a moment or two, be- tween the disgust a sailor feels at .^.eeing a fellow pretend to aught like seaman- sbii), and a particular sort of spite to- ward me which I'd noticed growing in him for the last few days; though I dare say my breakfasting that morning in Sir Clxarles' cabin might have brought it to a height. "Land dangerous, sir!" an.swered he, carelessly, as he went on wiping his quadrant again ; " who put that into vour head?" "Oh. well, returned I, just as carelessly, "if it's to leeward of course —or with a current taking you towards it— only then. But I've no doubt, Mr. Finch, if this wind were to — ah— vou know, heave more abaft, that's to say get stronger, the craft would jvt le.ast stand still, till you got her—" "What on earth are you talking about, Mr. Ford— Collins, I mean? ' asked he sh:irp- ly. " Really, sir, I've got something more to attend to at present than such t'.'ash about a current, Kud the devil knows wha.t else !" " How. why, Mr. Finch !" sadd I, Seemingly surl)rised in my turn, " are wi- not in a current just now. then ?" ■ Current?" replied Finch, almost laiidilng outright ; "whnt does the man nie.'Ml ?" ■• Why. evciryoui- thinks so in the cmldy," said I, as if rarher taken aback, M'ul vei.turing what you ladies call a fib-" ever since we picked up the bottle i.ist night." 'Hiis by-the-byp. had got sproail tliroiigh some of Uie men l"0 the passcn- trcrs. thoiish of course nobody knew v'lat had be»n in it yet. ■■There, I declare now," pointing to iMi' lee bow. wh'-re I'd hnd my eyes fixed during the five minuti'- we spoke, ■'we car try it again ; do you see that iiird yonder on th» water V" Tke mate turntxl his head impatient'j^, anil " L(X>k, wateli him. sir." said I. This was a tired man ir-war's bird nt!o;it abeut twenty fath< tis off, with il< sharp v»iiite wings stretched just 'I'i.r of the w.*.ier. and its black eye sparkling in the sunlight, as it came dipping on the long, smootli, hot blue swell into the lee of the ship's lofty hull, till you saw its very shadow in the glit- ter below it. The Indiaman seemed to pa.ss him as if he ror of the next swell to get air in his wings, and rose off the heave of it with a sharp bit of a scream, away after some black boobies diving for fish, which no doubt he would catch, as they dropped them at sight of him. The mate upon this started and looked round, then aloft. " Confound it !" sadd he to himself : " if this breeze would only freshen ! There is a sort of set on the surface just now," continuetl he +o me, coolly enougli. "though how you idlers hap- I)ened to hive an idea of it puzzles me, unless because you've nothing else to do but watch the water. (^Juirents are pretty frequent hereabouts, however." " Dear me I" said I, but if we should — " " Stuff, sir," said he. quickly ; " the coast lu'rc must Ix' steejNto enough, I should think, since if it weren't for tlie haze we'll l»;ne si^lited it tlii;;ty nules of ! What we want is wind — wind to let's cross it." "But then a calm, Mr. Finch," I said; "I'm hanged afraid of those calms I" " Well, well, sir," said he, not liking just to shake me off at once, after my proviP',' less of a niimy in sea niattei's tlu;n he had supposed, " these long sea ctu'rents never set right asiioi-e. Even if we lose the wind, as we may »oon. why, she'll take off into tJie e to her < Kurse, sirrah ; luff, d'ye heiir ?" said he to .TwcoVts, who was. perhaps, iha best h**linsman aboard " She falls off tivncndous bad, sir." answered Jacobs, with another whirl ff thr. spokes ; her want of actual headwa/ 8a THE GREEN HAND. >»- varJ m — IMt- • ■::<-.: ■f makiog the Indiaman sag dead awa> to leew^ard as she shoved into the force of the sea stream, ruiinirs more and more direct upon her starboard bow. One minute the coupses would sink in with a long sighing fall to the lower masts, the next her topsails would flutter almost aback, and the heat even in the shadow of her awnings was extreme, yet she still seemeil to have a breeze through the white glare aloft. I was determinelow hereabouts, exc'.^pt off shore, if you must know, sir," he rapped out, sticking his hands in his jacket pockets, and taking a turn on the quart4ir deck. " That's quite a mistake, I assure you, sir," said I, carried away with the spirit of the thing. " I've seen the contrary fifty tim«^s ever, and from the look of th(! sky aloft, just now, I'd hot—" Here I stopped, rfcoUected myself, put the top of my cane in my mouth, and peortMl under the awning at the sea Avitli my eyes half sJint, as sleepily as usual with my nessmates the cadets. The chief otiicer, however, stepped back in sur- prise, eyely enou^th. and seemed struck with a sudden thought. "Why, sir," said he, r:. her anxiously, " who may— what can you kuow of the matter V" " Pooh !" replied I, seeing some of the passengers were coming on deck. " I'm only of :in iii quiring turn of mind. You seafaring persons, Mr. Finch, think avo can't tfet any of that knowledge on land; but if you look into .Johnson's Dictionary, wliy. you'll find the whoU> thing undor the word Tornado. 'THvas ou<^ of the pieces I'd to get by henrt before they'd admit me into our yacht club — along with Falconer's Shipwreck, you know." " Inde«^l !" said the mate, slowly, with a jurl of bis lip, and ov.'rhatding me from head to foot and up again ; " ah, ind(-ed ! That was the way, was it, sir V" I saw 'twas no use. I daresay he caught the t^^^nkle in my eye, while .Ja- cob's face, behind him, was like the knocker on a door with trying to screw it tight over his quid, and stnifing tho knot of his neckerchief into his mouth. " Of course, sir." answered I, letting: my voice fall : " and the long and the sliort of it is, Mr. Finch, the sooner you get your ship out of this current the better. And what's more, sir, I dare say I could tell you how." Whether he was waiting for what T'l to say, or thinking of something just occurred to him. Finch still gazed stead- ily at me without saying a word, so I went on : " You must know I had an old uncle who was long in his majestys navy, and ii there was one point he was crazy upon, 'twas just this very mattei- of currents ; though, for my pait. Mr. Finch, I never really understood what he meant till I made a voyage. He usp<1 to tell my mother, poor woman — who always fancied they had somewhat to do vdth pudding-i— that he'd seen no less than half a dnzen ships go o,n shoif. owing to currents. * Now, .Jane,' be'il say, ' when you're fairly in a current, never you tiy to cross out of it, as folks aften , "so much sense as there i^ in this hmg rigmarole of yoinvs. that 1 ni such a— that is to say. that I didn't knov it before, ••ir? Hut what I've got t" '!'> with ycu, Mr <,'olliuson, or whatever ynur name' may bo — you m.ay have been ;U sea twenty years for anght I care— '''U I'd like to know why you como ah" i' i here and pi\e yourself out for as raw a greerhorn as ever touched ropes viih a kid glove?" "Well, Mr. Finch." said I, "and wli if s thnt to you if I choose to l)e .as green as u North Sea whaling ground?" THE GREEN HAND. 83 ffing th(> mouth. [, letting,' and till- loner you ■rent the ', I dare what IM aing just ;od stead- ord, so I [ had an majesty's it he was ?y matter part. Mr, i what ht' He uscil man — who lewhat ti) en no hss o,n shore, ane,' heM I cun-ent, t, as folks it ; for in s strong e 'he edily shore, it'll th.1? iusiiK'. lonbt. but the wat'r ight ph'.i's t's why so 1 say. -al- 5tream— i!'i IS to mark ■11 just »'t its (iwii o seaward riiat'.s tin' uncle usiil ight wind ow. Mr. ill momh- oonldn't ted fellow -"for my of tli-si- _ as if iiiy suiied the air soaiii'in but in 1"" the tii'.i''. yith a fn"' there i- '!' that iii> lidn'i ki'"^^ got 1" 'i" atever ymir been at caio— '''li: mo abii:n 1 ■or as raw ropes viik and wli It's IS grei-u a^ "Why, sir," said Finoh, working him- self up, "you're devilish cunning, uo doubt, but perhaps you're not aware tliat a passenger under a false rig -n an Indiaman may be clap^^ed in limbo if the captain thitka fit'.' vVho and what are you, I ask"? Some runaway master's mate, I suppose, unless you've got some- thing deeper in hand. Perhaps," ended be, with a sneer, "a pickpocket in dis- guise." "Sir," said I. getting up off the bul- wark I'd been leaning upon, "at present 1 choose to be a cadet, but, at any rat**, yov shall make an apology for what you said just nov.', sir." "Apology!" said the mute, turning on his heel; "I shan't do anything of the sort. You may be thankful in the mean- time if I don't h;,ve you locked up be- low, that's all. I'erhap.s, by the bye. sir, all you wanted was to show off your seamanship before the young lady in the roundhouse there?" Here the glance the fellow gave me was enough to show be knew pretty well all the while what wo were matched against each other for. I could stand this no longer, of course ; but seeing that one or two of the passen- }:ei"s were noticing us from the poop, I looked as polite as iwssible to do when yni've lost your temper; and, in fact, the whole disappointment of this hare- brained cruise of mine — not to speak of a few things one had to stand — carried mo away at the moment. There Avas no sciieme I wouldn't rather have been suspected of by this time than the real one — namely, having irone in chase of Violet Hyde. I took a card out of my |)ocket and handed it quietly to Mr. Finch. "You don't seem able to name me. sir." said I. "Hov/ever. T give you my word yon may trust that bit of paste- board for it; and as I take you to bo a jreutleman by your place in this ship, why. I shall exfiect the satisfaction one gentleman should give another the fir.st rime we get ashore, although it should be to-morrow morning." And, by .Tove! thought I. I done with '•he cursedest foolish a fdlow played himsnelf! "J'he vcniti res to call me green Ml ni^> as if he wanted to hope I'm trick ev^>r man that again, or bxdc cool his eyes. li.'UH' ine. if he shan't answer for it! As fur a woMan, thought I— but, oh, those l»hu> eyes yonder! — confound it! as I ••aught sight of a wbit<> muslin skirt in 'b'> shp(t- wood always seemed to need a whole frigate's ways about somewhat of a stir, really was. Five minutes or so certainly surprise me Indiaman laid on the her head actually north-by-east a few points of where the 11 hiui, with perhap** to show what he after this it didn't much to see the opposite tack, with or within ;ht haze faded into the sky, the mate seeming by this time to see the matter clearly, and quietly making his own of it. The ship began to stand over toward the tuierset of the current, which could now bo seen rippling along here and there* to the surface, as the breeze fell slowly. You heard nothing save the faint sidash of it astern under one c(junter, the wafting and rustling of her large main-coiu'se above the awnings, for she was covered over like a caravan; the slight Hap of her jibs far ahead on the bowsprit startled you now and then aw distinctly as if you got a fillip on your own nose; the .stun-sail. high up beside the weather leech of her fore-topsail, hung slack over the boom, and one felt «ach useless jolt of the wheel like a foot-slip in loose sand when yon want to run— all betv.'ixt tbu? lazy, listless voices of the jtassongtrs, dropi)ing ami (Iroi)ping as st'i)anUe as the last sands in an hotir-glass. Still, every minute of air aloft helped hor near- er to where yon saw the water winding abrut tile horizon in long swaths, as it were, bluer than the rest, and swolling brimful, so to speak, out of a line of light; with the long dents and bits of ripple here and there cre(>piiis: toward it. till the whole round of the surface, as far as you cnuM see. cime out into the smooth, like the wrinkles on a nut- meg. Four bi'Ils of the afternoon watch had struck — two o'clock, that is— wlnn Rickttt. tlie third mate, and ono or two men wont out to the arm of the sp'rit- si;il-yard aeross the bowfiow, where you sorn Qould see the fr.int ragged shape of a headland coming out, as it were, of the dazzle beyond ihe water, which lay flickering and heaving between, from deep blue far away into pule; while almost at the same time on her starboard quarter, where there was less of the light, another outline was to be seen looming like pretty high land, though still fainter than the first. As for the space betwixt them, for aught one could distinguish as yet, there might be nothing there except air and water over against the ship's side. "VvTell," said the mate, briskly, after a little, "we're pretty ijure now to have the land breeze to give us sea-room before two or three hours are over, by which time, I hope, we'll be in the eddy of this infernal current at any rate!" However, I was scarce sure he diua't begin to doubt the plan I'd given hirn; whereas had he known the whole case in time, and done the thing then, it was cer- tain enough, and the best thing he could do, even as it was. But what troubled me now, why, suppose anything liappened to the ship, mightn't he turn the tables on me, after all. and say I had some bad design in it? I loitered about witli my arms folded, saying never a word, but •watching the whole affair keener than 1 ever did one of Shakespeare's plays in the theater after a duM cruise; iiuL .'; thing in sea, sky, or Indiaman, from the rippks far off on the water to ugly Harry liaui ing taut the jib-sheet with his chums, but somehow or other they seemed all to sink into me at the time, as if they'd all got to come out again strong. You hardly knew when the ship lost the last breath of air aloft, till, from stealing through thi' sn.'ooth water, she came apparently to ,i stand-still, everything spread broad out, not even a flap in the canvas almost, it had fallen a dead calm SjO gradually. However, my troubles weren't seem- ingly over yet, for just then up came the judge's dark kitmagar to the gangway where I was, and from the sly impudenci' of the fellow's manner, I at once fancied there was something particular in the wind, as if he'd been seeking me about decks. "Salam, mistree!" said he, with but a slight duck of his flat, brown turban. "Judge i-send Culley Mistree his chap- prass" — message, forsooth! — "sahib in- quire the flavor of gentleman's Ees Inche Coompanee two-three moments!" "The flavor of my East India company, you rascal!" said I, laughing, yet inclincil to kick him aft again for his impertinent look; "speak for yourself, if you pleasci' In fact, the whiff of cocoa-nut oil and other dark perfumes about him came oat in a hot calm at sea, when everythiiii; sickens one, so as to need no inquiry ab:)ut the matter. However, I M'alked straiglit aft to the round-house, and in at the oppii door, through which Sir Charles was to be seen pacing from one side of his cabin to the other, like a Bengal tiger in n cage. "Harkee, y^ung man," said he, sternly. turning, as sooi^ as I came in, with my hat in my hand, "since I had the honor of your co.apany here this morning I have recolleeterl — indeed, I find that one of my servants had an. > his chap- 'sahib in- Ees Inohe !" I company, et inolincil mpertineiit on please 1' int oil and 1 came out everything; iniry ab;)ut E>d straijiht it the open lea was to f his cabin tiger in n, le. sternly, ith my hut honor of ing I have one of my lat you iiiv family by garden iit I, coolly. made me intentinuiil y at Groy- ne happens design in tinueed to think. I went right forward on the Tndiaman's forecastle, clear of all the awnings, drop- ped over her head out of sight of the men, and sat with my legs among the open wood-work beneath the bowsprit, looking at the calm, nobody in sight but the Hin- doo figure, who seemed to be doing the same. Westwood! thought I. bitterly; then in a short time, when the mistake's found out. and he got safe past the cape. perhai)s, it Ml be nothing but Westwood! He'll have a clear stage, and all favor: but at any rate, however it Tuay be, I'll not be here, by heaven! to see ii. That cursed councilor of his, I sup- pose, is another nabob, and no doubt he'll marry her, all smooth! Unoles be ! I little thought, by .Tove! when 1 knocked off that yarn to the mate about my uncle; but, after all, it's strange how often a fel- low's paid back in his own coin! The heat at the time was unbearable. Heat, indeed! 'twasn't only heat, but a heavy, close, stifling sort of a feeling, like in a hot-house, as if you'd got a weight on your head and every other bit of you: the water at one time so dead blue and glassy between the windings of it, that the sky seemed to vanish, and the ship looked floating uj) into where it was; then again you scarce knew sea from fiir. except by the wrinkles and eddies running across each other between, to- ward a sullen blue ring at the horizon, like seeing through a big twisted sieve, or into a round looking-glass all over cracks. I heard them clew up everything aloft, except the topsails, and they fell slapping back and forward to the masts every nov.' and then with a thud like a thousand spades clappeen just on the horizon, one' upon another, above which you made out something like si dim range of peakefl land. trentling onr couldn't say how far back, all showinir how fairly the coast was shutting her- in upon the southeast. a.s she set farther in shore, even while the run of the cm- rent bid fair to take her well clear of ir ahead; which was, of course, all we juhmI care for at present. Her want of steerage way. however, lot the Indiaman sheer hither and thither, till at times one was apt to get confused, and suppose her more in with the l.'iinl loom tlian she really was. Accordingly. the mate provetl his good jndsiment by having a couple of boats lowered with n tow-line, to keep her at lea.st stern on tn the current, although the trouble of giM- ting out the launch would have serve at the Seringa patara's idle figure-hejui. For my part, I thought it better to leave him by himself, and go below. Wheh I went into the cuddy, more fer relief's sake than to dine, the passent*'r-< were chattering and tilking away arr>uii(' the tables, hot and choking though it was. in high glee because the land was in sight from the starboard ])ort window, aiil they fancied the oflicers had changed their mind as to "touching" there. Every uiav and then a cadet or two would st.art np. with their silver forks in their hands. and put thoir heads out; some asked whether the anchor had been seen gettiii- ready or not; others disputed about tl e color of tropical trees, if they were aetu- ally gre>n like English ones, or perbiii- all 'iver blossoms and fruit together- -tli' whole of ibeni evidently exjMVting band! of negroes to line the shore a.s we came in. One young fellow had taken a particu- lar fancy enough eai voyage, ot and little into h.vstei could just she'd die ( ing ui> thr 'iiat .she w slave trade her. As for "\ the fun, 1 across to t too busy w ly looking my eye chi ing barom sky-light, noise. By Geor ror when ] so far be] there that shrunk in chant serv strument ii was the pi in the old and fork went straii Here I s forward w took him a "Well, si: of that? u very long; to have it ••That'.? ( T. "f(n- th ward, sine liuve plent, Than that. Finch. I Jiretty well ;rlass fallii always the If you're euly get yc but you'll Finch hi meddling that. sir. aloft, to 'ireeze." •'D'ye re ing to th- T rending us, faint could eVff thing liki a current 1 hold of it "Perhupt tie as he always t- and to ' might a^ \\ But, by G- Td rather- I'd rather THE GREEN HAND. 87. lar fancy to have an earth-worm, with enough earth to feed it all the rest of the voyajrt'. otherwise he couldn't stand it: nnd little Tommy's mother almost went into hysterics again when she said, if she could just eat a lettuce salad once )nore, she'd die contentetl, the missionary look- ing ui> through his spectacles in surprise that she wasn't more interested about the slave trade, whereof he'd been talking to hiT. As for Westwood. he joined quietly in tViO fwn, with a glance now and then ;icrosa to me; however, T pretended to be too busy with the salt beef, and was mere- ly looking up again for a moment, when my eye chanced to catch on to the swinj;- ing barometer that hung in the raised sky-light, right over the midst of our noise. By George! ma'am, what was my hor- ror when I saw the quicksilver had sunk so far below the mark, probably fixed there that morning, as to be almost shrunk in the ball! Whatever the mer- chant service might know about the in- strument in those days, the African coast was the place to teach its right use to ua in the old Iris. I laid down my knife and fork as carelessly as I could and went straight on deck. Here I sought out the mate, who was forward watching the land, and at once took him aside to tell him the fact. "Well, sir," said he, coolly, "and what of that? A sign of wind certainly before very long; but in the meaatime we're sure ti> have it off the land." ••That's one of the very reasons," said T. "for thirkiag this will be from sea- Avard, since toward evening the land'U have plenty of air Avithout it. But more than time, sir," said I, "I tell yon, Mr. Finch. I know the west coast of Africa Iiretty well; and s<< far south as this, the ^rlass falling so l>w as twenty-seven is always the sign of a nor' westerly Mow. If you're a wise man, sir, you'll not fnly get your upper spars down on de'^k, but vfju'll see your nnchors clear." Fiiiih had plainiN -r-'i furious at my meddling again, .• ml said he, "Instjad of that, sir, 1 shall hold on every thing .".loft, to stand out when I get the 'Teeze." "D'ye really think, then." sai 1 1, point- ing to thf' fjirthest off streak of land. Trending away by this time Jistern of us, faint a.s it Wiis "do you think you could »*ver weather that point with any- thing like a strong nor'w^sior, besides ii current heading you ia, as you got fair hold of it again V" "Perh:iF>s not," said he vnieing a lit- tle as he glanced at it, "but yon happen always t'- supi>ose wLiit there's a thous- and to well take the command at once. But, by G— d! sir, if it diti come to that, Td rather — I'd rather see the ship lost — Id rather go to the bottom with all in her, after handling her as I know well bow, than I'd see the chance given to you!" The young fellow fairly shouted this last word into my very ear; he was in a regular furious passion. "You' others dropped from the davits, were manned at once and set to towing the Indiaman ahead in shore; while the bower and sheet anchors wore got out ♦^o tlie catheads ready for letting go, cables over- hauled, ranged, and clinched as quickly as possible, and the deep-sea lead passed along to take soundings every few min- utes. On we crept, slow as death, and almost as still, except the jerk of the oars from the heaving waters at her bows, and the loud flap of the big topsails now and then, everything aloft save them and the brailed fjoresail being already close-f urle midst, leavinsr a white glare between, as if yoii could see through it toward what was coniinc:. The men rould pnll no longer ; btit ahead of the ship there was now o,nly about eight or ten fathoms of water, with a soft bottom. Tlie boats were hoisted in. and the men had becrnn to clew up and hand the topsails, which were lowered on the caps. when, inst in the midst of the hubbub and confusion, as T stood listening to every order the mate cave, the steward came up hastily from below to tell him that the captain had woke up. and. beins much better, wanted to see him immediately. IMr. Finch looked sui-prised. but he turned at once and hurried down the hatchway The sight which all of us who weren't busy crazed upon over the larboard bul- warks was terrible to see : 'twas half dark, though the sun, dmpping behind the haze bank, mide it dimmer nnd red den. Tlio dark heap of clouds bad first lengthened out blacker and blacker. anry corner of cabins and forecastle below ; ami the wet back fins of twenty sharks or ^o. that had risen out of the inky surface, vanished as suddenly. The India- man had sheered almost ])roailside on to the clouds, her jib was still uj), and I knew the next time the clouds rose we should fairly have it. Flash aftw flash came, and clap after clap of thun- der, such as you hear before a tornado, yet the chief otlicer wasn't to be seen, and the others seeme again, showing a terrible white stare reaching d(>ep in, end a blue dart of lightning actually ran zigzag down be- fore our glaring foretojigallant mast. Suddenly the captain had looked at me. and we faced each other by the gleam ; and quiet, easy-going man as he com- monly was, it just flashed across me that there was something extraordinarily wild and raised in his pale visagi'. strange as the air about us made every one appear. He gave a stride toward me, shouting, " Who are—" when the thunder-da !> took the words out of his tongue, and next momont the tornado burst upon us, fierce as the wind from a cannon's mouth. For one minute tlu' Seringapatam heeled over to her star- board streak, almost broad-siide on. ami her spars toward the land ; all on her beam was a long, ragged white gush -if light and mist pouring out under tln' black broAV of the clouds, with a tramp- ling eddying roar up into the sky. Tiie swell plunged over her weatherside like the first break of a dam, and as wi' scrandded up to the bulwarks, to hold on for dear iife, you saw a roller tit to swamp us coming on out of the sheet of foam — when, crash ! went mizzen to])- mast and maiutop-gallant-mast. Tlie ship payed swiftly off by help of her head sails, and with a leap like a har- pooned M'hale, off she drove before th" tremendous sweep of the blast. The least yaw in her course and she'd have never ri&en. unless e^ery stick went out of her. I laid my .shoulder to tlie wheel with .Jacobs, and Capt. William- son screamed thr.o^ugh his trumpet into the men's ears, and waved his hands to ride down the foresheets as far as they'd go ; which kept her right before it, though the sail could be but half set. and she rather flew than ran, the sea one breath of white foam back to tlie gushes of mist, not having power to rise higher yet. Had the foresail been stretched, 'twould have blown off like n cloud, I looked at the captain ; he was standing in the lee of the round- THE GREEN HAND. 9» lioMse, strniffht iipriKhf, fhoimh now and ihcii pt'orinj? tm^crly forward, hin lips linn, one hiind on a Ix-lnyiuu pin. tin* oiluM- in his brt'asi ; notliin^ hut (l.'tcr- iiiirmtiou in his manner ; hut om-,' or Iwiee lie started, and >;liiii<'<*d tiereely to till- after hatchway neir. as if sonie- Iliiim front below inijjht chanee to thwart him. I can't cxiirens my con- trary feeliii>,'s, betwixt a sort of Jiope ami sheer lioiTor. We were driviiiK liiriit toward the land, at thirteen or fourteen knots to the honr. yet conld there nctnally be soin(> harborane here- away, or that said river th.> quarter master of the Iris mentioned, and ('apt. Williamson know of it V Something struck me as wonderfirlly strange in the Avliole matter, and. puzzlin^r to ilespera- lion, still 1 trusted to the captain's ex- pcrit nee. The coast was scaive to be seen aliend of us, lyinjr black against an mieven streak of glimmer, as she rushed like fury before the deafeeinp howl of the wind : and rij;ht away before our lie bt^am T could see the light blowing, MS it were, acmss bey(uid the heailland, T had noticed, where the smoke in the hush seemed to be still curling, half siiiiothered, along the flat in the le<> of the hills, as if in greenwooe the gust of the toniado was seen to pour on it. like a long blast from sKine huge bellows, and up it flashetl. Tlie yellow flame blazed into the smoke, spread away behind the point, and the ruddy brown .unoke blew -whitening off over it, when, Almighty power ! what (lid T see as it lengthened in hut part after part of old Bob's landmirks creep I' ir inkt)lack bc'foiv the flare and the streak of sky together— first the low line of gi'ound, then the notch in the block, the two nx-ks like steps, and the sugar- li>af shape of the headland, to the very iii(>I)-headed knot of trees on its rise. -No iloubt Capt. Williamson was steering for it : hut it was far too much on our starlio.ird bow; and in half an hour at this rare we should drive right into the surf yon saw running along to the coast ai(('iid — so 1 signed to .Jacobs for God's tsake to edge her off as nicely as was possible, <'npt. " Port ! stondx' lii'ar V" ellcd it luid a -land Williamson oanpht my motion, port, sirrah !" he sang out. : " back with the helm. d'ye and, pulling out a pistol he lev- at me with one hand, while he second in the other. " Land ! by G — rl !" shouted he. and from tilt- lee of the roundhouse it came more like a shrieli than a shout, " I'll be there, 'lnMigh a thousand nnitineer.s — " His eye Ava,s like a wild beast's. That moment the truth glanced across me — this M-as the green leaf, no doubt, the Si'otch mate talked so mysteriously of. The man was in ad ! The land ferer was upon him, as I'd sern it before in mt"n long off the Africnn coa>»t ; but he stoixl eyeing me with one foot hard stamped befoe him. 'Twas no use try- ing to be heard, and the desperation of the moment gave* me a thought of the .sole thing to do. 1 took off my hat in the light of the binnacle, bowed, and looked hira straight in the fai'e with a smile, when his eye wavered, he slowly lowered hi.-t pistol, then laughed, waving his hand tt«vard the land to leeward, as if but for the gale you'd have heard him cheer. At that instant I sprang behind him Avith the slack of a roiH', and grappled his arms fast, though he'd got the furious power of a madimin, and during half a minute 'twas wrestle for life with me. Hut the line was round him, arm and leg, and I made it fast, throwing him heavily on the deck, just as one of the mates, with s(Hiie of the crew, were striggling aft, by heli> of the belaying i>ins, against the hurri 'ane, having caught a glimpse of the thing l>y the binnacle liglit. They looke a^^ a knife from astern over the poop deck, witii a force that threw anyone back if he let go his hold to get near me, and going up like thunder aloft in the sky. Now and then a weaker flare of light- ning glittered across the scud ; and, black as it was overhead, the horizon to Avindward was but one jagged white glare, gushing full of broad .shifting streaks through the drift of foam and the spra.v that strove to rise. Our fore- coui'So still held ; and I took the helm from .Tacobs, that he might go and manage to get a pull taken on the star- board brace, which would not only slant the sail more to the masts, but give her the better chance to make the sole point of salvation, by helping her steerage when most needed. .Tacobs and West- wood together got this done ; and all the time I was keeping m.v eyes fixed anx- iously as a man can fancy on the last gleams of the fire ashore, as her head made a fairer line with it : but. b,v little and little, it went out, and all was black — though I had taken its bearings by the compass— and I kept her to that for bare life, trembling at every shiver in the foresail's edge, lest either it or the mast should go. Suddenly we began to get into a fear- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) Z 1.0 I.I U|2£ 125 12.0 H: 1^ 1.8 1.25 1.4 ^ 4 6" — ► V] V) 7: '^ > "^ %^ %. # '/ Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 99 THE GREEN HAND. tor ful swell— the India man plunged and shook in every spar left her. I could see nothing ahead, from the wheel and in the dark. We were getting close in with the land, and the time was coming; but still I held southeast-by-east to the mark of her head in the compass box as nearly as might and main could do it, for the heaves made me think once or twice she was to strike the next mo- ment. If she went ashore in my hand, why, it was like to drive one mad witJi fear ; and I waited for Jacobs to come back, with a brain ready to turn, al- most as if IM have left the wheel to the other helmsman tmd run forward to the bows to look out. The captain lay raviug and shouting behind m«', though no one else- could either have beard or seen him ; and where the chief otlicer was all this time surprised me, unless the madinnn had made away with him, or locked him in his own cab- in, in return for being shut up himself- - which, in fact, proved to be the case, cunning as it was to send for him so quietly. At length Jacobs struggled aft to me again, and chaining him, for Heaven's sake, to steer exactly the course I gave, I drove before the full strength of the scjuall along-decks to the bowsprit, where I held on and peered out. Dead ahead of us was the high line of coast in the dark — not a mile of swell between the ship and it. By this time the low boom of the surf came under ilie wind, and you saw the break- ers lifting all along, not a single opening in tliem ! I had lost sight of ray land- niiirks, and n:y he:irt gulped into my mouth. What I felt 'twould be vain to say, till I thought I did make oiit one short patch of sheer black in the range of foam, scarce so far on our bow as I'd reckoned the fire to have been. In- deed, instead of that, it was rather on her weather than her lee bow ; and the more I watched it. and the nearer we drove in that five minutes, the broader it was. "By all that's good," I thought, "if a river there is, that must be the mouth of it !" But, by Heaven ! on our pres- ent course the ship woi.ld run just right upon the point, and to strike the clear water her foreyanl would require to be braced up. able or not, though the force of the tornado would come fearfully on her quarter then. There was the chance of taking all the masts out of her ; but let them stand ten minutes and the thing was done, when we opene last, then I pulled with the men at thi> brace till it was fast, and scrambled uj) again to the howsprit heel. Jove! how she surged to it. The little canvas we had strained like to burst: the masts trembled, and the spars alofr bent like whip-shafts, everything below groaning agam; while the swell and thf> blast together made you dizzy, as you watched the white eddies rising and boil- ing out of the dark, her cut-water shear- ing through it and the foam, as if yon were going under it. The sound of the hurricane and the surf seemed to be grow- ing together into one awful roar, nn- very brain began to turn with the pitcii I was wrought up to. and it appeared next moment we should heave far up into the savage hubbub of breakers. I was weary- ing for the crash and the wild confusion that would follow, when all of a sud- den — still catching the fierce rush of the gale athwart her quarter into thr* fort- course, which steadied her though sin- shuddered to it, all on a sudden the dark mass of the land seemed as if it wen- parting ahead of her, and a gleam of pale sky opened below the du.sk into iny very face. I no more knew what 1 w.ts doing by this time, cr where we were. than the spar befor- .vo; till again, th.- light broadened, gliuini^nr«! "rmv betwixt the high land and a lum. •' rising level on the other bow. I hurriei. aft ppst 1 1n- confused knots of men holding on to tin- le-e of the bulwarks, and seized a spolci- of the wheel. "Tom," shouted I to Westwood. "r.iii and let free the spanker on the i)0(>)i! Down with the helm— down with i'. Jiicobs, my lad!" I sang out; "nev.r mind spars or canvas!"' Down went the helm— the spanker hel])- ed to luff her to the strength of th.» gu^-r —and away she went up to port, tin- heavy swells rolling her in, while the rusli into her staysail and fore-course came in one terrible dash of roaring wind, tearing' first one and then the other clear out <>f the bolt-ropes, though the loose spankt-r alwift was in less danger, and the way slic had from both was enough to take ht-r careening round the point into its lee. By heaven! there were the streaks of soft haze low over the rising moon, under tbe broken clouds, beyond a far line of dim fringy woods, she herself just tippinu' the hollow behind, big and red, when ri?lit down from over the cloud above us canu- a spout of rain, then a si- of It lifting to the blast as it howlea across th'- point. "Stand by to let go the larbo.nnl anchor!" I sang out through the trumpet; and Jacobs put the helm fully down at the moment, till she was coming head to wind, when I made forward to the mates and men. "Let— go!" I shouted. Not a look turned against me, and away THE GREEN HAND. 93 en, to th<> en at the imbled uj) The littlo to burst: pars aloff ng below 11 and the y, as yon ', and boil- itei' shear- as if you md of tho be gro'w - roar, mv the pitch cared next ;p into the ras weary- confusion of a 8U(1- iish of thi' tlu' fort- lioiiiih sill' a the dark if it vrev gleam of ik into my hat 1 was 1 we wcri'. asrain, th<- p\>- betwixt •isir.^r levtl ft ijfSt till' on to the d a spoke food, "r.iii the I)oo)p! with i^ It; "nevii- inker hel|)- >f th.» ev>r port, till' le the rush se came in ud, tearin;: ear out of 5e spanker le way slie > take her its lee. streaks of oon, under :ar line »f ust tipping' when rifflit re us came if \t lifting cruss the larbonril e trujnpet; down at Qg head to the mates , and away thundered the cable through the hawse- hole; she shook to it, sheered astern, and brought up with her anchor fast. By that time the rain was plashing down in a perfect deluge — ^you couldn't see a yard from you — all was one white pour of it, although it soon began to drive again over the headland, as the tornado gathered new food out of it. An- other anchor was let go, cable payed out, and the ship soon began to swing the otlier way to the tide, pitching all the wliile on the short swell. The gale still whistled through her spars for two or three hours, during which it began by degi-ees to lull. About eleven o'clock it was clear moonlight to leeward, the air fresh and cool; a delic- ious watch it was, too. I was walking the poop by myself, two or three men lounging sleepily about the forecastle, and Rickett below on the quarter-deck, when 1 saw the chief officer himself rush up from below, staring wildly round him, as if he thought he were in some dream or other. I fancied at tirst the mate would have struck Rickett, from the way he went on, but I kept aft where I was. The eddies ran past tlio Indiaman's side, and you heard the fast ebb of the tide rushing and rippling sweetly on her taot cables ahead, plash- ing about the bows and bends. We were in old Kob Martin's river, whatever that might be. PART vir. Well, continued tin- commander, his voice making use of the breeze, as ho stood aft of the group, I could not have slept more than three or four hours on a stretch when I was woke up . by a fel- low shoving his lantern in my face, .nnd saying it wasn't me he wanted; for which I gave him a hearty objurgation, and turned over with a swing of the cot to go asleep again. The sailor grumbled something about the parson being wanted for the capta«n, and all at once it flashed <)M my mind where we were, with the wliole of last night's ticklish work — see- inj,' that, hard rub as it was, it had clean left me for the time. "Try the after- most berth, then," said I, slipping out into the dark to put on my trousers. 'Ilie fact was. on going below to our >!,ite-rof>m. I had found ray own cot taken up by some ene in the confusion; ami as every door stood oi>en at night ill that latitude, I e'en made free with the nearest, which I knew was the mis- ^ioimry's. In a minute or two I heard Westwood meet the mate, who said he ilionght the captain would like to see liim. and hoped they hadn't "disturbed tile other gentleman." "Oh. I dare say not," said Westwood, rii tiler nervously, guessing, I dare say, what he was wantetl for, while Finch ■ing out and in; only the blood from his arm hanging down on the sheet, with the sharp point of his nose and the shajH^of his knees coming up off the shadow, kept it all in one with the wild affair on deck a few hours gone. "She's on her course, you say',?" add«xl he listlessly. "Must bo a very light breeze, though, Mr. Macleod." "So it is. sir; so it is. no doubt." re- plie leodV" The mate shook lus head; he iiad con- trived to persuade the poor man we were far homeward bound. "If you'd only get the pilot aboard, Mr. -Macleod," the captain went ob, "I'd die contented; but mind the charts — mind the chai'ts. I've got the charts to mind for another sort of voyage my- self. James!" "Hoot, boot, captain!" said the Scotch- man, "what sets ye for to talk after that fasliion? You'll be up and about decks directly, sir! What were ye saying about topem'sts, now, sir?" Captain Williamson gave the second mate a glance that looked into him, and he hehl down his head, for the man ovidtMitly believed fully, as none of us could help doing, that there was death on the captain's face. ".Tainies. James!" said the captain, slowly, "you've no notion how some things weigh on the mind at a pass of this kind! Other things one don't re- member; but there's one in particular, almost as it were yesterday. Why, sure- ly you w«'re with me that voyage, Mr. Macleod, when I let some o' the pas- sengers take a boat in a calm, and all — " Here he stopped, seeming overcome. "Tliere was one young creature aniongsi 'em," he went on, '"the age of ruy own girl, Macleotl — my own little Nan, yoti know — and now — now I miss her— a^d, and—" The poor man gave a great gulp, clutch- ing the mate's arm and gazing him in the face. "Wasn't it a. long time ago?" said he, very anxiously. "If it wasn't, I would go mad! They were all drowned — drowned. I see that black squall coming down on the swell, now, man. and the brig, and all of us looking out to the wind'ard!" "I mind something about it," replie:ly feelers out of one ot his shoes in a comer. He shut his eyes, and lay for a minut<' or two seemingly asleep, only munnurin.; something about a breeze, and then a.sk- ing them to shove out the port, 'twas m> close. The second mate looked to tli' surgeon, who signed to him to do it. a-i if it ort was oi)ei)ed 'twas so still otherwU.' that you heard the tide dearly iu ili' cabin, rippling along the timbers to llf c()i»per uiHHi her bows— phush. plash, ami lap. lip, lap, like no other earthly sonii 1 that a man can hear — and you even li - gan to note it on something elseagcMil bit off, tJiongh it seemed to be all qni dark out-board. The captain's eyes up eued by degrees, till we saw the^n Idi ik- ing at us out of the shadow of the co!. and the second mate startnl as if lo mend his mistake: only 'twas plan enough by that time the captain kmw the sound, half raising himself up ami listening. A few early mosquitoes cami' in. and after dancing about to refn -li themselves in the light and warmth ni- >.\ir the cot, began to bite savagely: ev- ery one of us hjid a distant horn somulim: in his ear, and each was rubbing ir "P his nose, except the sick man; but not eii'' of them settled on him. As the starboavl l>ort. slueil gradually opposite to iln' nearest shore, a low, deep hum was cai- rietl in over the water ebbing and flow- ing, and full of dim, creeping nois.'<. like things stirring in their sleep, as if the little cabin had been an ear to iIk' THE GREEN HAND. 95 our findin;:: 1 presBet! could onl.v t the sick to do hiiii Vlaclood, a tiug back XX needn't put in tlii^ ;ht; "bui ly sake!" ne o' next, solemnly, far we'r<' 36 at all. anvas to )f his hai'l and gruiii- I throat l»y > thing Wii< light's slii. twiukliiiu' e, the de:i.i smothorcil s cot briii;.'- e floor. III their utily ill a eoniff. r a uiinui'' mnnnuriii.; then ask- t. 'twas M> od to th" ) do it. M-i this tinii, t of phy-^i.- to swiiiL' flood, stern never tln' othenvU • iy in ill!' .)ers to till' l>lash. iiihi thly sonii I even l"- else a gu'"! all qt'i ■ eyes i<]i- tlioni 1(11 lu- »f the c'lt. as if "• vas plii.ii •tain kn^•^v If up illl'l itoos Ciuni' to refn-!i rarmth ni- vagely: 'V- n\ souinliii- Itbing ir "v but not t>i!i' ' starboai'l p to ill'' u was lai- ; and flow- ing no'Si-;. leep, af* it' ■ar to ill'- u e ship. At times the tree-frogs broke out ill a loud clicking chirrup; then, be- tween tlie fits of it, when all seemed still again for a moment or two, you lieard a loAV, half-smothered, small sound, deeper down, as it wore, fill up tlie break with its throbbing and trill-triiling, as if just one land-crlckei or a gi'osshop- per did it, till it came out as dear as though it were a child's rattle close by. and all of a sudden stopjied; when back Hoated tlie huge wbisperuig hum again, witli a damp smell ot leaves on a cohl breath of the land air that died away ns (|ui<'kly as it reached us. The bewilder- ment on (.'aptain Williamson's white face f(»r that minute's time was cruel to wit- ness, and Macleod would certainly have closed the port but for tlie captain's seizing his arm again, with a wild, ques- tioning sort of look into the second mate's eyes. "Oh, good God!" faltered out the cap- tain, "it's— it's land! Where— where?" "For God's sake, sir," said Macleod, "don't ask me the now! Take a bit sleep,' sir." We could hear one another breathing, when ting-tang went four bells on deck. Yon heard it going across to the shore, as it were, and a few moments after. out of the humming far and wide along the land, back came the sound of an- other l)oll, toll upon toll, like some clock striking the hour x long way oft". Tlien a third one followed on it, from a different ilireetioii, ringing clearer in the air,while the inumiur anil the rush seemed to swell ui» the more all round, and the plashing of the tide made the ship heave at her aiK-hors. The mate shivered. Westwooo(l si;rprise. and 'twas kindly done of you! I know the rim o' the clocks off (Ji-eenwich lleach, man. D'ye think one 11 mid mistake the sound of Lon'on town, tiilgeting when it wakes, either? We're —we're home already!" AimI he fell back in the cot, with the ilroi>s running down his cheeks, smiling happily all the time at Macleod in a way that went to one's heart, while the Scotchman stared helplessly at the sur- ;:eon, who slipped to the port and closed it. "I know by your way, James," con- tinued the poor man, "you wanted to si-nd up to Virginia Row for 'em all; hilt don't send for an hour yet. Better Ko up yourself and break it to 'em— break it to em; be sure of that. James. I shouldn't wonder but 1 pulled up, afier all. Ay, that first one we heanl was Greenwich Hospital; t'other is Dickson's brewery off Iledriff — " Here his eyelids began to drop, o-wing to the sleeping draught he had got, whim suddenly they opened wide again. "Ha! said he, listening, and putting up a finger, "but I haven't heanl St. Paul's strike six vet ; it's seldom so long after; ought to be heard from here of a morning. Let's — " By little and little, however, the .sick man's e;i'es closed, and you hi>ard him murmuring as his finger sank down, "Macleotl. say— to her — say — luff. luff, my lad; keep her — her course," till his shrunk face wan as (piiet on the pillow as if he'd been really at home the first night after a voyage. "Oh, man. doctor!" said the scond mate, heaving a t>reath, "isn't it terrible! (Jood forgive me for a lee to a u a towni hereabout, (.'ollinsV" Avhispered Westwood. "A town — no!" said I; "it's the Itest wilderness sign you can have — the Afri- can bell-bird!" "Ah, ah!" said the surgeon, laughing, "thei'e now. Maclee explained natunilly. like other things." The second mate gave me a doubtful scowl; but seeing Westwood. whom he had always seemed to thuik rather in the way l)eff>re. his eye softened. "You'll lie wanting to see the captain as soon a.s he wakes up, sir." said he. "I'm terrified to face him; but if ye'd juist slip in when he coniew to himself, sir, I'm tliiiikiiig. reverend sir. ye might wile him ofl" yon teiTible notion o' his." Westwood shook his head seriously, not knowing what to say. "Ay. ay. sir,"' continued Macleo. though now I could have kicked him, more for his heartless way than aught else. "I'll tell you, Mr. Small," said I, "what I think of you; you're neither more nor less than a—" But I turned on my he«'l. "I'm off, however," said he, "to turn in agaln.»» 1 | Through the half-closed door one conltl see the sick man's face sleeping so quiet in the shadow from the lamp, you hearil not a breath. I looked up the after hateli- way. It seemed still quite dark; and n fiatch of the deep, dark blue sky showeil ligh over the square opening, with two or three keen sparks of stars, gi*een ones and blue ones; you'd have thought tli.; ladder, short is it was, went up to sonn- where clean above the world. But tlu moment I got on deck I saw it was really lighter; the heavy fog creeping slowly astern off the ship on both hands, the white mist rolling faster over it before lln' sea-breeze against her bows, which liiul swung seaward by this time from lln' tid(.', that rushed like a mill-stream iiji);! both her tight cables; while the mudily river water, bubbling, eddying, and froih- ing away past, spread far up in the mid- dle, into the dusk astern. Such a jabliii- ing, croaking, hissing, shrieking and y-'li- ing, too, as burst into one'^ ears out of the dark, as if whole legions of mcmkeys. hull-frogs, parrots, parrakeets, and wluit not, were coming together full ui)(on ns from both sides, one band nearer than tin' other; till the heavy boom of the suit" round the point, and the roar of the lii'i' canning in over the shallows about llic river mouth pretty well drowned, it. 'J'lic sudden change was a good relief, BuIm! though it seemed after the closeness In- low, with what had been going on, and I look«d ahead toward the sea, which lay away wit off our larboard bow, I'ound the headland, and over the opposite point; a cold, watery streak of light showing it from where the breakers rose plnngint: and scattering along the sandy bar, to the steady gray line of horizon, elippeil hy one of the two brown chops we had pot into. It looked dreary enough as yet. the mouth of it being wider than I'd fanoiid it from seaward at night; though evin with full water over the long spit of saiul THE (IREEN HAND. 97 to box him a guess We aate's ooni- bruin, isn't pie, now, hink soiuc- mdon, with eod fancies twaddK's learned ni you know, 'hinh is it. hV" a sneer, a-: i^hich 1 had les befoi't', icked him. than aught id I, "whiU r more nor on my he<»l. "to turn in « i r one coulil ng so quit't you heanl xfter hutili- ark; and i\ sky showoil , with two gi'een on(>s lionght th.; up to SOllli'- . Bnt. tlif t was really )ing slowly hands, the t before IIh' which had ? from the tream upi);i the muddy , and frolh- jn thp mid- 'h a jabliii- ig and y-'li- ears out of )f mf the surf of the tidi' about 111!' leO. it. 'i'lw elief. Ball' 'I losenesfi hi'- g on, and I , which lay •, round the ite point: a showing it se plnnjriiii.' idy bar, to I, elippecl hy we had pot I as yot. till- I'd fancii'il hough eviB spit of saiul 111 the middle, there was no draught nt all for the Indiaman except by the ehan iiel betwixt it and the bold point on onr light; and pretty narrow it appeared from our present berth, heaving as it did witli the green swell that set in, while mean- iime the mist scudding across the face of I he headland let us see but the hard lump of bare black rock underneath. la less time than I've taken to speak, however, the full space of sky aloft was I liming clear, the sea far awav suddenly shone out blue, with the surges tippell white; you saw a sparkling star high over It sink slowly in, and the fog spread o/l" the water near us. till here and there you caught the muffled up shape of a big tree or two looming througli not half a mile off our starboard quarter, the mist creeping over the headland till the sharp l)eak of it stood out against its shadow on the shoulder of a hill beyond, and old Bob Martin's single clump of cocoas on the rise, waving in landward from the brisk sei.-breeze. One passenger after another came peeping f.leepily out of the •'ompanion-hatch at the rtj^-n clearing away the wreck of the spars, and swab- liing the quurter-deck down; but s.-arce had Smith, one of the young writers. reachek your hands off your eyes, thou^, and could see without a red ball or two before them, there was the nearest shore prowing out toward our starboard bulwark all along, crowded with wet green woods, up into steaming high ground— all to east- ward a dazzle of light, with two or three faint mountain peaks shooting up far off in it, and a wondy blue hill or so be- tween; while here and there a broad, bright hazy .spoke off the sun came cut- ting down into the forest, that brjought out a patch full of long big leaves, ten times gr.'oner than the rest, and let look off the deck into the heart of it among the .stems over the bank. The jabber in the wmxls hml passd I as HtitHy as 1 could; "but, happily, it's over now," si ad I gave my eau a lift to move off, uneasy as I was every mo- luent lest sir ('harles should eati-h ine sp-.'akiuK again to his daughter. How- ever. Miss Hyde was gazing eagerly at the land, and I had to wait. "Whajt lovely, lovely green I" she half whispered. "Oh, if one could only treml upon it! — so un-English those slrango tall trees look! are they not cocoa tre.?s, and — and — " Suddenly her voice falter- ed, and she turueil round with her bright blue eyes swimming — in tears: "How— how thankful we should be that we are m>t — like our poor, iX)or friends who are lost!" exclaimed she. I thought of the poor captain below in his cot, but next moment T was ex- plaining, to her sheer amazem^nu, how the real truth of the matter stood.though, if possible, it seemed to horrify her still more. "I can't think where "ther mar be." I rapped out; "but if I had the command of this ship, I'd up anchor this very hour and go out— at least as soon as the tide ebbed; but, at any rate, at the Oape I mean to get hold of some schooner or other, and if it avitc to China, why. I'll cruise after 'em till "Then you think." began she. and an arch, inquisitive sort of look danced in both her eyes as she turned away to watch the shore again, saying slowly, "You are a— a naval gentleman, iheii, Mr. West— Mr. Collins?" I tried to stammer out something by way of an explanation, but it wouldn't do, and I said. "At any rate, I'm no bet- ter, by this time, than an idler aboard here, ma'am." All at once I caught a side look from her eyes that wasn't meant for me. as she glanced over the poop netting. Half provoking and half sweet it WiXs though, and it made my brain somehow or other seem to spin round, till a little after, be- fore I well knew what I was about, I was holding the long spy-glass for her to see the bank of the river, her warm breath coming on my ear as I stopped before her, near enough to have kissed the muslin on her shoulder, while her rosy mouth changed with every new spot t&at the glass brought near; and she had to hold one taper foreCnger on ihe other eyelid to keep it shut, so that I could dwdl on her face a^ if she'd been asleep. "There, there," oxclai'ned she, "are ac- tually flowers— with such immense loaves! And uow— an enormous tree. with roots hanging fnim the brancrhes, and other stems growing up into them. Wh.v, yes!— is not that a banyan tree/ and' she looked awuy at me, whi^n of I'ourse the tree had vanished, and in- stead of that the r.Tther undeniable ex- pression of A fellow In love, two cr three inch.s off, bent fair upon her. Violet Hyde colored a little, and iooke«l in again. "And-I think," continued she, "I see— oh, two such beautiful crea- tures—deer, 1 think— coming out from tile river!" All this time the ecstacies of the rest kept up the noise and confusion; th-' young lady's maid was gaping open- mouthed at the shore, not even noticing her young mistress' straw bonnet fall off, and I had just picked it up with one hand, to put it quietly over the match- less nut-brown hair of hers, shining sud- denly in the sun like silk, when the judge's voice sang out sharp from the other stair, "Violet, child, you'll have a sunstroke. Kitmagar, you spoundrel. beebee sahib punka lao, sirrah!" I held on to the telescope like grim death, while that eternal punka was hoisted over us both, the judge eyt'ing me somewhat coolly for the first mo- ment. "Wall, well, Mr. Westwood," said he, however, "you've got rid of that proud freak of yours. Such behavior as yours yesterday. I assure you, I shouldn't have endured from any one else, young man! But, my dear boy," added he suddenly, "from what I can jfather, indeed saw myself last night, 1 am convinC'»d we owe you a very great deal — even, I sus- pect, the safety of the whole vessel'" Miss Hyde had left off using the glass, and, as I stood up, she gave me a quick glance of amazement. "Mere chance, sir," I stammered. "Why," said Sir Charles, "I 'i$.\v you at the steerage in the middle of the hurricane, when I b<;iieve the actual of- ticers of the ship had left it in dismay. I tell you what, Mr. Westwood, you're a bold fellow, and your uncle and I must see in India if we can't reward you in some way, my dear boy!" All this fondling style of thing, and for little more than a piece of luck, would have disgusted me, if I hadn't been more taken up with watching the siilo of Violet Hyde's face, as she listen- ed for sounds in the woods ashore. "Strange, wasn't it, Violet, ray dear," continued he to his danghter, "that my friend the councilor's n^hew should have gone out in the same Indiaman; so fortunately — though, of course, after all, it was the first this season." "Ah!" said she, starting, "I beg par- don, papa — what did you— weren't you talking of the river?" "Don't you hear, child?" said the judge; "I said it was a curious coinci- THE (JREEN HANI). 99 branches, itO thODl. »n tree?" wht;n of and in- tiablM ex- two cr pou hiT. 1(1 looket fall n'ith ou« le uiatfli- iniiiK sud- wlitm the from tho lu'll hav« Bcoundr«l, !'* like grim iiika >vas pe eyt'iuf: first rao- ' said he, hat proud as yours Ida't have un? man! suddeuly, deed saw inc'd w«' en, I 8US- vesskl!" the glass, le a quick lered. ^w you e of the actual of- n dismay. t)d, you'rt' e and I 't reward hing, and of luck. I hadn't chin^ the »he listen- hnre. ny dear," that my !W should iamau; so se, after lieg par- r«n't you said tho us coinci- ■d(>np«>, Mr. >\'»'Hlwood'« going in thlH vfa- sel." "Oh, yes, indcod!" answered Hhe, and couldn't help looking down a little eon- founded. But tlu lady's maid was put- ting on her tiny slipper, whieh had oome off, while her father mentioned that of course I'd had practical reasons for not owning my profession hitherto: mean- ing, 1 suppose, that 1 didn't s|H'n.k for fear of having to Avork, like the monkeys; though the sharp old lawyer must have liad a better guess l»y this time, anti (|ueer enough it must have oeen to see her face, listening to him as he explain- ed it all. 1 stood biting my lips mean- while, two or three times on the point of telling him it W!is all noii«*'>nse about my being a nephew of any htinged old iial>ob whatever, when Sir Charles said, i-arelessly, ho should leave the Sevinga- patam, if possible, at the Cape of Good Hope, as he couldn't trust safely to the present officers. .Tust then up rase the merry chant of tlje men running i-ound with the '-npstan bars, weighing the anchors, the cliief officer wishing, as it was found, lo curry her farther into the river with the l»r»»eze, for the sake of Sling our water casks the easier, according to him, liul more likely out of sh"er spite at what liad been done without him. What, with eagerness in the cudd^v to get ashore, and sih> the W(mk1s. the hreakfist below was a rare scene, no one minding what he did. even to rushing slap into a couple of ladies' berths for his boots, or laying a couple of loaded Joe Man- tons into soraeb'xly's bed, swallowing biscuit and butter on the way. Suddenly wo heard the splash of pad- dles in the water, with a hail in some foreign tongue or other, and hurried on ut both hands together and r<.«ared through them, pointing to himself now and then, as if surprised he wasn't laiown. All at once, evidently quite enMe, he remarked, hein^ pariieul.ir friends — seeing that lie'd Kot to d'Muand .$lli of liai eliar;j:ed fourteen. Tie- tool impudem.v <>f this lirouKht the chief otticer from the cai>- staii; but the Ktea nie think he had some- Ihinjf or other to back liiui. Mr. Finch, as usual, funxHl up into a passion, v.tul told the men to tlinu him over into his canoe, which tliey a<'c<.nlinKly did, with- out the least nicety about it. The I'or- Mijrnese next nunut<> iiicked himself up, and 8too4l strai;;ht with the look of a perfect d<»vil, ns ho shook his tist at the whole ship, while the canoe slid off to the shore. BudKe even so much as a siuv;!'^ f.ith- oni at present we could not; and iiK.st of us were too much in the spirit of fun and venture to car'- a fi>? for hnvinn uuide an enemy of Don Jose Sant.i, as the cadet ealleM rising in every way out from over the r. st. For my part. I thought more of rlie I'or- fuguese's interest, after all, tlum his hatred— which proved correct, by his soon sending out a sulky mossnge by the mulattft, offering to sell us fowl and bullock at no ordinary price. Howevei*. as all bands from the cabin were mad to get ashore sonvwherc, and the cadets bristling with fowling pieces and riHes, each singing out that he was r.vuly to supply the whole ship with fresh meat, the mulatto had to sheer off, with a boat nearly lowered over bis head. From where we lay at the time, whnt with the large creok off one bow, and the broad river ahead of us spreading britn- ful along to the light, the water had the look of a huge lake, fringed in by a confused, hazy, bluish outline steeping m the heat, where the distance olipj>pd behind the lumps of keen verdure, show- ering over a dark mangrovc-covred point. Before the two large quarter boats could be got ready for the ladies and the rest of us, we heard the gig full of writers and cadets beginning to jiop away at everything they saw olive, r at ease in the water. As the tide steadietl. the said ci-Jtk provetl to be a smaller I'iver, apparently fi^jm the hilly country i h.id uotieale yellow reflection of the close bamboo brake on one side deep down in- to the light— th',' huge, shan>, gre.n- noKhcd aloe leaves and fern sbovhig heic and there out of it — t'le close, rank, stifling smell of i*otten wi'eds and fun- guses giving place to the strange, wild scent of the flowers, trailing and twist- ing in thick, snaky coils close up to the stems on our opposite hand, and across from branch to branch, with showers of crimsou and pink blossoms and white stars ; till, eager as the ladies were to put foot on land, 'twas no u«e looking as yet for a spot of room, let alone going farther in. The cadets were not long in being blown, either, when the mid- shipman, the bowman and I had to re- lieve them. However, then I could look straight toward A'iolet Hyde's face, the THE GREEN HAND lOI liwlics steoit'd Lti Siniiii illed tlu' IP to IM'- sailor in of the expros- ipiK>r at stofl(lio straiKht nose and forcjioad natciiini; c lllckt'riu); burxt from the l«uvt>8 as wi> shLvred at times undiT ijovor of the bank : whiL* her «'y«'llds, druppiiiK from the* »rlar.*, uavc hor f»rij?ht ■eyes a half-sleopy sort of violet-look, and it was only \u'v litw that lot you soe how o.\cite«l sht* f«'lt. The griftin who hud the tiller steering with the judgment of a tailor's 'prentice on a picnic to ^IVickeuhani, we cjimo two or thnv timo<4 crash into the twigs of some half- sunk tree, then a liluo bird Uke n heron would rise direct ahead of us, with its tiiU, wet, spindle li*;:s and spurs glisten- ing like steel behind it into the light, and a yc>ung 8nak(> in its sharp bill ; or ii grey crane rustli»coas and the mosquito hum along the bank getting fainter, till one heard tlie heat, as it were, creeping and thrilling down through the woods. Avith the green light that 8teei>ed into both edges of the long creek ; every reed, cane, leaf and twig, seemingly, at last gave it back again with a whispering. hushing ■crackle, and the broad fans of the italtns tingling in it with rays fmm them, as tliey trefmbled before you in the glare, back into their high bundles of knotte-ns. " Can you not almost feel the forest gi'ow !" exclaimed Miss Hyde, while the borit floated quietly to one side ; and her chrrming young f.ice, shining out from the punka before Master (xoiMml's deucedly ugly tne, coolly staring past his anub-nose, made one think of a white English rose and s. black puff-ball grow- ing together under a toadstool, plenty ■of which, as red as soldiers' coats and as big as targets, looked here and there out of the bank. It i)ut new spirit into me to see her, but still we could do little more than shovt; across from one side to the otheir, till something all at once rous»d lis up iu the shape of a long, scaly-like log, 8e»>mingly lying in the sun. which tumbled off the edge with a loud splash, and two of the young fellows let •drive from their fowling-pieoes, just after the alligator had sunk to the bot- tom. Rather uncomfortahle It was tn come 8he«»ring right over him next mo ment, And catch ii glimpse of hiit roimd, re«l eyes and his yellow throat, as the niuti and wee«Is rose over him. The other ladi«'H shrieke'e and (he chnir cut of her pretty nostril oi)eiie«l out, too, and for the moment her li|>s closed. Five minutes aftiT, when a couple of large guiuea-fowl sprang up. Sdr Cliarles j)roved himself a better shot than the cadet.s by dn>p|>ing one of them ovtT the water ahead of us. which was laiil hold of by the reefi-r of tlu> I,ndia- niau, and stowe«l away fluttering into the stern ltK'k»'r, Simen observing <'oollv tliat it was a scavenging, carrion sort of bird, but perhaiiH one of his mesH- mates might like to take it home, stuffwl. to his sister. The juJg«! merely smiled, remarking in good humor that he, Simm. would make a go-td attorney ; and on we held, soaking to our shirts and pant- ing, until the bowman hooked down tlu« stem of a younir plantain, with a hug*- bunch of full rii)e yellow batmnas «mder the long flapping leaves at it.s head, right into the midst of u.s. out of a whol.r clump of them, where the smooth face of the cove showed you their scarlet clusters of flower-* and green round podi< hauguig over it. hidden as they wwe from above. Every man of ns made a clutch, and the stvm almost lifted Simm out of the boat with it. as it sprang back into the brake, rousing out a shower of gaudy-coloreil btitterflies, and a cloud of mosquitoe juice seeming to come out of his «'yes, the sailor spitting out his quid and stuffing iu a banana, and the ladies hoping they were fit to eat. as 1 peeled tJie soft, yellow riiid oft and handed one to Violet Hyde, which she taste for^'nast man. who was alwavs so :lnuik ashore he used to re- raemiwr nothing in India but " scoffing" (eating) "one bloody benanny." a.** he called it : 'but hows'ever. .Tack." he'd say. " 'twas blessed good, ye know, and I'm on the look-out for a berth again, just for to go and have another." One of us looked at the other, and Miss Hyde laughed and coloi-ed a bit when I ofEeret iiioro tliun thrw-«iuarU'ri< of u iiiilo from whore the hMv lay. when nil nt once the elu8e growth on our left hand betfun to Itrt'iik itito low liuxh, and iit len>rth ii M|)ot offered where we nii^ht gt't UHhore tolerably, with two or three big red unt-hillM h«>uiM>f a lar^e tree. The nion- keys were keepinK up a <'hattt>rin(r Htir evePywhwre about ; and two or thriH' bright green little lizardH, changing into purple, and back again, nn they lay gleaming in the muu on the HidcH of the ant-heapH, dart«l their long tongues out like Hilver IxMlkius at the lUitH coming I Mist. In we hIiovjhI with a chcn'r, an(i ind 8car(M» moored to the tree iTe the ladioH were being handinl out and trip- iung over tlu» gi»und leaven to the ankleH, Htarting on again at '.'veiy rustle and prick, for f«'«r of snakes, till the bownum in charge was left in the boat by himself, and there being seven of us with guns over our arms, the next no- tion of the gritfins was to get a sight of some "natives." In fact there was a sort of luilf track leading off near the bank, through the long coarse grass, and the ferny sprouts of young cocoas, and a wide stretch of oiH^n e«uuitry seen beyovid it, dotted all over with low clumps of trees and bush rounded off in the gu.sh of light, that gave It all a 8traw-coloi"ed tint up to when' a bare, reddish-looking ridge of hill looked over a long swell of wild forest, off a hot, i>ale, <-loudlesn sky. Here and there you saw the shadow of one bluff lying purple on the side of another, nnd a faint blue ixnik betw(H'n, letting north'- iird into some pass through the hills, but no signs of bf»- save a few dun. big- headed V)uffaloos fe«>neath two or three immense gnvn leaves on ;i frame, with its knees up not to let its h>gs Diu'ii ; about a doxen half-oiKMi sheds and huts, like little c«>ni stalks, thatched close with reeds, and hung with wattled mats of split bamboo, giv- ing (he place nuire the look of a farm- yard than a village, as thei\> was a big tree spreading in the midille, a few plantains, yams and long maize stalks llii'wcring out of the coarse guinea-grass, which the niggers hadn't taken the trouble to tread down, all rotuid inside of the fence. However, we weren't long of perceiving ;ui old. grey-headed black, sitting on his hajns ag.iinst the post of a hut, watching us all the time, and a villainously ugly old thief he lookeil. with a string of Aggry Imnds about his head, and a greegree charm bag hung round his shrivelled neck, which was stuck through a hole in some striped inece of stuff that feQl over to his knees, as he sat mumbling and croaking to him- self, and leering out of the yellows of his eyes, though too helpless to stir. Something out of the way attracted my notice, glittering in front of the hut over liis head ; and, on st«>pping up to it, I wasii t a iiitle surprised to find it the stern board of some small vessel or other, with the tarnished gilt ornament all rounil. and the name in large white letters— Jiartha Cobl>— the port, Boston, still to be made out, smallef, below. This I didn't think so much of in itself, as the craft might have been lost, till I noticed that the old fellow'* robe was aeither more nor less than a torn Amer- ican ensign. In spite of his growls and croaks, I walked past him into the hut. where tliere was a whole lot of marlin- spikes, keys, and such like odds and ends, carefully stored up in a bag. marked with the same name, besides a stewpan with some ostrich feathers sttick where the handle had been, as if this rascally black sinner wore it on his head on state occasions, being prob- ably the head man and n justice of the peace. What struck me most, though, was a pocket-book with a letter inside it, in a woman's hand, addressed to the master of the brigg M.irtha Cobb, dated a dozen years before, yellow and fusty, and with tarry finger m.irks on it, rs THE (IREEN HANM). •03 if thpi |K>or Hkl|»|)4>r, (}o«l knowx, had r<>are«>K(> lu'tuixt tliero and Hom- ton. I pnt it in^ Miy jH^-kot, with a iUFHe to th*' ohi lilick dovil. bh hf crtNiktMl out and f<*II on hin fao«> trying to Wtc mo with hiH HI«mI t«M»th whi'n I |ia!^ro«H «'oii]d Ih>, unl<>sH tiioy w«'ro dorlKint; alMnit the river Hhor«> to watch tlie lutliaman— little «'hanee as there wnn of their trj'injf the Name joke with the Serini;a|Htlnni as Avitii the Martha (.'obb. Ah for tho women, however, I had scare»> joinuil onr party RoinK out when we met a half-naknl hlac-k hay with a Imiieh of (tN-oiiiinlH and hr.sk. The mo- ment rthe Haw tiH she jrave a wpieal like an old hen and fHl ilat, wiiile Heveral yutinuer onen, joiruinur alonir with th'-ir naked hlaek ])ica ninnies on th4>ir lN<(■k^<. innied tail and were off with .'i Hcream Next minute we were almost as stjirtled ;is thej ('(mid be. when three plump, youiij: jetty danwln dropped rinht down into the biiHhes alonjrHi(le of us, off as •nauy tall cnshions which they'd Ik'cii c'.indtinu by a band round them, for t.h" nutH. " Mercy on uh I" said the eldi-st of our lady pasHenjrers ; ami it ytrn* ra- ther (pi(M>r. since they had nothiuK cartli- ly upon tliom save very, very short pet — 1 let: your )>ardon, ma'am, but 1 didn't know any I'^her word. However. 'i.f tiny scampered for the wixkI, Simm and one of the cadets hard after them. ,ind we turning away to siimther (Mir lauRhtwr. esih-cially as the trrittin '>:id forgot his mother beinjr Avith us. The middy being first started, lie was a ),'o

ot in the notion of Their finisliing liiiu in right earnest. The \ '.aok damsels ran off together as the \inlucky reefer pick«Hl himself up, com- ing to us with his hair rubbed up like a brush, his cap out of shai>o in his luiml, and the gold band off it, his nnl face shining, and all the gilt anchor buttons off his jacket, besides being minus his dirk '* Simm ! Sinm ! my fine fellow I" cri(Hl his frieiid the* cadet, like to die with laughing, " what— what— did they do to you ? Why, your head looks like a chuuney-sweop's mop !" Simm knocked his cap against a tree to set it right, without a word, and M'e foUcnved the others to the boat, where he swore, however, that he'd kissed 'em all three ; at which. .Mrx. AtkitiN fairly look him a slap oji the side «»f ih(> IkmkI, saying he wax a na^ty, improper lN>y, and she wrh gl.id his p(i(/r moliier coiddn't h«>4' him run after creaturort of tbiit kind in Afri- can wo(nIh. ".Natives. inde(Hl !" said she. "I have heard so i»ft<>n of native miMb^ty, t«io, in Ixtdks ; but, after all, them's no- thing like experience, 1 think. Sir Char- lew '/■• "Cert^iinly not, ma'am," n>plicd the indge, humoring her, as she hadn't often hud the chance of si>eaking to him be- fore ; " 'tis aloKHt as bud in India, though, you know I" "Oh, there. Sir Clwrles." said the lady, '■ I never happt>ni-il to gn out, of course, cycept in the carriiige I" " \y," said the Ju'Ikc, ( odly. "you slnudd try an (>lephant s(»metimeH. Mi:i am. After this, (III iretting a with a glass fresh tis, ^v•e as Sir ('liarli-s was bent shot at sooietliing better, or two of Madeira to re- pulle(l farther up the small river, passing tin mouth of a deep, marshy inlet, where I noticed a few long canoes iiejonging to the Congo vil- lage we had seen— th(« close, heavy heat of the wwth topping n|) around us as Hat as before — when the sound of a loud nish of water up stream broke upon us through the bush to north- ward, tlu' surface rippling, and a slight cool breath Heeming to flutter across it now and then, the ver>- noi.se putting fre»*li sold into you. Suddenly we (►IK'Ued (Uit on a broad ImmkI where it w:is hard work to force her round, and t!ie next moment a low fall wan gleiam- iii>.' l»ef(U'e us, where a hill ntream came washing and plashing over on(« wide rocky step nbove anotluT in the tum, then sweeiiing out of a deep pool t-o both hands, and running away ahead, in be- twtH'U the si)n»ad of trees, scH»mingl.v to a sort of lag^xm. where yoti saw the light in the middle glancing bright down upon it,s face. A broad blue burst of air and light slrnck down along the hollow the stream rushed out of. off the roots of a regular mountain leaning back to the sky, with its big tufted knolls and its shady rifts thrown out blue beyond (Uie or two thick, scaly-stemmed (late- trees, waving their long, feathery, fringe- like leaves to the least bit of a breeze, on as many rough imints near at hand. The whole shai>e of the mountain you couldn't see for the huge mahogany trees, teak and African oak. rising up over one shoulder into a lump of green forest. In five minutes nmre we were through into the lagoon, which very jws- sibly took amund into the main river again, only the opposite end, to our sur- prise, was all afloat with logs of big timber cihoking it up. so that there we must stick, or go back upon our wake. I * Jl' 104 THE GREEN HAND. o However, the Insoon itself beins brond enough Hiul round eniouKb in all con- science, with p deep hollow opening up <-\\t of it on tCd hijjh {ground, the juots, which I set to the sct^re of the timbei"ers rolling down their logs for some craft that evidently got their car- goes hereaway. After all, the t.houghr of a slap at some wild game was tempting (Miougb. the judge appearing to consider anyone but a sportsman no- body at all ; so up we went behind him out of the gtdly, till w^e were nil blowiutr like so many porpoises on the head of it. Sir Charles raised his finger as wo peeped across a grassy slope right nnder us, wiiere a whole drove of small, slen- der-legged antelopes were feeding. Wc had just time to lest, getting a breath of rir cflF the heights, when one of the foi*emost lifted its head, listening the opposite way from us ; r.ext moment the entire scnrtor of them came sweepdng direct over to leeward in a string. We could almost catch their bright black ejes through the grass, when the crack of our seven barrels turned them bolt oft at a •,'orner, and they were gone likf wind on water. All of us had missei! save Sir Charles Hyde, but hi« rifle bul- let had sent one of the antelopes spring- ing up in the air ten feet or so, roUintr over ami over into the grass again, wherut we found it lying with its tongue out, and its large eye glazint' imong the blades and dust, a pair of huge turkey-buzzards falling, as it were out of twi> specks in the sun above us already, and rising with nn ugly flaji while we got around the dead creature. " Hulloo I" crie«l the nnddy, lookin;: b;»ck toward the hollow we'd come out of ; '• what's that '/" From where we stooil we eould just see through the wild cane to the mouth of the 1,'ully. half a mile down on more, leading up the trees by the lagoon. 1 iliought 1 could hear a dull, heavy sound now and the,n going thump, thump, down the hollow and along it. the stones rumb- ling fr(vm one spot to another at the foot of the hill : but noticing a light smoke rising farther into the cour.se of the creek, with a faint echo of axes at work .somewiiei-e in the woods below. I wasn't Sony to find the timberers were still in the river, showing we weren't the only civilized folks that thought it fit to visit. Perhaps it miglit have been a quarter of an houi- more, however, a,nd we were all looking out sharp for birds of any kind to poji at, hapiJening to turn my head, 1 saw the long i-eeds were moving abont the banks below, and the trees twistinj.' about furiously ; and no sooner had 1 made a few paces than, good Heaven ! right in the break of thv? trees at the landing place there was a huge lyute of some sort coming .slowiy up out of thf water ; then another, and another, glis tening wet in the bright light as th> shadow of the branches slipped beliiml them. A blindness came over my eyes, and I scarce had time to make out tho big. blocklike heads and movini: trmiks . The big beasts were turniiur quietly off into the hollow, and two or three of their calves trotted after them out of th^ bushes, munching the youm: cane stalks as they lifted their pillars ol legs, and their tufty little tails, when I passed a hrc of stick blazing inider :i slab of iMck, with the judge's guinea fowl i)lucked and roasting before it from a string, the bowman's tarpauHn and hi> pipe lying near by — a sight that doubled the hori-or in me, to know he had left the b(«it at all, and no doubt, as 1 thought, takeji fright and run off, man- o'-war's man though he was. I made three springs over the stones down to the water, terrified to look in. heariuu as I did splash and wash about the sides THE GREEN HAND. los theiii Itolt Kone likf had inisstMl is riflp hul- jpes sprinjr- so, rollintr iss affaiii. with its re glazin;.' a pair of as it were. [1 above us URly fliiii i\ fT^'Htnrc. ly, looking 1 oome oil I oould jnsr the iiiontli II on more, laRTOon. I leavy aoxnid luinp. down tones ruinh- ber at tht- ng a li(,'hi ? course of of axes ill Kxls below. ■ tinibereis owing we folks that Vrhaps it of an hour all lookin^^ :ind to pop ?ad, 1 saw abont tho twistiiij.' Hier had 1 Heaven ! at the le lyute of out of thi' other, glis as th- jed beliiml over my to maki" nd moviiiu frican elc shed upoii peed down >re turniuir nd two or ifter them the youim pillars of s. wJien 1 : under m s guinen ire it from in and hi> [»t doubled had left >t, as 1 off, man- I made down to 1, heariiif.' the sidos tip among the leaves of the trees ; while ^'1 couple of monstrous brutes were to be siHvi by the light in the midst of it, .»nt, then an- other scream from the brute, and away he was charging into the hollow again, the flame licking up among the grass astern of him, and darting from one boufdi from another towards the cane- break below. I had scarce drawn a long breath, and remembered the devil's own thought that had come into my head, when the judge called to me, ere he slapped me on the shoulder. "You did nobly there, my dear boy," said Sir Charles: "managed it well! Gad. it was a crisis, though, Mr. Westwood!" "I'm afraid, however, sir," said 1, eyeing the crackling bushes, smoking and whitening to a dea do already'.' ed. and ho malice, as I >gan to walk t below, f the thine alking in the four or five huffling lazily ahead up the ft blew pretty then a faint ; was leaning stening tot ho m I saw me )m the bow- where it ran ith scarce a id flying jib- came up nd said ho queer off tho 'go and toll low's Viiioo. twang in it. watch. 1 persisteil. 1 1 are— asking i you'd niako mates! It's added ho. of the man- up the bow- the foot-rope I heard his f. my man." nd back hP niclhing onr- but I waiitod lad just geen the matter with me, except that I lay on my back upon something or other softer than the planks. my head aching like to split, and so stu- pid. I couldn't take the trouble to choose among tlie strange notions that canu> orpeping over me. 'Twa.s pitch dark. too. and choking hot. The sole wish I had was for a drop of water: btit there 1 stuck in the same helpless plight, more Hko a nightmare than aught else; and as for time, if it went by what I felt, why, I might have lain, then and before, long enough for one of the Seven Sleep- ors. First one fancy, and then an- other, came l(X>ming up from over ray brain like a sail on the horizon, till my hoad was full of it. That ugly rascal's story got hold of me, and I thought I was stowed away below in some abom- inable slaver; then I was the sick cap- tain, lying in my cot dreaming, with all as still and dark as death. As my wits cleared, however, I began to hear plenty of bounds, as it were, buzzing and rust ling and booming in my very eirs, then far awa.v again. Confueed though I was, a horrid idea ftruck me as I tried to listen — that Finch and his underiitrapper had put me ashore in the woo-is, or hand- ed me over to some of these vili.'^.inouB blacks with their filed teeth; and the Ser- ingapatam must be gone, heaven knew how long! Suddenly, as if to clinch my notion, I started foi a mom.mt Jit the- loud cry of a bell-bird, as I thought at first; but, the next instant, a sort of thick crust seemed to clear off ray hearing, and I knew it was "two bells" going on deck, so thai I was still on board; after which a regular bustle got up of a sudden over- head. I heard people running up the nearest ladder from below; cadets slunut- ing and clattering apparently with mus- kets and cutlasses: the creak of the davit- blocks letting down the boats, and the chief officer's voice alongside. What with • my broken head, though, and the want of air and water, I felt too sick to give them a thought. It wasn't long, either, before the whole Indiaman seemtni to be .as quiet as a church, except one heavy pair of feet on the quarter-deck above; thtMi that stopped as well, and I heard nothing but the dull sound of the tide through her thick outer timbers, gurgling uj) and pop- pling along, like to make me mad for thirst. I put up my hand to my head, and found my hair on one side all sticky, and covered Avith cockroaches: but though the very touch of their bristly feelers raade my blooetter. It was Violet Hyde's — low (Plough, but so clear at times that it seemed to come into the dark where I lay half senseless, and after ward I could even call back some of the very words; then it came to a stand, and 1 heard her two or three times apparent- ly answering some one I couldn't hear. All at once the missionary struck up the first note of a psalm tun<'. and her lovely voice slid into it, till there was nothing in the whole ship, .'is it were, but that- singing the old Evening Hymn— nh)ne. Such music, I thought, never was on sea or land, when down from some «)pening above, out of heaven you raiulit have fancied, fell a chorus like the sounds of angels and f^herubs joining iu nt the end, once and again; catching up the air out of her sweet tongue, and drowning it io8 THE GREEN HAND. |53D in H way to ravish one's soul, till it sank liito a hush in which you could hear the miKMiouury*M voice rise, as he prayvtl aloud, over the whispers of the ladies and children stealing away frpm around tin? skyliKht— with the tilighr. creak cf the rudder now and then in its ca«e ahaft, and the tide bumping and tapping out- side, from the deadwood at her counter to the hollow planking amidships. As for me, at first blui^h 1 thought it all part of my queer visions, till somehow or other I began to revive a bit, and felt for the door of the place they had boxed mo into. However, it was fast enough; and as soon as I tried to stand upright. s<»mething over my head gave me a shove down again — it being evidc^ntly one of the steward's storerooms abaft of the cuddy, f (dl of bags and suirh like lumber, whoi-e the best I could do was to stretch myself on the heap of old canvas again, groaning from sheer weakness and desperation. .Tust then I heard a light step coming close past the door, out of the large cabin, and I gave another groan. A dr^ss rustled, and a foot started to the other side of the passage. "For God's sake, open the door!'' said 1, in a faint voice. "What — who — is there?" exclaimed Miss Hyde, anxiously; but my mouth was so dry 1 couldn't answer her. Next moment she was trying the handle, though to no purpose; for a little after I caught the sound of her footstep hastening off, and once more my senses left me. It couldn't have been more than a minute or two, however, for I heard the mission- ary's voice still praying beside Capt. Wil- liamson's cot, when a gush of air sudden- ly revived me, and I sat up winking nt a glare of light,in which Violet Hyde's face seemed to be hovering brighter than the lamp she had in her two hands, as she stood and gazed at me between wonder and dismay; w^hile the steward held the door only half open behind her, peeping in at me with one eye like a feUow watch- in:; a hyena in a cage. "Miss! — miss!" said he, trying to shove the door to again, "take care — he's a pirate, mam, he is! The chief officer 'U blow me up for it, your ladyship!" "Mr. Wcstwood!'" exclaimed she, push- ing it wide in spite of him, "what — what is this? — you are all over blood, Mr. West- wlt. so rou- y was not ci'iito od; whettun* I p my jin too taut 1 on my lioiid. or o*^her — 8o 1 sup- 1 rather asiiamcl. ppear»>d to norioc, ht*r faoo us shr idy. and slippei! le foldinK-doors. ively, holding up e out again iind nple of densmtcrs l!apt. Williainsoii amoved there this ler of water after roung lady watch- irer, I had scarce len my own ideas 1 as my t»ugue, to : of what had hap- and her voice fal- ■n — then you must all day. Oh, how too! Oh, what a Jtually— " lat day is it, then, g," answered she ow or other in her hat I happened to -what a dreadful got, Mr. West- 'Something niu«t ng creature liosi- for the first time, lan't help thinking an angel would idiculous figure I powdered biscuit lair, and the cock- worthy friend's the foremast liad that the bleeding I hardly know live minutes after, the planks of the charming girl her- th a basin in one le other, the miis- up off her two le began to wash the place. I ite, however. To loiling themselves such a fellow a« _ie shiver all over; ri, carrying away of my coat, and water down my back at every wriggle, while my lovely sick-nurse stoiod with one pretty little wTist out, betwixt alarm lest she had hurt me, and surprise at my life-like cou- ilition. After giving my face a wipe, however, and swallowing a glass or two .)f wine, with some of the biscuit I had knocked down, I feli wonderfully well, I'xccpt for an ache at the top of my head. The next thing that occurred to me, of course, was to have my friend th^ mate made aware of his mistake: but as for the curious quietness of the Indianinn at that hour, even of a Sunday evening, I couldn't understand it, and I looked for ;i cap to go on deck with immediately. Tlio young lady seemed t» be looking up the after-hatchway, and listening. I thought, and the lady passengers could 1 e lioar(l talking abotit the jtoop; but when Violet Hyde turned round, and our eyes iu<'t again, I caught an anxious expression in iliera that pr.zzled me. "Do yen think it will be long before we shall hear them?" said she, next mo- ment. "Who?— whom?" asked I, hastily. "Oh!" said she, starting, "you could not have known they had gone, Afr. Westwood! Tell me, Mr. Westwood." <;iid she, coming nearer to me, putting her hand lightly on my arm, and glancing into my face — "tell me, did you not know that that vessel was in the river?" "Vessel, Miss Hyde?" I said, looking at her steadily in turn. "It's all one riddle to me; what vessel ilo you mean, madam?" "The — the pirate!" exclatinetl she. Iirenthlessly, rnd turning toward tht> hatchway again, while I stool eyeing hcv stupidly, all abroad, so to >jpeak. "l''or heaven's sake, toll me what you mean, Mis? Hyde!" said I, putting my band to my head. "Ah, but you look so white; you are not well yet, sir!" said she, softly. "To think how all the passengers were amused, and even papa too, when they heard this morning of your being arrest- ed as a— a— But nobody could know you were so hurt, Mr. Westwood! Then when some of the sailors came back, and said they had seen the French ship in dis- i,'uisf, — ■' "By Jupiter! the brig they meant!" I broke out. "Then, good heavens! they must have painted her lead-color, and turned her back into a schooner! That was she, for a thousand!" "And you know yesterday morning. sir," continued the young lady, "you told me you knew our friends were there, in- stead of being lost, as we thought!" "Yes, yes," said I, "there must be some bad scheme at the bottom; but by morn- ins we'll have a slap at them for certain. For my part, I feel—" "Why,^' said Miss Hyde, turning anx- iously to me, "almost everybody in the ship has gone already. When the truth was tliscovered, there was such a confu- sion among the gentU«men and the otticers that they could not think of anything eifee; and as soon as the sun had set, they all cro\vde change from the cIof<«iiess below to the declc seemed to make quite a new man of nu> in an instant. I jumped on the nearest oarronade slide, and looked round to ^ee how the land lay, which at first aatis dilli- cult enough to do. They had got the Indioman fair atloat again, I found, a little more off the shore, and further down, the starboard gun I stood upon being, as I guesfsed by the shape of the trees, about opposite the mud fort, which Finch had probably been preparing at as he threatened, since the port was open, and two or Uiree shot lying in the scup- pers beside It. Twas somewhere nigh- hand eight o'clock of the evening, I think, ind quite black on the neareist bank— you couldn't: even make out the top of the woods against the sky— but another cable length would hav'3 served to op^n the lower ir no THE GREEN HAND. lil — reach of th«> river, wLert* it c.ime briiu- minjf up full round the poiut with the night How, sendi.ijBT a lionting sort of a irliminer aloni; in the dusk nvor agr'iiin^t us. One could nven pitch upon ;i line where it ran sid.> by sidi' witL thi? heavy shadow that took :n the t^hip, goini; across to the swampy-.'ookin;? shor.- of our lar- board side, and blackTjiinjr away up stream, while the dim bubbles and I'ddies swept out of one into the other [ ctnild just catch the low deep roar of the sea more than a mile off, muffled by the trees iiad the manprovts on both sides between jt and us; and the tide having come ulmost to a standstill, you beard the rippL? .-lUaiusL her bows get gii.llei and gentler, with a Aveak spla-sih here and there in the dark anions the grass and seilg* along- shore, which se«,'med to wake up a chirp- ing mutter in the ousheis, xnd at tim.^s you'd have thought something oane wad- ing out from the edge: till in a few min- utes both river «ind forest had sunk, as it were, into a aleep. The quieter they got. however, the more uneasy T began to feol at the state I saw things in upoii deck. Absolutely not a >!Oul v.-.ts to \w seen from wheel to bowspi'it. except one man walk- ing back and forward by himself on the forecastle, and giving a look now and then carefully enoug'h ovei at th«! cable; Mr. Brown being on the poop wish his family and the knot of !adieAni over his two hands, uider the lanip near the captain's cot, to listen to the missionary, as he sat gravely whispering and looking at him ihroiigli his spectacles. I'or my part, I b-idri't a doubt that tJn^ tlie water glistened amon^ the dark wct mangrove stems, or some oily swell lu-ar the edge went lipping in with the gleam of a star lengtlunied upon it. Hot aiui close though the nighit still was, while tiic rank smell of the mud oame at times into your nostrils from one side, and of grow- ing leaves from the other, yet it a\,is pleasant enough after being shut up tor ever so many hours hi a dark hole below. Neither did I think there was any fi-Mi- of trouble from the natives while tliis lastetl; but th« haze that seemed to hi- oozing out over the mass of woods, with now and then a cool breath of air fro-n up river, showed what a fog we might t'x- peel as soon af the frogs, whicn seemed to get up as ow listened; then again I cruld make out ihc hoiiow uooming of the African tree-drum, with a chorus of horns and snvago-Iikc shouts, api)arently filling up every hrc.ik in the hum that rose off the ground-fiir enough away, however, to tsatis^'y rne tlu' blacks were only making merry bofort> tuining in. As for Tom "Wesrworxl. lie had plainly gone wth the boats, clerical though he was, which didn't go to set my mind greatly at rest, knowing him to be one of your slap-dash fellows wht-u roused; and either way, it couldn't do much good to a man hailing for a parson to be particularly active on joat servi(;i'. But you may easily conceive what a pitch one's anxiety for the apshot rose to at every wliispsr and hush of the woods. and every glimmer of the water fir astern, where the upper reach could just be seen brimming pale out of the shadov,- against a thick fringe of misty cane clumps topped with tall psilms and cocoas, their stems wiavering in the thin haxo, and their dark crown* seemingly flo.Uiiis oft above it like heads coming away from the bodies, as the heavy blue laui fog began to gather like smoke away be- hind. The flow of tide having of course set the Indiamau's stern up stream, tlie ladies on the poop could be seen cluster- ed across the taffrail, with the careful married gentleman in the middlt.' of them rcore dignified than ordinary, Jimi they f" ' and all sti-aiued their e.ves into the dusk before them. One of the laoa came down the poop stairs behind me. and, turning. I saw to my surprise that it was Jacobs, he being still more aston- ished to see me on deck. I soon found, to my great relief too, that what with the anchor watch and some lads th^ri' were still seven or eight of the ort-w aboard, whom I advised him to got oa deck, and make them keep a bri^'ht look-out — mof' especially as he was one of the boatswain's mates and had charge of the watch at the moment; for, to tci! the tr niJre r from t the Fi pirate, for sto punionf no dou "Ay, voice, hitch u Black . on her for wa •Wha it that then?" "Wei gather, th<'y fel was in the briji two goi or two c sir, com they'd i none on sengers •'Did were pii ioiisly t of I di( creep on to eye tl the atari of Lazy "Why, "he's a ter, if i him say, liammocl erways; mind niii boat bui Leftenan seeing I "it's my of a pi nor half o' joininj 'em did hand spi this here oontinued iny fancy since we ^ "Jacobs "get evei «nce, wil can find; then bear sdes fore of some liave gra] Hurrie<3 thing. A <^. too, J light as 1 be after, doubt, foi by accid* THE GREEN HAND. Ill lie. to wh'^r.» he dark Nvt>t y swell near ;h tho ^leain t. Hot .mil as, while the at times into md of jjrow- yet it Av.is shut \\p 1t)r k hole below. ras any fi';ir 3 while this eemed to Im- woods, with . of air friiii we might ex- ind began to Sometimes 1 the distaii'i' > croakins '»f fot up as (iiie make out ilic fii. liee-dnini, d snvago-liki' ► every hnMk ^ j»round— fiir tttis^'y ine tile movry before Vesrwooming away ivy blue laui oke away be- of course set stream, the seen cluster- che careful middle of ordinary, ami leir eyes into of the men behind me, surpnse that more astoii- . soon found, ,t what with lads tU'^re of the orew im to get on >ep a bri^'ht he was one d had charge ; for, to till the truth, seriously speaking, 1 had nijre real fear all along of some attack from the negroes and Don Jose than of the French craft they would fancy a pirate, whatever might be her icason for stowing away RoUock and his com- panions, although I told Jacobs I had no doubt now but it was actually she. "Ay, ay, sir," said Jacobs in a low voice, giving his trousers an uneasy hitch up; "not a doubt of it, Mr. Colliii.s. Black Harry and his mates clapped eyes on her this forenoon, when they went up for water— so they said, anyway." •What, Bob?" said I, startiuij, "was it that scoundrel? Did they not see her then?" "Well, sir," replied Jacobs, "as I gather, 'twas rather one of her boats they fell ath'art of. Yoti'll mind Harrj' was in the cutter that time you boarded the brig at sea, Mr. Collins, a wcdi or t^vo gone, so, you see, he knowed one or two o' the crew at once; and in course, sir, comin' across one another hereaway, they'd make shift to have a talk, but none on 'em ever guessed about our pas- sengers bein' aboard of her till—'' •'Did the fellow himself think they were pirates, then?" asked I, more anx- iously tlian before, a shivering dread of I did not know what beginning to creep on rae, as T turned suddenly round to eye the river glooming away iip from the starlight through into the blue heaps of hazy forest. •'Why, sir," answered Jacobs, hastily, "he's .a desperate sort, is that 'ere Fos- ter, if it was ownly what I've heard him say, swinging sound asleep in his hammock. T ■wouldn't tell as much oth- erways; but I tell ye what it is, sir, my mind misgived me o' this here overnight boat business! It's ray sober notion, Lef tenant Collins," gravely added he, seeing I still looked anxiously to him — "it's my notion, if that craft's aught of a pirate, Harry Foster and more nor half of his watch 'ud think no more o' joining her on a chance than one on 'em did o* taking you that clip with a hand spike this morning, sir. As for this here brig, Master Ned, your honor," continued he, "what did she do, but, to my fancy, she's keeped a eye on us ever since we first fell foul of her."' "Jacobs! Jacobs!" I broke out directly, ''get every hand up on the fo'ksle at once, with every thing like arms yon can find; for God's sake, look sharp, and then bear a hand here to have the carron- ades fore and aft run in, and stuffed full of some old iron or other, as we can't liave grape." Hurried as it was, I saw the whole thing. A regular deep-laid plot it seem- ed, too, and the first time I had seen light as to what the strange brig could be after. Here had she dodged us, no doubt, for weeks; got hold of our friends by accident, whidi would give her a clew how to find us any where during the rest of the voyage, as we were too strong-handed for her then. 'Twas very likely they thought we should suspect something, and follow wherever (:hey could manage to lure the Indiamaii, or else possibly they had run into the river the very same day we did, and perhaps seen us out of the haze which hid the land from us that morning; and now, if they had studied it for years, they could ntJt have contrived a cleverer trap tliar this that Finch and the passengers had run their heads into, with more than a dozen mutinous dogs at least in their company. A prize like an East India- man was worth taking trouble about, of course, while such villains as Foster und his messmates, I knew, would fancy a Bengal nabob carriell you what it is, Jacolw," I addet be f:oinir 'ii y 1 few ffi r thvj serviiiii t hand iilMUit back on in". kind of hnsli I to bowiM T of her dress. the notion ite, were tlic of the boiits' the Indiiuu'iii knows v.li' re of defendiiij; me wild ■wiili f I had 111" almost Ini'.i;- es, osi)»H'i;illy to wait till he could lit to find v;s lind thiit Mr. ssionary ton, soon as tln'y trip, I hoard ;he poop stair ing and tine- low, SWl'Ot ^red, giiU'ii'S on see nny- le T»^t." sail! ious they aiJ hands clasp- falliu!; half alder— "oil. if dshod at this fearfully s it possible longer, .«ir? ey were not seriously, as to speak, "I ly own niiail 8 sakei" t'X- ly at me. "You mustn't suppose all pirates to lie bloody, murdering ruffians, Miss Hyde," said I, hastily. "There's one man be- longing to that craft yonder, I'm sure, if he saw — if he stoml where I stand just now, so near an angel—" The young Indy shrunk back with a startleti look; but I wasn't master of my- self longer, and out I broke, "For God's sake, forgive me. but I— I'd serve you like a slave — dearest Miss Hyde. I'll stand up to the last drop of my blood be- fore-" "Mr. Westwood!" was the answer, banging betwixt surprise and terror. But I burst out with, "Confouud Ihnt name! My name is not VV'oslwood, madam; I'm no relation at all to that ^'entleman in India. I never said so, but your father mistook — " "Who then— what are you— what de- sign have you'/" was her broken (jues- tion; and she put one hand on the bul- warks as if for support, looking round from me to the woods, the river, and back to the ship and me again, so pale and terrified like that I could have curs- ed myself for my stupidity. "Good heaven. Miss Hyde!" said I, lowering my voice, "I do believe you take me for one of the stranger's crew '^" "No— no!" faltered Violet. "I— I- But the suspicions I heard to-day— you— you frightened me, sir!" "Surely," said 1, ready to kneel at her feet, "you must have known the truth of the matter, Miss Hyd?. Why, here have 1 coTne afloat at a day's warn- ing, bound for the JUast Indies, and all because 1 saw you at the garden door! Oh, for kindness' sake. Miss Hyde, par- don my boldness, but I couldn't let slip the only chance of telling you! it took lue unawares, in fact. I'm not such a fool as to fancy that such 'a fellow as I can have the least hope in the world; but— but— " She stood quite still, not uttering a word, with her face turned from me; but I could notice the color was all come back to her cheek, and saw the shining falls of her loose hair heaving on the bosom of her white muslin dress, as it rose and fell gently. I leaned over the bulwarks and ventured to look half lound; when, oh, heaven! how 8t depth, with every line running distinct to its place across knots of stars, and single bright ones piercing sharp through the black squares of the shrouds; while all pound from her it widened away, glittering and seething with light-*, that brought the woods looming out logger and blacker along the nearest shore, making the dirty brown river look dir- tier and drearier than before, as the steam spread orer the close mangrove bank on ihe other side, and began to creep low out upon the water like fleeces of W(H>1; with the stars here and there sparkling from the far horizon through the straggling fringe of cocoas beyond, and the huge bloatetl baobabs that twist- ed up out of the tall guinea gross, as if their roots were in the air. The next glance I caught from Violet Hyde show- ed nothing but the distress she v»"as in; and I walked forward to hail .F.Tcobs on the foreto'-gallant yard, asking if he saw the signal yet. "No. no, sir!" answered he; "noc a sign on it up to this time." So back again I went, gloomy enough myself, but trying to keep up my coun- tenance, and saying I was sure we would see the boats come down with the tide when it turned. "Have you noticed the .stars aloft. Miss Hyde?" said I, in a cheerful way, to take off her thoughts till the upshot came; "they never saw thesa in lilurope, nor a night like this." « She looked up, and for a moment or two the soft blue dark of the hollow seemed to sweep round both of us, catch- ing you up into it; the Milky Wjy full- ing over to westward, like a track f s(ern of the great star ship down in tho south; and Orion's figure to be made out over- head, with the belt about him, stn^tching off W3st out of the Milky V.'^iiy--the Serpent streaming far up to his foot; then Magellan's two shining bits of cloud, and the dim one seaward. There were patches to be seen blacker than ink too, where you seemed to look through the sky, Avhile every now and then a meteor shot far across it .and fell, leaving a trail like a silver thread. 'Twas terrible, though, to see up into it. far away as they stood, and as steady as if we weren't there, when heaven only knew what might come down the river next half hour. I felt her shoulder touch me as she leaned back — the starlight glistening in her blue eyes, and nothing but it between her lovely young face and the stars— and I don't know how,. I r 114 THE GREEN HAND. O but it uupcurs to m^ I thought during tbut hnlf iiiiiiuto n.s I inver uiouglit ht'- fore, aiui us if 1 lookcl off thd other 8i(Ju of the world for th.- first tluie; yet you couldn't exiiect a l.'llc^w'a lirai:i to breed Hueh notions in u nierebuntnniu'H forecastle, or a frigate's .stt'erage »>r gun rcMMu, as it did Ijesidi- an Indiauum's bulwarlis, entering for :i nioui»mt or two into tlie very fn'lings of a fremure lllvu the judge's ibiughter, when lier warm breatli almost lighted on his cheek. Next iiunut« I noticed over my shouhl- er, low down in the deep blue swell of the south, where the five bright stars of the SouthO'rn Cross were gleaming nearly upright over tl>e top of a eoooa lump on the opposite bank, foi* all the world like some diamond oi-namunt ; and I iwinteil it out to her, though I knew by th*' bearings of it how far the night was gone toward the middle. Its top and bottom stars flashed out of the pure face of heaven like jewels, each fit to buy the Great Mogul ten times over. The dark fringes of her two eyes showed brown over the light in thom, while they looked like tlie hearts iu violet fiowei-s. as she turned. " At sea," said I, " we mids used to know by it wheii eight bells would come, to let us go below and turn in. Soon after you lose sight of the pole star you rise the Southern Cross, and the men had a notion it was a brooch the A'irgiu Mary lost from her breast in the day- light when she went up to Heaven. 'Twas her sou gave it her, they fancied, but 'twas always to be found in the dark, though meanwliile 'tis a sign to the Flying Ihitchman, ns he tries to weather the cape, that he'll be forgiven at the day of judgment : so that's the reason it has the power of showing what's o'o^pck until then, and why the capo is the Cape of Good Hope." " Yes, yes," said she ; " in Paul and Virginia, I reimember, when they were so unwilling to part, it — " But she stopped witli a blush, as her eyes met mine, and we were both so confussd that, before I knew, I found myself beginning to stammer out all manner of tender words, I dare say, and to wliisper her first name near her ear, she scarce seeming to mark the differ- ence ; in fact, one bewildered sort of look was all she gave me at the moment, as if she were listening more to the hum rising out of the woods than to me. Once or twice the still shine of the lamp up through the open skylight frame drew my eye to it in spite of me; it was tho omly light burning in the ship, and you .saw the gleam of it from the star- board port window of the cuddy, drawn in as it was for air, thrown on the dusky water, not many fathoms, apparently, off the jungly bann nearest the ship. I can't tell you how, but somehow or •other the appearance of it there, like a yellow break 'n the misty shadow, I>t- ting one si-e the very frotli floating ovt-r it, and the muddy tint of the river on \U edgt*— with the hubh below us in tin- t-abin— awed me jnore than aught Iw sides : and whether it was from mixing' the thing with what hapi)ened after ward, or how— perhaps the missionary moved inside— but when I noticed the gleam on tlie wat-^r quiver and darkni for a moment, then shine out again. I felt I knew it was then the caittains si>irit pusseil away. I sliitped with ;i thrill of my blood to tlie skylight, ajui saw McLeod xtill asleep, the missionary settling his siteciach's on his nose (<> read again, as if ht> had looked up too when 1 did, while the cot and bedclothi'.'; were hanging whiti- in the shad<> as !)■■- fore, except that the knt'cs were drawn up, and the head turned away. Tlir captain might Ix' dozing, though it came into my head I had heard him say In- should last till the turn of the tide ; ami, in fact, all the sick men I ever know die, uiUess thert; was something uncommon, died as th«! ebb cime on. As T steppe*! back to the young lady's aide, I could mark the Southi^m (Jross by the afti-r edge of the mainmast sparkling fairly upright above the cocoanut trees, and Orion high up northwe«t'ard seemed farther away —it was midnight. The thought flashed through me how some- thing in the sk.v could draw up a man's soul, as the shot at his hammock foot would sink his body down deep through blue water at t^ea ; but the first light plash of the ebb alongside brought me back to the case in hand, and I gave Jacobs a quiet sign to look out shai'ii aloft. " Hark !" whispered Violet Hyde, sud- der.ly, glancing sideways to me, with her ear eagtTly toward ?hore, and put- ting back her hair with one hand to lis- ten , " what is that ?" I thought at first I could see a stir along the thick aloe bushes, and make out the rustle of leaves ; but the land breeze was sighing in puffs through thtMii already, and the fog beginning to crecMi out from over the bank, as if to nu'i4 the muddy stream from tlie other side. The next miiuite I heard what siie meant, like wild cries fi"om human crt-ii- ture«. half chokefl or out of brent li. sounding along deep iu the woods ; then out it lose free in a clear chorus of sav- age screams and yells, and then seemed smothered up agtiin. 'Twas only a pack of jackals hunting from thick bush to opening, but Violet pressed closer to me as the devilish noise drew nearer the river ; and suddenly ray hand met hers. To say wliat I felt passes me, but tlie very next moment I had it fast clasped in my own, though I hadn't enough time to say what the tiling was, before the entire pack of throats seemed to break out right upon the bank a little THE CiREEN HANI). "5 iluulow, I«l- loatiiiK ovi-r rivor on it^ iiH in rill- auKtit In- 'roni uiixiiiK in«>(l nt'tiT- niissioniiiy nolit'cd till' and darkfii )Ut a>;ain, I li«? captains ip«'(l with :i |{yli]|;ht, and i lulMsioiiiiry liiH nose tn okod up too d bodclollics diadi; an ln-- WLTo drawn iway. Till' u^h it cauH' him say li<- le tide ; and, er knew dii', uncotniuon. \s T stopptil ido, I fonld »y th« aftiT rkling fairly : trees, and ird seemed light. Tile • how sonie- up a man's mmook foot leep throu;.'li e first liglit brourfit uie and I nave £ out sharp Hyde, sud- me, witli :e, and piit- hand to lls- seo a stir and make ut the land irouRh them njr to creep if to niei't otlier side. what she luman (Te:i- of breath. voods ; then orns of sav- then seemed as only .-i thick bush 3d closer to nearer the d met hers, ne, but tlie fast clasped I't enoufrh was, before seemed to ink a little lii»rhw up than the ship, barking and .veliMujf like tJio vt'i-y hounds of Satan. •' "ns inily the eJuiHc has taken to the wiitor," n»ntinuiHl I, in a low voice, as the infertiaJ uproar stoi»iM«drl was iremblliig like a leaf, and. by Jove! madam, take it as you will, the man who wouldn't hive had one arm round lier iHjfore that could have been no sail- or, that's all. '• For Citxl's sake. dear, dear Miss Hyde," whi.s|H?rei St hei- st-iward, as the branches and h'ose stuff came floiiting out with the eun-ent off a ixdnt ; the sedges and btd- riislR«s opposite to us mourning and clat- tiTing as the breeze rushwl through them, bringing the fog rolling down .*>tream. The mist wis closing overhead from both sides already. though the stars sparkleil through the middle yet, jind I knew the moon must be rising. tit to show us anything tliat came out of the upper reach. " No, no," faltered Molet. in tears, ns she slid herself <|ui<'kly out of my hold, them come i)ack ; my de-.ir. dear father, I must .-see that he is safe !" " By Heaven, though I" exclaimed I, jumping upon the carronade to look out, " those brutes are swimming after the - ma»t-bttck-.ituy to my sido ; they're ca- noes. Mir." " By the Lord, so thoy are." said I. seeing n flourish of the paddles that be- trayed them. " 'ITiey're hanging on yet. though, to catch us napping. Keep cool, Bidi. my uinn," continued I. for my spirits rose to find my fears mistaken as yet alHiut our boats. "But the ' to cut it, as sure aa fate ! Iteudjr there— don't tir« a >hot till they're eJose— no- thing but stupid nigger heatht>n« aft«* all, my lads. Quick, a couple of you," said I, " bowse up the jib at 8s moment. I had just fancied I caught the stroke of their imddles coming on ; when all at once, out of the open cabin skylight aft, rose a nound, the life of which I never heard in my life — between a yell and a cit— but the mouth of the skylight seemed to send it up higher than the mastheads, loud and long, into the slit of starlight between the foir. For a single second the marrow curdl^ in my bt on deck too thick toKuthcr. lUid Mach>cver, and quivering; into the planks ncnr me. What else the cursed wn^eheti might be doin({ 1 didn't know, but I had no sooner maniigcd to shove th<* scuttle over tho booby hatch— the second mate loading us fast as he could, and blazing awar down Into the skylight like a perfect devil, lighting up the black faces and sharp teeth cf the savages b(v low at evt-ry shot, rushing back— than I felt the Indiaiiian was broadside on to the tide and current, sweeping down to open the next reach with her jib and topsail full to the land bi^eze. 1 sprant; back to seize the whcd, near which Vio- let Hyde stootl cowering with her two hands over her eyes, when in the midst of it all you may fancy my horror to citch a glimpse .of one hideous black stealing round toward hei* in the shadow of the ix>undhouse, with a hatchet gleam- ing in one hand and the other stretched out to dutoli her. 'Twaa tlie work of a second. I made one leap, and barely caught the blow on my guustock, as he took hold of her dress ; then over he and I rolled on the deck, tirst one up- permoet, then the other, till I found his strengtli was too much for me, breath- less f.s I was. The fellow had his huge hand round my thi-oat, choking me, and ready to spring up with his hatchet in his other list — 'twas the mulatto who had been with the Portuguese — ^when I saw Violet Hyde dart foi-wnrd between me and the stars, throwing her large shawl i-ound his head and arm from be- hind him, and holding it tight, her face turned away as white as death. The mulatto looseined his grasp and jumped up, throwing her reeling back to the door ; but I was on my feet as soon as he, twisting his hatchet from his grip, and sent the edge of it with all my force clean down into his brain, through cash- mere and everything. Ere he had time to pull it off hne\\, glinunering out to a nuge fire on tli' edge, that lighted up the thi lei»ves; while a horrible noise ol trw>-druinH beating and buffalo horns blowing Heated olf to us. The wrett'hes seemed to expect we wore coming straight into them, for they waited for us. And lui wondenfor it wasn't till-Iacobs came nm- ning aft, to tell the mate and me, that. to our horror, we found the canoes hiid got the rest of the cable fastened some how or other low down to her cutwater, and were coolly towing us in by it. W'e could neither cut it nor dispose of them, as at every shot there were plenty moie to fill their places, while the helm viis only enough, to steer her, had she been free. ".Tacobs," said I, "for heaven's .snke. bear a hand with two or three of those heavy sliot in a hammock; let's sling it out to tlie flying jib-boom end, and I'll stand by to drop it fair over thcui— quick!" Tlmge of us ran out from the bowsprit with tne end of the line, swinging out: the weight and hauling it up, til) -vve were nearly over their heads in the fo.c>.'.\' gleam from the blaze ashore. The ea- ble tautened fair under us as the blacks gave a stroke ahead together with their paddles, and "Watcni" I sung cm above them, in a voice that made them huddle all three canoes in a lump, peer- ing up at "f. "Let go, my lads," whispered I; ami flown went the weight of shot full slan upon them,crashed through the gunwales, leaving no more than the bits, with the woolly heads bobbing about in tii" stream. The second mate on deck whirl- ed round the spokes of the wheel, ami her jib and topsail drawing the breeze right again, she began to stand out to- ward the middle once more. I -watobeil the glare of the fire sinking back into tlio blue fog, while the hubbub of wild cries showed they had taken the alarm, atni were pushing o!f as fast as possible in their canoes from the bank in chase. The next thing 1 saw. two or threo minutes after, Avas the flash of a lai«o gun away on our starboard quarter, flai^ng out in the mist round the stranv'e thoUKh tV..- appiirontly ihe had H" •where liii* le breo/-'. oh of tin »oi»rtl l«>\^ ■ re on tli.> hick wliii'' hlood negTDcs ng loKH ami I it blazcil the Hmoki', nkinK l)a« k idles shoiii- were alive with liKii »h* uoise a came rim- d me, that. canoes had tenetl aoiin^ it cutwattT. II by it. NN'' BBC ofthflll, plenty more helm was id she been iven's snk.', roe of thosi> ■t's sling it. Id. and 111 )ver them— he bowsprit inging out tin M«' the fopuy The ca- the blacks with thiir sung oiu made tlu'in ump, peer- ed I: and ot full Rlai> gunwalt's, bits, wiih )out in til" deck whirl- vheel, ami the breeze and out to- l watohcil aok into i ho f wild crlis larm. ami possible in chase. 1 or thii'ft of a lar;:o quarter. the stranu't^^ THE GREEN HAND. »»7 IP, 1 schooner herself, as sho came iwiflly r<»ad-leafed Manilla hat. However, tlie wreatlis of thick smoke blew curling from liiT towards us; and directly after noth- ing' was to be heard but the ripple under iiiir l)ow8, as we went surging toward the river's mouth, with the clear plash ui»on her copper coming nearer. .Jacobs and I, as well as the other hand, hung over the boom together for a little to loose the flying-Jib, then out of ]iure weariness, till 1 siiit Jacobs in to take the wheel and steer by my signals, for the Indiamau ha 'J the full force of ciu-rent and breeze astern of her, carry- ing her fast toward the bar, as I guess- «'ii; while the second mate let her yaw ilrendfully, from fear of going wrong. As for the schooner, we could make out her lights through the fog — the wind bringing us the sound of her cutwater — though probably they couldn't know wliereabouts Ave were! so I hoped she might perhaps go past us in the dark, if .she actually were in chase of the In- diamau, as I feared. However, the moment the cheep of our flying-jib hanks ell the stay was heard, as the sail was III listed, a sharp hail came along the water. "Hola!" sung out the creaking voice <>i the little French skipper, who had bamboozled me so at sea. None of us iiiiswered, and I ran down the spar to he ready for what might happen, when, "Hola! ou etes vous?" shouted he again. "Hullo! the Seringapatam, ahoy!" roar- i'l] our chief officer himself; to which no siioner had Macleod replied than we e NtHMi staggering aft to the stern ns sh>^ forged swiftly ahead. Just in onlor to call out, "MacUHxl, my old cock, comment vous jwrteavoUH ?• The little French master jumped upon the schooui'r's taflfrail, wavhig his hand |H»lltely: "J'aurai I'honneur jxmr vous conduire, en delKiuchant. Messieurs!" Hhout«Ml he; "follow de light eeu my starn!" In fact, by this time wo were alreaily in the suck of the channel, so that longer H|H>aking was out of the question, an cho boouj of the surf oould be heard wide ah»>ad of the ship. Suddenly a broad aK'.im of light off the sea struck over or starboard bow, beyond the tumbliug water upon the oar. and to starboard the rocky headland broke through the fog rolling out with the breeze: the schooner's stern lifted glimmering before our figunvhead, and we lost sight of her again till we had swept safe around the point. Five minutes more and both lu- iliaman and schooner were heaving ou the waves from the shadow of tlie high land, the dark blue swells cresting up tdl round against a bank of cloud on the horizon, and the long send of the sea to be felt once more under you — the moon rising out of the river, while a fresh breeze blew in the offing, and promised to get a good deal stronger. The schooner soon hove to, and before we could have beaten up to her, being to leeward, we saw one boat after an- other dropped astern or off the side, till the whole five could be nmde pulling for the ship; but the minute after they were alongside she filled av/ay again, standing almost right before the breeze up to northwestward. Well, you can fancy the confusion on board of us for a short time, what with questions and explainings. and what with seeing \vi.rthy old Rollock again. Ford, Winterton, the brigadier and Mrs. Bra- dy, after being parted for a number of days in such a way. The young Miss Fortescue's meeting with her mother was touching enough to witness, though of course the gentlemen had got it all over before; and. in fact, they seemed to have made pretty merry aboard the French craft, while we were fighting for dear life with those infernal Congo savages. The dead blacks on deck and below had been thrown overboard already, and thelndiaman crowding sail on her course; but I saw the judge for a minute ^' fore the roimd-house door was shut, wila his daughter sobbing on his neck; and as soon as the rest met below in the cuddy, a scene was to be found there which one doesn't easily forget: the steward lying in one doorway, dead, with his head smashed by a club; the missionary under the table, bleeding, though he was alive, and not very much hurt, after all. Nei- ther he nor Macleod could tell very well ii8 THE GREEN HAND. 1(1 — how the thiug happened, plain as it was now to me; but the strangest part of it to see, horrid as it seemed at first, was the botly of Captain Williamson. His cot had been linoclied to the deck, some of the devilish wretches had given his forehead one gash, and his breast an- other, each fit to kill a man. There was little or no blood, however: his face had a peaceful loolc on it, almost smiling, you'd have said, by comparison with the poor steward's; and as soon as his eye- lids were down, the old seaman ap- ? eared to be sleeping yet. For my part, felt as sure as if Id seen it, that when the savages struck that body, they might as well have struck at the stars we had seen over the deck. Still, when all was cleared away, and the passengers gone tired out to their berths, I couldn't turn in without a walk on the poop beside the planter, to hear sometliing from him — the ship all the time rising on the brisk seas, every stitch of canvas spread, the Afri- can coast beginning to drop in the moon- shine, and the schooner a dim speck to northwest through the long gleam on the horizon. I found, to my great sui-prise, there was no reason he could think of for the French craft's detaining them, except that the brigadier had damned Bonaparte in the brig's cabin, or else Mrs. Brady's having said she would give the world to see him just now at St. Helena; in fact, she would go through fire and water only to kiss the hand of such a great hero — such an enemy to all Saxons and tyrants, she vowed. But, in fact, they had been sitting below at the time our boat came aboard, and knew nothing about it. The French master swore to Rollock, and to the chief oflScer afterward, he had mistaken my meaning — because 1 spoke badFrench, no doubt — after which the gale came on, and they never saw the Indiaman again till to-night. As for their going into the river, and changing her rig, the little Frenchman said he found a brig's rig didn't suit a schooner's hnll. For my part, however, I didn't see how their course for the Isle of France could be northAvest. "By the bye, though," added Rollock, "Mrs. Brady made some mys- tery about the whole affair. She seemed to have a few private discourses with that strange, dark-faced passenger of theirs, who, I suspect, had more to do with the vessel than he pretended But I dare say. Collins, my Doy," said he. laughing, "she wanted to malie us think the foreigner had taken a fancy to her." As we were both going below, I said, "By the way, where is Mr. Daniel Snout? I haven't seen him yet." "Ah!" said the planter, turning round, "where is Daniel, after all? I haven't seen him, either, since we left the schoon- er's deck. No, by .Tove, sir! he really hasn't come on board, now I think of it. I recollect we were the last boat, and he wasn't in it, although he was behind me just before I got down." "What can the man mean?" said 1; and we both stood at the top of thf hatchAvay ladder, looking toward t\u' horizon at the speck of a schooner. "By jingo! Collins," exclaimed tin' planter, chuckling, "the Yankee is gour to be a pirate." PART IX. More tlian once that night, resumed Captain Collins, I woke up with a stmt at thought of our late adventures in thu river Nourics — fancying I was still wait- ing for the turn of tide to bring down the boats or the schooner, and had gone to sleep, when that horrible souuil through the cabin skylight seemed full in my ears again. However, the welter- ing wash of the water under the ship's timbers below onA's head was proof enough we woi-e well to sea; and beini: dog-tired, I turned over each time witii a new gusto — not to speak of the happy sort of feeling that ran all through me. I scarce knew why — though no doubt oiit^ might have dreamed plenty of delightful dreams without remembering them, more especially after such a perfect sev- enth heaven as I had found myself in for a moment or two when Violet Hyde's hand first touched mine, and when I carried her in after she had actually saved my life. The broad day- light through our quarter-gallery window rousee- ;h he was down." I?" said >p of jward chooner. aimed 1; th.' tllr till kee is goui t, resumed vitb a stnri tures in the B still wait- bring down id had goiii' ible soiiuil seemed ftill , the welter- er the ship's was proof ; and beiui: h time with )f the happy through me. no doubt one of delightful (ring them. perfect sev- d myself in 'hen Violet mine, anil er she had f broad day- lery window her; and on stwood hall an inch or in regular y. watchins she had the Josite beam, iretty much a breoze heel to if. en shinin;; stward over iter, showed -ood, turninu; enjoying it. i you m\\< here! Why. h us in the by the good . that that still locked icy he hiid ping in part- or heaven's , wash your earfully sus- THE GREEN HAND. 119 I gave him leaving out, young lady: is turn, se edition as I he planter. what I he- lieved all along, 'till this sudden affair in the river. The schooner's people had plainly some cue in keeping hold of our iwssongers, but hadn't expected to see u.s so soon again or perhaps at all, as was shown by their hailing the boats at out-e in a prett'ndeek, while l<'ord auok it. never once struck me: all that I nnnded a'us the wretched feeling I liad in nie. as I wished I cotihl put the Atlantic betwixt me and them all: in fact, a hunilre, seemed all at once to agree with what I'd just h"ar(l; and I'd have given tliousiiinls that moment it had b( iolly old chap, whose o%vn huge white whiskers gave him the out of a royal Bengal tiger, pointed with his thumb over his shoulder toward the round- house above, with a wink of his funny rotnd eye, that looked at you like a bird's. "What do you suppose the Frenchman to be then, sir?" asked I, gloomily. "Oh, either a madman, a spy, or some- thing worse. Just guess what be asked me suddenly one morning; why, if I weren't a distinguished savant, and wouldn't like to study the botany of some island! *No. monsieur, not at all,' "plie-ology, then ?' persisted he, with a curious gleam in his fierce black eyes; 'does the resear(>h of monsieur lie in that direction?' 'Why no,' I answered careleasly, 'I don't care a sacre about stones, or anything of the kind, indeed. Indigo is my particular line, which may be called botany, in a way; I'm perhaps prejudiced in favor of it, monsieur." The Frenchman leaned his tufted chin on his hand." continued Mr. RoUock, "meditating a bit, then glanced at me again, as if he didn't care though I were studying sea weed in the depths of the ocean rolling round us, and stalked down stairs. Then he took to Mrs. Brady acain. and lastly to the Y^ankee. whose conversations with him, I fancy, had a twang of both commerce and poli- ties." "What do you think of it all, Mr. Bol- lock?" inquired I, rather listlessly. "It didn't strike me at the time." said the planter, "but now, I just ask you, Collins, if there ain't a certain great per- sonage studying geology at present in r. certain island, not very far away. I sup- pose, where there's plenty of it. and deuced little botany, too, T imagine." To this question of the old gentleman's I gave nothing but a half stupid sort of stare, thinking as I was at the same tinio of something else I carofl more about. "By Jupiter! though," cried I. on a sudden, "instead of lieaving the ship to, I do believe w.s've set top-mast-stunsails. judging from ^he way she pitches into tin' water; there's the brig ncrring the wind a TX>int or two in ohase, too. Why, t'.ie felltw that hais charge of the deck must be mad, sir!" Next minute the fire out of one of hor bow-chasers tiaished out behind the bliu' back of a sxyeH, and the sudden thud of it came rolling rloAvn to leeward over tl.c space botwixt us, angrily, so to speak, ns the brig's fore-oonrse mounted with ;i wav<*. the sun shinins clear on the seams and reef points, till you caught sight of tlw anchor hai'ging from one bow. and the men running in her lee stunsail bootiis iipon the yard-arms. The planter and I went on deck at once, and we found n, fine breeze blowing, far out of sight of land, the Indiaman rushing ahead stately enoueh: while our youne fourth officiT api)enred to ha^e just wokf» up. and tli > watch were still rubbing their eyes as if every man had been "caulking it,' after last night's work. Even Mr. Finch, when he came hastily you like a Frenchman Dmily. [)y, or somp- xt he asked ivhy, if I ivant, and any of somi; all,' eplieund us, and took to Mrs. the Yanki'c. ira, I fancy, rce and poli- all, Mr. Rdl- stlessly. i time," snid list ask you. in great por- present in r. [iwa.v. I sup- of it, and imagine." gentleman's lUpid sort iif le game tinio )re about. led I. on ii the ship to, st-stunsails. lies into till' ng the ynm\ Why, t'.io deck must f one of hor nd the blui' Idon tbnd of ixrd over tl.c to spoMk. as ted with ;i >n the seams ght sight of e bow. nnd iinsail booms anter and I we fonnd .a of sight of head stately nnrth oflficor up. and tli^ ir eyes as if as it,' after came hastily THE GREEN HAND. 121 up, seemed rather doubtful what to do, till the salt old third mate ast^ured him the brig was a British sloop-of-war, as any one accustomed to reckoning sticks and canvas at sea could tell by this time; upon which our top-sails were clewed up, stunsails boom-ended, and the ship hove into the wind to wait for the brig. When the brig's main-yard swung aback within 50 fathoms of our weather- quarter, hailing us as sihe brought to, I had plenty to tbrnk of for my part. "There she was, as square-counteret her spars had, tall and white, with a rake in them, and every rope running clean to its place; not a spot about her hull or rig, but all English and ship-shape. to the very gather of her courses, and top-gallant sails in the lines, and the snowy hollow her two broad top-sails made for the wind, as they brought it in betwixt them to keep her steady on the spot. "His Britannic Majesty's sloop Podar- gus!" came back in exchange for our mate's answer; and though 'twas curious to me to think of meeting the unil'onii viL'ain ill five minutes, 1 saw plainl.v that tl'is was one of the nice points th?t West- wood and I might have to weather. You brig cruisers are the very ."sharpest fellows alive, so far as regards boarding a mer- chant craft; if they find the least s-mell of a rat. they'll overhaul your hold to the very dunnage about your keelson; and I knew that if they made out Westwood, they'd be sure to have me too; «o you may fancy that during the short time her boat took to drop and pull under our quar- ter I was making up my mind as to tlie course. In fact, I was resolved to leave the ship at any rate, feeling as I did after Avhat I'd heard; but while most of the Iiassengers were running about and calling below for their shoes and what not, the judge and his daughter coming out of the round-house, and I caught a single glance from her a moment a« sh ? turned to look at the brig that held me at the instant like an anchor in a strong tideway. I kept my breath as the lieu- t(Tiaut's hand laid hold of the man-rope.^ at the head of the side-ladder, expecting his first question, while he swimg himself actively on deck, looked round for a sec- ond, and followed by another, the Nvide- awake-looking young middy in the boat folding his arms, and squinting up side- ways at the ladiee with an air a.s knowing as if he'd lived 50 years in the world, in- stead of perhaps thirteen. The younger of the lieutenants took off his cap most politdy, eyeing the fair pas- sengers with as much respect as he gave cool indifference to the cadets; the other, who was a careful-hke, working first luff, said directly to Mr. Finch, "Well, sir, you seemed inclined to lead us a bit of a chase, but I don't think," added he, smil- ing from the Indiaman to the brig, "you'd have caused us much trouble, after all." Here Finch hurried out his explanation in a half-sulky way, when the naval man cut him short by saying that Capt. Wallis desired to know if we had touched at St. Helena. "May I a«k, sir," went on the officer, finding we had prefen-ed the Cape, "if you command this vessel, or Is the master not on deck— Oaptadn— Captain Wilson, I think you said?" The mate said something in a F>wer voice, and the lieutenant bared his head more respectfully than before, seeing the company's ensign, which had been low- ered half a-peak while the boat was under our side; after which Finch drew him to the capstan, telling him. as I guessed, the whole affaar of the schooner, by way of a great exploit, with hints of her being a pirate or such like. The brig's officer, however, was evidently too busy a man, and seemingly in too great a hurry to get back, for listening much to such a rigmarole, as he no doubt thought it; they had been at the cape, and were bound for St. Helena agam, where she was on the cruisers on guard; .so that what with Finch's story, and what with the crowd round the second lieutenant, all anxious to get the news, I saw it wonldn't cause Westwood and me groat pains to keep clear of notice. There were some riots in London, and three men bange^l for a boirid murd1ow vo break- fast. T saw the thing was settUnl; the mate could scarce keep in his triumph, as he eyeil me betwixt surprise rind dis- like, though rather more respectfully than before. As for Westwoo-l, he sat down with the rest, (]uite igiiorant of what had turue now where I went; whereas with We.stwootl it was but a toss up betwixt a rope and a pris- on if they sent him back to England. No fear of vny being tried in his place, of course; but if there had been, Avhy, to get away both from him and her, I'd have run the chance. There was a bit- ter sort of a pleasure even in the thought of taking one's self out of the way — to Bome puriKwe, too. if I saved ji fellow like my old school mate from n court- martial sentence, and a man far worthier to win the heivrt of such a creature than myself; while tlie Avorst of it was I was afraid I'd have to come to hate Tom West\v\)od if we had staid near each other much longer. Accordingly I no sooner heard the dip of the gig's oars comiiug alongside again than one of the stewards brought me a quiet message from Mr. Finch, that he wanted to st«i me on deck; upon which I rose off ly chair just as quietly, and walked up tin- companion. The fact was— as the fellow- could scarce have ventureav, and. "I regret to have to state, sir," said he, Wallis desires to see you aboard the brig." "Indeed, sir," ansAvered very little suri»rise, I dar "that Cap;. partiotdariy I, say. showiiR gloomy as I felt; "then the sooner the better, I suppose.'" "W'hy, yes," said the lieutenant, seem- ingly confused lest he should meet my eye, "we're anxious to make use of this breeze, you — you knoAV, sir." "Hadn't Mr. (Jollins- this i?entleman — better take his traps Avith him, Litiit. Moore?" said Finch, free and easy A\-is<'. "No, sir," said the young ofKtter, stern- ly, "we can simre time to send for them. if necessary. Of course you A\-ill keep the Indiaman in the Avind, sir, till the brig squares her mainjard." I gave Finch a single look of sheer contemirt, SAVung myself down l)y the man ropes from the gangway into tlif boat; the lieutenant followed me, and next nunute we were pulling for tlie brig's (luarter. The momeat I found myself out of the Seringapatam,)iowev(>r, my heart nigh hand failed me, inov;' es- pecially at sight of the cpiarter galleo' Avindow I had seen the light from on the smooth of the swell that first night wf got to sea. 1 even began to thiuk if there Averen't some Avay of ,^ssing my- self clear oft", Avithout hauling in Wesi- Avood; but it Avouldn't do.: Before I Av<(l knew Ave Avere on board, and th ■ lieutenant shoAving me down the after hatchAvay to the captain's cabin. The captain Avas sitting AA'ith one foot^ uiH)n the carrouade in hi? outer cabin, looking through the i>ort at the heavy Indiaman. as she sluetl about and pluii^:- ed in the blue surge, Avith all sorts of ugly ropes hanging from her boAvs, dirty pairs of trousers tOAving clear of tin' Avater Avhen she lifted, and rusty stains at her hawse holes. A stout-built, hard- featured man he was, Avith bushy black eyebroAVs and grizzled black hair and Avhiskers, not to speak of a queer, anxi- ous, uneasy look in the keen of his eyes Avhen he turned to me. llovvever. In- got half up on my coming in, and 1 saAV he was lame a little of one toot4 THE GREEN HAND. 133 ros(> off i.v liked lip tlii- s the fellow to look his aftt;r a low ras his cui^ )robably lay ) aboanl, or ildn't thrf.w second li«'n- liin a colli k, and pick- I Htood, iii- . 'ITio first ; Itrig's ofli- b II fTontl',- I regret to "that Cni)t. pai'ticuhuly I, showing' say. ffloomy he bettt'i', I Miant, secni- Id moot my use of Ibis 1 gentleman bim, Lifut. 1 '^asy vis*'. ilH(;er, atern- id for Ibem. u ■will keep sir, till the )k of sheer wn by the ay into the me, and ng for tlie T found un,hon'ovi'r, le. in or'? cs- itcr Kallf'iy "rom on the night wi' to tiiink if /assinsr mv- in Wisr- Reforo 1 d, and til" tbe after )in. til one foot uter on bill, tbe hea vy and I'lunj;- all sortu of bows, dirty ir of till' iisty stains bujlt, bard- )usby black : hair and luoer, anxi- of bis eyes owever, he in, and 1 f one foot* while he overhuuled ttc all ovvjr with his eye. "I am sorry to have to send for you in this v.ny, sir," he said, rather sur- ]irise ad- miral ordered us to see after you — him, that's to say— at the Cape, you know." "Ay, ay, sir," said I, watching the In- iliaman's poop nettings through the port over his bead as he sat down. "Pooh, pooh!" continued he, "you oon't be the man— jiist say you don't belong to the soivice — confomid it, I'll pass you'" "Why, sir," said I, "I can't exactly say that." "I hear you're WestAvood of the Ores- tes, though," said he. "Now I don't ask you to say no, sir, but everybody knew the Orestes, and I don't like the thing, I must say; so perhaps you're able to swear he is not aboard the Indin- iiian — just now, you know, sir, just now, eh?" This tack of his rather dumfounded ine, seeing the captain of the brig meant it well; but deuced unlucky kindness it A\ns, since I couldn't swear to the very thing he fancied so safe, and his glance Mas as quick as lightning, so he caught the sense of my blank look in .a mo- ment, as I fancied, at least. "The fact is. sir," added he, "tho sur- jreon told me just now he knows Lieut. Westwood well enough by sight, rfo thc-y locked him up! You see, we couid have made you out at any rate, sir; however, we'll let tbe doctor stay till Ave're dear iif the Indiaman, I think." "Then you take me for the gentleman you speak of, Capt. Wallis?" asked I. faintly; for at the same moment I could we a light-colored dross and a white ribbon fluttering on the Seringapatam's poop, the look of which sent die blood ai-ound my heart. 'TAvas hard t,o settle hetAvixt a feeling of the kind and fear for WestAVood; it struck me Capt. AVal- iis wasn't very eager in the atfalr, and 'twas on my lips to assure him I. AA-asn't the man. "Harkee," broke in he, with almost a Avink, and a smile ready to break out on his mouth, "the long and the sHiort of it is. I'll take you! We must have sonie- hody to shoAV in the case; though now I remember there was some one else .>*aid to'A'e gone off with you; but Ave Won't trouble him. If we've brought away the wrong man, why, hang it, so much the better! If you're Westwood. 1 can tell you they'll run ye up to a yard arm, sir! Much more comfortable tliiin ton yiears or so in a jail, too, as— as no OL-e knoAvs Ixitter than I do ray- self." Heire the captain's face darken- ed, his eye gleamed, and he rose A\nth a limp to ring a hand bell on the table. "Whi*:e." said he to the marine that put his head in at the door, with his hand up to it, "desire the first iientenant, from me, to send n boat aboard for this gentleman's things. I'm afraid, sir," (timtinued he gravely, to me, "you'll have to reckon ycnu-Belf under arrest : but you'll find the gentlenu^ in ^he gmi room good company, I hope, for a" day or two, till we make St. Helena." I saAv the cayitain's mind was made up, and for the life of me I didn't know AA'hat to say against it; but ;^i)enk I could not, so Avith a sUff bow and a sick sort of smile I turned out of the door, and Avalked along to the gun room, AVhich Avas empty. I could see tho boat soon after under the ship's side dipping and rising as they handed down my couple of i>ortmant<'ans to th'i man-o'- Avar's-men; tlw young reefer came down again as nimble as a monkey, with some letters in his hand, look off his cap to some ladies aboA'e, and sang out to give Avay; tivi> or six flashing feathers of the oars in the s\mlight, and they were com- ing round the brig's stern. The brig Avas. just squaring away her main yard at the Avhistle from the boatsAvaiiis mates, AA-hen the whole run of the Indiaman'a bulwarks AA-as croAvded A\'ith Uie passen- gers' and men's faces watching the brig gather away to pa.ss ahejid; 1 could hear the officers on deck hail the India mates, Avishing them a good voyage, the ladies boAving and waving tlieir handkei'-- chieft to the British union jack. Some sort of confusion seemed to get up, how- over, about the ship's taffriil, Avhere Rollock, Foixl and some others were standing together: the planter jumped up all at once on the quarter mouldings nearest the brig, then jumped doAvn again, and his straAV hat could be seen Inu'rying toAvard the quarter de<;k. Next I caught a bright glimpse of Violet Hyde's face, as the sun shot on it fiee of the aAvnings, her eyes Avandering Avith the brig's motion. I fancied, along the deck above me; suddenly she s(;emod to start, and Westwooeginning to drive ahead, wii»^^li a white foam at her bows, and her whole length broadside on to us. All .at onoc we saw her clew up courses and to'-gal- lant sails, till she was standing slowly off under the three topsails and jil». The two lieutenants couldn't understaii^l what she was about, and the captain put the glass to his eye, after which he said something to the second lieutenant* who went forward directly. The next thing X saw was the Indiaman com) /if; up in the wind again for about a minute; she had her stem nearly to us, when, the moment after, as she rose upon a long sea, you saw something flash white off her lee gangway in the simlight, that dropped against it into the hollow of -i wave. The next minute she fell off again with her topsails full, fl.m\ tlu> first shower of spray was rising across her forefoot, when the flash of .a gu;i broke out of her side, and the sonn w.as hull down on the horizon, to my fancy witli somewhat of a figure lilvc hers' when she stood with tlie Casli- more shawl over her head in the duslc. Theoi I went gloomily down to my berth, where I kepi; clcse by myself till I fell asleep, though the gun-room steward was sent more than (moe to ask me to join the officers. It wasn't till the next day, in fact, when I went on the quarter deck at noon, wearied for a fre^er gulp of air, that I saw any of them : and the breeze having fallen fighter that morning, they skipper's hammock gentlemen." said THE GREEN HAND. "5 were too busy trimming sail and humor- ing hor to give me much notice. I must say I had soldom seen a commaud- iT seem more impatin turning from his first lieutenant to me, " I'm sorry for this disagreeable business. 1 believe you deny being the person at all, though ?" *' Why, sir," said I, " I am certainly no more the first lieutenant of the Ores- tes than yourself, Capt. Wallis. "Twas all owing to a mistake of that India mate, who owed me a grudge." " Oho, I see !" replied he, beginning to Simile ; " the whole matter's as plain as a liandspikeu Mr. Aldridge ! But I couldn't do less on the information." " However, sir," put in the first lieu- tenant, " there's no doubt the real man must have been in the ship, or the- mis- take could not have happened, sir." " Well, you look at things too square- ly, Aldridge," said the captain. " All you've got to do, I hope, sir, is just to pi-ove you're not Westwood ; and if you still want to go out to the East Indies, why, I daresay you won't be long of finding some outward-bound ship or other off Jamestown. Only I'd advise you, sir, to have your case over with Sir Pulteney before Admiral Plampin oonies in. as I fear he will send you to England." '• It matters little to me, sir," I an- swered, "seeing the reason I had for go- ing out happens to be done with." Here I couldn't help the blood rising in my face, while Capt. Wallis' steady eye turned i>if me, and I he^ird him say, in a lower key to th«> first lieutenant, he didn't think it was a matter for a court- martial at all. " Pooh. Aldridge," said he. " some pretty girl among the passengers in the case, I'll wager !"' "Why," retnniod Aldridge, carelessly. "T h'_'ard Mr. Moure say some of th,e ladies were pretty enough, especially one, some Indian jud:?e or other's young daughter ; I believe he was in raptures about her, sir." This sort of thing, as you may sup- IKxse, was like touching one on the raw with a marlinespike ; when the captain asked me. partly to smooth it over, may- be, " By-the-bye, sir, Mr. Aldridge teJIs me there was something about a pirate schooner, or slaver, or some craft of tho kind that frightened your mates — that's all stnfl', I dare say — but what I want to know is, in what quarter you lost sight of her, if you recollect *r" "About nor'west by north from where we were at the time, ?ir," said I. "A fast looking craft was she ?" asked he. "A thorough-built, smooth-going clip- 126 THE GREEN HAND. 15 per, if ever there was one," I snid. At this the captaiu musctl for a little, till at last he said to his lieutenant. "They daren't risk it. 1 don't think thei-e's tlu; Frenchman born man enough to try such u tiling by water, Aldridge." '* Help him out, you mean, sir ?" saitl the lieutonaut. " Wh.v, if ever he got as ua far as the water's edge, I'd believe in witehtTaft, sir !" " Give a man time^ Mr. Aldridge." answered the captain, and he'l get out of anything where soldiers are con- oernwl ; every year he's boxed up sharp- ens him, till his very mind turns like a knife, man ! It makes oue* mad on every ixiint beside, 1 tell y^u, sir; where- as after he's fri»o, perhaps it's just on that only his brain has a twist in it." "No doubt, w from tho t last tlio tavern he put slungle and le a messap' private word e wanted nio a particular •t business. Acconllngly I told the men to Hhovo out again, and away I went with the fellow. No sooner did I open the door of the room, however, than three or four gens-d'armes had hold of me, and I was a prisioner: as for Capt. Wright, I never saw him more. The morning broke a.s they brought me up on horseback in the middle of them, along the road to raris, from whence I could make out the <'Utter, heeling to the breeze, a mile or two off the laud, with two or three gun- boats^ hard in chase. "Well, sir, at Paris they clapped me into a long, gloomy-like piece of mason- work, called the temple, close alongside of the river, where plenty of our country- men were; Capt. Wright and Sir Sidney Smith among the rest, as I found out afterward. The treatment wasn't so bad at first; but when you climbed up to the windows, there was nothing to be seen but the top of a wall and the roofs of houses all roiuid, save where you'd a glimpse of the dirty river and spme pig- trough of a boat. One day I got a letter from Cant. Wright — how they let me have it I don t well know — saying he was al- lowed a good deal of comfort in the mean- time, but he su8pectery day, and souie- timi^s the sound of thotisands of soldiers tramping past below.^ver the next bridge, with music and such like- -no doubt when the first consul, .ts they called him, went off to some cainpaigu or other — then Id dream I felt the deck onder me in a fro.'^h breeze at night, till the soul sickeried in me to wake up and find the stones as still as before, and now ar.d then hear the sentries challenging on their rounds. "Well, one il.iy a fellow in a cloak, with a slouch hat over his forehead, was let in to try, as I thought, if there 'w.is any- thing to be got out of me, as they triwl two or three tiin«M at first; some spy he was, belonginj; to that police de/il Fouche. What did he offer me, do you think, after beating about the bush for half an hour, but the command of a French seventy- four under the emperor, .'is he was by that time, and if I would tak<> it T was free! On this I pretended to be thinking of it, when the police fellow sided near npt, to show a commission signed with the emperor's name sit the foot. "In place of taking hold of it, however, I jumped up and seized the villain's nose and chin before he saw my purpose, stuffed the parchment into his mouth by way of a gag, and made him dance round the cell, with his cloak over his head and his sword dangling alongside of him, to keep his stern clear of my foot, till the turnkey heard the noise, and he made bolt out as soon as the door was opened. You'd wonder how long that small matter served me to laugh over, for my spirit wasn't broken yet. you see; but even then, in the very midst of it. I would all of a sudden turn sick at heart and sit wondering when the exchange of prisoners would be made that I looked for. The worst of it was, at times a horrid notion would come into my head of the French sev- enty-four being at sea at the moment, and me almost wishing they'd give me the offer over again. I fancied I felt the very creak of her. straining in the trough of a sea, and saw the canvas of her topsails over me, standing on her poop with a glass in my hand, till she rose on a crest, and there were the Ag- amemnon's lighted ports bearing down to leeward upon us, till I heard Nelson's terrible voice sing out, 'Give it to 'em, my lads!' when the flash of her broad- side showe purpose rose It of the fury mad, how Id id spend my of his powir 1 that time I bars of the lOut ever fan- it was coiu- There was ii ;ith my walk- d since they e I had the _ its strength, ook into my nk I saw the ler of a stmie is them, than y, would nev- eat my food J said all we nyself— wl)id him; but that I bad a hor- ror of, after all, Heeing the man had taken a sort of likiiiK to me, and I knew he had a wife. "Well, at last one day I had the thing tinished; when midniKht eame I trem- bled like a leaf, till I began to fear 1 eouldn't carry it through. 1 tore my shirt and the blanket in strips, to twist into a line, got out the bar by main force, sciueezed tlirough and let myself down. The line was just long enough to let me swing against the cold wall, i>ver a sentry's head going round th(( parapet l)elow. As soon as he was past I dropiwd on the edge of the wall, and fell along it, my fingers scraping the smooth stone to no purpose, till I was sliding off into the dark, with the river I didn't know how far bt^low me, though [ heard it lapping against some boats at the other side. For a few moments I was quite senseless, from the fall into the water; the splash roused the sen- tinels, and three or four bullets whizzed into it about me as I struck out for the shore. Still, the night was thick enough to help mo clear off among the dark lanes in the city; and the upshot of it was that I found some royalists, who supplied me with a peddler's dress, till, in the end. after I can't tell you how many ticklish chances, where my luck hung upon a hair, I reached the • oust and was taken off to a British frigate. At home, sir— at home. I found I'd been given up long ago for a dead man in Bonaparte's prisons, and — and — the old man had ibeen buried seven years, Aldridge. but not so long as my — wife. The news of my taking my own life in the Temple saved her the rest — ■fAvas too much for her at the time. Al- dridge — both she and her little one had laid in the mould nine years when I stood looking at the grass under Exeter cathedral. I was still a young man, but my hair was as grizzled when 1 got out iif the Temple in ISlIi as you see it now. and 1*11 never walk the deck fairly again. Aldridge." added the captain of the Podargus, turning round and stand- ing still, with a low sort of a whisper, ■' 'tis a strange thing, the Almighty's way of working; but I never thought — la the Temple yonder, longing for a heave of the water under me — 1 little thought John Wallis would ever come to keep guard over his majesty the Em- l)eror Napoleon." When Captain Wallis stopped, the long send of the sea lifting the briir be- low us. with a wild, yearning kind of ripple from her bows back to her coun- ter and weltering away astern, one felt U. I may say, somewhat like an answer to him. for the breeze had begun to freshen: it had got all of a sudden quite dark, too, as is the case inside the troi>- ics, without the moon. "Let's go on diK-'k, gentlemen," said the captain, coming to himself; "now <'lan on those other topmost stunii'li, Mr. Aldridge, and mak(> her walk, sir! No saying," I heard him mutter as he let us go up before him— "no saying what the want of the rodorgus might do off th(> island these ad. nor the way that dead nuin's brains seemed to come into mine, oft" the wall. But for my part, off St. Helena, 'tis Napoleon Bonaparte's dreams that enter into my head. If you'll believe it, sir, I've heard them as it weiv creeping and tingling round the black heights of the island at dead of night, like men in millions ready to break out in war music, as 1 used to hear them go over the bridge near the Temple — or in shrieks und groans — we all the time forging slowly ahead, and the surf breaking in at the foot of the rocks. I know then who's asleep at the time up in Longwood." The brig-of-war was taking long sweeps • and plunges before the wind, the South- ern Cross right away on her larboard quarter, and the very same stars spread all out aloft that I'd watched a couple of nights before, close by Violet Hyde. The whole of what I'd just heard was nothing to me in u single minute, matched with the notion of never seeing her more. Every thing I'd thought of since we left England was gone, even one's heart for the service; and what to do now I didn't know. I scarce no- ticed it commenced to rain, till a bit of a squall had come on, and they were hauhng down stunsails. the dark swells only to be seen rising with the foam on them and a heavier cover of dull cloud I'isen off the brig's beam, as well as aheid; so that you merely saw hi-r canvas lift before you against the thick of the sky, and di\e into it again. 'Twas just cleared pretty bright off the stars astern of us. however, wind rather light- er than before the squall, when the captain thought he made out a sail near about the starboard beam, where the clouds came on the water-line: a min- ute or two after she was plain enough in the clear, though looming nearly end on, so that one couldn't well know her rig. Thinking at first sight it might be the schooner. Captain Wallis was for bracing up, to stand in chase and overhaul her; but shortly after she seem- ed either to yaw a little, or fall off again before the wind like ourselves, at any rate showing three sticks on the horizon with square canvas spread, and evidently a small ship. Bir '3° THE (IREEN HAND. >5 "Some hoiut'Wiinl-bouiul oraft uictui- ing to touch (It the iH]an(l," said Captain WalliM, telliiiK the firHt lieutenant to keep all faHt; by whieh time she was lout in the duHk uffain, and I wasn't lout; of Koiug below. A fancy had Rot hold of mo for the moment, 1 can't deny, of it'H beinK tlie SerinKapatam after uh, on WeHtwood'rt owidiiK liiiiiHolf; where- upon I persiiad<*d myself (-aptain Wallis miRht perhaps talce the risk on him of lettiufT UH both Ko. For my part, I felt by thia time as if I'd rather be in tlie Name ship with her, hopeless though it was, thon steer this way for the other sido of the line, and 1 went down with .a chill at my heart like the air al>out an iceberg. Not iMMUtf asU'cp, however, a sudden stir on deck an hour or two after that brought me out of my cot, to look through the scuttle in the side. The brig had hauled her wind from aft on to her starboard quarter, making less way than before it, of oam. "GihI's -nkel' exclaimed thi' <';ipt:»in at last, "this is t«-rrible, Aidridge. If T had only ovit 1uiiil)>d her, HA I meant at first, w*' might have helped them in tinej; for iiowii vent th(f Podargus for the spot, sondini; the foam off her cut waiter; and it was not long before a wild hail from several voices could be made out almost close aboard. Ten minutes after she was brouglit to the Avind, heaving a rope \(> tlio men on a loose raft of casks iiinl spars, as it pitched alongside of her, witli the sail hauled down on a spar they bail stuck up, and a lantern at the head of it, and the poor fellows were safe on board. Two of them seemed to be half drowii- ed, the one wrapped up in a wet pilot coat, his face looking white and fright- eued enough by the glimmer of the Ian- tei-ns'; the other darker a good deal, sf> far as 1 could make him out for IIik crowd about him, and he didn*t seora able to speak; accordingly both of them were taken at once below to the surgeon. The rest were four half-naked blacks:, and a little chap with earrings and » seaman's dress, who was the spokesman on the quarter deck to the oapbuin's questions— plainly American by his snuf- fling sort of a drawl. "Are there no more of you afloat?" was the first thing asked, to which the xankee sailor shook his head. She was an American bark, he said. THK (KEEN HAND. 131 ' shonl 'ii iimliuff t.ic iintliU til' y fl»cU«>l*'"l it, "tJiis is only over first, w ini'V, for 110 1 ooniiutMi ■ aiitf you(»;nn to -vviiMl- uider ovory- tbat liRbliHl nt\i the bliu'k them, I fn'!- i glimpse i casks lui'l of her, witli [par they bail the head "f ere safe on half drown- a wet piliit |e ajid friffht- of the Ian- ?ood deal, so out for IliH didn't seoni >th of thciu the snrseon. kaked black*;. in^ and a le gpokestnan the captain's by his snuf- J you afloat?" |to -which the irk, he saiJ, from a voyuRe i>f iliscovery aro\iud the twu I'upus; he was mate himself, and tile ski|>()er, bt'inu addlett*«l to his cups, had set a cask of rum on tire; ho iindinx iliey couldn't uet it under, besid"H beinn wearied at tlie )Mimps, on account of nu int I'lioni auver, I heard the unite of the burntMl bark inquire of rtie captain whereabouts they were, as I lie skipper was the only nuin who could n>c a chronometer and a quadrint, and I he last jiale had driv<'n them out of tlieir rtH'koniuKs a long way. "Sonu^iiow south of the line. I guess?" >-aid he; but on being told, the fellow i:ave a bewildwed glaneo around him, si'emingly, and a cunning kind of a Miuint after it, as I fancieaiil he, "I guess we're considerable un- lucky; but I consider to turn in, if agree- able." The man had a way, in fact, half free anil et^iy, half awkward, that struck uie; especially Avhen he said, as he went litlow, he supposed "this was a Avar brig," and hoped there wasn't war be- tween the States and the old (country." ■'No, my man." said the capt.iin, ",vou may set your mind at ease on that jtonit ; lint I'm afraid. neverthele.s8, Ave'll have 111 land you at St. Helena." •'What, mister?" said the American, starting; "that's where you have got Koney party locked up? Well, now, if yi)u give me a good berth for a few. mister. I guests I'll rnyther ship aboard yiiu till I get a better. What's your wage just now, if I may ask, captain?" "Well, well," said tlie captain laughing, "we'll see to-morrow, my man;" and the Aiuerican Avent below. "Set stiin.sails awiin. Mr. Aldridge," continued Cai)t. Wallis, "and square yai-ds. Why, rather than have such a fellow in the ship's ivmpany. Aldridge, I'd land him Avithont .Sir Hudson's leave." For my own part, next day 1 should bave given more notice to our new ship- mates AA'hile the brig steered fair before the Aviud— the blacks and the mate lean- ^n;: about her forecastle, and the other iwo being exp«K'ted by the surgeon to lonie pretty well i-ound before rdght, thuugh the captain had gone to see them below; but a thing turned up all at once that threw me once more full into the thought of Violet Hyde, till T was perfectly beside myself Avith the helpless case I was in. The note Tom WestAVOod had shown me was still in the pocket of my griffin's coat, though I hailn't observed it till now; .anii what '11(1 I feel at finding out that instead of one from lur to Westwood. it aahis a few words from my own sister, little .fane, saying, in a pretty, Ixishful sort of a Avay, that her bn>ther Ned n)ust come home before she could euif.ige to any one. Yon may fancy how I cursed myself for being so blind; but a fellow never thinks his own sister charming at all— and what else Avonid I have done at any ratt>V All I hoped for wis to get aboard of soini: Indianian at St. HtMejia, an hazy blue, with the cle«ir gleam from eastward off our starboard qinirter running round it PART X. As soon .is you near St. Helena by -^ fcAV miles the trade Avind falls light: una nmking the rock as you do from the South Atlantic, a aotxl deal to leeward of the harbor, 'tAVould be pretty slow Avork beating round to northeast but for the br!eze ulAvays coming off the height, Avith the help of Avhich one can c(»ast easy enough along, dipt. Wallis said no more than to hid the first lientenant make the brig's number at the nuisthead. Avhile she r.till bore in direct upon the breast of the land, as much out of soundings as the d««i' before; the smooth, heavy swell seemed to float the island up in one huge lump ahead of us, till you saw it rolling in to the very foot, with a line of surf, as if it all rose sheer out of the bottom of the sea, as grim and hard as a block of iron, too, and a goo sails banging high again.st thu gloom of the red gully toward Longwood, and the gay little town pjeeping just over her lar- board bow, a mile away, it somehow or other cleared one's mind of a load. I was thinking already how, if one had the command of such a craft, to do some- thing with her at sea, hang it! but surely that old judge co ildn't be too proud to give him a fair hearing. By jove! thought I, had one only wild enough weather — off the cape, say— if I Wiouldn't undertake to bother even a seventy-four a whole voy- age through, till she struck her flag; in which case a fellow might really venture to hold uis head up ajid speak hiH mind, lovely as Violet Hyde would be in Gnl- cutta. But then, again, there was St. Helena towering red and rough over the ships, with the gi-aud French emperor hidden in it hard and fast, and all the work he used to give us at an end. .Tust at tliat moment, happening to catch sight of the American mate's sal- low black visage over the brig-of-war's hammock cloths, peering as he did from the cliffs to the lofty spars of the frigate, while his negro shipmates were to be made out nearer the bows, somehow or other the whole affair of their being burned out and picked up started into my mind again, along with our late queer adven- tures in the Indiaman. Not to mentioii Capt. Wallis' story, it flashed upon me at once for the first time, that the strange schooner was after some scheme as re- garded the island; and a man more likely to try something uncommon than the Frenchman I never had yet seen. The truth was, but for my thoughts being otherwise taken up, I'd have won- dered at my own oonfounded stupidity in not fathoming the thing sooner; whereas now, I'm not going to deny it, I half be- gan actually to wish him good success, or else a close miss of it, where either way one couldn't well fail having a share in the squall. At any rate I saw it was cunningly enough gone about; this same burned bui-k of the Yankees was part of 134 THE GREEN HAND. !? ^ the plot; though as for meddling in it till I saw more, 'twas likely to spoil the whole, let alone making an ass of one's self in case of mistake. I was eyeing the shipwrecked mate, when one of the lieu- tenants told me politely the admiral want- ed to see me below. Not being much accustomed to admirals' society, as a little white-haired fellow- reefer of mine once said at a tea party ashore, I came in at the door with rather an awkward bow, no doubt; for Sir Dud- ley, who was sitting on the sofa, with his cocked hat and sword beside him, talking to Capt. Wallis, turned his head at the captain's word, as if he were trying to keep in a smile. A tall, fine-looking man he was, and few seamen equal to him for handling a largo fleet, as I know, though his manners were finished enough to have made him easy in a king's oourt. As for the captain of the Hebe, he was leaning out of an open stern window, seemingly a young man. but who he might be I did not know ,it the moment. The admiral had only u question or two to put before he looked back to Capt. Wallis again, remarking it was clear he had brought away the wrong man. . "I didn't think you were so dull in the Podargus," he said, smiling, "as to let an Tndiaman play off such a trick on vou; eh, Capt. Wallis!" Capt. Wallis glanced round the cabin, and then sideways down at Sir Dudley's cocked hat in a funny enough way, as much as to say he took all the blame on himself; and it struck me more than ever M-hat a kind heart the man had in him, if yon only set aside his hatred to Bona- parte, M'hich in fact was nothing else but a twisted sort of proof of the same thing. "Pooh! pooh! Wallis," continued Sir Dudley, "we can't do anything in the mat- ter; though if the service were better than it really is at present, I should certainly incline to question a smart young fellow like this, that has held his Majesty's com- mission, for idling in an Indiaraan after the lady passengers. I am afraid sir," said he to me, "you've lost your passage though, unh^ss the captain of the Hebe will give you his second berth here to make amends. You need not be afraid. Lord Fre too fond of a frigate to stay longer in her than I could help; but I remembered my being a pest to the second lieutenant, anil Tom's being a favorite of his, so that h.- staid behind me, and got master's mati- as soon as he "passed." The Hon. Fre another look, then m smile. "What?" said he; "CoUins t'lat wiis in the Orion'?" "Yes. Lonl Fretlerick." said I, "the sau. I was third in the Iris off tip; West African coast since then." "Why." *(aid he. "I recollect yon quite well. Mr. Collins, although ymi have grown a foot, I think, sir; bn*^ your eye reminds me of snndry prank-* you used to play on board. Wh.'tt nick- name was it your messmates called yon. by-the-bye?" "Sometliing foolish enough. T supins., my lord," replied I, biting my lip; "bn: I remember clearly having the honor t > steer the second cutter in shore one dark irijdlrt; near Dunkirk, ^vhen your lordsliii' carrie onger in her embered my jtenant, and I, so that b'- aster's matf Hon. Fretl d the hand- jquadron. n> ird. I don'- ;e in a deail- mates couM ■r in a ron};li ;allant affair vith manaRi- < match. H< en he took a en, too, than enever theii' 'or the boats, will lead." used to call i-deck." chooi, whcri - bs in a mer- many a tinii> m the second y aft to him :onv of us tn- f i-ppe wher.- e" was to If innocently t" 1 it was sonK- and as to th.> topmasts !i' )nnd" gale in le men foi- to break our itenant, aftor quietly pit* h luly the point ' ad. thon. youni: Aldoombo ol jord Fredi'!- look, then •' Collins Vm said r. "til- Iris off Hi'.' hen." collect yf"i Itbotifih yiii nk. sir; bn*^ mdrv prank" What iiicl;- s calli.'d yon. T sapiX'S.'. my lip; "l»"' the honor 1' ore Olio dai'k our lordslui' nd the t«" ptfiin of till' mory than I THE GREEN HAND. '35 have; 1 do not recoIl;?ct any chnsse- marees at all that time, Mr. Collins." "Why," said I, "1 pot a kuocK in thd head from a fellow with a red shirt— that always kept me in mind." "Oh," remarked tlie admiril to Capt. Wallis, laughing, "Lord Fre^lurick Bury must have so many little parties of the kind that his memory can't be es.peoted TO be very nice. However, I shall go ashore at present, gentlemeu. leaving the Hebe and you to dispone of this run- iiway lieutenant in some way or other. 'Only you'd better • settle it before Ad' miral Plampin arrives." "Have you seen the — the — [.oiurwood lately. Sir ]3udley?" asked the captain of the Podai'gus carelessly. "Yes, not many day.'i ago I liad nn interview," said the admiral, gi-avely; •'proud as evei*. and evidently /esolved not to flinch his condition. "Tis woudei*- ful the commajid that man has over himself, Wallis. H*» sipeaks of the v/iiole world and its affairs like one that sees into them, and had them still nearly i;nder his foot. All saving those miser- able squabbles witli Plantation house, which — But next time I shall take my leave and ^vush my hands of the whole concern, T am glad to think." Lord Frederick was talking to me, ineauwhile, at the other end of the cabin, but I was listening, in spite of myself, to Sir Dudley Aldcombe, and noticed that Capt. Wallis made no ansAver. "By-the-bye, Wallis," contmued the iidmiral, "'tis curious that he seemed anxious more than once to know what you think of him. I believe he would like to see you." '•To see mel" said the commander of the Podargiis, suddenly. "At last, does he? No, Sir Dudley, he and i never \vill meet; he ought to have thought of it twelve years sooner. God knows," he went on, "the commander of a ten-gun brig is too muall a man to see tho Em- peror Napoleon a prisoner; but in ten years of w«r. Sir Dudley, what nughtn't vme have been, instead of being remem- bered after as plain John Wallis. whom Bonaparte kept in prison all that time, ;ind who was sent, in course of tmii^, to i-Tuise off St. Helena." Here the admiral said something about a British sailor not keeping malice, and ('apt. Wallis looked up at him gravely. "No," replied he— "no. Sir Dudlf^, I shouldn't have chosen the thing; but in the meantime Pm only doing my duty. There's a gloomy turn in my mind by tliis time, no doubt, but you've no idea, t'^ir Dudley, how the thought of other people oomes into one's head when he's years shut up; so I may stand for many a one Bonaparte will never see more than myself, that'll ring him round snrw tban those rocKS there, thougb thej^'re dead and in their graves. Sir Dudley;'' The admiral shook his head, observing that Napoleon was no common man, and oughtn't to bo judged as su«'h. "Too lUany victories in that eye of hii», T sus- pect, Cf.pt. Wallis," said he, 'for either Plantation house or his own conscience to break his snirit." . "Ay, ay, sir," answered the captain, I'espectfully, "excuse lue, Sir Dudley, but there it is. So long as he's got bis vic- tories to fall back upon,, ue can't see how, if he'd regartknl coinmou mvu more, with all belonging to tli'?m, he wouldn't have been here. Why did Providence shut him up in a dead vol- cano, with blue water rourd it. Sir Dud- ley, if it wasn't to learn somehow or other he was a man after allV Sir Dudley Aldcombe? shrugged his shoulders and looked to Lord Fri^ierick, upon wliich he rose, and the two cai)- tain« followeil him out of ihe cabin. In five minutes I heard the side piped for the admiral's '-^iivinjj, and soon after the captain of the Hebe came beloAV again. "This is a disagre;jable affair of your old messmate's, Mr. Collins," said he, seriously. "You are. perhaps, not; aware that Capt. Duucombe was a relative of my own. and the fact of his property, having falleji by will to myself rendered my position the more peculiarly disaijroe- able, had I been obliged not only to rec- <,>gnize, Lieut. Westwood here, but aftei- w^ard to urge proceedings against hiip, even if he were let off by court-ma rti4l. I can not tell you how the sightj of a stranger, as I thought, relieved me, sir." "Indeed, Lord Frederick," replied I, too much confused in the circu in stances to say more. However, his !oiilship'.s manner soon set me at my ease, the old good->humored amilo coming over his fine features again, while he went on to offer me the place of his second lieutenant, who was going home very ill by one of the homeward-l>ound Indiamen, adding that Sir Dudlej' would confirm the up- pointment; indeed, he could scarce help himself, he said, as there was nobody else he oould get at present. "Y'ou must be a thorough good sailor by this time, Mr. Collins," contiu'ied he, "if you have gone on at the rate you used to do. I remember how fond you were of having charge for a minute or two of the old Orion, or when 1 let you put her about in my watch. Why they called you Green Hand I never could understand, unless it was ut Incus a nou lucendo, as wo used to say .at Eton, you know. Well, what do you say? " Now, as ycm may suppo.se, the idea of boxing about St. IJeleni'. for heaven knew how long didn't at all suit my liking, with the thought of the S^nnnga- patam steering away for Bombay the whole time, and a hundred notioua of Violet Hyde in India— 'twould have driv- en me madder than the temple did Capt. Wallis; but it was only the lirst p.art of my mind I gave Loi-d Fredericli. "What:" exclairaeil he, with a flush 136 THE GREEN HAND. '5 O R5 I Co over his face, and drawing up his tall figure, "you don't suppose I v'uould re- maiu hareV Why, the Ilebe is on her way to Calcutta aiwi Canton, "and will sail as soon as thj Conqueror arrives at James Town with Admiral Plampin." "Your lordsliip is very kind," said I, looking down to cover my delight; "and if I am not worthy of the post, it shan't be my fault. Sir Frederick." "Ah, very odd!" said he, smiling; "'tis an opportunity you oughtn't to let slip, Collins, let me tell you. For my own part, I should just as soon cut out a pirate in the Straits of Malacca as a French brig in the channel, and then- are plenty of them, I hear, there. As foa- a chase, sir, F flatter myself vou won t easily see a finer tiling than the Hebe spreading her cloth after one of those fast proas will be. T think you are just the fellow to make her walk, too, Mr. Collins. Pah! to com- pare a day on the Derby turf with that would be a sLn. You have no Idea, sir, how one longs for a fan- horizon again, and brisk breezes, when so ineffably tired of all those ball-rooms, and such things as you see about town just now; only I fear I shall ivish to be second lieutenant again, eh?" Thfii noble captain of the Hebe turned to look out through the stern window to seaward, his face losing the weary BOPt of half-melancholy cast it had shown for the last minute, while his eyes glistened; and it struck me how weil matched tlie Hebe and her com- mander were: you'd have said that both had good blood in them, both being models to look at of their kind, and tlie frigate lifting under you at the moment, from the keel upward, with a check aloft in her maintop-sail that lifted her stem to the surge. A small telodoope rolled o/i" the sofa on the cabin dock, and as i picked it up, another gust could be heard coming down St. .Tames' valley from inside the island: through the gunport one saw the trees wave over the white houses in the bright-colored little town, while the ship's canvas gave another flutter above decks. Lord Frederick laughed, and said,"Then, I suppose, we need say no more about it, Mr. Collins, except refer- ring once for all to Sir Dudley?" I bow- ed, and the upshot was, that, an hour or two after, I had my acting commis- sion sent me from the admiral, the same boat having called at the Podargus for my things; upon which Lord Frederick introduced me vo the first lieutenant, and I found myself once more doing du- ty in the service— the Hebe standing out to leeward with the last light, just as the Podargus was stripping anchor to beat round again the other way. As for our friends from the burned vessd, I must say I had forgot theto already, for the time at least. Every block, crag and knot in tin- huge crust of the rock shone terribly bright for a minute or two aloft from over the yard ends, as she stood sud- denly out in the fiery gleam of the sun. going down many a mile in the Atlantic. Then up leaped the light keener and keener to the very topmost peak, till .you'd have thought it wei;t in like a living thing behind a telegraph that stood out against a black clifiE betwixt two cliffs. We saw the evening gun off Ladder Hill flash upon the deep blue of the sky. seemingly throwing up the I)eak and flag-staff a dozen feet higher, and heard the boom of the gun soundin;: in among the wild hills and hollows within the island, is if it were goint' up to Longwood door. Scarce was it lost ere a stor or tv'o was to be seen in the sh.idow on the other side, and .vou listened almost, in the hush follow- ing upon the gun-fire, for an echo to it. or somethine sU'angeT; in place of which tht: Hebe was already forgiujr ahead in the dark to get well clear of the land, every wave bringing its own blackness with it up toward her foro- choins, then sparkling back to her waist in the seethe of foam as .she fedt thf along to larboard, with its ragged toi> breeze; while St. Helena lay towerinjr blotting against the dark blue of tht* sky, all filling as it was with stars. I had the middle wateli that night, the ship being under short canvas, and S'lowly edging down to make the most leewardly point of the island, from which she was to beat up again at hn- leisure in the morning. All we had to do was to ke^ a good lookout, on tlu> one hand, into the streak of starlight to ^+eaward. and on the other along tin' foot of the rocks, as well as holding her well iu hand, in case of some sudden squall through the valleys from inside. However, I shn'n't easily forget the thoughts that ran in my mind, walkini: the quarter-deck, with the frigate under charge, the first time that I noticed Orion and the Serpent betriu to wIum-I glittering away from over Diana's peak. the others stealing quietly into sielit after them past the leech of our main- top-sail; scarce an English star to Iw seen for the height of the island off our quarter; some of the men on one side of the booms humming a song abont Napoleon's dream, which .vou'll hear to this day in ship's forecastles: another yarning solemnly, on the other sidt'. about some old sweetheart of his— but all of them ready to jump at my least word. In the morning, however, there we were, stretching back by degrees to go round the Ici side of the islancf again, the haze melting off Diana's Peak as before, and the sea rolling in swells as blue an indigo to the huire red lumps of bare crag; while the bright surges leaped out of them all along the THE GREEN HAND. 137 dot in Uk' one terribly aloft from stood sud- of the 8un, he Atlantic, teener and peak, till : in like a graph thai :;liff betwixt evening gun he deep bluf ving up the feet higher. ;un soundinj; and hollows were goint' «rce was it 1 to be seen iV side, anil hush follow- n echo to it. 1 place lay towerinj: Itlue of th(> ith stars, that night, canvas, and ke the most (land, from again at hw- 1 we had to kout, on tlu' starlight to along tli»' holding her some suddtMi from inside, forget tJie ind, walkiiiu rigate under I noticed in to whc^'l )iana's peak. into sielit >f our main- star to 1m' sland off oni- on one side song about nu'll hear to les: another other side. of his— bnt at my lea.-^t wever, there y degrees ti> the island off Diana's !»a rolling in to the hmre le the briglit 11 along the frigate's side, and the spray rose at times to bw figire-head. Dorincf the day we cruisjed further outj and the Hebie had enough to do in seeing off one Indiaman for home, and speftk'ng another outwarrl-bound craft, that passed forty miles off or so, with- out touching; the governor's telegraphs were eternally at work on the heights. tKjtherkng her for the least trifle, and making out a sail sixty miles off, it was said. For my port, I was pretty well tired of it already, sincerely wishing for the CJonqueror. with Admiral Plampin. to heave in sight; but glad enough all aboard the. Hebe Wt-re, wheni, after an entire week of the thing, it came to her rum, with the Newcastle and Podar- K'us, to lie at anchor off Jamestown. Avhere half the ship's company at a time had their liberty ashore. For my IKirt, I had to see after the frigate's water tanks, and a gang at the rigging, till the afternoon, when Lord Frederick took the^ first lieutenant and myself ashore with him in a gig; and no joke it was landing even there, where the jiwell of the surf nigh-hand hove her right up on the quay, while you had to lk fharp, in case the next wave washed you back again off your feet. The whole place was hot as could be from the sun's rays off the* rocks, slant- ing bare red to the , cloudless sky, on Itoth sides of the neat little gaudy liouses crowded in the mouth of the valley, which narrowed away beyond the rise of the street, till you didn't see how you'd get farther. But for the air of the sea, indeed, with now and then a breath down out of the hills, 'twas for all the world like a half-kindleming down from the batteries along with some company's officers from In- dia, and he stopped to speak to Lord Frederick, giving the first lieutenant and me a bow in retum as we lifted our hats and waited behind. The ad- miral propo^^ed to get Lord Frederick a pass to visit Napoleon along with him- self next dajr, as the Conqueror would probably arrive very soon. "You will oblige me greatly. Sir Dudley," said the captain of the Hebe. "He seems as fond of seeing a true nailer," said the admiral, "as if we had iievor done him liarm. Things will be worse after I go. By the way," added he, suddenly, "'tis curi- ous enough, but there's one person on the island at present has made wonder- ful progi-ess in Sir Hudson's good graces for the short time — that American bot- anist, or whatever ho calls himself, that Captain Wallis took off the burned vessel mi his way here. Your new lieutenant was aboard at the time, you know. Lord Frederick. You saw him, sir, of course?" said tlie admiral, look- ing to me. •'Only for a minute that night, sir Dudley," answered I; "and afterwa/ds bcth he and his servant were under the sirgeoo's charge below." "Well," continued Sir Dudley to the captain, "they seeim quite recovered now: for I saw them to-day up at Plantatio.i house, where the philoso- pher was in close discourse with the governor about plants and such things, while her ladyship was as much en- gaged with the assistant, who can only talk Spanish. A remarkable-looking man the latter is, too— a Mexican, I under- stand, with Indian blood in him. appar- j.ntlv— Avh'ireas his principle has a strong Yankee twang: and queer enough it was to hear him snuffling away as solemnly as possible about buttany and such things besides Ids hinting at aome great discovery likely to be made in the island, which Sir Hudson seemed rather anxious to keep quiet from me._ What Sir Dodley said made me prick up mv ears, as you may fancy. 1 could scarce believe the thing; twas so thoroughlv rich, and so confoundedly cool at once, to risk striking at the very heart of things this way with the gov- ernor himself; but the whole scheme so far flashed upon me in a moment, evi- dentlv carried on, as it had been all along, by some one bold enough for any thing earthly, and with no small cunning besides. All that he needed, no doubt, was somebody else with the devil's own impudence and plenty of talk; nor if I'd thought for a day together, could one have pitche(^ easily upon a customer as plausible as our friend Daniel, who hadn't a spark of fear in him, I knew, just owing to his want of respect for aught in the entire creation. Still, I couldn't for the life of me see what the end of their plan was to bo. unless the strange Frenchman might have been some general or other under Bonaparte, and just wanted to spo his old com- 138 THE GHEEN HANI). >5 s pa uiander once more: which, thought jl, I'll be hanged if I don't think faH- enongh, much pains as he bad put him- self to for the thing. "HowV" asked Lord Frederick; a "dis- covery, did you say. Sir Dudley?" "Oh, nothing of the kind we should «are about, after all," said the admiral. "From -what 1 could gather, 'twas only scientific, though the American called it, 'ii pretty important fact.' This Mr. Matthewson Brown, I believe, was sent out by the states government as botanist in an expedition to southward, and has leave from Sir Hudson to use his op- portunity, before the next Indiaman sails, lor examining part of the island; and to-day he thought he found the same plants in St. Helena as he did In (rough's Island and Tristan d'Acunha. twelve hunderd miles off, near the Cape; showing, as he said, how once on a tim»> tht-re must have been land between them, per'aaps as far as Ascension." '"Vhy," put in Lord Frederick, "that V >ukl have made a pretty good empire evert for Napoleon." "So it ould. my lord," said Sir Dud- ley— "u^ucl iietter than Elba; but the ::a an;?eiit ixirt of it is, this Mr. Brown v,ns ju.^t tell'' ais excellency, as I en- tei'ed the room, that some of the ancient philosophers wrote about this said coun- try existing in the Atlantic before tJie flood, how rich it was with the kings It had, and the wars carried on there, till, on account of their doings, yo doubt, no doubt, what with an earthquake, a volcano, and the ocean together, they all sunk to the bottom, except the tops of the mountains! Now I must say," continued the admiral, "all this learn- ing seemed to me to come rather too much by rote out of this gentleman's mouth, and the American style of his talk made it somewhat ludicrous, though he evidently believed in what may bft all very true; particularly in mentioning the treasures that must lie under water for leagues round, or even in nooks ■ about the St. Helena rocks. I thought .Tiisvery teeth watered. As for Sir Hud- son, he had caught at the idea altogether -^but rather in view of a historical work .t>n the island, from the earliest times (till now: and I believe he means to accompany the two botanists himself over toward liorurwood to-morroN^-. where we mr - very likely get sight of them." ; "O— h?" thought I, and Lord Frederick Bnrv smilefl. "Rather a novelty, indeed!" said he: , and the first lieutenant looked significant- ly enough to me, as w» leaned over the Imttery wall, watching the hot horizon through the spars of the ships before James Town. "What amused me," Sir Dudley sa'd again, "was the Americnn botanist's litter indifference when I askf^d if he had seen anything of 'the General' in the dis- tance. The Governor started, glancing sharp at Mr. Brown, and i noticed his dark companion give a sudden side look from the midst of his talk with her ladyship, whereupon the botanist mere- ly pointed with his thumb to the floor, asking coolly what is was to sciencr. At this," added Sir Dudley, to the cap- tain, "liis excellency seemed much r<'- lieved; and after having got leave for myself and your lordship to-morrow, 1 left them still in the spirit of it. I cer- tainly struck me that, in the Unltcil States themselves, educated men in gen- eral couldn't have such a vulgar manner alK)ut them. In fact, I thought th.- ryiexican attenda^jt more the gentleman of the two; his face was turned half from me most of the time, but still it struck me as remarkably intelligent." "Ah." said Lord Frederick, carelessly, "all Spaniards have naturally a noble soi't of air. you know. Sir Dudley: they'll never make republicans." "And I must .say." added the admir- al, as they strolled out of the shade, up the battery steps, "little as I know of Latin, what this Mr. Brown used did seem to me fearfully bad." "And no wonder," thought I. "from a Yankee schoolmaster," as I had found my late shipmate was. before he thought of traveling: but the valuable Daniel turning his hand to help out some com- munication or other, ijo doubt, with Na- poleon Bonaparte in St. Hpl°na took me at first as so queer an affair, that I didn't know whether to laugh at him or admire his Yankee cof^lness when he ran such risks. As for the feasibleness; of actually getting the prisoner clear of the island, our cruising on guard was enough to show me it would b*» little short of a miracle; yet I couldn't help thinking they meant to try it; and in case of a dark nieht. which the south- t-nstor vas very likely to bring, if i" shifted or freshened a little, why. T know you needn't call anythinc impossibli' that a cool head and a bold heart hnd to do .with, provided only they conld .get their plans laid inside and out so iis to tally. The morf> eager I got fev next day. when it would be easy enoujrl! for any of us to go up inland after Lord Frederick, as far as Hut's Gate, nt least. Meantime the first lieutenant and I walked up together to where the little town broke into a sort of suburb if ■fancy cottages, with verandas and green Venetians in bunealow style, scattered to both sides of the rock among little grass-plots and garden patches; every foot of ground made use of. and a per- fect gush of flowers and leaves it w;i<, clustering over the tiles of the low roofs, while you saw through a thicket of poplars and plantains right into the back of the gully, with a ridge of black rock closing it fair up; and Side Path, as they called the road to windward, winding overhead along the crag behind the houses, out of sight round a mass THE GREEN HAND. 139 L 'noticed hi> ien side look k with her rtanist merc- to the floor. to science. , to the caji- id much rt'- fot leave for to-morrow, I of it. I cer- the United men in gen- iilsar manner thought the le gentleman turned half but still it intelligent." k. carelessly. illy a noble Sir Dudley; ins." a the admir- the shade, up s I know of wn used did ght I. "from I had found 'e be thought uablft Daniel at some com- ibt, withNa- ^l»na took me fair, that I bigh at him icss when he ( feasibleness oner clftar of guard w.is lid bp little ouldn't help y it; and in h the south- bring, if !■ ttle. why. T s impossible Id heart had they could and out so :»r T got fev easy enouj-'h d after Lord 's Gate, nt nitenant and ere th'> little f suburb of as and greon le. scattered imong little [^hes ; every ; and a per- aves it wns, le low roofs. I thicket of into the idge of black . Side Path, > windward, crag behind und a mass .: .lifts, Every here and there a runlet (it water came trickling down from above t\u' trees to water their roots; you saw liie mice in hundreds scampering in and unt of holes in the dry stone, with now and then n big ugly rat that turned round to face you, being no doubt fin<> L'ame to the St. Helena people, ill off iis they all seemed for something to do, e.xcept the Chinese, with their huge hats, hoeing away under almost every tree line saw, and the Yarastock fishermen Ti> be seen bobbing for mullet outside the ships, in a blaze of light sufficient to hake any heads but their own. Every • Dttage had seven or eight parrots in it apparently; a cockatoo on the stand hy the door, or a monkey up in a box. not to speak of canaries in the window. and white goats feeding about with bells ri>und their necks; so you may suppose what a jabbering, screaming, whistling. ;ind tinkling there was xip the whole hol- low; added to no end of children and vKung Indies making the most of tJie shade as it got mnir nightfall, and all That were out-of-doors came flocking thnvn Side Path. Both of us having leave ashore that night for a ball in one of these same little bimgalows near the head of the valley, 'twas no use to think of a bed. and as little to expect getting off to the ship, which none could do after gun-fire. For that matter, I dare say there might be twenty such parties, full of young reefers and homeward-bound old East Indians, keeping it up as long as might be, because they had nowhere to sleep. The young lady of the house we were in was one of the St. Helena beau- ties, calle and down, or else James Town would have been buried undor tons of rock. The doclor had mentioned besides that tliere was twice an earthquake before in the island, in former times: but it didn't need some of the towns-people's looks to tell you they'd be afraid many a night after lest the French emperor should wake up thinking of his battles; while as for myself, I must say the notion stuck to me some time, along with my own ideas at that exact moment: and any rate, not for worlds would I have lived long ashore at St. Helena. Mr. Newland. our first lieutenant, and I, set out early in the day, accordingly, with a couple of the Hebe's midshipmen, mounted on as many of the little island ponies, to j^o up inland for a cruise about the hill*?, xou take a side path along the crags, with a wall betwixt the hard track and the gulf below, till you lose sight of •Tames Town like a cluster of children's toy-houses under you, and turn up above a sloping hollow full of green trees and tropical-like flowering shrubs, round a pretty cottage called the Briars, where one begins to have a notion, however, of the bare blocks, the red bluffs, and the sharp peaks standing up higher and higher round the shell of the island. Then you had another rise of it to nlimb, on which you caught sight of .Tames Town and the harbor again, even smaller than before, and saw nothing be- fore your beast's bead but a desert of stony ground running hither and thither into wild staring clefts, grim ravines, and rocks of every size tumbled over each othei" like figures of ogres and giants in hard fight. After two or three miles of all this we came in view of Longwood hill, lying green on a level to the north and east, and clipping to windward against the sea beyond. All round it elsewhere was the thick, red crust of the island, rising in ragged points and sharp spires, the green- ish sugar-loaf of Diana's Peak shooting in the middle over the liigh ridge that hid the plantation house side of St. Helena to leeward. Between the spot where we were and Longwood is a huge, fearful- Icokiiig black hollow, called the Devil's Punch Bowl, a** round and deep as a pitch-pot for calkhig all the ships in tli>' world, except on a slope in one corner of it, where you law 4 couple of yellow cottages with gardens about them; while every here and there a patch of grass b> ■ gau to appear, a clump of wild weeds and flowera hanging off the fronts of th> fockt4, or the head of some valley widen- ing away out of sight, with the glimpi stream of water came leaping down off tbi> heights and vanished in the boggy piece ot green below. From here over the brow of the track it was all like seeing into an immense stone basin h:ilf liewn out, with all the lumps and wrirkit^s left rising In it, and twisting every way about, the black Devil's Punch-Bowl for a hole in the middle where some infernal liquor or other had run through, the soft bottoms of the valley just bringing the whole of it up distincter to the green over Long- wooil hill, while the ragged heights ran round on every side like a rim with notch- es in it, and Diana's Peak for a sort of u handle that the clouds could take hold of. All this time ve had strained our- selves to get as fast up as possible, ex- cept once near the alarm house, where there was a telegraph signal post, with a little guard-hut for the soldiers: but there each turned round in his saddle. letting out a long breath the next thing to a cry. and heaving to directly at sight of the prospect behind. The Atlantic lay wide away round to the horizon from the roads, glittering faint over the nigged edge of the crags we had mounted near at hand: cn?y the high back of the island shut out the other side — save here and there through a deep-notched gully or two — and accordingly you saw the sea blotched out iu that quarter to the two sharp, bright ends, clasping the dork-colored lump be- tween them, like a mighty pair of arms lifting it high to curry it off. Soon after, however, the two mids took it into their wise heads the best thing was to go and rd Frederick opposite side. which, curi- ■ed with mist m the higher gular gale, or ind. In fart, rns often tlie being quite different from below, where they never feel a gale from one year's end to the other. In the next hollow I got into it was as hot and still as it would have been in India, the blackberry trailers and wild aloes growing quite thick, mixed with prickly pear bushes, willows, gum wood, and an African palm or two; though, from the look of the sea, I could notico the southeast trade had freshened below, promising to Jihnv a good deal stronger that night than ordinary, and to shift a little round. Suddenly the fog began to clear by de- grees from over Longwood, till it was fair- ly before me, nearer than I thought; and just as I rode up a rising gi-ound, out came the roof of a house on the sIoik' among some trees, glittering wet as if the Sim laid a finger on it: with a low, bluish- colored stretch of wood farther off, bring- ing out the white tents of the soldiers' camp pitched about the edge of it. Nearly to windward there was one snil in sight on the horizon, over a a openiu;; iu the rooks beyond Longwood house that seemingly let down towanl the coast. However, I just glsinced back to notice the telegraph on the signal post at work, signaling to the Podargus in the oflSn^, and next minute Hull'x G-ate was right ahead of me, not a quurtor of a mile ofl'— a long-shaped bungalow of n cottage in- side uf a wall with a gate in it, where T knew I needn't tiy further, unless I want- ed the sentries to take me under ai-rest. Betwixt me and it, however, iu the low ground was a party of man-o'-war's-men, uudt^r charge of a midshipman, carrj-ing some timber and house furniture for Long- wood, as I i"emembered, from seeing them come ashore from the Podargus that morning; so I stood over to give my late shipmates a hail. But the moment I got up with them it struck me not a litte, as things stood, to find three of the fom* blacks we had taken aboard from that said burned bark of the American mate's trudging patiently enough under tlie heaviest loads of the gang. Jetty-black, navage-looking fellows they were, a-s strong as horses, and reminded me more of our wild friends in the Nouries river than of States niggers; still, what caught my notice most wasn't so much their being there at all, as the want of the fourth one, and where he might be. I don't know yet how this trifling bit of a puzzle got hold of me, but it was the sole thing that kept me from what might have turned a scrape to myself— namely, passing myself in as officer of the party: which was easy enough at the time, and the tars would have entered into the frolic as soon aa I started it. On second thoughts, nevertheless, I bade them good-day, steering my animal away round the slant of the ground, to see after a good perch as near as possible; and I dare say I was getting within the bounds before I knew it, when another sentry sung out to me off the heights to keep lower down, first bringing his musket to salute for my uniform's sake, then let- ting it fall level with a ringing slap of his palm, as much as to say it wa« all the distinction I'd get over plain clothes. At this, of course, I gave it niK with a bleving clearer deep blue at that height than you'll have thought sky could do. even in the tropics — ^the verjr i>e:tks of bare red rock being softon<.d into a pur- ple tint far off around you. One saw Into the rough bottom of the huge Devil's Punch-Bowl, and far through without a shadow down the green patches in the 'dttle valleys, and over Deadwood camp; ♦here was nothing, as it were, between *he grass, the ground, the stones, and 'eaves, and the empty hollow of the air; Avhile the sea spread far around under- neath, of a softer blue than the sky over yon. i'on'd have th^nght all the world was shrunk into St. Helena, with the At- lantic lying three-quarters round it in one sight, like the horns of the bright new moon round the dim old one, which St. Helena pretty much resciabled, if what the star-gazers say of its surface be true, all peaks and dry hollows — if, indeed, you weren't lifting up out of the world, so to speak, when one looked through his fingers right into the keen blue overhead. If I lived a thousand years I couldn't tell half what 1 felt lying there; but. as you may imagine, it had somewhat in it of the late Europeon war by land and sea. Not that I could have said so at the time, but rather a sort of half doze, such as I've known one have when a schoolboy, lying on the green grass the same way, with one's face turned up into the hot summer's heav- ens: half of it fiying glimpses, as it 142 THE GREEN HAND. 2 wei-e, of the French revolution, the battles We n.sewe on his guard in a numejU Next we should have to get put on tlie island; and really a neat enough plan it was to dog one of the very cruisei's themselves, knock up a inesa of planks and spara in the night time, set them all ablaze witli tar, and pretend we were fresh from a craft of fire, when even (^apt. Wallis, of the Podargus, as it happened, was too much of a British siiiman not to cai-ry us straight to St. Helena. Again. I must say it was a touch beyond me; but to hit the governor's notions of a hobby, and go picking up plants around Long- wood, was a likely enough way to get speech of the prisoner, or at least let him see one was there. How should I set about carrying him off to the coast, though? That was the prime matter. Seeing tliat even if the sohooner — which was. no doubt, hover- ing out of sight — were to make a bold dash for the land with the trade wind in a night eleven hours long, thei-e -wei-e sentries close round Longwood from sunset, the starlight shining m'istly al- ways in the want of a moon, and at any rate there was rock and gully enough betwixt here and the const to try the surest foot aboard the Hebe, let alone an emperor. With plenty of woods for a cover, one might steal up close to LongAvood, but the bare i-ocks showed you off to be made a mark of. Whew! but why were those same blacks on the island. I thought. Just strip them stark naked, ajid let them lie in the Devil's punch bowl oar somewhere be- yond iuiltai"y horn's, when I warrant me they might slip up, gully by gully, to the very sentiies' backs. Ilieir color wouldn't show them. and. savages as tl4ey seemed, couldn't they settle as nniny sentries as thev needed, civep iin.. •ho very bed-chnmeber where Bona j>arte slei>t, -ind manhandle him bodilv away do>ni through some of the ni-iii i-st holl«>wH. befoiu any one was tlir wiserV The iX)int that still bothered iin- was. why a fourth of the blacks wa- wiuiting at presant. unless he had lii< IMirt to play elsewhere. If it was I'lumce. tlien the whole might be a ii"- lion of mine, which I knew I was n]>\ to have sonietiioes. If I could only make out the fouitJi black, so as to tallV with the scheme, on the other haivl then I thouul-t it was all sure: but nf course this unite palled me. and I gaxe it up to work out my fancy ca.se li\ providing signals lietwixt us plottois inside and the schooner out of siglit from the telegraphs. There was no u-m for her to run in and take the rl-1; Avithout giKxl luck having turned up mi the island; yet any sign she could profii by must be both sufficient to reach sixty miles or so, and hidden enough not v> alarm the telegraphs or tlie cTuis^-rs. Here was a wor^e puzzle than all, anil I only guessed at it for my own satis- faction- as }i fellow can't help doiii.; when he hears a question he can't ans- wer— till my eyes ligihted on Diana's Peak, near three thousand feet aboAc the sea. There it was, by .Tove! 'Tvvas (jiiitc clear at the time, but at night- fall there was always more or less cloud near the top; and if you set fire on the very peali 'twould be seen leagues oft"; a notion that brought t" iiiii'd a siiuilar thing which I told yoiiit of tripping niy anchor to hurry dowir and get aboard again, but, on standin}: up, the head of a peak fell below thi' sail I had noticed in the distance, and, seeing she loomed large on the streteli r>f waterj I pretty soon found she must be a ship of the line. The telegraph mer the Alarm house was hard at worl again, so I e'en took down my glass ami cleaned it to have a better sight, dui* ing which I caught sight for a minute of some soldier officer or other on hor.-:c- back, with a mounted red-coat behind >d, civeii ill!.. heiv Bona > him bodilv of the neni- >no was tln' bothori'd nil' 1 blacks wa^ he had \n< If it was ght be a iin- tr I was aiH could only so as to tally other liajul, sure: but of . nud I yavf incy ca.se \>\ ua plottoi- out of si>;lit > \va.s no ii^v ake the ri-l; turned up on B could pnitii to reach sixty nough not t" :lie cruihMTs. than all, nnil ly own sati>-- t help doin.: he can't an- on Diana '^ J feet aboAi' Jove! 'Tsvas but at ni)-'lit- non? or Ifss you set till' d be set^ii bro>ipht 1 ' > h I told ytiu a lee shoi" n coast — anil at must havi> e negroes as h brig easior at together. what Til' bev namely. and kind! • couldn't so. sure of it: Ktming on ar breeze their ■ly; a bright out the hovi- there the ei;i.' to break otT which -would here, on the l>oint hurry dowx on standinj: Al below till' listance, and. . the stretoli ^d she mu.sr "he telegraph ^ard at worl ny gla.ss anil sight, dut- or a minuti- ler on hor-st- •coat behind THE GREEN HAND. M3 him, riding haMtily up the gully a good bit from my back, till they were n»and the red piece of crag, turning at timeH as if to watch the vessel. Though I couldn't have a iKitter spy at him for want of my glass, 1 had no doubt he was the governor himself, for the sen- trie.s in the di^«tJlnce took no note of him. There was n<)b< to shut thorn out a.s tliey Avent higher. Once or twice after I funciwl I made '>ut a heatl or two lower down the gully than the cliff wps, which, it occurred to me, might possibly be the botanist*, as i]i"y calletl them-selves, busy finding out how long St. Helena had been an is- land. However, I soon tumetl the glass before me upon the ship, by this time riglit opposite the ruggwl opening of ri"osi)ei'ous bay, and heading well up about fourtw^n miles or so off the coast, as I reckonetl, to make Jamestown har- bor. The moment I liuul the sight of ilie glass right for her — though you'd have thought she stood still on the sntooth blue soft watea*— I could see ker whole beam rise off the swells before nie, from the dark side and white band, ■•Ueckered with a double row of ports, to the hamper of her lofty spars, and the sails braced slant to the breeze, the foam gleaming under her high bo^-s, and her wake running aft in the heave i)t rhc sea. She was evide*itly a 74- I Fancied I conld make out her men's faces peering over the yards towai*ds the ihland, as they thought of "Boney- l»art;" a white peer-admiral's flag was at the raizzeu-royal mast-ead, leaving HI) doubt she was the Conqueror at hwt, with Admiral Plampin. and in a day or two at farthest the Hebe would he bound for India. I had just looked over my shoulder toward Ijonpwcod. letting the Conqueror sink back ligtun into a thing ao bigger than a model on a mantel piece, when all at once I saw some one standing uoar the brow of the cliff I mentiojied, apparently watdiing the ves^sel, with a long glass at his eye, like myself. 'Twas further than I could see to make out anything, save so much; and ere I had screwed the glase for such a near sight, there were seven or eight figures more appearing half over the »lope behind; wliile my hand shook so much with hold- ing the ^ass so long, that at first I brought it to bear full on the cracks and blocks in the front of the crag, with the large green leaves and trailers on it flickering idly with the sunlight against my eyes, till I could have seen the spid- ers inside, I dare say. Next I held it too high, where the admiral .and Lord Frederick were standing by their horses a good way back; the goreraor. as I supposed, sitting on his, and two or three others along the rise. .\.t length, what with kneeling down to rest it on one knee, I had the glass ste.idily tixeil on the brow of the HM-ks, where I plain- ly saw a tall, dark-whiskered man, in a rich French uniform, ga/ing to seaward. I knew him I so\ight too well by pic- tures, however, not to he ho easily galleil. Suddenly a fignn> came down from be- foi-e the r<>»t, with his hands behind his back atid his head a little drooped. The officer at once IowophI the tele;*po and held it to him, stepjiing tii»ward on if to leave him alone. What dress he had on I scarce notieetl; but there he was stand- ing, single in the nmnd briiiht field of the gla.sa I had hold of like a vise, his head r.iisod. his liands hiding his face. as he kept the telescoiK* fixed fair in front of me — only I saw the smooth broad round of his chin. I know, as if I had seen him in the Tuilerijs at P.iris. or knowrt him by sight since 1 was u boy— I knew it wiia Napoleon! During that minute the re« of them wt.Tc out of sight, so far as the glass went; you'd have supposed there Avas no one there but himself, as still as a figure In iron, watcJiin*; the same thing, no doubt, as I'd done myself fire min- utes before, where the noble seventy- fonr was beating slowly to windward. AVhen I <:id glance to thi knot of ."»fflcers twenty yards back, 'twas as if one saw a ring of his generals waiting respect- fully while he eyed some field of battle or other, with his army at the back of the lull; but next moment the leitscoiH' fell in his hands, and his face, as pale 'IS death, with his lip firm under it. seemed near enough for me to touch it: his eyes shot stem into me from below his wide white forehead, and I atartet!ti!r he was master at the time over a wilder battle than any he'd ever fought, but 144 THE GREEN HAND. >5 s :t6 juNi ih««ii, what wah th»» Hurprlno It gnvo me tu H^Hf the hcud of a tuou, with u red tanHelled cap on it, raljie through ainoug the ivy from holow, while he HuuiDod to have bia feet on the or:ickH and jut8 of the rttclc. hoisting biuiMelf by one hand round the lanKfcd roots, till no doubt he uiuitt have loolcud rittht aloft into the French i'nip-.'i-ors face; and perhaiw he whiaiH-red Hotnci.hlim— though, for my part, It wan all dumb show to me, where 1 knelt iHjering into the glass. I saw even him start at the suddenness of the thing; he raisi'd bis head upright, still glancing down over the front of tht crag, with thi? spread hand lifted, and the side of bis face half turned toward the party within e.ir- shot behind, where tb»? governor ami the rest apparently Isept together out of le- 8i)ect, no doubt watching both NaiH)- »<»on'» back and the ship-of-war far be- yond. The keen sunlight on the spot brought out every motion of the two in front— the one «o full in my view that I could mark his look settle again on the other below, bis lirra lips |-arting, and his hand out before him like a man seeing a spirit he knew, while a bunch of leaves on the end of a waud came stealing up from tlie stranger's tist to Napoleon's very fingers. The head of the man on the cliff turned round sea- ward for one moment, ticklish us his footing must have boon; then he looked back, pointing with his loose hand to the horizon. Thero was one minute between them without a motion, seemingly; the captive emperor's chin was sunk on hi.s breast, tliough you'd have said his eyes f lanced up out of the shadow <>f his orehead; and the otranger's r.id cap hung like a bit of the bright-colored cliflE, under his two hands holding among the leaves. Then T saw Napoleon lift his hand calmly, he gave a sign with it —it might hare been refusing, it might have been agreeing, or it might be fare- well, I never expoct to know; but he folded his ai*ms across hia breast, with the btmch of leaves in his fingers, and stepped slowly back from the brink to- ward the officers. I ^vas w.itching the 8tr. faced a tliunder squall with than aught beside. Directly afiter he was lettJttg himself carefully down with his back to mr glass; the party .ibove were moving off over the brow of the crags, :ind the governor riding round, apparently to Niiiiie .streaks of lin-czt". where ' I could catcli \ The PodarguH ot.me once more down the hollow b*"- tweeu UH. Ill fact, the seventy-four h.nl rttoiMi bv this time so far in that t)iu neiiks in the distance shut her out; but T ran the glass carefully ovtn: Ihii wb(>l<> horistut'. in my view for signs of tlw ''••lioouer. The haze was too bright. Iiowever, to make sure either way. ilioui:l» dead tu windward there wen' clouds risen with thi> "ce or twice lancicd >am of a speck in It i to be seen through a notch in the i.i tx» crowd sail downward, to fall in with n.y shipmates. I was just getting near the rum liitd Side Path, accordingly, after a ooiipli- of mortal Itours' hard riding, and oiict* more in .sicht of the harbor bene:ith. wlien the tliree of t!iom overtook iii'', having managed to reach the top of Dbna's l»eak as they meant. The first litTiteiiant was full of the grand views on the way witli the prosix^ct off tin' peak, where oi saw the sea all rouiui St. Helena '' a ring, and the nicy over you as xs blue water. "But wh'it ju think we saw nn the top, Mr. Coiiins?" aske«l one of tlu' urchins of me— a mischievous imp lu' was himself, too, pock-nmrked, with liair like a brush, and squinted like a sh\\>'* two hawse holes. "Why, Mr. Snelling," said I, gruffly- for I knew him pretty well .already, ami he was rather a favorite with me for his shariMiess, though you may supposi' I was thinking of no trifles at the mo- ment— "why. the devil, perhaps!" "I must say I thought at first it w.n him, sir," siaid the relefer, grinnini:. "'Twas 'in ugly nigger, though, sir, sil- ting right on the very truck of it with his hands on his knees, and we'd got tu shove him oft" before we could dig our knives into it!" "By the Lord Harry!" I rapped out, '•the very thing that— "'Twas really the case, though, Mr. Collins." said the first lieutenant: "anil I thought it curious, but there are s« many negroes In the island." "If you please, sir." put in the least of the mids, "perhaps they haven't, all of 'em room to meditate, sir." "Or sent to the m&sthead, eh, RoscocV" .said Snelling. "Which you'll be, sirrah," broke in the first lieutenant, "the moment I j:et aboard, if you don't keep a small helm." We were clattering down ovc-r James Town by this time, the sun bla/.ing veil off the horizon into it and the doors of the houses, and the huge hull and spars of the Conqueror almost blocking np the harbor as she lay anchored outside the hollo >v bk'- iity-four U.nl in thac thu ler out; but T Ihij whole ifCHH of th<' too hrlcht , oithor way. there witc (>u with tlif wipe lant'icil I speck In if 8t!en throuifli catiiitf out 111 the telt!v?rai>l» ; after whi< h of the fort* vn at .lames* bi'inx late ii< time for ii'' > fall ill with the :iirn Into [ter a ootiple UK, and on< >• rbor beuetith. overtook ui", I the top (tf nc The first ' grand vitnv-i )Sl*»>Ct off till' sea all rotimi and the ski- water. k we saw nn ie'* lid I, ja-nffly THE (IREKN HANI). MS already, mi'l with me for may supp<'«'' ea at the nm- haps!" at first it WiH fer, ,?rinuini:. ough, sir, sii- uck of it with id we'd got til could di;,' out I rapped out, though, Mv. uteuant: "ai'.il there are su id." It in the least ley haven't all sir." i, eh, Roscoc' -ah," broke in I moment I P'M a small helm.' wn over Jamt'H ,un blazing veil d the doors of _hull and spar^ blocking rp the red outaide the TndiainoM. The cvciiiiig gun firi'd hh we pulled aboard tlp> llebe, which iinmedi- iit4*ly gilt midcr way by order, although lx)rd Fre^lerick wan not fo'iie down yet; but it fell to h(T turn that night tomipply a guard boiil to windwanl, .mil she st'Kxl up under full sail round Sugtir Loaf Point juKt iis dusk fell like a shadow uvt'f the island. The Newcastle's Iniat Miis on the lee- ward coast that night, and one of our cutters was getting ready to lower nenr- ly off l*rosi>erous bay to windward, while the frigate herm'If would hold farther out to sea. One of the master's mates should have taken the cutter; iuit, after giving the fiiMt lieiitt'iutnt a few hints as far as I liked to go, I j)roi)o.sed to go in charge of hi'v that time myself— which being laid to the score of my freshness on the station, and the mate being happy to ^jct rid of a tiresmne duty. I got leave at once. 'Hie sharp midshipman Sm-lling took it into his ugly head to keeji m<> couipniiy, and nway w(> pulled into hearing of th<< surf. The Mioment things took the shape of fair work, in fact I lost all fhoutrhts of the late kind. In i)lnce of seeing; ■ the raggod heiffhtu against Uio sky, and musing all sorts of notions nl)oiit the i^'^cnch emperor, there was nothing but the broad bulk of the island liigh over us, the swell below, and the sea glim- mering wide from our t,'imwale to the stars; .so no sooner did ■»" ■• lose Hi;.'ht of the Hebe slowly meltinL" 'ito thi> ^rloom than I lighted a chtu-oot. >,m,i' rhe tiller to the mid, and sat stirring to the heart at the thought of something to eotue, I scar.?e knew wluit. As for Bonat>arte, with all that belonged to him, 'twas lit- tle to me in that mood, in spite of Miiat I had seen during the day, compared with a snatch of old channel times; the truth was, next morning I'd feel for him again. The night for a good while was pretty rol-'i-'Die siarlig'iC and in n snrr nf a way you could make out a good distance. One time we pulled round betwixt the two points, though slowly enough; then again the men lay on their oars, letting her float in with the long swells, till the surf could be heard too loud for a safe berth. Farther on in the night, however, it got to be dark— below, at least— the breeze holding steady, and bringing it thicker and thicker; at last it was so black all round that on one side you just knew the rocks over you with the help of a faint twinkle of stars right aloft. On the other side there were only, at times, the two lights swinging at the mast head of the Podargus and Hebe, far apart, and one farther to sea than the other; or, now and then, their stem window and a port, when the heave of the water lifted them, or the ships yawed a little. One hour after another it was wearisome enough wait- ing for nothing at all, especially in the key one was in at the liuu'. and with a long tropical night before you. All of a sudden, fairly between the brig and tlie frig'»Le, 1 fancicKl I caught a glimpse for one minute id' anolher twi'ikle; llieii it was out again, and I had given it tip, when I wis cerl.iin I s.iw it plainly once more, as well as ;i third time, for as short :i space as be- fore. NN'e were off a cove in l,h»< coast, inside I'rospcrous bay, where a Itight in the* rocks softeiuMi the forci> of the surf, not far from the step break where one of tliese Name narrow gullies came out --a giKxl read helplessly hither and thither above water. The poor devils' wet black faees turned so wistfully, in their des- peration, toward the cutter, that I gnsjv >ed out to save him. They kept making toward us, in fact, and the bowman man- aged to hook him ar lust, though not i< moment too .soon, for the next heavi' broke the unlucky wretches apart, anil Ave lost sight of them; the cutter haugin;; on her oars till they had both him ami me stowed into the stern sheets, where the Frenchman lay seemingly dead or senseless, and I spitting out the salt- water like a Cockney after a bath. "\Vh.v, Mister Snelling," said I, .-is soon as I came fully to myself, "I can't at all understand how I got into tlu' Avater." "Nor I, either, sir," said he. "I'll be hanged, sir. if I don't think it was a Avhirhvind of niggers off the top of Di- ana's Pi>ak, seeing I made out the very one Ave found there this afternoon; the four of (hem took you and this other g(mtleman up in their arms in a lump, as you were floundering about together, and took to the water like so many seals, sir." I lookeoth him an id this other in a lump, out together, ke so many Frenchman's ed with his pping. id, who h.nil ntern again. r it. Is he a ight as much. 1 the moment ther. sir." "d've see any- rd?" i peered over o catch the I, hut to no pink the bird on. however, pping as bo- ho sea, and liding across )lind side to quickly, and as I seized vard; strotcli and we have or the spot, lit a show of aming fairly ven catch ii ft or other's om-end risins •ed I; "stand )." arp hail over fc?" Idly, through ifEerence as thought oc- the French lis very craft hailed; "bon- ssible. tno" ral of the THE GREEN HAND. 147 schooner's crew, jumping upon her bul- warks; "que vous apponez lui-mcmeV" W'e wei'u pulling tor ner side us lubber- ly us possible all the time, a man run up ou her quuiaer with a coil of hue I'eady to heuve, but still tlie main boom of the sehoouer was already jibiug, nor helm up, and she under way; ihey seemed half doubtful of us, and aaoiUer moment might turn the scales. "Vite, vite!" roared I, choosing my French at hai>-hazara. "Uui oui, jetioz voire corde — veuez nu lof, mes amis!" lull', that was to say. 1 heard somebody aboard say it wuM tlie Amorioau — the schooner came up in the wind, the line whizzing off her (juarter into our bows, and Ave came .-dieering dovrii close by her lee quarter, ^'rinding against her bends in the surge, iwenty eager faces peering over at us iu the confusion; when I sung out hoarse- ly to run for brandy and hot blankets, as he was half drowned. "Promptement — promptement, mes amis!" shouted I, and as quickly there was a rush from her bulwarks to bring what was wanted, while Snelling and 1 made a dash up her side, followed by i.he men, cutlass in hand. Three minutes of hubbub, and as many strokes betwixt us, when we had driven the few that stood in our way i)ell-mell down the nearest hatchway. The schooner was completely our own. We hoisteil up the cutter, with the French captain still stretched in the stern-sheets, hauled aft the schooner's head-sheets, let her large mainsail swing full again, and were soon standing swift- ly out toward the light at the frigate's masthead. When the Hobe first caught sight of us. or rather heard the sound of the schooner's sharp bows rushing through tlie water, she naturally enough did not know what to make of us. I noticed our first luff's sudden order to clear away the foremost weather-gun, with the rush of the men for it; but my hail set all to rights. We hove to off her weather quarter, and I was directly after _ on hoard, explaining as simply as ixvsaible how wp had come to get hold of a French craft thereabout in such a strange fash- ion. Accordingly, you may fancy the sur- prise at .Tames Town in the morning to SCO the Hebe standing in with her prize. let alone the governor's perfect astonish- ment at suspecting some scheme to carry off Napoleon apparently so far brought to a head. The upshot of it was, to cut this bit of my story short, he and the military folks would have it at last that there was nothing of the kind, but only some slaver from the African coast wanting to land a carcro. especially as there were so many blacks aboard of her; and the French man at once took the one. the littlo monsieur of a mate swearing he had been employed by sev- eral of the islanders some months before to bring them slaves. For my own part, all things considered, I had nothing to say; and, after some likelihood of a shine being kicked up about it at first, the matter was hushed up. However, the schooner was, of course, condemned in the meantime as the Hebe's fair prize, till such time as the admiralty court ai the Cape should settle it on our outward- boiuid voyage. As the Hebe was to sail at once for India, the governor took tlie opportunity to send two or three supernumeraries out in the vessel along with us to the Cape of Good Hope, among whom was the Yankee botanist; and, though, being iu the frigate, I didn't see him, I made as sure as if I had, that it was my old shipmate, Daniel Snout. Well, the moniing came when we weighed anchor from St. James's Bay for sea, in company with the prize. It was not more tluin ten or eleven days since we had arrived in the Pod- argus, but I was as weary with the sight of St. Helena as if I'd lived there a year. The frigate's lovely hull, and her taut spars sjireading the square stretch of her white canvas sideways to the trade, put new life into me. Slowly as we dropped the peaks of the island on our lee quarter, 'twas something to feel yourself traveling the same road as the Indiaman once more, with the odds of a mail-coach, too, to a French dili- gence. What chance might turn up to bring us together I ertainly didn't see; but that night, when we and the schoon- er were the only things in the horizon, l)oth fast-plunging, close-hauled, on a fresh breeze, at the distance of a mile, I set my mind for the first time more at ease. "Luck and the anchors stowi^." thought I, "and hang all forethoughts!" I walked the weather quarter-deck in my watch as pleasantly as might be. with now and then a glance forward at Snelling. as he yarned at the fife-rail beside a groggy old mate, and at times a glimmer of the schooner's hull on our lee beam, rising wet out of the dusk, under charge of our third lieutenant. It was about a week afterward, and we l)egan txi have rough touches of Cape A\'eather. pitching away on cross- seas, and handling our 'call ant-sails of- tener of a night, that Lord Frederick said to nie one evening before going doA\Ti to his cabin. "Mr. rollins. T really hope we shall not find your Indiaman at Cape Town, after all." "Indeed, Lord FrMerick," said I. re- spectfully enough: "hut it was the very thing I hoped myself." "Yes. sir," continued he. "as I received strict injunctions from Admiral Plam- pin to arrest Lieutenant Westwood if we fell in with her there, and otherwise to send the schooner in her track, even if it were to Bombay." "The deuce!" I thought; "are we never :rE- 148 THE GREEN HAND. PC to be done with this infernal affair?" " 'Tis excessively disagreeable," con- tinued the captain, swinging his gold eyeglass round his finger by the chain, as was his custom when bothered, and looking with one eye all the while at the schooner. *'A beautiful craft, by-the-way, Mr. Collins," said he, "even within sight of the Hebe." "She is so, my lord," said I; "if she had onlv had a sensible boatswain even to put the sticks aloft in her." "I say, Collins," went on his lordship, musingly, "I think I have it, though — the way to get rid of this scrape." I waited and waited, however, for Lord Frederick to mention this, and to no purpose apparently, as he went be- low without saying a word more about it. PATtT XT. Well, ma'am, continued our narrator, addressing himself as usual to his mat- ronly relative in the chair, and with the accustomed catch- word, which was like the knotting together of his interrupted yarn — well, it was between a fortnight and three week? after losing sight of St. Helena, that, being at last fairly in the latitude of the cape, the frigate and schooner tacked in company, and stood close-hauled on a wind to the eastward. By the middle watch that night, whon the moon set, avo could make out the long, flat top of Table mountain heaving in sight off the horizon over against her. Next day, iu fact, we were both of us quietly at anchor outside of the shipping in Table bay, Cape Town glittering along on the green flat among the trees to southward, with the hills on each side of it like some big African lion lying on guard close by, while Table mountain hove up, square- shouldered, blue to the left, four thous- and feet high, as bare and steep as a wall, with the rocks and trees creeping up from the foot, and the wreaths of light cloud resting half way, like nothing else but the very breakwater of the world's end. The sea stretched broad off to north and west, and the whole fleet of craft lay be- twixt us and the land— half of them India- men— among which, you may be sure, I kept a pretty sharp lookout with the glass to see if the Seringapatam was there. I was soon saved further pains on this head, however, when shortly afterwanl, the frigate was beset by a whole squad- ron of bumboats, shoving against each other, and squabbling in all sorts of nigger tongues who should be fir'st; the chief of them being in evident command of a fat old Dutch frow, with an immense blue um- brella over her, two greasy-looking Hot- tentot rowers in blankets, and a round- faced Dutch boy, the picture of herself, steering the boat; and the old lady made a clear berth for herself by laying about with her blue umbrella, till she was close under our quarter, sitting all the while with the broad, round stern of her bright- colored gown spread over a couple ot beer-barrels, like a peacock's train. Iu two minutes more the little fellow wa- up the side, flourishing a bimdle of paper- under the first lieutenant's very nose, ami asking the ship's custom, even while tln' sentries were ordering them all off. A midshipman took this youth by the cull of the neck, and was handling him rather roughly along to the care of the pursers stei^mrd, when 1 stepped betwixt theiir. and a bumboat being the he^t directory nu the point, of course Isoon found the <^M lady had had dealings with the Seringapa- tam, which her bluff-built little progeny described as a very good ship indeed. ;ill having paid their bills, except one youiiu otticer Avho had left a balance standing, for which he had given a letter to hi - brother in a ship that was to come afttr. As for the Indiaman herself, the Dutrii boy said she had sailed about a week bi-- forb our arrival, along with two others: and he was anxious to know if we avu- the vessel in question. 1 according'^ un- folded the open letter, which wa . ;iii- dressed, "Thomas Spoonbill Simff, In- quire, of his Britannic majesty's .shii> Nincompoop, or otherwise," and it ran thus: "Hon. East India compajy's sliiii Seringapatam, Table Bay, Sopi. 1, ISlt!. - My dear brother, this is to certify thir I have enven four dozen and a half "i eggs, supplied by the worthy Vrow Dulclc- en, the bearer of this, whom 1 can recfpiu- raend as an old screw, and am due hi r for the same the sum of nine shilling:- and sixpence sterling, which you wiii kindly pay her, taking her receipt or mark, unless you are willing to forfeit our family watch, herewith deposited by me in tL' hands of said Mother Dulcken. I may add that, in justice to the worthy Vrow. three of the above-mentioned eggs ou,i;lir to be charged as fowls, which, by the way. I did not consume; and, with love to all at home, remain your affectionate brothc!-. John Simm, H.E.I.C.S. P.S.— The watdi I have discovered to be pinchbeck, and ii does not go; so that a sad trick mu>c have been originally played upon our vin- erated uncle, from whom it descended..— J. S." This precious epistle was, without doubt, a joke of the fat mid, Simm, wli'> used to come such rigs over Ford t!i" cadet, and who jumped overboard oiu- night by mistake out of the Indiaman'.-: quarter-boat during the voyage. As for thi^ existence of his brother Thomas, or tln' chance of his touching at that port, I stt them down with the coming home "t' Vanderdecken; though the thought of this young scamp of a sea-lawyer breakfa.' 1 all off. A I by the cul'f ig him rather : the purser's etvvixt thoin, t directory nu 'ound the oM he Seringapii- little progeny lip indeed, all ■pt one youiii; nee standiii-. letter to hi ■ o come afti r. If, the Diit- ii ut a week bi - ti two other-: w if we Avt !■ ■ L'cording'r 111 1- liieh wa . a'l- Simm, K>- ajesty'.-. sbii> " and it ran >rapaiy's sliii> lept. 1, ISlti. - certify thir ind a half "t 1^ Vrow Dul'k- 1 1 can reciiiu- 1 am due hi;- nine shillini:- lich you wiii ;ccipt or mark, feit our family by me in tl: ■ cken. I may worthy Vrow. ed egg'.s ou;;1k h, by the way. h love to all ar mate brothir. 3.— The watrii 2hbeck, and it id trick uin-t upon our ven- ; descended..— ivas, without d, Simm, wh* ver Ford th' )verboard oni' lie Indiamaii's ige. As for th^^ homas, or tiu' jat port, I sfi; ling home "I hougbt of this yer breakfast- ifortably only my charmer- ird again, an>larboard side of the Muarter-deek in the height of the scene. Indeed, I believe it was a joke for months after in the Hebe ot a night to sav it was "the second lieu- •enant's watch;" the sole revenge I had being to leave Mother Dulcken and her Ui;v to expect the "ship that was coming after." A government boat came aboard in the afternoon, and as soon as it left us,Lord i'rederick to()k his gig, and steered for a tngate lying some distance off, which had the harbor flag hoisted to her main, being ihe only man-o'-war besides ourselvejs, and commanded by a senior captain. Till it tfot dark I could see the crews of the uearest merchantman, looking over the bulwarks at us and our prize, apparently •comparing the schooner with the frigate, and speculating on her character, as she lay a few fathoms off the Hebe's quarter, b()th of us rising and falling in turn on the long heave of the cape swell from e(.»a- Mard. 'T\vas hard to say, in fact, so far as their hulls went, which was the most beautiful sample of its kind; though the sdiooner's French-fashioned sticks and "IT-hand sort of rigging showed rather like jury-gear beside the tall, regular >ticks aloft of the Hebe's decks, with all her hamper perfect to a tee. The Hebe's luen verj' naturally considered their own ship a model for everything that floated— a .sort of Solomon's temple, in short — and HI hear the merciless way they ran down the Indiaman all round would have raised the whole homeward-bound fleet against us; whereas the schooner was our own at any rate, and she was spoken of much in the manner one mentions an unfortunate orphan, as good as already christened by the name of Young Hebe. This our learn- ed chaplain said was quite improper, and he gave another name in place of it — the Aniceta — which meant, as he observed, the Hebe's youngest daughter; so the Aniceta she was called, happening to be a title that weat, according to the boatswain, full as sweetly through the sheave-hole. Next day the schooner had landed not oidy her passengers from St. Helena, but the prisoners also, as we still understood the French and their Kroomen to be. Not lonft after that Ijord Frixlerick came back from Cape Town looking grave, and went straight down to his cabin, or "cabins." as hia lordship preferred to have it said. The first lieutenant dined that day with the captain; but they could scarcely have finished when the "young gentleman" who hud been as usual from the reefer's mess cime up -nith a message from the captain, that his lordship would be .dad if I would join the first lieutenant and himself in a glass of -wine. I found them sitting at the side of the table nearest the open port, with the decanters between them, and the bioad, bright bay in full sight to the shore and the foot of Table mountain, which rose up blocking the port with the top of it beyond view; the sound of the mer- chantmen clinking at their heavy wind- lasses and hoisting in water casks floated slowly in from every side, while the schooner had hatded on her cable more abreast of the frigate, leaving the sight clear over the eddy round her low coiiuter. "A lovely piece of workmanship, cer- tainly!" observed Lord Frederick, thoughtfully, as he leaned back, swinging his eyeglasses round his finger, with the other hand in the breast of his waist- coat, and looking out at what was seen of the schooner. "And how one might have improved her par-s, too!" s.aid Mr. Hall, wistfully. "I should have recommended longer lower-masts altogether. Lord Frederick, and a thorough overhaul, I may say, from the combings upward." "I would not have her hull touched for the world, Mr. Hall," said the captain; " 'tis too — excessively provoking, at least. But pass the bottle to Mr. Collins, if you please." I had taken a chair and quietly filled my glass, wondering what could be the matter, Avhen his lordship turned to me and said, "Do you know, Mr. Collins, this schooner of ours is likely to be laid up in chancery, heaven knows how long. The admiralty court ashore is doubtful of con* demning her apparently, and she must either be sent home or to Monte Video or somewhere, where the master of her claims to belong." "Indeed, my lord," said I. setting down my glass, "that is curious." "Curious indeed, sir," replied he. biting his lips, "though, after all, we really can scarce say what she is to be condemne pi"odigy bi-oke all of a sudden on us out of the awning, in a mixture of stutter- ing, hiccnuching, Yankee drawling, anf two ini- iid knees to ish striped m half way, le stockings. 18 the face of the awii- ;her, out of e leaf hiiup ile the other 'py soit of sd end of a n the midst • down. The shocked at of the Hebe ekI, between or my own t this samt' in on us out e of stuttcr- rawling, and I I could do nowledge of w, general." e were talk- in the sky, !♦— I ki-kick- re be-be-bat- respect you, but I ho- — whol ami" lo was in a )u, swayed schooner's irrns folde steady, as over tht' head, while Hammond, had aboard laughing at gone mad — prig of an y length for one eye rigate till it of the call- ed to notice :hen myself, ust then re- rush towapl iniel himself a moment, )tful frowni. ma to de- of an old trying t<> t!" shouted n't touched >e?" With here he sat, no doubt THE GREEN HAND. »5i :t thinking of the Seringapfltam, and the valuables he had left aboard, without seeing the water between: and a pretty ileeP dive Mr. Snout would have made it into an ebb tide that would have swept him imder the frijrate's Itottom, if Mr. Hammond and the midshipman hadn't both sprung forward in time to catch him by the neck of the coat. There, accoi'^ingly, was the Yankee hanging like a spread-eagle over the schooner's taffi-ail, yelling and turning round at the same time like a fowl on a spdt, the third lieutenant's and the mate's faces two pictures of dismay as they held on. at finding for the first time where the schooner had shied them round to, with their two pairs of eyes fair in front of the captain's eye- glass, while Mr. Hill was singing out like thunder fi-om the deck above ns. "The schooner ahoy! d'ye see where you've got to, sirV Haul ahead on that cable, d'ye hear, you lubbers, and keep clear of the ship!" "Mr. Collins," said his lordship quiet- ly to me, as soon as he could keep his countenance, and looking the sterner for the trouble he was put to In doing it. "you will get your things and go .abwird the schooner directly. Take her i;i charge, sir, and send Mr, Ham- mond back here." "Very well, my lord," said T, waiting in the doorway for something more, which, from something in Lord Fred- erick's look, I had reason to expect, knowing it of old. "I can only spare you a dozen of the men she has,'' added he;^ "but if you choose you can send ashore at once to pick up a fcAV makeshifts, or anything you find." "Ay, ay, my lord," said I; "the best hand for that would be Mr. Snelling, if I may take him. Lord Frederick?" "Oh, certainly," ^ was the answer; "and, harkee, I'ollins. you liad better shift your berth a few cable lengths or more farther off, if you please." "One thing, my lord," said I. stoop- ing down to sec through the iwrt, "I don't much like the heavy ground-sAvell that begins to meet the ebb, Tjord Fred- erick; and I fancy it won't be long ere Table mountain spreads its upper cloth, in which ease I'd consider it necessary to slip cable and rim out at once, though I mightn't get in again so eas- ily. Am I to find the frigate here again, Lord Frederick?" "Deuce tnke it, man— no!" said his lordship. He turned his back to hide the evident twinkle of his eye. "Should we part company, of course you make for the Bay of Bengal You can't be sure of the Hebe short of the Sandheads: and if not there, then oppo- site Fort William, at Calcutta.' "Very good, my lord," said I, and had made my bow to go on deck, when Lord Frederick called me back. liastily; Collins. "about She is I. "By-the-bye," said he, that Imliaman of your, here, no doubt?" "No, liord Fre epaulets glisten over the Helx^'s quarter, a.s if there was a stir aboard: after which the boats were plainly i)ulling for the schooner. What all this might mean I couldn't very well conceive. Tinlesw it were tither Snelling coming back already, or else some hands Lord I'^i-ederick himself had in-ovided before this, is I saw both boats weiv full of people. "Fonvard there!" I sung out; "hail those boats!" "Ay, ny. the scluxmer ahoy!" was the answer, in a sharp voice from the headmost of them; "fi-om the shore — all right' Stand by to heave us a line, will ye?" Next came a hail from Siu'lliug. in our own gig; so I at once gave orders to heave them a roi)e and have both boats brought under the gangway, naturally supT>jisiug tile sharp little fellow had ha 1 some marvellous good luck in shipping hands. As 8(X)n a.s he jumi>ed on de(;k. I accwdingly in(iuir«l how many nu^n be had brought, when to my great suipri.se he informed me there was oidy one, "a scuffy sort of n swrb," as he expressed it. "who would do for cook!' "The devil he vriM, you young ra.scal," I broke out. "Hush, sir, for heaven's sake!" said he, making some extr:u>rdinary sign which I didn't understand; "it'll be all right in the end, Mr. Collins. 'Sow, then, sir," tc. some one in the IxKit alongside, as he eai'efuUy handed him the accommoda- tion ropes, "here you are — hold on, sir— so-o!'' Tills was a rather youngish fel- low in a huge pilot coat and a glazed cap, with some kind of uniform inside, and a large breastpin in his shirt, who lianded me a piper the moment he stoo^l firm on deck, without speaking a word: though by the light of the eks to Ids mouth, nor the glance he gave I'oiyid tlie schooner with his pair ol quick, shai'P eyes. "Much more like a custom-house officer than a cook," thought I. "unless we mean to have a French one;" but what was my astou- ishmeut, on oi)eiiing the paper, to find him called "tJilbert Webb, harbonnas- ter's assistant, hereby authorized by the admiralty court, sitting in Cape Town, to take charge of the doubtful vessel described in her papers as the Ludovico. belofsgiug to Monitevideo, from the otii- cer eumm.'inding the prize crew of the Britannic maji>sty's ship Hebe." My first thoufht wa.s to have Mr. Gilberi Webb ))itched over into the boat apiiii. when Lord Frctdeanck's own signature met my eye at the Ixrttom of the paiH-r. addressed to "Lieuteimnt Collins, ol' his iuaj(>Nty's schooner Aniceta. at sea." A wonderfully mysiterious scjuint from Snelling, belund the oificer. was sulh- cient to dincli the nuitter in my own nnnd, sliowing that the reefer was as sharp as a needle; and I handed back the document to tlie harbor gentleman. Avith a "Veiy well, sir, that will do." "I supiK)se I'd better have my men up. Lieutenant Collius?" said he, witli a (luiclc pert kind of acoGut, Avhich made me set him down at once for a Loii doner, while at the same time he seemed impatient, as I thought, to get. the management. "I supiwfe you had Hen^vupon up mounted four or cent enoiigUi looking stevedoivs, two of whom had rather tlie vsailors. the rest b<"ilng shortUestred Dutchmeai, Why,sir," said I, five dc- one or air of broad-beame locomiuodu- ,d on, sir— >ti^^sh fe]- il a glazed jrm inside, shirt, wlio lit he stood ig a word; ick lantern jk of his vliiskers on otli chc^eks B he gavi- 8 pair ot jore like a a cook," to have a my aston- )er, to find harboraias- ized by tlie 'ape Town. >tfnl vessel e Ludovioo. »m the olli- rew of the (>be." :M.v Mr. Gilberi boat agjiin. 1 signatvuv the paiHT. Jollins, ol' ta. at sea." [uiiit from was suHi- n uiy own "tr was as Linded baek gentleman. Avill do." my men d lie, with ,vhich made for a Lon time he ght. to get said I, or five de- :vs, one or the air of ad-beame finish to the rage I felt bi-ewing in me, vexed as I nat- urally Ava.s to give up the notion of a free cruise, in command of a craft like the schooner; and as soon as Mr. Webb was comfortabh! in the cabin over a tumbler of stiff grog ami £*ome cold lieef, I sent for Snelllng to my owu^ tuplxMii'd of a state-room. "You cursed unlucky little imp, you!" I burst out the moment he made his appearance, "what's the meaning of this, Sin-ah, eh?" "VVhat is it, if you please, sir?" said Suelling, pretending to hold doAvn his shock-head like a frightened schoolboy, iuid looking up all tJie time both at me i!i(d the lamp at once, while he swayed with the uneasy heaA'e of the deck in such a way as made me grip him by the arm iu a perfect fury, fancying he Lad got drunk ashore. "You young blackguard, you!" said T, shaking him; | "didn't I tell you to get hjvjid.s — didn't you know I meant to — to—" "Oh, yes. Mr, Collins." gasi>ed the Kefer, "I did, indetnJ; you meant to cut and run; I saw it by your eye, sir. and —don't shake me any more, sir, or you'll siioil my hair — and I don't deserve it; il'b— all right!" And on my letting him go. the ugly little scamp sunk on a chair Avith his eyes stalling from his head and a letn- like .a iwrfect demon iucar,nate; but so jwrfectly laughable it was. not to men- tion the air of complete confidence be- tween us ftiat he threw into it, that T »i't down myself, ready to grin at my bad luc!.. "Well, Mr. Snelling," said I, quietly, "you are a touch beyond rae. Let's liave the joke at least; out with it, man, else another shake, maybe." The reefer pointed ^yi\h his thumb over his shoulder to the cabin, shoved Uis chin forward, and whispered, "Why «r, I'm only doubtful whether you could make him third officer; but at any rata he'll always lie useful at a rope, Mr. Callius, won't he, sir?" I gave Snelling one look, meant to l>e as grave as au old Baih'y chaplain's, but it wouldn't do — my con.scie*ice wouldn't stand it — iu fact. the veay self-same notion seemed to have been creeping into my mind. "You- young — rascal!" was all I could manage to say, before making bolt to go on deck. "By-the-bye, Mister Snelling." said I, turning and looking down from tlie hatchway, "y*»u must want a glass of grog. Tell the boy to let you have some, and go and keep the olticer com- pany, sir.' By tliis time it was raining hard, tlie half moon coming out at moments and •shining through it with a sudden sharp gleam in some gust of the Wind off the land, showing the swell in as far as the wet white custom house and the bare quays, the ships with their hazy light.s all hithea' and thither, while Table uiountaiu was to be .«eeii nf>w and then peering half over the mist, first one coiner and then another, of a color like ashes. One time I looked down toward the dusky httle cabin, where the midship- raim, tjuite in his element, was sitting witli the harbor olficer, the lamp jerking and making Mild swings betwixt them, wotle Snelling evidently og2reoltmg in a way worse than before, with now and then a plunge of the swell on her broad- side as if she had been undefr way. Sud- denly Snellimg lifted the sky-ligbt frame and screamed down into the cabin, "Mr. Collins. Mr. Collios! she's been dragging her anchor for the last ten minuter, sir]" I sprang on deck at two bounds; the eichooner had somehow or other got her aiLchor out of hold at the time. Avith the cable as taut as a fiddle stxiing. It was Quite dark aloft, and not a vestige of Table mountain to be seen. tlio)igh the moonshine, low down to the westward, bi-ought out two or three tracks of light along the stretch of water, and you saw the lights in the ships slowly swe*>ping past. Whel^ we happened to be it blow two ways at once, as is ofitem the .3Jise in Table bay, round the bluffs of the mountain, and as soon as she brought uip again with a surge at the windhuss, the heave of a long swell took her right on, the quarter, lifting her in to her an- chor again with a slack of the hawser, at which every othea* man sung out to "hold onl" Over she went to port, a sea washing up the starboard side, and throwing a few dozen buckotfuls at onco fair into the oompauioa, where oui' frioinl the harbor officer wan sticking at Dm- time: so down plumped Mr. Webb alon;: with it, and the booby hatch was shoved close after him, while the poor devils «>|' Lascars wert huddled together us ^vii us SAvabs in tlie lee of the caboose for- ward. "A hand to the wheel!"' shoiitod I. as soon as I recovered myself; whi>n. in my great surprise, J saw Snelling's now- hand, poor creatm*e as I'd thought him. standing with a sijoke in each fist, us (;od on me in the ti'ue Unowiii„' way which I felt could be trusted to. "Jib there I" I sung out; "see all clear to rim up a few hanks of the jib— stand by to cut the cable at the bitts!" ".\y, ay, sir," answered Snelling, who was fl'orking away with the harbor men. his bare head soaked, and altog.lh'T more like an imp than a young geiitk- man of the navy; "aU's clear, sir." Fiv3 minu)tes I dare siy we stood, every one in the same position, while I wuited for a good moment in the run of th • twell, looking into th-i binn.aol". till she hung slack as it were in a Avide seetMuig trough of the sea, when I sign- ed to the man behind me to put Iho helm gradually to starboard. I glanced at the fellow again, caug^it his sharp weatherly eye once more, then putting both hands to my mouth 1 sung out to bowse on the jib halliards. "Now— cut — tile cable!" shouted I, springiug for- ward in my anxiety. The schooner rose away from her an- cshor on the heavy roll of the sea; I saw two quick strokes of the axe on the instant, and sihe was spinning head off from the wind, hetiling over betwixt the force of it and the ground swell togeth- er, while th«( mass of black water was wushdng bodily away with us. the new helmsman showing doAvn below me as ho loaiuvl to the wheel like somebody at the foot of a slide. If he hadn't help- ed her at the moment with a back turn of the spokes to port 'twould have been all up Avith us. As it was, the schooner fell off gallantly in his hands,, wit.h a sliding surge into the lee of the next swell, that buried hiT sharp bows in the green sea, till it foamed tboat our very shoulders, as Ave hung on like giini death to the weather buhvark.^ She was just shaking herself free, and rising like a buoy over the broad tops of the AA'avcs, when SnellLng, myself, and tAVo or three of the men staggered down to the main mast to swig up the throat halliards, letting her fe^l a little of the boom main Rail; and we had scarce belayed ere the last glimpse of the frigate's lights was caught astern of us. heaving and setting?, as she rode with her tAA'o bowv?r anichors down; we had driven past close enoutrh to have heard the creak of her hamper aloft. After that I had the forestaysail THE GREEN HAND. '55 tfuls ut onic re oui' friwhl king at till- Webb alaii;: waa sbovcd )or tlevils <«f tber us 'vci caboose for- boiitod I. iis t; Avhon. to lellidK's now tboujjat bill I. »«cb list, as I bio, nntl his rue kaowiii„' I misted to. sea all clear ie jib — Btarnl itta!" Inollinj?, who harbor meu, d altog.ith"!' ouiig Kentlo- r, sir.'^ y we ptood. tion. while I in tbe rim tb'i binnaol", re in a wide wbeo I sign- to put tbo 1. I glanced tt his sharp then putting sung out to "Now— tnit )riiigiug foi- rom her an- e sea; I saw axe on the ing head off betwixt the swell togetb- i water was lis. the new elow me as ce somebody hadn't help- a back turn d have been the schooner ids,, wit.h 11 of the next trp bows in d ibo'it our on like giini k.. She was d rising like >f tbe waves, two or tihree to the main at halliards. e boom main ayed ere the i lights was and setting. »wer anchors dose enouirh hor hamper ( forestaysail set on her, then the riK'fed Tnainsall, and the lively schooner yielde^l to the long rollinf; seas so well as very soon to make h(T oavii woa»^hpr of it. especially since, clear of the high land about Ta- ble bay, it was blowing only a strong breeze, and the more T bocan to feel mastiT of her the more inclined I Avns to let her show her good qnalities. Such a craft I neviT had bad tbe full manage- ment of before in my life; and j'ou may easily fancy how I felt at dividing the bands into two watches, giving little Snelling command of one as lirst mate, and picking out our men in turn. T looked round among mine, rather at a loss for one to make second (Viate for the cruise, though there were three prime enough man-o'-war's-meai. and I had cihosii?!! one of tbe govern mi?nt offi- cer's gang for his activitv. As for the Lascars, we slumped in half of the number to each of us for make-weights, when Snt>lling's fresh hand. Avho hal, spoken in an aectnt you'd have expected more in a west end drawing room than from a com- mon sailor. "Ah," said I, sharply. "Jack Jones? I wonder how mary Jack .Tones' there ara afloat? An able seaman, I think, .Tones?" "Why, sir," replied the mnu, "I never rate myself, sir: 'tis all one to me, able, ordinary, landsman, or boy. I cniry no papers, and leave my betters to rate me." "WTiere were you last, my man?" I aske been buHjr to- 4 done abont: lag preventor n the booms to look abonr, g along with nd a floatinir blue sea tn her onwai'd. decent below, vith different r, besides r^- ho was quill' Even Snelliiif: api>enrauct'. my notion <»f J as for the he had conn' the truth, ho »ail got ui> e accustomed me I rcmeni- VVebb, whom loniously, ami ik below, half oling himself ill we should s he said. Itch, Mr. Col- y, "and I'll :, had all of a lably dignifio through it that sent the helmsman swinging to the lee side of the wheel, while a seti waahed over iier forecastle, and away aft with tho tuba, buckets and spars, knocking evei-y- body right and left. Snelling and I held on by the weather main rigging with our feet in a bath till she lifted bmlily through it, careening to h<'r lee gunnel. "By George, though, broke out tho reefer, smacking his lips as we drew breath, "I wish ho did see me; wouldn't it cheer his declining years, when I'd got to hand the governor carefully below! And such a rough night aa we're going to have of it, too, sir!" "You unfilial young dog!" said I; "but so I'm afraid we shall, and no joko either." Jones was standing near us, watching the looks of the weather with evident un- easiness, and I asketl him what he thought of it. "In my opinion, sir," said he, "you 11 have some pretty sudden shift of wind ere long of a kind I have seen more than (tnee off the cape before — and that as furi- ous as a southeaster ordinary is here* abouts. Look away yonder, sir." It had got to a clear, dry, northeasterly gale, that shook our canvas every time she lifted, singing through the ropes, and bit- ter cold. Lone and heavy as the roll of the sea was. the sky was as keen and dear as jrlass all round about and aloft, save the mist kicked up by the spray off a wave here and there. If a rag of white ••Joud appeared it was blown away, and you saw the black wrinkled side of one wave at a time, a mile wide you'd have oaid. freckled al over with spots of foam, and its ridge heaving against the eye of the blast. The waves had begun to break shorter. The schooner, buoyant as she was, and sharp as a dolphin, pitched and rolled at times like mad. and the men for- ward were standing by to let go the fore halliards, throat and peak, to ease her a little, when Jones pointed out the bank of gray cloud ahead of us, scarcely to be seen through the troughs of the water, except when she lifted well upon a swell of sea. The sun going down upon a ^yild red glare to leeward of us threw a terrible glitter across the huge slant of one single wave that rose stretching away far and wide from her very bow, then brought out the sulky wrinkled blue in it: the hissing ^een crests curled over to the very sun- •et as it were, while we sunk slowly into the long, dark, lulling trough, and saw the broken shaft of u rainbosv stand glim- mering for a moment or two into a black hollow right ahead, when the gale drove it back upon us likii nn arrow, as the ■chooner surged through the breast of thw next wave. I iookiHl from Sn(>lling to tho new mate, who still held on by a belaying Eiu and watchiMl the chuids, giving me ack a glance that showi^l he thitught tho matter more serious than ordinary. "The 80«mor we striu her to the storni- •tay-sail.s," said I. (juiokly, as we fell Into the trough again, "the U'tier. 1 think. If it blows harder, we must lie to with her at onco." My eye was anxiously fixed on Jones. for large as the schooner was. Vietweeu two and three hundred tons, yet no craft in the world is so nice to brinir round to tho wind in a irale with a heavy sea rumdoir. Scuddinir before it niiirht have done for the fricate. with her full bows, and sixars high enough to keen her main- top-sails full in spite of the troughs; but even that would have taken us out of our course aftor the Indiaman. Besides that, to tell the truth. I didn't sufliciently understand fore-and-aft rigged crafts in all weathers yet to be quite sure of what I did at a pinch like the preiseut. "YetJ. y<'.s. sir." answered ho: "but If you'll take an older man's advice, before that you'll wear her rounasm. as it were, shot through the muscles of his jaw, ancl for a moment he gave mo a devilishly tierce, keen glance, almost a glare, from under his strong, straight eyebrows, then turned away. "Take the trumpet then, Mr. .Tones." said I, singing out into his ear: "I'll leave her to you, sir. Mr. Snelling, let's see the hatches all fast." And we scrambled along by the belaying-pins. "Are you all ready fore and aft?" came Jones' voice like thunder in the next dip she made, and he leaped up bareheaded on the breach of one of the small carron- ades aft. holding on with one hand by the weather main-shrouds, and watched the run of the waves as they glimmered off our lee beam into the dusk for full live minutes. I had hold of a rope near him. and his eye wns as steady as if he were picking out hills in a view. I had full confidence in the man; but I mu.st say it was a nervous moment to me when I saw him lift the trumpet to his mouth, and furiou.sly as the wind shook the schooner, you heard his hoarse cry, "Put your helm up — slack off the main-sheet — brail up the main-sail— ease down the weather- boom guy — main-stay-sail-sheet—" 158 THE GREEN HANI). 2 And tho rest weru lost in tbu wild shriek of tLti aorlljousl gale. We were luird at it, however, Htuggering u8 wu hauled and held on, eveu to tlio poor, half-drowued LaMcura, whom the mid- shipman hotl rouaed out of the caboose and long boat, Hhoving the ropea into their leathery hands. But 1 knew little flae till 1 aaw the schooner had payed off before the wind, sheering with a hiss like red-hot iron through the ridge, be- twixi two tremendous combing waves. It swelled greeu over her larboard bul- wark as she heeltxl over, aud she gave a heavy lurch wilh it, aa if she would let the next sea break aboard. "Now! uow!" shouted Jones, at a pitch of voice like no earthly sound, "aft the main-sheet for your lives!" He jumped to the wheel himself at a single bound. We were in t\yo tlouudor- ing heaps, as we dragged at the main- boom aft and the head sheets on the forecastle, while she came trembling up in the long bight of the sea, and took the gale steadily before her other beam. It was blowing harder than ever; and the awful scud of the sea rolled her bodily nway, as she met it wilh her wea- ther bow, washing white over the head rail, with spray from cathead to bow- sprit, the gale heaving her down on the lee beam, till she plimged to the brim on that side at every forward pitch, so that all hands on deck had to keep crowded to^iether aft. Still it was keen starlight overhead, the gale dry, though it was bitter cold, and the sea long and pretty regular. The schooner be- haved wonderfully well, being as tight as a bottle: and at the aaaxe time we were not only laying our course either for the Mozambique or Indian ocean, but instead of nmnlng farther into the gale, as before, and getting more nito the wild Cape latitudes, why. at pres- ent she tended to clear out of them. 1 accordinglv agreed with .Tones to hold on with cverv thing as lor? as possible, in spite of the way she was sometimes flung off the crest of a wave, as it won? making a clear dive with her nose under water through a white seething sea that seemed to swell roimd the whole horizon; the black bank of cloud off our weather- beam towered like icebergs ogainst_the cold green sky to southwest, the stars glittering and twinkling over it, with little hazv rings round them, after a fashion that one of us liked no more than the other. . , ^ ^. . About midnight we had got everything off her to the two small storm-stay-sails. main and fore, the wind blowing great puna, and the half moon shining right over the long bank, as if the back of it were dead white: while betwixt it and the washing glimmer of moonlight half wav you'd have thought the black heave of the ridges vanished Into a bulk of shadow ten times blacker, save for the heads of spray tossing dimly over in it here and there. All at once, in th>- very height of the gale, aa the blael; floating clouds from the bank began ut croHS over the gray scud flying faatalol'i. a blue flash of lightning shot zigzag into the veiy coinb ot a wave ahi;Hil of us, then came the clip of thunder, loud enough to be heard above the wind, and ill half a minute thero was a sudden lull. You saw the fleecy rags of scud actually Hettling together under the dark vapdr moving about them, and heard noihint; but the vast washing welter of the bil- lows rising and seething for miles around. as if the world were water, while th" s(;hoon('r rolled hcdiilessly away, Willi her storm-stay-sails flapping, into the trough. The midshipman almost gasped as he looked to me, not from fear, but as much to say," What nextV'Our stranu" mate stood against the fife-rail of the mainmast, apparently to<» intent on the sky and sea for .s])eaking. For my own uart, I let go of my belaying pin, and half tumbled to the wheel, almost knoek- ing the sailor down in my haste to pur the helm hard up, for I saw how tin' blast was to come, fairly before tlit> beam, upon ua. "Hard a-slarboard with it!" ahontcd T; "hrtul down the main-staysail tlun-.; —lot her fall off as she rises!" The last words were never hoard, for the next moment there wi»s another flash of lightning, this time a blaze all round into the troughs of the sea; I saw a body of mist coming down upon us from southeast, through which the srale strmk her on the starboard beam, having sud- denly shifted eight ix)ints or so. The heavy rollins' swi"il from northeast was close aboard, and «■ toon as I know what I was about, hero she was leauiiii: over to the full tremendous force of the storm, without i>ower to surge ahead, though struggling to rise like a cart- horse down on his knees with a loarl uphill of him. 'Twas by instinct, as they sa)y, I found myself scramblini; along to her weather main-ohannels.whore I managed to pory as it v blilldilr nIi niv ' -li' of wh isau like fearlos dirk ,1 hand the side, slip- •hoi) with tho y. I had got ig the lanyards le " mainmast go, llln; > roep after nn'. ittle tcllow as he was. although what was como of .Tones I »nldn't see, unless he had lost heart a I skulked. All at once, to my great joy. the raain-stay-sail M^w in- way to leeward out of the bo '>pi>s. like a scrap of paper, the main- lu.ist crashed at the cap and went n rsido, when the schooner righted to keo!. with a wild bolt forward tL h tlic whole width of an immense w — oiii' of the "third waves" it was, c imonl.r the last and the hueest in a sii ^le roll of the sea off the Ca,pe. before you sink into a long gliding valley, with a sort of a lull in it. The scene was so terri- THP: green HANI). 159 onco, lu thi' 1 thu blui'k Ilk begun ii» iig t'tirit alol'i. t ziipsag ittto ihoHil of \ls, huudiT, loud [ie wind, iiml I Huddun lull. Hcud nctiially i durk vapiM' oard noihin« ,'r of the bil- miles arounil, r, while th" away, wiili ;, into the linost gasped (III feai'. but ?"Our atraii),'" e-rail of tlic intent on tlu' For my own inj: pin, ami aluiowt kn()<'k- baste to put saw how thi' before tlio it!" uhor.tcil staysail thmo ^es!" 'cr hoard, for another flash Inzo nil rouml (•a; I saw a upon us from le iiale strii'k having suil- -! or 80. The lortheast was Hg T knew was leauini: force of the suv^e ahead, like a oari- with a load instinct, as scramblinv' hannels.whoro lif side, slip- 1 with tli(^ 1 had f:ni the lanyards mainmast fro. after me. as be was. at was conie iless he had 1 at once, to -sail bl"W in- le bo opos- main pnt n to ' th. 8e w as, C' a sii mast ,'side. keel. ,'h the e — one imonlr ;le roll fore you sink ■with a sort was so terri- ble at the moment— though we bore up for full half a ndnnte, to the fair steady stroke of the awfnl wale, nothing but a yeast of mist, Hcud and darkness ahead, the spray torn off the ridge of the wave and flying with us, while the triple run of th(! heavy seas astern wa.s in danger of sweenlng her decks from over the poop— that I felt we must try lying to with her at once. Indeed, 8nelling and T hardly knew whether we were holding on or not, as we were half washed in- board and half crawled round the rig- ging; but Jones had alremly selzod the exact point, when she sank in the hol- low, to have the helm easoisceit nnd cold beef, with .t glass of erog. Mr. Webb, the harbor olHcer. who was to be seen below in his berth all this time, lying as peaceable as a child — whether he was dead sick or only confoundedly afraid I didn't know: but T must say I felt for the poor follow when I heard him ask Snelling. in a weak voice., if he would get somebody to stand off the bnll'seye in the dock over his berth, as it always made him think there was a now hurricane coming on. "D— n it, you low. skulking hound!" said the reefer, who had wonderfully lit- tle pity in his make, "it can't be worse; Avhat d'ye want light for. eh?" "Only to see the opposite wall," said Webb, meekly: "do. sii — oh. now!" "Oh. you lublier ye!" said Snelling; "don't yon kno\v a bulkhead from a wall, yet? If you'd come on deck to boar a hand liko others, you wouldn't need light: and I thouffht you might do for mate aboard, too — pah. yon scum!" "Mr. Snelling." said T. sharply as he came through the cabin, "a worm will turn when it's t^od upon, and so you may find yet, .sir." "Well. Mr. rollins." said he. as con- fidentially as if I hadn't meant to give him a set down. "I don't like the fel- low's eye. I'll look after him, sir." Not to mention the young rogue's pow- or of face, which was beyond brass, he had a way of seeing you in two places at once, with that upward souint of his, as if his eyes were the points of a i6o THE GREEN HAND. pair of compasses, (hat made the offl- (-•ers of the Hebe always send him to the masthead directly, for fear it should take the frown out of them. In fact, when Snelling's tAvinliliug weather-eye lighted on one's nock without the other, you almost felt it tickle you, and as usual I turned away with a "pshaw!" On the second morning the gale at last began to break, shifting southward; on which, as soon as the sea ran a little easier, I had the helm cautiously put up at a favorable moment, the reefed mainsail, foretop-mast-stay-sail, and square-foretopsail set as she got before the wind, and aw^ay the schooner went; rising on the wide deep blue swells with a long roll in them, then sheering ahead through their breasts, wrinkled and seething pale green, till she sank with the fall of the wave — the stump of her mast standing and the fore one shorten- ed by tlie to'galliint-masl. You may easily believe there was no one aboard more eag(M' to get clear of the weather than myself, as in ordinary circumstances — with a craft like this — in two or three days more we might have been in a high enougli latitude to begin looking out for the ludiaman. For my part, I can't deny that the wish for having Tom AVestwootl safe out of horm's way, and ■with men in the schooner, strong as it was, played second to the notion of siH'ing sweet Violet Hyde in any way again, if it was only the last time be- fore she went out of reach altogether; for bf>r getting among the East India ways of doing, high-flying civilians and soldiers, shows and sights, either in Cal- tMitta, or iip-country, was equal to any thing else in my mind. Still, we had six or seven days longer of the heavy seas, and hard gales before northeasting enough could be made to take us beyond the Cape winter, just then coming on, and whidi the Seringapatam had very likely escai>ed by two or three days, bo that she would have a considerable start of us. By this time we were standing well up for the Mozambique Channel, which I ka,d heard the Indiamen intended to take in company, a piece of information that made me the more anxious to over- take the Seringapatam at latest by the time they reached open water aga:.i, where, being the only ship from Bombay she. would no doubt part from her con- ;sort8. We had a cruiser that year, as I knew, in the Mozambique, where thc.-e were some rumors of pirates after the war, so that in case of her happening to speak the Seringapatam close, and having got any word of Westwood's af- fair, he ran a chance of being picked off. However, that wasn't by any means the thing that troubled me most: some- how or oth"r, whenever the picture of Violet's face brought the Indiaman's clecks clear into my mind, with all about her, I couldn't get rid of the notion that some ill luck would come across that ship before she got into port. If any pirate craft were to dodge the whoi'. bevy of Indiameu up the head of tlii> channel, as was pretty sure to be lh'> case, he would probably wi'it for some signs of separating, and be down upon a single one not long after she cleart'^l the Leychelles Islands, where a lonely enough stretch of the Indian Ocean spreads in. The more I entered upon the thought of it, the more unsufferahlo it got; -^specialljr one day in the mouth of the Mozambique, when it fell a d('a(i calm with a heavy up-and-down swt^U fit to roll the sticks out of her, the hish blue land of Madagascar being in sigli*^. sometimes to starboard, sometimes to port, then astern, and the clear horizon lying away northwest, dark with a breoz,> from round the coast. As the hot sun blazed out above us, and the blue water came plunge up over the rail, blaziu;: .""d flashing, fir.st one side dipped, then \.ie other, I could fancy the i>assengi!N ori the Indiaman's poop in a light In-cizc with a suspicious lateen-rigged sail crot>i>- ing up on her quarter. I thought I s.r.v Violet Hyde's eyes sparkle against ili.' glare of light, and her lips partinjr \<> sp(\ak, till I actually stomped on iIk- deck, ray fists clinched, an J I made tluo" strides to the very lafErail of the schodn- er. All at onoe I met my second mate's eye coolly fixed on me, which broimhr. me to ray senses in a raoment, the nmr' so as there was something about (liis man Jones I couldn't make out, ami 1 had made up my mind to keep a sharp eye on him; though the fact was, it an- noyed me most to feel him seeing into me, as it were, without troubling him- self. "We shall have the breeze befo;o long, sir, round Cape Mary yonder." said he, stepping foi-ward. "So I expect myself, Mr, Jones," ., br>-*^ze, the schooner's qualities came out. Twas a perfect luxury te look over the side and see the bubbjps pass, her sharp bows sliding through ir like a knife, she eating into the wind all the time in a way none but a fore-and- aft clipper could hope to do, with a glassy blue ripple sent back from her | wia,ther-bow as far as the fore-chain>: then to wake of a morniDg and feel lier bounding under you with a roll up to I windwanl, while the waterguahed throndi | and through beiow the keel, and ran | yearning and t<^pling away back aleu? the outer timbers into her boiling wake] THE GREEN HAND. i6i across that port. If any ge the wbol.' head of tlii> re to be Ih" wi'it for some 30 down upon ?r sho clearwl here a lonely ndian Ocean entered upf>n •e unsiifEerabli; in the moutli it fell a dead nd-down sw(>ll f her, the hitrh being in sigh^ sometimes to > clear horizon c with a breez.' .s the hot sun the blue water e rail, blaziui: le dipped, then the passpnjic'.N 1 a light breiz.' gged sail cree[K thought I S.I V de against ili-' lips parting v\ «mped on llif ij I madethre.' I of the schoon- r second mate's which brouut.t ment, the nii>ri> ng about t'lis Lake out, ami 1 ) keep a sharp act was, it an- im seeing int'> troubling hiiu- breeze befoie [ary yonder." :r. Jones," know sai.l tlK- a careless side ce there Ma.>i as he told nn' ;hree times !»■- Fere once more d up channel; !ir own way in f>ner's qualities ect luxury to ee the bub1ilp> ling through if to the wind all but a fore-ami- to do, with a back from lier Jie fore-chain- ig and feel her 1 a roll up to rgushed throndi keel, and ran iray back alius r boiling wake working with the moriag rudder. And our man-o'-ware-men were ciuite de- lighted with the Young Hebe, as they still called her. SneUing was in his elemetat while we were having the new spars sent up aloft — a set of longer sticks than before — till she had twice the ujr, as well as a knowing rake aft. Next thing y&a to get the long brass nine-pounder aiuidships from under the boat, where the Frenchman had kept it, besides which we found another in her hold; so that, added to six small carronades already on deck, we made a pretty show. Meanwhile, for my own part, I kept cracking on with every stitdi of canvas that could be clappetl upon the sp-ars, including studding-sails. Jouen himself didn't know better than I did by this time how to handle the craft, schooner though she was, in the way of making her use what weather we had to the best purpose. Variable as it proved, too, I was aware the Indiaman would have pretty much the ^me as we now had; so that, on going aloft with the glass, as I did every watch of the day, I soon began each time expecting one or other of them to heave in sight. Afl for the five hands from Capo Town, they seemed to have fallen iu cheerfully enough with our own; atid as soon as the fine weather came, the gang of Lascars were set to duty like the rest. Snelling would have them even trained to work the guns; although if it blew at all hard not one could be got to go aloft except their old serang, and the tindal, his mate. What sur- prised me most was the harbor oflic -r himself at last asking, as Mr. Snelling told me, to be put in a watch; but as the midshipman said there was no doubt Webb had made a voyage or two before somewhere or other I agreed to it at once. "I'm not sure, sir," added the mid- shipman, with one of his doubtful looks, "but the gentleman may have seen blue water the first time at government ex- pense, and not in the service either— he don't look fore and aft enough, Mr. Collins, harbor officer though he be; but never mind, sir, I'll see after him!" "Pooh," staid I, laughing; "if he does turn to, Mr. Snelling, it sha'n't be in tie watch you have to do with. Hand him over to Mr. Jones." By this time I had changed the mid into my own watch, and given Jones charge of the otheir; so to him the har- bor officer went. The main charactea* aboard of us, to ine at any rate, was this Jones himself. The fact was, at first I had my doubts of him altogether, partly owing to the queer -way we gat hold of him, on ac- count of his getting the upper hand so much through chance in the tremendous weather we had at the outset, till I wasn't sure but it might come into the fellow's head of itself to be ui)on some drift or other that might cause me trouble, as things stood. However, I no sooner felt where I was, and got the craft under my own spoke, than I came to set him down for nothing but one of those sJlrauge hands you fall iu with at sea sometimes, always sailing with a "purser's tiame," a regular wondei' of a shipmate, and serving to quote everj' voyage after by way of a cJinciier on all hard points, not to say an oracle one can't get beyond, and tan't How sky- liigh enough. To tell the truth, though, Juut-ii was as thorougn a .seauuui as ever 1 met with — never at a loss, uever wanting on any hand; whether it was the little niceties we stood in need of for setting the schooner's rigging all right again, which none but a blue- water, long-voyage sailor can touch, or. what comes to be still better in tropical latitudes, a cool head and a quick hold, with full experience with all sorts of weather, 'twas much the same to him. He was all over like iron, too, never seeming to stand in need of sleep, and seeing like a hawk. At any hour I came on deck in his watch, there was Jones, all awake and ready, till hearing him walk the planks over my head oi' a tine night made me at times keep my eyes open, listening to it and the wash of the water together. I fancied there was something restless in it, like the sea, with now and then an uneven sort of a stnrt; and at last it would come to full stop, that gave me the notion of how he was standing quiet in the sf Je spot; whether he was looking aloft, or thinking, or leaning over the side, or what he was going to do, troubled me wonderfully, llie only want in his sea- manship I noticed, he evidently wa.sn't used to handle a large ship; but craft of some kind I was pretty sure he had commanded in the course of his life. As for taking; observations, he could do it better than I could thed; while the knoAvledge he had on diffei-ent heatls. that came out by chance, made you think more of a Cambridge gi-aduate tluin a common sailor, such as he had shipped for with us. The strangest pait of all about him though was that I couldn't well name, not to this day; 'twas more grained in with his manner, and the ring of his voice at particular moments, as well as his walk, though these w.'re the smart seaman's no less; but one couldn't help thinking of a man that had known the world ashore some time or other in a different enough station from now— ay, and in a way to bring out softei' lines in his face than reefing top-sails or seeing the roain-tack ridden down would do. The nearest I could come to calling it, far apart as the two men stood, was to fancy he reminded me of Lord Frederick Bury hmiself; especially when he looked all of a sudden to the hoiizon in that wide,. x6a THE GREEN HAND. S6 vut'uit kind of fashion, as if he ex- p«cted it farther off than it was; only Jones* facf- was twice the age, like a man's that had had double the passions in it at the outnet. and giving them full sAV'iug since then; with a sleeping devil in his eye, yet, besides, as I thonght, wliich only wanted sonu'what to rouse it Only for that, I had a sort of leaning to Jones myself; but as it was, I caught myself wishing over and over for somettLing to make us fall regularly fold of each other, and pet rid of this confounded doubtful state. One hitch of a word to take hold of. by Jove! I felt all the blood in my body would boil out in me to find out how we stood, and show it; but nothing of the kind did Jones let pass, and as close as the sea itself he was in regard to his past life. As for the meai from the frigate, at least, they seemingly looked on Mir. with no great fondness, but a good deal of respect, in spite of themselves, for his seaman- ship; Avheieas, if he had been left in the fore-peak in place of the cabin, I've doubt in a short time it would have been no man but Jones. You light now and then upon a man afloat, indeed, that his shipmates hold off from, as healthy dogs do from a mad ooe; and you saw they had some sort of an inkling of tlie gloomy close nature Jones had in him by the way they obeyed his orders. Webb's three Cape Dutchman seemed to have a notion he was some being with mysterious pow- ers, while the Lascars ran crouching at his very word — some of them being, as I found, Malays, and the rest Mussul- mans from Chittagong; but Jones could send them about in their own language. Dutchmen and all — a part of the mat- ter which did not tend to keep me less careful over him. Still I observed, since his coming aboard, that Jones never once touched liquor, which had plainly enough been his ruin ashore. Whether on account of meaning to pull up once for all and mend, or only to have a wilder bout at next port, or else to keep himself steady for aught that might turn up, I couldn't settle in my own mind. Though deucedly doiibtful of its being the first, the very idea of it made me feel for the man; and, iu case of his doing well, T had no small hopes of sometJiing in the upshot to save a real sailor like him from going to the devil altogether, as he seemed doing. Now, after our getting clear of the rough oape weather, and the dead- liglhts being taken out of the stem •windows. I had given a look, for the first time, into the schooner's aftei-- cabins, which were pretty much as the people slie belonged to before had left them, except for tlie rough work the gale had played. There were two of them, one opening into the other; and I must say it was a melancholy sight to meet the bright sunlight streaming into them from off the water astern, with all the little matters either just as if the owners were still inside, or elsi> tumbled about at sixes and sevens. One drawer in particular had come out of a table, scattering what was in it on the deck; tliere was a half -open letter in a woman's hand, all French, and showing u lock of hair, with a broken diamon«l cross of the Fre\nch Legion of Honor. besides a sort of paper book full of writing, and two printed ones bound in morocco, t picked up the letter and the cross, put them in again, nnd shoved the drawer back into ts place, though I brought the books away with me to have a glance over. What struck me most, though, was a plaster figure of the French emperor himself, standing fastened on a shelf, with one hand in the breast of his great coat, and looking calmly out of the white sightless eyes; while right opposite hung a sort of cur- tain which you'd have thought they were fixed upon. When I hauled it aside, I started; there, on a shelf to match the other, was a beautiful smil- ing child's head to the shoulders, of pure white marble, as if it leaned olV the bulkhead like a cherub out of the clouds. Spite of all, however, the touch of likeness it had to the head I got such a glimpse of at Longwood, even when the hot sunlight showed it in my spy-glass so pale and terrible, was sufti- cient to tell me what this was— Napo- leon's own little sou, in fact, who was made king of Rome, as I remembered hearing at the time. The thought of tJie s(5iooner's strange French captain, and his desperate scheme, came back on me so strong, joined to what I saw he had an eye to in fitting out his cabins, that, for my own part. I hadn't the heart to use them myself, and at first sight ordered the dead-lights to bo shipped again and the door locked. 'Twas a good many days after this, of course, and we had made a pretty fast run up the Mozambique, in .spit.^ of the sharp navigation required, sight- ing nothing larger than the native and A.rab craft to be seen thereabouts; w>^ were beginning to clear out from anioiij,' the cluster of islands and shoals at tlu» channel head, when two large sail wori' made in open water to uor'eastwan 1 . Next morning by daybreak we were to windward of the weathermost — a fino large Indiaman she was, crowding ;i TKirfect tower of canvas. Shortly after, however, the schoom^r was within hail, slipping easily down upon her quarter, which seemed to give them a little uii- i>nsine.s8, plenty of troops as she seeroe*! to have on board, and looming like :i frigate. After some showing of keeping on. and apparently putting faith in the man-o'-war pennant I hodated. she hove into the wind, when we found she was the company's ship Warringford, and THE GREEN HAND. 163 t streamini; iter astern, ther just as ide, or el8t> levens. One ne out of a in it on tho letter in a md showing' :en diamon native anil •eabouts; w<' from amonj: ihoals at the ge sail wori' lor'eastwaril. we were to most — a fine crowding a hortly after, within hail, her quarter, a little un- she aeeiineither Jones or Webb, why, the very thouithts that everything I saw recalled to me. made me the more eager to get in sight of the Seringapa- tam. "Thank you, sir," answered I. "No; I must be ofE after the Bombay iihip." "Ah." hailed the old captain, "some of your admiral's post-bags, I suppose. Well, keep as much northing as you can, sir, and I dare say you'll find her parted company. She's got a jury fore- top-mast up, for one she's lost a week ago; so you can't mistake her for the Mandarin, with a good glass." "Have you noticed any suspicious craft lately, sir?" asked I "Why. to tell you the truth, lieuten- ant," sang out he, looking down olE the high bulwarks at our long-nine-pounders and the knot of Lascars, "none more .so than we thought you at first, sir!" The cadets on the poop roared witli laughter, and an old lady A\ith two (hxughters seemed to eye Snelling doubt- I'ully tJirough an opera-glass, as the reefer ogled both of them at once. "By-tbe bye," sang out the captain of the Indiaman to me again, "I fancy the passengers in that ship must have •jot somehow uncomftwtable; one of our Bengal grandees al>oai"d of her wanted ;i berth to Calcutta with us, 'tother day iw the Mozambique; but we're too full already." "Indeed, sir'" said I; "but the schoon- er's main-boom was jibing over, and with two or three more hails, wishing rliem a good voyage, and so on, away we slipped past their weather bow. The Wan'ingford got under way at her I'nsure, and in an hour or two her top- sails were down to leeward of us. On 1 cracked -with square and studding sails to the quartering breeze, till the schooner's light jumped to it, and aloft she was all hung out of a side, like a user8, reminded you at sea in a gale of a dancing derrish. The day we spoke the Indiaman, in fact, I noticed there was something in the "wind for a minute or two with him and his gang, which put it in my head at first to offer them to the captain for a couple of good English hands; and as I passed him and Webb this time, the serang stopped his talk and sidled off. However, a beautiful night it was as ever eye looked upon even in the blue Indian ocean, the heavens cloudless, the full round moon shining high off our weather beam again, the stars drawn up into hor bright light, as it were, trem- bling throusfli the films of it like dew drops in gossamer of a summer morning. Yon saw the sea meet the sky on every hand, v7ithout a speck on the clear line of horizon, through the squares of our ratlins and betwixt the schooner's two fore and aft booms. A pretty strong] sh breeze we had, too, blowing from ea,st to west witih a sweep through the eniv>ti- ness aloft, and a wrinkled ripple over the long gentle swells as deep in the hue as if fresh dye came from the bottom. and crisping into a small spurkle of foam whenever they caught it full. Something pleasirnt, one couldn't say what, was in tlh air; and every sheet being hauled tau^ to hold wind, the slant gush of it before her beam drove her slipping alhead toward the (luarter it came from, with a dip down and a saucy lift of her jibs again, as if she were half balanced amid.ships, but little noise about it. I took a squint -iloft and an overhaul all round, and nothing was to be seen. TTie size of the sky through the moonlight looked awful, as it were, and the strength of the breeze seemed to send a heavenly blue d^ep into the western quarter, till you saw a star in it. The night was so lovely, in fact, it somehow made one think of one's moth- er and old times when you us(»d to fay your prayers. Still, I couldn't see the mate of the wHtch on the weather quar- ter deck, which surprised me the moi^- In Jones' case,8lnce he waa always ready for me when I came up; and, to tell the truth, I shouldn't have been sorry to cotch him napping for once, only to show he was Wko men in common. I walked aft b^ the weather side of the Iprge mainsail, accordingly, till E saw him leaning with Ms head over the ]e<' biilwark, and heard him again, as I thought, apparently speaking to some one down the schooner's side; upon which I stepped across. Jones' back was to me as I looked over too; but ow- ing to what he was busy with, I sup- pose, and the wash of the water, wliioh Avas louder there than inboard, while yoji heard the plash from her bows every time she forged, he evidently didn't hear me. You may fancy my wonder to find he was reading out loud to himself from the other of the Frenchman's volumes, whidh T had no doubt left in the dininj? cabin— the book open in both hands- he giving it forth in long staves, with a break between, and regular Greek it was, too. You'd have thought he time voice, and the swell pose once or twice with its foam bells near his very hands. I almost fancied I made a meaning of them — each like a wave, as it wpr>^. sweeping to a crest and breaking. The gusto the man showed in it you can't conceive; and, what was more. I had no doubt he understood the sense of it. for all of a sudden, after twenty slaves or so of the kind, he stopped. "There!" said he— "there, old Hoiupc: women, wine and adventure, what couM the devil ask more blind old prater, ■w'itli a sound in ymi like the sea? Ay, wash, wash, wash away, lying old blue water, you can't wojsh it out; and wine — no, not the strongest rum in Cape Towii-tau wash you out!" With that Jones laid his head en his arms, with the book still in one haivl. muttering to Mmself, and I listenod in spite of me. "Still it rouses the old times in mc'." said he. "Here comes this book acr was a good old man, the rector^-no guile or evil in him. with his books in the v^ast^ ytonder, and the church spire etn'n through the window over the garden. and his wife with— Ah, the less of that! THE GREEN HAND. 165 ne the mon- always r«*dy d, to tell tbt> sen sorry to ice, only tn common. I side of the , till I saw over the le<' again, as I [■ag to some side ; upon Jones* back too; but o-w- with, I sup- water, wliioh board, whilo >r bows every y didn't hear onder to find himself from m's volumei5, in the diniiy; both hands— baves, with a ir (rreek it i2rh/t he timp. reaking. The it you can't more. I hml e sense of it. twenty slaves ►ped. old Hooipc: e, what cmiM J prater, witli ? Ay, wash, d blue wiitcr. wine — no, not le Town— llins, at anj- rate I couldn't forget you picked me out, confounded low as 1 looked, to come aft here. 'Tis not every captain afloat that has such a good eye for a seaman, as I knmv." "Oh, well no more about it," I said, walking forward on the weather side, and leaving him on the lee one as dis- tinctly as Lord Frederick Bury could have done to myself in the fri.gate. Jones no doubt thought I didn't notice the slight wrinkle that gathered round his lee eye when hie gave me this toti-ah of butter at the end; but T put it down for nothing more, gammon though it ^^■as. It was near the end of the watch, the moon beginning to set, while it still want- ed three hours of daybreak in those lati- tudes, when the look-out on the top- gallant yard, who was stationed there in man-o'-war cruising fashion, reported a sail to windward. .Tust then the midship- man came on deck to his watch, wonder- fully early for him indeed; and on my remarking it was probably the Xndiaman at last, Jones himself went aloft with the night glass to make her out. "Mr. Snelling," said I, "see the hands on deck ready for going about." Next minute I saw him rousing up the rest of the Lascars, who slept watch and watch on the forecastle. Only five or six of the Hebe's men were up; and all of them, save the man at the wheel, ran aloft to rig out stunsail-booms to wind- ward as soon as the schooner was fairly on the windward tack, standing at north- eastward. Suddenly I saw a scuflae between the midshipman and the tindal, a stout, dark faced young Bengalee, with a jaunty skull-cap and frock, whom Snelling had probably helped along with a touch of a rope's end; and in a moment two or three more of them were upon him; while the reefer drew his dirk and sung out to me, scarce before I was with him, the Las- cars rolling into the lee scuppers at two kicks of my foot. Webb and three of the men from Cape Town were hoisting a stunsail at thr- time, the smart man-o'-war's-men aloft singing out to them to bear a hand. What with the noise of the sail flapping, and its being betwixt my own men and the deck. they could know nothing of the matter; and the Lascars let go the halliards in ;i body, making a rush at Snelling and my- self with everything they could pick up in the shape of a spar. This would have been nothing, as in two or three minutes more the men would have been down, and the cocoa-faced rascals dodged every way from the hand- spike I got hold of; but I just caught a glimpse of one side of the sly old serang shoving on the fire-scuttle to keep down the watch below, and on the other of Webb looking round him, evidently to see how matters stood. Two Dutchmen seized the first sailor that came do^vn the rigging by the legs, and I saw the affair must be finished at once, it had so much the look of a regu- lar plot on Webb's part, if Jones wasn't concerned in it too. I made one spring upon my Cape Town gentleman, and took him by the throat; with one hand, while I hit the biggest Dutchman full behind the ear, felhns him to the deck; on which the man-o'- war's-man grappled his watch-mate, ami Webb was struggling with me suflicientl.\- to keep both my hands full, when I had a pleasant inkling of a Malay Lascar slipping towards my back with a hart? kreese in his fist. I just looked over my shoulder at his black eyes twinkliui; devilishly before he sprang, when some fine came gliding fair down from the fore top-mast head by a back stay, and pitch- ed in a twinkling on top of his head— a thing enough to break the head of a monument. Directly after I saw Jones himself hit- ting right and left with his night-glass, from the moonlight to the shadow of the foresail^ while Snelling tumbled over a Lascar at every slap, standing up in boxer style. By the time the rest of th.^ n<^'n came down all was settled—the Dutch- men skulking against the knlkwarks, aci Webb gasping after I let him go. "Boatswain," said I to one of the sail- ors, "clap tkiit 'uan in irons bflow. Mr. Snelling, see the watch called, sir." "I 'ad the law with me," said Webb gloomily, "Yoii plotted it then, Mr. Webb?" I said. "Didn't yon carry ns off illegally?" said he. "I only meant to recover the vessel— upon my honor, nothing more, sir; and if you're 'ard with me, you'll have to answer for it, T assure you!" Here he looked round to .Tones In a strange way, as I fancied, for a moment: but .Tones turaed on hia heel with a sneer. ^ ■ ' i THE GREEN HAND. 167 I from CapL' sail at tin- s-men aloft hand. What )ing, and its ad the deck, the matter: [illiards in a Ing and my- iild pick u|> [hjng, as ill > men would cocoa-faced m the hund- ist caught a Y old serang keep down he other of lently to see first sailor by the legs. a finished at k of a regn- Fones wasn't Cape Town ^ the throat, the biggest ear, felhns the man-o- :h-mate, ami e sufficientl\- when I had til ay Lascar fvith a bare ed over my twinkliui; when some :om the fore , and pitch- his head— a head of a himself hit- night-glass. idow of the •led over a up in boxer of th>^ niHU -the Dutcli- kwarks, ard I go. of the sai!- bilow. Mr. d, sir." said Webb Webb?" I 'gaily?" said the vessel— !, sir; and if re to answer .Tones in a r a moment; leel with a "Why. Mr. Webb." answered I. "you lost that tack by offering yourself in a watch, which makes the thing neither more nor less than mutiny; so take him below, do you hear, bo'suu?" And down he went. "Now, Mr. Jones," said I. as soon as all hands were on deck, "you'll be so good aj8 to have half of these Lascars seized to the rigging there, one after the other, and see a good dozer, given to each of their backs; then these two Dutchmen, each three dozen; then pipe down the watch, sir." Jones glanced at me, then at the fel- lows, then at me again. I thought he hung back for an instant; but do it I was determined he should, for a reason I had; and I gave him l>ack the look steady as stone. "Ay, ay, sir," said he at last, touching his cap. I walked aft to the capstan, and stood there till every mother's son of them had got his share, the Lascars wriggling and howling on the deck after it, and the Dutchmen twisting theii" backs as they walked off. 'Twas the first time I did the part of duty in command; and I was determined, considering the circumstances I was in, to cari'y it out with a taut hand. By this time the moon was setting, and in the dusk we lost sight of the sail to windward; but as we were heading well np to weather upon her, and going at least ten knots, I turned in below for a little while, leaving the midshipman. Ac- cordingly it wasn't very long before Snelllng called me in broad daylight. "She's a large ship,Mr. Collins," said he, "standing under all sail on a wind. I hope to goodness, sir, it's that confound- ed Indiaman at last!" I hurried on deck, took the glass aloft, and soon made out the jury foretop-mast shorter than the main, as the old cap- tain mentioned. Accordingly it was with somewhat of a flutter in me I came sails from the deck, then her to'gallant sails, to a white soeck far down on the lee bow. We weathered fast upon her. and I fancied 1 ni:ide out tlie yellow India patches in her canvas, when, on turning about, I caught .Tones' glance .it me, as if he couldn't undt^rstand my eagerness, or else had got curious what the schooner want.ek a shot into encli of the guns. "What for?' said i". "Oh," said the midshiprann, "won't she show fight at vll, sir, iIi?dV" Just then the wttite rai'»»e of ihe India- man's heavy •luar-.'ir krallery f^aiu-} into view, then the bn'g'i of her big hulking liody half on to us, with u por* lid or two opened in ha wloto bund; we were to windward of .'ler Jtlready, stt-aling up on her quarter. "My eyel" said yuttllins;, "«he P0'7?d blow us out of 'Jie water if she ohcse. Mr. Collins, and only had .Inrk enough." "Why, that's all yoii know about it, Mr. Snider," said 1, with a laugh, "since she don't carry !ong rniisdes in her side, and in a light bre-'tse like this we could -- However, as we happe.j to be friends, that's of no moment, .Mr. Suelling. Alter all, though," I ddJjd, yea mny load tbce and stand by to »iro -loross her course, if required; but for ♦ho Iif3 of you. Snell- ing," said f, seri-jisly, "if f give Ihe Mord to fire, don't 'et nnything in the shape of iron go ncai that sliip's hull! Hy Jove! sir, I'd let her l>l>w iis oi.t of th l>efore, by his actually conceiving a friendship for me!" Old Bollock's dismay was so comienl that I could scarce find it in my heart to ease his mind, although I did. "Why. my dear fellow," said West- w^ood, with a smile, "I assure you that disappearance of yours took me hy snrpris»». Indee^l. I onlv guessed from something Captain Finch let drop after- ward how it came about; and till the very moment the brig-of-war got under way, I fancied you had some other plan in view, or else you never would have carried it out. The fact was, Nefl. if your heart wa.s bound for India, mine was ashore in Old England, and TM rather hnve run the risk to go back." Here Tom caught my glance, and looked shyly into one waistcoat pocket, then into "another, fidgeting on his chair, poor fellow, in a way that brought my sister .lane's gray eyes and her demure little arch face distinctly before ni'. THE GREEN HAND. '7» id the plant - ► of me, "l like of yoii: booner. ton! )U taken 'em ave you — " [r. Rollook." way as -wl-II ir, if I must ns!" command?" ipou I gav." n affair, with ith LonlFrwl- 1 of all men B "Honorabli' at wood CO aid s his face uot in tke "I dare way > end a1>oard or other; and, of you heri' planter apain, a cursed mistake in the matter; but here's luck!" "However." said he, "I saw your drift by that time; and the young lady herself was in the fore cabin when I told her fath«'r the whole story. not long aft<>r you went off. 'Twas no use with Sir Charles, though, to say you were only can'ying out the joke to screen me and amuse youself at the same time — he was sure you were after some scheme: and all the while Mis>< Hyde sat sewing on the sofa behind ns as quiet and careless as if she didn't hear a word, or trouble herself about the matter. When T came upon your vanishing so suddenly in the brig, however, and said I was sure by that lime you did so in order to let me clear off, 1 had my eye on the looking- flaiss opposite the young lady; and whatever you may make of it, Ned, I can tell you she starti-*! and glanced np at that point." "Well, and what of that?" I askefl. But Westwood went on. "It was all one to Sir Charles, nevertheless, what- ever way I turned it. According to him. this was just of a piece with the rest of your doings, which showed the bad effects of the naval service. 'Twas no use my standing up for you. saying how fast you had risen, and would rise. if you had the right thiuir. adding it was so much the worse for such fel- lows to be set loose. 'I tell you what. Mr. Westwood.' said he, looking round shariJly. as if he were seaking at some- body else, 'there is a soul of mischief in that yountr man that nothing will root out, unfitting him for everything else, however admirably it may be suit- ed to maritime pursuits or to savage warfare. In short' added the judge, drawing himself up, 'it is my convic- tion he will either be drowned or knocked on the head—' " "The "precious old curmudgeon!" I rapped out, betwixt laughter and rage nt the thought of her hearing all this pretty character of me. " 'And I must say. my young friend.' said the judge. 'I felt much relieved at findinc Councillor Westwood'a nephew so differcTit. an individual — exceedingly relieved! Besides that, yon can not. of course, continue in the navy.' .lust at tltii Tnoment." continued Westwood. "I saw the young lady gather up her -work behind ns with a sparkle in her eye. rise off the sofa, and walk straight aft through the cabin door." "Was that all?" said I, biting my lip. "All, you h»»athen!" answered Tom, laughing; "why. what would you have? I'll be bound tlic judge di4ln't mean all that for my use, my dear fellow. But the worst of it was, that next day, when T met her with the brigadier's lady on the poop, the young beauty passed me with as scornful ju> air as ]>ossible; and for a week or so, whenever the judge happened to ask me into the round- hous«» cabins, either she wasn't there, or took an op|X)rtunity of walking out — the most I got was a bow or a 'Good morning;' so. you see, the real Simon Pure didn't prosper half so well as the false one!" "Pooh!" said I, gloomily, thinking of the little ground T had made myself, "all contradiction. Tlie fact is, you'r* too simple for women's ways. West- wood." Westwood looked down and gave a queer smile, as much as to say, I sup- iwxse, the case stood just the contrary; and T must own it struck me he must be rather a knowing fellow that could fathom my sister, seeing that, for my part, I imderslood her no more than my mother's housemaid did, with her high-Hown music and poetry, and all that sort of thimg. » "However," said Westwood, "I con- trivtvl by degrees to get over all this, and for the last week or two we were- as good acquaintances ns before; in fact, the judge was evidently bent on it. And I tell you what it is. Neened to touch on that affair in the river— you know." "Yes," I said, for it wasn't eaay to forget. "Now, I alwaj^s thought that night a tumlnK-l>oint witlx you," Westwood said, "and it was the last night you were aboard: so I Hiwke of you a good deal, and never a word did Miss Violet utter, save 'Yes,' and 'No,' while her face being in the shadow, I couldn't see it. Oh. by-the-bye. though," con- tinued he, "she did say one thing!" "For heaven's sake, what was it, Westwood?" I broke out. eagerly. "Well, then, Ned," answered he. lean- ing back on the two back legs of his chair, and eyeing me with a comical air, which surprised me a little, "do you consider yourself good-looking?" I started up. "D— n my eyes! what do you mean by that. Tom?" said I; but the next moment T sat down again with a sulky "No, I'll be hanged if I do! so—" "No more does your lady-love, then." said Westwood: "for she made the re- mark very coolly, and even withotit my asking her. But don't be down-heart- ed at that, my dear Ned, for I think more of that little sentence, in the way it was said, than of all she did not say!" "The greater the difference between ns. T supnose." said I, fiercely. "Why," replied Tom. " 'tis my con- viction you never hear a woman say the man she likes is handsome, and from a perverse young gypsy like—" "Well, by .Tove! Westwood," said I, losing my temper altogether, and giv- ing the table a slap with my fist that sent my glass crash to the deck, "you bent every thing! I suppose if she'd called me a fool and a blessed lubber, you'd turn it to my favor! But the_tTOth IS. I don't understand your niceties; I want something broad and above board, that a fellow can lay hold of: and the short and the long of it is—" With that T laid my face on my arms down in the spilled erog on the table flnd fairly groaned. My head reeled till I scarce knew it was myself that was sitting there, as all of a sudden one thought after another crowded on me. Somehow I seemed for a single moment to be out and out in the open sea. the diflFerent faces I'd seen along the ship's bulwarks rushing past me. with .Jones's face, and the look of the Indiaman In the simset. through all sorts of weather, too, in that confounded mo- ment. 'Then. T can't say why, but my bair crept as T came back to tbethooght of the Indiaman and the schooner in the calm at the time, and I almost fan- cieing off my nose, api>eared to startle lira, and our eyes met queerly enough for half a minute, till at onc4) the no- tion seemed to strike both of us of the absurdity of two fellows hobnol)biiiK and lackadaisying away this fashion in a hal(> of a schooner's cabin, thousaiuk of miles from land; and I'm blessed if w<> didn't both burst at the same mo- ment \..to a regular roar of laughter- first one broadside, then 'bout ship. n» It were, to deliver the other, gim after gim. By George! tliough, I felt it do me good, as if something deadly went off with it. "Holloa!" sung out the planter, block- ing up (he moonlight that shone raisty white down the steps of the companion a blue glimmer at the foot of them; "both surviving yet, I declare!" anil we felt the scent of his cheroot in the hot calm as he walked aft again. "Well, Ned," said Westwood, still laughing, "there's one thing more I n liiniHelf and his friend the coun- cillor; 8o — " •'The old viUnln!" I roared— "begglnK your pnrdon, Westwood— but I rauHt snjr you are the pattern of a Job'g com- forter, and no mistake!' "Wi>ll." nnsw««red ho. "if you hnd hoard thp way in which the young lady iiicntioiiod my nnole to me, you wouldn't l)e much afraid of your rival, Nod. Why. she sold Hhe thought flhe roniombered him, whon she was a littlo girl, bringing hor Tudlan sweotmeata from the bazar in hiH onrriag<>. Sho actually supposed lio must bo older thon her father, when tho judge sot hor right oogerly enough; but you mu«t know, he no more seems able to say a sharp word to her, than .Tacobs yonder would. So what did she soy next, aftor apparently thinking a littlo, but that, now she recollected, my undo used to have gray hair and white whiskers, like Mr. Rollock, which, for for part, I know no more about than tho table, when hor father broke out describing him ns wnrmly as possible; and suddenly Miss Hyde looked at him with a littlo turn of her pretty lip. and n twinkle in hor eye. that set the old gentleman fiddling about his coffee cup. .ind stopped him in a moment as if sho had been n little witch." "What's to bo done. Tom?" I f.'\lterecr, flistoniMl as if thoy were newly wet. lalf of hor watch wore on the bow- sprit sending out a "fisUwl" spritsail yard, tho same wo had sout daugliug about tlioir oars that aftenioon, ami wo could hoar tJiom s[K>aking plain enough; ovory time thoy sung out at a haul it wotit far away on all sides— ho-hf>-ho-h(»-he-«h-ho-o, till vou lost it in tho dead culm, as if somebody hod gone there. Now and thon the Seringapatam iimdo a sIIkIh plunge by the bend, as the wide soft swell floated up with her; and th(> glossy black shadow, that seem- iuKly gave her hull the heijrht of a tower, came wavering in quicksilver circles to our very cutwater, while the lights from hor aftor windows went twisting away round her heavy count- er to the moonshine, like yellow snakes; the schooner nil the time lying as quiot as if slie were on a pond, except that by little and little she kept shifting hor bonrinKs to the ludiaman, and things were confoundwUy like our both stick- ing together in course of the morning, if the calm held. I wont forward on the forecastle, and desired Jones to get all hands down into the boats, and have her towed off to n safe distance, seeing that the worst of it; would be sure to fall to our share. This was doing and we drew slowly off tho ship's bow. whore her men cool- ly knockoil off working, to watch ours and pass jokes on onr gang of Lascars, as thoy handled the oars in awkward stylo; in fact, by the way the India- man's watch carried on, most of them seemed to have passed the grog can (pretty freely, beinig Saturday night, which we could hear thoy wore still keeping up below in the forecastle, when our quarter came abreast of her lar- board bow. "Hurrah!" said one, waving his tar- paulin; and "Pull, you beggars!" roar- ed another; when my old customer, ugly Harry, all at onco leaned out of her forechains and sung out to Jones, who was next him in the stem sheets of our gig, "I say. mate, so ye're clearing off, are ye? The better for that 'ere nutshell of a schooner of yours, I I'eckon!" •Tones made no answer, and the fellow added, "Come aboard when you've got a safe berth, anyhow, and drink sweet- hearts and wives, will ye?" I saw Jones start and turn his face fiercely into the shadow of the ship's main-course on the water, rising half "74 THE GREEN HAND. up with one fist clenched, but he said nothing. "Oh, you're blasted proud!" Foster called out: "you forgets a man, blow me. D'ye think I doesn't know a fellow I got glorious with myself, in old Van Stinkoff's. at Cape TownV Sink me, mates," said ho us loud a.s before, turn- ing round on the rail of the bulwark to the rest, "I picked him out o' the street scuppers, under the sign of the Fljing Dutchman, and I'm blowod if I didnt think it beneath me at the time!" Here the end of our main boom open- ed us in sight of the ugly ruflBan, and li. was slinking down inboard, when I jiailiKl the Indiaman's quartei'-deck, T/here the Scotch mate was to be seen. "Ay, ay, the schooner ahoy!" sung out he, coaling to the gangway. "Did you hear that man's impertin- ence, sir," said I, sternly, "to my offi- cer on duty there? I expect you to see him punished, sir." The Scotchman said he'd inquire into it; but shortly after he came back, say- irg he "doubted" he couldn't be surt> ol' the man; and at any rate, he could have "meant no ill." The boats had towed us by this tunn from the midst of his watchmates. ,is almost out of fair hearing, but Harry Foster was to be seen coolly eyeing us he slung a couple of blocks over his shoulder; Avhen he turned away with r.s much indifference as if we had been a Thames collier, gi'owling some two or thiv^e words or other that brought a loud laugh fvom the Indiaman's fore- castle to her bowsprit, where the men is'ere tuvnirg lazily to their business iiirain. , . . , ,, Being now clear of the ship, with the rake of her hull in our command, if I <'hose. and fret> of hor broadside at tho same time. I hailed the boats to leave off towing and come aboard. As .Tones came on deck, I saw that in his face to make me think he took tho thing to heart, seeing he meit my first loo'- with his lips set together, and a s?*^eady gleam of liis eyes. The truth A\ \s, I never in my life came acrrjss r man that stru'^k me so much with the notion of hi- having a devil in him. s^ «king to get Ihe better of what was fTCKXi. "T. tliink we shall do, Mr. Jones?" I said. "Quite safe, sir." said he, ««ave from anything like what one couM fancy— ay, so help me God, suppose i li no chance of ever setting eyes on her ugam t" feature, gleam of but thr no- on I' art,' Jones never stin-ed a looked piist me into the moon over my shoulder. "Well, Mr. Jones," I said. "I'll knowledge to you frankly, as from seaman to another, the question is, you for me or not?" "We speak as man with man, it seems, Mr. Collins?" said .Toines, quiet- ly; "then I am — for you!" and h>- struck his hand all at once into miin . "Here's a hand that never lied, what- ever the tongue may have done; bad or good, I am for you, sir, and no more of it! I knew as well as if you'd toM me, Mr. Collins, by the looks of the pas- sengers, that you had sailed ab'^anl that ship in some way or other; iiiid what's more, sir, 1 saw — " Here he s topped, looking at me with his back to the sinking gleam of HkIiv beyond the ship's hull, from the momi as she touched the water, and I su^^• nothing but the shape of his head un- der tlie straw hat, with a sllado^v bltii- ring his face together; though I felt iiiiu eyeing me out of it ail the tint ■. "Wliat some would think more worth while than if you were a Spanish plat.- ship." he went on; and he lowered his A-oice iHwrly to a whisper as bi« •iddcd. "I tell you what, Mr. Collins, 'tis m;,- conviction that, if you chosr, you might do what you liked in the eml with that Indiaman and all aboard of h.-r:" I stepptxl back with a shiver tliroui:li me. as the settimr of the moon blemhil (everything black in with .Tones' shoul- ders, leaving his head instead of htr against a gHmmer of liglit. till for u moment it seemed peerint- it me off the horizon, with the whide lump of shado'.-- betwixt the two craft for ,i l>otly: and I must any T thought of oM stories about the Tempter in hum.m form. "Devil!" said T. ho,u-sely, while t!ie last gleam to westward went out. aul it got so dark I covild have taiicii .1 .(ones had vanished from the nuiwarks without stirring a fo.^t; in fact, on my THE GREEN HAND. 175 diaman. I unt measuv- to say TGiiw- and a clear liim and his for turnin;,' I before mv, ily to throw voice chaiit:- [ said. "Ml. lalf the voy- t ship, and be anxioiis into l)ori . , her at this my ilfe i" lat one couM , suppose it! eyes on h<'r feature, but ;leam of the aid. 'Til a.- as from oiii' estion is, aii' ith rann, it Joneis, quitM- !" and lu- ce into mill", er lied, what- done; bad or id no more ol' if you'd tolil la of the pas- liled ab'janl IT other; and at me with iioam of liuhv m the moon and I sa\>- his heaxi nn- aliadow blni- |iough I folc all the tini ■. k more woriU [Spanish platv- j lowered Ms iper as li' ' Mr. Collin-. if you chose. od in the end 11 aboard 'd' Ihiver tlirotnzh Imoon blen d .Tones' shonl- jstead of Inr It. till for ■^ If itinoter, till 1 could hear them clear oflf the ship's hull and rigging, like low voices muttering in Uie air betwixt hci- and us. 'Twas only her having sheered gradually bow ou to the soliooner again, howevtT — as a calm near the equator has always sometliing like a pulse in it— but it struck uie there were men out on her jib-boom, which being, of course. the most private part of any in a ship for talk, why, to find more tluin one going out there of a dark night, and with no work to do, never looks otherwise than suspicious. Nothing of this kind sur- prised me at present in the Seringai>a- tum, with the op^inion I had of her; but the curious thing was, that the fel- lows must have supposed it the farthest point they oould get out of sight of us, as well as from their own decks, she having had hei- beam to the schooner when the moon set. Tlie desperate feelings that .steal ujion a man in such a case, and th.-- fearful noti(m.s that bret'vl in his head, with tiio quickness of his senses and tlie way he holds on by a single I'Ofje, you can scarc«!ly con- iiive: though if a cry had ((vrnf from liu» Indiainau at that moment, 1 dare say I should have sprung iu head fore- most, to gft to her. when all at once, from up in the air again. I thought I lieai'd the smart elick of a Mint and steel. At any rate, I saw th(> s|MU'ks sliowering fn»m it in llie midst of a Mack space before nic oven the pair of tists, as they knoeketl together, then a mouth blowing the match, till there was !i light iu a lantern l)etw'een four hoa«n. right out i'. tb«» midft of the pitcTi-black night; •Ml) didn't know how or \*here; in fact, two of them faced each otlicr iu tlie stream of light from one side or the lantern, like two edges of a rent in the dark, and another was like a .«->rawliug lilot in the center — you just aw they were faces and heads, witli . foot or two of the thick round boeui slanting up bftwixt them; but as for their bodies, they were all of a piece with perfect bhu.'kness beyond. I could see one of them hold up the lantern and pass it round the throe otliers' faces, bringing out their chins aod noses, as if to be sure who they were— a piece of caution whicii served almost equally well for me, ^ ^ remembered each of them by lieadiv .irk among the crew, only I didn't see the said fellow him- self, even when he drew out some pa- l)t>r or other in one hand, seemingly unfolded it with the help of his teeth, and spread it over the jib-boom under the lantern; whereupon the whole fom- of the heads drew close together in .a black lump round the light, i>eering dowtt upon the pap«% and mutU^ring away as much at their ease, no doubt, iis if they had been in a taivroom. All I wii-vhed for Avas a good rifle-barrel iu my hind at the time, to have knocked the li.^'ht out fiT)m the midst of them, and sent the bullet by accident through the tarpaulin hat behind it, especially when a glaring red flipper was shoved out on the white paper, and the thumb planted steadily on a particular si>ot. All at once, however, the light was put out in the lantt>rn. and 1 heard them going in-boord, as the noise of the morn- ing watch being called at four o'clock got up round the fore hatchway. In about half an hour the faint glim- mer of Jones' oar in the water showed how hartl it was to find the schooner again; however, he managed to get aboard at last, by which time I Avas walking cjirelessly past t!ie binnacle in the dark, and as soon as he sought me out and began to speak 1 saw it was all right. Mr. Snelliug came on deck to his watcb, blowing up the nitni foa* letting out the only light aboard as he didn't know fore and aft from tuwart-ships, nor iiorlii from south. 'I'iie (labiu lamp under the skylighl had gone out too for w.mt of oil. without being iiotieed as long as the mooii shouKf, and not even the pl.iiiter's clu-- root Avas to be S(i»n. From the snatches of thi'ir couver^ation he had lime to gather. I agreed A\-ith .Tones that v.ha,t- ov*.r the four felloAVs on the jili-lxiom might have intendeifl beforehand, thoir present en.' Avaau't ar all to try seizing the sliij); in fact, the schooner's snd- dcii itpi>earance in this latitude, with what they knew of her before, had nat- urally enough brought out a number of tlie erew in different colors to what tlicy'd stick to aft*'r getting a fright and finding their mistake^ though by this time I had no doubt in my own 176 THE GREEN HAND. H o r^ k mind that the villain who bent on his silk neckerchief to the signal halliards in chat hurry the afternoon before ac- tually meant it for the black flag — while the absurdity of the Indiaman striking at all to a cruiser that wanted her just to heave to was a sign how most of the crew's minds went, as long as they fanded ua pirates. How- ever, Jones had seen siifficient of the lantern affair cm the boom to explain it, to my great relief; the ringleader of them no other, as I was sure, than ugly Harry himself, seemed to ecrnb trousers ordinarily for one of the quarter-deck officers, and had got hold of an old ehart in his berth that same evening, which the four had come out there to get a private overhaul of. All Jones could get room to see was that it was a chart of some islands, with a particular mark at one of them, on which the fellow with the lantern pur his thumb, when another asked if there weren't any trees on it. "Ti-ees ay: trees enough to hang all the blasted lubbers afloat!" said the first, as Jones listened. "I'd as soon think of sailing in a craft without spars as aboard a dazart ileyand without trees!" One was tired of fhe Indiaman, an- other sick of the world, and a third, with Jack down on the bowsprit, wanted to chase buffalos and shoot birds. A.s for the rest, the head of the gang assrred his mates there were plenty of ether islands not far off. and natives in ih^^m; whereupon tie light was put out, and, in short, they made it up among them to take one of the ship's boats quietly some night as soon as she got in the lati- tude of the Maldives, and steer for this said island; although in case of their being dogged about by the schooner, of which the chief scoundrel seemed by .Tones' account to have a wholesome fear, ii wouldn't be so easy a matter. Indeed, the last words he was heard to say, as they crept inward down the boom, were to the effect that he thought there were some aboard as anxious to drop the cruiser as they were. "Faith, Mr. Jone«," said I, glad to find this was what they wanted, "if that's all I shan't stand in their way; so as aoon as the breeze springs up we'd bet- ter clear off altogether. The smoothest way is to let them take themselves quietly off, and I have no fear of the rfiip; only, before fairly shaping our own course for Bengal, we must manage to have another sijjht of her under full fd fill J> got nearer, and blown ye out of th wather." his the him "IS "V the do? pose, ship felhr Af all tie q tafffi tre : signa Tvhisj after ties. on th takin Nej the ( quart and ] hugge vixen very few I again mome ing f notioE out was a fusion by SI oaugh lady's all up door 1 and I coaxin openet Lieute "you J Sudc ing ba dier's once 1 state laughii over h ed up other, yet for I remi some I •'lose a see her "Mrs see yoi she rat she cai gers mi go." With Brady THE GREEN HAND. 177 horissou, tilt i fire iit one ' up toward iie sun was stick to our fact, I felt ''iolet horself ['U be hang- her cuttins: her, aud I rd to say— • rough work ren a chance lind, ^ay, a liovf be went e midst of a 1 your mouth not expected aow first ofii- ded U3 civilly 1 the decks horough man- d all; but as I out yet, I •e a couple ot up the wet. . the sight of :hat were out le of them be- rt— uamely, the » was walking boys evidently 1 their awahs; brigadier him- iroat, while he ] r aft with her glimpse of me] t and stared; :ul whether to] sir!'' said he. lady, -you're seel" ' ible CO say the led to speak a )wledgo of her I brigadier bad and the i)o«P f lirly come |air about her absurd as it| J t t Jie woman fct'on with the ler o3 30 soon fooUsh oi me tst!" sha went at me in a the Bchoon'^r , of 50U," said| liat set me aJi Id sort of ad- brigadicr. ' 'i mttherr down waitiid tUl y re out of th '"Tia only a lieutenant you are?" s his lady, speaking without scrapl. > the midst of his words, and frowning him quiet. "Nothing more, ma'am," I said. "Well, now, Mister Li^'utenant," said the lady suddenly, "what d'ye mean to do? You didn't tind us out here, I sup- pose, and actually tuko these cowardly ship people of our.s by say go, like a held fellow, for nothing?" After a few words more. Mrs. Brady all of a sudden vanished down the lit- tle quarter gallery stair near the ship's taffrail, though 1 had scaro' missed her tre she appeared again, maiiing me a signal. "Hush, now," said she in a whisper out of the stairway, "and step after me like a cat among broken bhot- tles, for he's shaving yoader just now on the opposite side; 1 saw his kitmagar taking in the hot water." Next moment I had followed her into the small state room in the larboard quarter, where she opened an inner door and left me. By Jove! 1 could have hugged that Jri;'.h\v-onian on the spot — vixen as she was — no matter tliough the very ship might be out of sight in a few hours, and I never set eyes on Ler again. 1 thought no more of it at the moment than I did of her skipper wait- ing for me — everything was lost in the notion of seeing Violet Hyde's face come out of that door. All the time there was a whispering, a rustling and a con- fusion in the berth, as if she were taken by surprise, naturally enough, then I caught a word or two of the young lady's own, that made me think it was all up. The door handle turned and the door half opened, then it shut to tgain, and I heard Mrs. Brady's voice in a coaxing sort of sti-ain, till at last she opened the door wide and said, "Mister Lieutenant what's-his-name," added she, "you may be off to your vessel, and — " Suddenly I saw Violet's tigui'e shrink- ing back, as it were, behind ihe briga- dier's lady, into the berth; but till at once she walked straight out to the state room, half frowning and half laughing, with an angry kind of blush till over her face. Her hair was only loop- ed up on one side, and braided on tue other, as if it weren't rightly ship-shape yet for the day; while as for her dress, I remember nothing except its being some bi-own cloak or other wrapped so close about her that one couldn't even see her hands, like the picture of a nun. "Mrs. Brady seems so astonished to see you here again, Mr. Collins, ' said she rather sharply, as I Uiought, "that she cannot rest Avithout all the passen- gers meeting you, I suppose, before you go." With that she looked back, but Mrs. Brady had walked out, though [ heard the young lady's waiting girl moving about inside the berth yet. "'Twas all an accident, my happeninff to come on board just now, Miss Hyde," said I anxiously, "or, indeed, my having orders to speak the Indiaman at all." "Ah!" she answered; "and it was so strange of Mrs. Brady to — to persist!" The lovely girl had scarce condi,'s«.'end- ed to look at me yething, for heaven's sake, to keep me in hope?" "Why, what wordd have, sir?" said she, quickly, still turning away. 178 THE GREEN HAND. r- H o But, ble33 me! I don't exactly remem- ber what followed in the desperation I felt, nor how near she was to me, V7heu 1 heard her begging me to "Gro, go, if 1 really loved her!" "Dearest girl!" I said, "I shall be far enough ofiE in a short time!" "Do you actually sail so soon, then?" said Violet, in a ?ow voice. "Wh>-, they're bracing round the ship's yards already, I hpar," answered I; "but, indeed, I think the schooner might keep near her for a few days to — " "No, no!" said she anxiously; "go al- together, else my father will be still more set against — against — Perhaps," she added, "we may see you in Calcutta, when — you are — " and her oye glauced from one shoulder of my uniform to the other, "When I've got my epaulet shifted to the right shoulder?" asked I, eagerly, "then may I see you?" "See — ^yes," was the whisper T caught; and "Dearest, dearest Violet," said I, almost going down on the dock before her, "suppose I managed to ship them on both, in this confounded peace, 'nill you—" "Hush!" said Violet, listening, and all in a flutter: "indeed you must go, else I mustl" "For God's sake, Violet," I went on, keeping hold of her hand as she tried to get away, "will yon wait a year or two and give me the chance of a war in China, or up the Mediterranean, or—" But here the wild notions I had for a moment left me. Somehow or other at that instant a tevrible glimpse, as it were, of Bonaparte standing up on the crag in St. Helena flashed across me: and as the folly of the thing, let alo-/" the impudence of it, struck mo, I nigh hand groaned, while Violet Hyda's fin- gers slipped out of mine. Just tL'^n she turned full round with a soft look of her eyes, and wan going to say some- thing, as I thought; but the handle of the aftermost door turned, and the brig- adier's lady hastened fa. As I .'tlanced round, something or other dropped light- ly into the palm of my hand, and next mcnont Violet was gone. 'Twas only a little knot of white ribbon I'd got, though the scent and the warm touch of it together were enough to startle one — ^I almost thought she'd changed in- to it; and to this lay, ma'aai, I'll be hanged if I know what that was the scent of, unless it was sandal wood. "Quick!" said Mrs. Brady, in a hnrry; "what d'ye stand staring there for, nian alive? Sir Charles is upstairs, and yon can't go this way; so through the cab- ins with ye, lieutenant, and out on the quarther-dheck !" Before I well knew what I was doing, Accordingly we were in the judge's mam cabin, where the ship's masts and the men gathering about the ropes could be seen through the round-house doors as they stood open. "Mrs. Brady," said I, suddenly step- ping back to her, "you're an angel, ma'am, and—" "You unprincipled young villain ye!" said she, springing aft with her fingers spread, and beginning to raise her voice; "what would ye do! Brigadier! D'ye think 'tis deaf I was in the stair yonder, you promiscuous young — " However, I gave her one bewildered look and heard no more of it, bolting as I did through the nearest door right against the man coming to the wheel; while the midshipman was on the look- out for me everywhere, to say that the captain of the Indiaman was waiting for me below in his cabin. Indeed, she was moving slowly through the water al- ready, as the light cat's-paws ruffled it here and there, and drew aloft into h(»r royals; our own little craft beginning to slip gently along to leeward of the ship, with the dark Lascars' faces under the foot of her fore-top-mast stay-sail, giving her a doubtful enough air, I must own. I had nothing particular to say to Finch, in fact; but captain as he was of the Indiaman for the time, 'twas the least I could do to see him; besides that, some- how or other I had a sort of feeling as I came on board half an hour before, I couldn't exactly say why, that made one anxious for a near sight of him. If he suspected anything wrong among his crew, why, at any rate he would have an opportunity of mentioning it ere we part- ed company; but, awkward as our meet- ing each other again was, of course, and both being on such different footing from before, wliile my own mind was natur- ally full of what had just happened, it turned out such as might be expected. Each was evidently not the same man he had been a few weeks before, except in his puppy fine-gentleman manners and way of dress, which were twice as high- flown; with his hair curled, a white hand- kerchief hanging half out of his breast pocket, a regular East India uniform, and everything showing the tip-top skipper. The thing that set me less at my ease with him was, that I was sure, by one glance of his eye, he . da pretty fair guess of where I had been last, and saw- it iu my manner, which made me the more careful, as matters stood, to give no signs of more meddling with the India- man. However, I threw in a hint or two, when Finch out and told me quite frankly there had been a little disorderly conduct on board, after they left the cape, but he had thoroughly put it down, without letting the passengers know any- thing about it, as he said; only, the very day before, at the time when the schooner fired, there were a few of the men, ho told me, that seemed inclined to disoboy jta and the »ea could be 36 doors aa Jdenly step- an augt'l, villain ye!" her fingers se her voice; idler! D'ye stair yonder, J bewildered t, bolting as door right the wheel; on the look- say that the ; waiting for eed, she was e water al- ws ruffled it loft into hfr beginning to of the ship, es under the y-sail, giving I must own. say to Finch, was of the IS the least I 3 that, some- f feeling as I mr before, I [lat made one him. If he among his ould have an ere we part- as our meet- f course, and footing from i was natur- happened, it be expected, e same man )efore, except manners and wice aa high- i white hauJ- of his breast uniform, and >-top skipper. at my ease sure, by one a pretty fair ast, and saw nade me the )d, to give no th the Indiii- ,n a hint or old me quite tie disorderly hey left the put it down, rs know any- nly, the very the schooner the men. he ed to disobey THE GREEN HAND. 179 ■orders — fellows he wished he could get rid of. "Now, Captain Finch," said I, as I looked over my shoulder at them from the capstan, * v.'dl you point out the men yon spoke of, sir, that showed themselves muliuous?" Finch ilrew back at this, however, and hummed aud hawed at the word. "Yes, mutinous," repeated I; "there's no use mincing the matter, I suppose. Just be so good as to let me see the fellows, and I'll rid you of them at once." Finch's glance followed mine as it lighted on Harry Foster's shaggy head watching as with the eye of a buffalo, past a knot of slouching, hulking fore- mastnien of his own kidney. The mom- ent I caught sight of Jacob's broad, hearty, brown face, standing apart a bit with his friends, Tom, Bill, the red- haired Irish top-man, and three other honest-like man-o'-war's-men, I took my cue for the meantime. "My lads," said I, walking quietly for- ward, "I want a few hands for the Hebo frigate; you know her, I dare say, and that's enough; for a model like the Hebe doesn't float the water. Now, I can't press any of you" — here a general laugh ran along both rows, and I heard a growling chuckle from ugly Foster— "but," added I, laughing too, "you can volunteer!" There was a dead silence, in the midst of which Tom, the foretopman, the most dashing fellow in the ship, stepped aft with his hat in his hand, then Jacobs, then Bill, and my acquaintance the "Sav- age," then the three others. In place of grumbling, in fact there began to be a hurrah among the rest, except some of Poster's chums ; a few more seemed inclined to follow, and as for my gentleman captain, he appeared not to know what to do. •*>«ow, uiy men," said T, stepping straight up to ugly Harry, and eyeing him right in the face as he stxiod, "you're a. fine seaman-like fellow— true blue, I am rure. I've taken a particular fancy to ye: won't you ship for the Hebe— eh?" Foster didn't know where to look, twisting himself round, hitching up his trousLTS, and altogether taken fairly aback; every eye was on him, aud I'll be hanged if I don't think he turned it in his mind to agree. "Come, Foster." said I, in a low voice, "I know you, my man; but if you ship, I'll look over the whole." Ail at once Captain Finch walked up to me, saying, "If you persist in taking these men, sir, you'll have to answer for it, I can tell you!" "I krow my meaning, sir." said I, firmlv; "I am in the regiilar course and an«v. >r *'»'• it I will. Say the word, tny L Tn, .nd ship," said 1, again. "Be d d if I do!" said Harry, turn- ing on his beol with a grim scowl; "none o' yer frigates for me!" and he walked off. Jacobs and the otbers came on the gangway with their bags, however, and pitdied them to the men in the boat, without anyone offering to interfere; indeed. Finch had seemingly given it up sooner than I expected. "Now, Captain Finch," said I, before stepping over the side after Mr. Snell- ing and the men, "I'd much rather we oould have hit upon the right men. However, the more need for my keeping in sight of you to windward, as I shall do at least till we steer for the Bay of Bengal. I couldn't do less, you see," added I, on getting no answer, "than make myself strong enough to help you if needful!" "I shall report to the admiral at Bom- bay, sir!" said he, fiercely. "You may do that. Captain Finch," I said, "as soon as possible; but in the meantime you can't be certain of what may turn up of a dark night, and a couple of lights at your main-yard-arm, or anywhere, will bring the schooner down in half an hour or so, if here's a breeze. As for a calm," said I, turning round— but su H a strange white look had come over Finch's face as he fflanced after me. that, thinking he was beside himself with rage, I went down the side without another word. "Take your way!" I fancied I heard him mutter betwixt his teeth ; but next moment we were pulling off. Well, the breeze ere this time was steady, though light, and we drew grad- ually to windward of the Indiaman, till by the afternoon the white band on her hull was just awash with the water, and here I kept her. with a little varie- ty, near the whole night, and most of the following day. The next night came on almost as dark as it had been that night of the calm, but the breeze freshened again I)retty strong, and accordingly I kept the schooner down to get nearer the ship, which we had seen in the first dog- watch, dead to leeward. I was rather uneasy for a while at not being able to make out her lights, and we slipped fast through the water, when all at once both .Tones and Westwood called out from forward that they saw them, and I walked to the bows. "All right." said I; "but. no. By heaven! that's the signal I named to the captain! Set stunsails, Mr. .Tones, and make her walk, for God's sake!" Two lights it was, aloft in the gloom, right to leeward as before: there was something wrong, or else she wanted to si)eak us; so away we flew before the wind, under everything that could be set. I looked and looked, when a thought struck' me; not another liaht was to be seen below, and thev weren't high enough from the heave of the sea for e'^en a ship's low^r masit. "Ye.s. by Georgie!" said I, hurriedly, to Westwood aiicl Jones, "that's a trick! i8o THE GREEN HAND. O Co The fellow msans to rive us the slip. Clap the helm down, Mr. Snelling, and haul aft the sheets there; luff, luff!" We were losinf? our weather-gauge: in fact, the Indiaman must actually be to windward of us ere then, and if the breeze freshened we might lost; tbem altogether. The thing that troubled me most was, that I couldn't believe the man had thought of such a plan him- self; and if he onco took a hint from any of the scoundrels I knew Avere aboard, why, there was no sayiug what might be the upshot in the end. Finch was a common enough character at bottom; but with such notions as I was sure were working in his head about Miss Hyde, one sitep might lead him on to another, till any chance occasion might make a desperate villain of him. especially if he suspected myself of auffht like good fortune with the young lady. It wasn't much past midnight, the air was wonderfully heavy and swelter- ing, and the swell going down, when we heard a murmur among the men on the forecastle, and saw a red fire-ball pass high over to nor'ard for half a minute, leaving a trail in the dark sky beyond the head sails. A queer ghastly sort of ruddy gray streak opened out in the black of the horizon, where some of them thought they made out the ship; but soon after we could hear a low hollow kind of a hum rushing, as it were, from east to W(>«t. till it grew almost like the sound of waves on a beach, which made us begin to look to ourselves. There was a bright line of light directly in the opposite quarter, and the sea far away seemed getting on fire, with a noise and a hubbub coming along below Ihat nobody appear- ed to know the meaning of, while aloft it was as still as a church. For a mo- ment I saw the Seringapatam quite plainly severr.l miles off; but from the confusion T never could say whether it was north or east: in fact, we kept watching the canvas, expecting to have a hurricane into it next minute. Suddenlv the sea came gleam-glearamg and flickerincr on, as it were, with a washing bubble and a hissing smother of foiim, till it splashed right against our larboard bulwarks, hraping up like perfect fire upon the schooner s side, and running past both stern and bows awav with a long-rolling flash to the other horizon. All was pitch-dark amain after that; and a whisper _ went about our decks and round the bir.nacle lamp, of "The ripples!— it's the rip- ples!" "Nothing more, sir!" said .Tones, even he seeming taken by snrprise at first. Twice again we had it. though each time fainter, right out of the midst of tlie gloom, after which it was as calm as before. . , . , , "Thank God," said I, breathing hard, "we'll have that Tndiaman in the morn- ing, at any rate!" "Why, sir," answered Jones, thought- fully, "after this we are likely to have the southwest monsoon upon us en; long; 'tis just the place and the season for it." And so it was. Instead of sighting the Seringapatam at daybreak, I had a strong Husi>iciou she had gone to east- ward; l)ut of course the faster the schooner was, why, if it were the \vrong way, we should only get from her the farther, and miss her altogether, without ever knowing how mivttei's went, even if she got quietly into port; so, being the best plan I could think of for the meantime, away we drove north- westward, swei'ping the horizon with the glass ovei-y morning. We had run so far. indeed, without success, that T was sure she couMn't be ahead; when one day T asked Mr. .Tones to bring me up the chnrt for those parts, as wo took the latitude. We were a long way to westward of our own course at; the time, and .Toner's finger went along eastward till it stopped right upon the Maldive islands, while he looked up wiith a sudden sharp glance. "By heaven." said I. "yes! I forgot: that story altogeithor; be so good a.s send that man there, .Tacobs. to me." ".Tacobs." said T, wliich of the oi!i- cers' clothes did that fellow Foster use to scrub lately in the Indiaman?" .Tacobs gave his hair a rub, recollected a moment, and answered, "Why, sir, the cnntain's own." "Oh!" T said; "well, that'll do. -Ta- cobs."and .Tacobs walked forward again. "Mr. .Tomes." said I, quickly. "that chart, belonged to the captain. I'll have a look at that said desert island, sir!" We fonnd something answering to it on the chart, and in a few minutes thp schooner was bowline before the dregs of the monsoon to eastward. ".\t all events." added I. "we'll s»m' if these vagabonds mt>an to k^-ep their word and turn hermits. Either w.> catch them there. Mr. .Tones, or elsewi^ must find that Tndiaman. thonrrh shi- were in sisht of Tolabah lighthouse ' .Tonf»s's eyo lighted, and h«» turned bi>: nostrils to the monsoon, as if he snuff pd it in; in fact, he was that sort of man tlint needed somewhat on- of the com- mon ■W'ay to keep him '•i;dit. PART xin. "No, Westwood." said I. " it caiTt be the right one, nor any of these, ii deeess. that T lead ; whon 4 to brinsr arts, as wi^ re a Ion? Ti conrse at •went aloniz' ht upon till' looked up >a! T forgot o good as s. to me." of the offi- Foster uso iman?" ), recollectod "Why, sir. at'll do. .Ta- rward again, okly. "that in. T'llhnve si and. sir'." wpring to it mimutes the p the dregs "■we'll sot> kt-f'O their Either ■^•" q. or else w> th'>nfTh pi"' ghthonse " o turned his if he snufft^il sort of man of the com- ' it can X f these, it chart, -whiili y thing hwi ■with tlu' enough, hut as to tlip ned to gff •, partly o\v- e'd h-ad of to its beiJiL', made for ■<■ purpose, by a hand that knew the is- lands well. After two or three days' sail, we were getting into the thick of the Maldives, where the reefs and sand- banks stretching out on every side, and beginning to lap in upon each other, made it more and more dangerous work; but at any rate the islands we saw were either very small, or else low and muddy-like, with a ft"\v Hcrubby-lookiug cocoa-s uix)n them, like bulrushes growing out of a marsh No runaway sailors ■would ever think of taking up their quarters hereabouts, even if we hadn't caught sight of a smoke now and then, and once of some native craft with a couple of brown mat-sails and an outrigger, that showed the clusters here- away to have people about them. Be- sides, there was no pretext any India- man could have for steering near enough such a jungle of mud and wa- ter, to give a boat the chance of making toward it with any certainty. I saw at once that the spot in question must lie tolerably for the course of a ship to Western India, otherwise they "Wouldn't have appeared so sure of their mark as .Tones said they did. All this, at the same time, kept me the more bent on searching the matter out ere I did aught else, seeing that in fact the Indiaman's attempt to get rid of the schooner Avas the very thing likely to bring her on this track; fancying, as she would, that we were either in chase of her toward Bombay, or off our own course again. Now, on the one hand, nothing could fit better for the said runaw^ay scheme of Harry Foster's; and on the other ha/nd, nothing would have pleased me more, and greatly eased my mind, too, than to catch him and his chums on their spree f 2 r H 2 to CO 1"^ as for current, no trial I could think of showeJ any; and there were now and then patches of small glittering sea-jellies and sea-lice to be seen among a stalk or two of weed on the soft heave of the water, going the way of the breeze. A dozen or so of Portuguese men-of- war, as they call them, held across our bows at one time; little pink blubbers, with their long shming roots seen bang- ing down in the clear of the surface, and their little blue gauze sails with the light through them, ribbed like leaves of trees, as they kept before the wind. Weetwood and I both fancied w*) could feel a queer sulphury smell as we leaned over the side, when a surge came along the bends. Not a single fish was to be about us either, except the long, big blackfish that rose one after the other at a distance, as the wind got lighter. Once while you heard them groaning and gasping in the half- calm, as if it were the breathing of the sei far and wide every time it swelled; another, one saw them in a cluster of black points against the bright sky-line, like so many different- shaped rocks with the foam i*ound them, or a lot of long boats floating bottom up, with their back horns for humps on the keel. As for .Tones, he looked graver and graver, till all of a sudden we saw him go below; but after a little he came up with an almanac in his hand, and his finger fixed where tihe time of the next new mooin was given, as I found when I took it from him, for he seemed not inclined to speak. '"Why, what has that to do with the thing?" I said; "we are heading fair for the Minicov cluster, I think." "Yes. sir," said he. "If one needed anything to prove that, he has only to look at the sea; at ttis seasop I knew how it would turn out." "Well, that's what I can't understand. Mr. Jones," said I. "The water seems as deep as St Paul's cathedral thrice over." "Do you not know, then, sir, why that island is called — what is it?" was the answer. "But wait— wait— till night!" and with that Jones turned round to the bul- warks, leaning his arms on the rail. In Uie meantime Jacobs and some of the men had drawn a bucket of water, which we noticed some of them tasting. A pannikin full of it was handed along to the qtlarter-dock, and the taste struck you at opce, owing to the want of the well-known briny twang of real blue water, and instead of that a smack as it were of iron, though it was as clear as crystal. Every one had a trial of it but Jones himself; indeed, he nev- er once looked round, till it had oc- curred to me to pour the thin water inio a glass and hold it with my hand over it inside the shade of the binnaclo, when I thought I made out little specks and sparks shooting and twist- ing about in it, as if the water had a motion of itself; then they seemed to sink to the bottom, and all wiu* quiet. Just then I looked up and ca^^ght Jones' scared, restless sort of glance, as if he were uneasy. There was a strange life in that man's brain, I felt, that none could see into; but owing as it plainly was to sometliing far away from the pi-esent matter, I knew it was best to let him alone. In fact, his dodng as he did showed well enough he meant fair by ourselves. Nothing on earth ever gave me more the notion of a wreck in a man than the kind of gaze out of .Tones' two eyes, when he'd turn to the light and look at you, half ke m, half shrinking, like a man that both felt hinis<'lf above you, and yet, somehow or other, you'd got him under you. I'm blessed if I didn't trust him more because he had been too desperate a cluiracter in his deeds beforehand to turn his mind to little ones now, than for auythjtic good in lum; being one of those fellows that work their way from one iiort to another in ship's fore- castles, and get drunk ashore, though all the time you'd say there wasn't one aboard with them, from the skipjer to the chaplain, knew as much or had flown as high some time. Some day at sea the hands are piped round the grat- ing, hats off, and the prayer book rigged, and down will go ".Tack Jones" with a plash and a bubble to his name- sake, old "Davy," and you hear no more of him. Well, just after sundown, as the dusk came on. Westwood and I left the deck to go down to supper with the planter, the midshipman being in charge. There was nothing in sight, sail or land; in- deefl, the queer dark-brown tint of the horizon showed sti'ongly against the sky, as if it had been the mahogany of the capstan head inside its brass rim; the night was cloudy, with a light 1 reeze, and though the stars came out. I expected it to get pretty dark. As I went down the companion, I heard noth- ing but the light wa.sh of the water from her bows, and the look-out step- ping slowly about betwixt her knight- heads on the forecastle; while it struck me the smooth face of the sea seemed to slaow wonderfully distinct into the dusk the completer it got, as if a sort of light rose up from it. Down below we felt her stealing pleasantly through all, and Tom and I sat for I didn't know how long trying to settle our differences on the main point — about the Seringapatam, of course, and which way she was likely to be gone. Tom plumed himself mightily on his common- sense view of a thing, and havini^ by this time got back a good deal of Ms THE GREEN HAND. 183 cheerfulness, he and Mr. RoUock Jiluiost laughed me over to his Hue of ihiiiking. We agreed that the ship must be at present edging up on one side or other of the Maldives, but both of them thought the less we had to say to her the better. "I say, though," exclaimed the planter, whose face was turned the opposite way to ours, " I'd no idea it was mooiilii?ht!" "Moonlight! there's no muon till morn- ing," I said. "Look into the stern cabin there, then!" said Rollock; and I lurnod round seeing into the door of the aft-n* cabin, where, to my no small surpris?, there was a bright glare through the little square stern light, gl(;amiug on the lim of the sill, and seemingly off both the air and the water beyond. Quite con- founded, as well us woud-n-iiu, what Snelling could be about. 1 hurrii>d up the companion, the planter and \Vestwood hard at my hoels. For as long us I had kept at sea, an J a good many different latitudes I bud been into, yi;t I must say I uevor in my life before saw such a strange sight as broke on us the instant we put our heads out of the booby hatch, fresh from the lamplight in the eul)iu. In- deed, I can't but own to my first fv>eling being fright; for what it was 1 couldn't understand, unless we had got into a quarter of the world where tilings were not natural. There were a few stray clouds in the sky scattered away ahead, and clearing eastward to settle along before the breeze; all aloft of us, high over the sharp dark edge of tb^? sails and gaffs, the air seemed to open away out, pale and glimmering like a rellection in the ice; all round you caught a glimpse of the stars weakening toward the hori- zon. But the water itself— that was the sight that bewildered one. On eveiT side the whole sea lay spread out ssmootli and as white as snoAV — you couldn't fan- cy how wide it might stretch away astern or on our lee beam, for not a mark of horizon was to be seen, save on the northwest, where you made out, owing to the sky there being actually .darker than the sea — but .nil the time the wide face of it was of a dead ghastly Paleness, washing with a swell like milk to our black counter as we forged ahead. It wasn't that it shone in the least like blue water at night in the ordinary troi> ics — by Jove! that would have been a comfort — bnt you'd have thought there was a winding sheet laid over all, or ■we were standing across a level country covered with snow; only when 1 stood up and watched the bows, there was a faint hissing sparkle to be seen in the ripple's edge, that first brought me to myself. The Lascars had woke up where they lay about the caboose, and were cower- ing together from sheer terror; the men standing, each one in hia place, and look- ing; while .Tones, who had relieved the midshipman, leaned by himself with bia head on the capstan, as if to keep out the sight of it all; the schooner's whole dusky length, in fact, with every black figure on her decks, and her shap-j up to the lightest stick or rope of her aloft, appearing strange enough in the midst of the broad white glare to daunt any one that wasn't acquainted with the thing. "Mr. .Tones," said I quickly, on goinj? up to him, "what the devil is this? I'll be hanged if I didn't bi'gin to believe in witchcraft or something, Wliere are we getting to?" "Nothing, nothing, sir," said he, lift- ing his head; "'tis natural enough, only the milk sea, as they call it— the white watcr.sir, that coims down twi'-e a year hereabouts from God knows where; you only see it so at night!" "Oh, then, according to that," I said, "we sha'n't be long in sighting your island, I suppose?" "No," said he, "if the breeze freshens ut all, keeping our present course, the mast head ought to hail it in two or three hours; but God knows, Jjieut. Col- lins, natural though the sight is, there's something a man can't get rid of. es- pecially if"- -he stood up, walked to the side, and kept facing the whol'j breadth of the awful-looking sea, as it were, till it seemed to blind him. "I tell you what, sir," said he, slowly, "if that water had any use, a priest would say 'twas sent to wash that island clean of what's been done on it; but it couldn't, Mr. Collins, it couldn't, till the day of judgment!'" lie leaned over till his dark face and his shoulders, to my notion, made the milk-white surge that stole up to the schooner's bends take a whiter look. "If that water could wash me now," muttered he, "ay, if it could only take the soul out of me, curse me, but I'd go down, down this moment to the bot- tom!" With that he gave a sudden move that made me catch him by the arm. "No, no, Mr. Collins," said he, turning round, "the truth is, I mean to go tlirough with it. By G— , I'll let it carry me where I'm bound for! D — n it, wasn't I born without asking ray leave, and I'll kick the bucket the same way, if it was on a blasted dunghill!" "Come, come, Mr. Jones," said I in a sinfiiij: «ort of w;iv. "go bijo'v for a little and sleep; when we hail the land I'll have you called." "I'd rather not, sir," said Jones quiet- ly; "the truth in, it strikes me there's sometliing strange in my happening to be aboard here, at this particular season, 1 84 THE (iREEN HAND. H Co k too; and sor- that snnie island now, I must! It's fiitc, Lioiit. (jolliiis," audcd bo; "and I uiust say, I think it's tho moro lik'-'Iy soinolhin;; may rum (.ut there. lOilhor you'll see that ship, or tho mon, or else I'll be there myself, iu some way or otherl" Now, there was RomcthinK in all this that began at moments quite ro bewilder one Ihe more excited llie state was it put j'ou in. There was nothiU(? for it but to push on, and se.e what miijht come of it. Indeed, the weather favored ns better on our present course than on any other, and I felt if I didn't Keep ac- tive I should >:o distracted. "l"'wa.-( al- niOHt as if Avhat Jones said had a truth in it, and a sort of power beyond one ■were drawing tho schooner the way she st(;ered; while at the same rime there Was every little while somt'what new in the extraordinary looks of things to hold you anxious. Even a flying touclt of a squall we had aliout midnight didn't the least do away with Uie whitcnesri of the water all around; on the contrary, as the dark cloud crept down upon us, widen- ing oi> both sides like smoke, the face of the sea seeme? to a breeze fed by the rain. As the sky cleared, the dead white glare the water sent up into it was su'i'h you didn't know the one from the other to- ward the horizon; and in the midst there was only the smooth faint surface, brushing Avhiter with the breeze, ns if it was nothing else kept it from going out of sight, with a few streaky clouds turn- ing themselves out like wool in ;i non- fused rift of the air aloft, the sehooaor walking in it without even a glimpse of a shadow on one side or another: while as for seeing a sail on the horizon, yon Dnight as well have looked for a shred of paper. It wasn't light, neither, nor was it haze; nothing but a dead color off the very sea's face— for the scho(mer rose and plunged without lettiug you see a hair's-itrettdth of lier draught below the water line. Every man rubbed hi>« t^yes, as if it were all some kind of a dream, and none the less when suddenly we were right upon a long patch of black stripes winding away through the white, like so many sea serpents come up to breathe, with both ends of thi»ni lost in the fointness. Nobody stirn>d or said "Look out;" stripe after stripe she went slipping through them as if they'd been ghosts, without a word or an extra turn of the wheel. I «1are say, if wi- had comnience- on our lieam, while the schooner broach- ed to in the wind, floundering on the swell w'ith her sails aback. Had the breeze been stronger, I think it would have fairly swamped us with the stem- way she had; and heave after heave swelled glaring and weltering out of the Pale blind sky. till our decks swam with light in the dusk under the bulwarks and al)out the dark mouths of the hatch- ways. Just as suddenly the rollers seemed to sink in thu smooth of the sea. and at last we paid off with the bn^ze as before, at the cost of a good fright and a famous ducking. Two or three times in the course of the middle wotch did this happen, except that we were taken le.ss by surprise, and had the hatches closed, with every rope ready to let go; the breeze strengthening all the time, and the same sort of look continu- ing all round and aloft. " About four o'clock or so the appear- ance of the sky near where the horizon ought to be. right ahead, struck West- wooil and me as stranger than ever, ow- ing to a long lump of shadow, as it were. Ijnng northward like the shape of a bow or the round back of a fish miles long, though it softened off at one end into the hollow of the air, and the gleam of the white water broke past the other like the streaks of the northern lights in a frosty night toward the pole. Rave for the thin shadowy tint of it, and the stars shining plainly through, I'd have fancied it was high land; when suddenly the half THE GREEN HAND. i8$ 'ttiiig yoM iirbt below •\ibb(?d bin kind of a 1 suddimly jmtirh of u-oir^h tho t3 cono up th(»ni lost stivp»>d or stripo pile 4 if they'd r an extni lay, if we ttlr, every liko Knni wondnrtvl iniglit bap- ! uianafjinir observation 10 that ''en- Joiios, wild , looked at. glance, and lie. that T t happeutKl t— for witb- Doth of us clling pitcb- luge roUinn' e down UTV ner broacb- ing on the Had the k it would 1 the stem- ifter beavt> ■ out of tb(» swam with e bulwarks f the hatcb- the rollers of the Rca. the bnTezf good fright ro or threti iddle wntoh we weri" had the pe ready to ing all the )ok cantinu- m the appear- the horizon ;ruck West- n ever, ow- dow, as ii le shape of a fish miles at one cml d the gleam it the other irn lights in . Save for jd the stars ave fancied nly the half t moon was soen to ooze like a yellow spot out of the shaix»le8s sort of Htom to east- ward, liko a tiling nobody Itnew, shedding a faint itrowii glininior far below where you hadn't seen where- there was wat<«r at all. The bank of shadow softened away toward her. till in little more than five minutes the dark rii)pliiig line of the sea was made out, drawn across the dusk as if it had been the wide mouth of a frith in tlie polar iee, ojirniiig far on our weather bow. A soft, 1»lue i-ihimmering tint stole out on it by contrast, leaving the milk-white glare still sjiread every- where else, astern, iiliead, and on our lee beam, into the sightless sky. 'Twas the old blue water we caught sight of once more, with the natural niglit and tJie stars hanging over it: and the look-out aloft reported blue water stretching wide off the nor'ard. 'Hiere was one full hur- rah from the seamen in the bows, and they ran of themselves naturally enough to the ropes, standing by to haul the schooner on a wind, to head up for the old salt sea no doubt. "Lieutenant CoUins," said .Tones, in a low voice, "do you mean to steer foe that island, sir?" "Yes," I said, "certainly, Mr. .Tones; I shall see this matter out, whatever the upshot may be." "Then keep on sir," said he, firmly; "keep in the white water — 'tis your only plan to near it safely, sir." This I didn't well understand; but, by Jove! there was so much out of the com- mon way hereabouts that I had made up my mind to follow his advice. Another hail from aloft, at length : "Something black on our lee bow, sir; right in the eye of the white it is, sir!" We were now running fast down in the direction where there was least possibil- ity of seeing ahead at all, although, in fact, the little moonshine we had evident- ly began to make this puzzling hue of the surface less distinct, turning it of a queer ashy drab, more and more like the brown we noticed by daytime; while the light seemed, as it were, to scoop out the hollow of the sky aloft, when a dark spot or two could be observed from the deck, dotting the milky space over one bow, you couldn't say whether in the air or in the water, as they hung blackening and growing together through below the foot of the jib. Larger and larger it loomed as we stood before the breeze, till there was no doubt we had the bulk of a small low island not far to windward of us, a couple of points or thereabouts on our larboard bow when she fell off a little, lying with the ragged outline of it rising to a top near one end, its shape stretched black and distant in the midst of the pale sea; while the white water was to be seen taking close along the edge of the island, showing every rock and point of it in the shadow from the inoon, till it seemed to turn away all of a sudden like a current into the broad dreamy glimmer that still lay southeast- ward. On the other side of the island you saw the dark sea rijiples dickering to the faint moonlight, and sonic two or three more ^latches of flat land just tip- ping the horizon, with the tliin cocoa liut trtMid on them like reeds against the stars and the dusk; while the one nearest us was suliicicntly inarke them on on the bend, ■ehand, with- :hem. Notlj- e pleasefl me I ugly Harry ire here; but quiet look of ve in sight of be. At any »n seeing how of a place it soon as the t''estwooade to rise out of fided, whito- u a «-r^ouKh Bulpbury in the htat— one his own they enjoyeu and making, highest point, gh the cocoa- plants below, level toward widest way of it apparently the different were to hold >et again after Westwood and mg the tangle ow. We rou9- 11 birds and oats could be ;he grassy bits though they we were. As as mainly such ;hrive without flush of gras* 1 at the mon- eplng over the If i a track her apparently ;ht, soaking in } ground leaves lall rupty plash 8 if there was lere were taller on both sides, er bush, while. to my surprise, some of them were sacb as you'd never have expected to meet with on an island of the size, so far off the land — bananas, mangoes, a shaddock or two. and a few more, common enough in India; though here they must evidently have been planted, the cocoas being the only sort natural to the place, and of them there were plenty below. Suddenly it led down into a shady hollow, out of sight of the sea altogether, where we came on what seemed to have been a perfect garden some time or other; there were two or three large broad-leaved shaddock-trees, and one or two others, with a heap of rubbish in the midst of the wild Indian corn and long grass, some broken bamboo stakes standing, be- sides a piece of plank scattered here and there about the bushes. Right under the shade of the trees -was a hole like the mouth of a draw well, more than brim- ful at the time with the water from the spring; for, owing to the late rains, it made a pool close by the side, and went trickling away down among the brush- wood. Every twig and leaf grew straight up or oat. save in a narrow track toward the rising ground, no doubt made by the goats, as wo noticed th«» prints of the hoofs on the wet mud. 'Twas evident no human being had been there for heaven knew how long; since, by the care that had been taken with the place, it was probably the only spring in the is- land—perhaps for leagues and leagues round, indeed. Trees, branches, green grass and all— they had such a still, moveless air unaer the heat and light under the lea of the high ground, with just a blue spot of two ofvtbe sea seen high up through the sharb shaddock leaves, and the cool-looking plash of water below them, that Westwood and I sat down to wait till we heard the men. Still there was a terribly distant, par- ticular cast about the whole spot, which, taken together with the ruin and confu- sion, as well as the notion of Foster and his shipmates actually plotting to come there, gave one almost an idea of the whole story beforehand, dim as that was. The longer you looked, the more horrid it seemed. Neither natives nor a single man could have brought the differ- ent trees to the island, or contrived n tank well of the kind, seeing it was ap- parently deep enough to supply a ship's casks; while, at the same time.. I couldn't help thinking some one had lived there since it was made, or perhaps much nst^. by the space taken up with the hut thai had been there, and the little change in the wild state of things, mos^. likely it was by himself he had been, nnd for no short time. It looked, however, as if he had been carried off in the end. otherwise his bones would have been hereabouts; probably savages, as Westwood and I concluded from the scatter they had made of his premises. For my own part, I wondered whether Jones mightn't have' been the man, in which case most of that disturbed mind he showed lately might come of remembering the dreary, deso- late feelings one must have, living long- on a desert island. No doubt they had "marooned" him for something or other,, such as not being a bloody enough cap- tain; and I could as easily fancy one hav- ing a spice of madness in him, after years ashore here, as in Capt. Wallis after a French prison. Still, it startled one to see one's face in the black of the well; and we couldn't make up our minds to drink out of it. Even the pool at its side had a queer taste, I thought — but that may have been all a notion. All at once, by the edge of this same pool. West- wood pointed out two or three marks that surprised us both, being quite different from what the goats could have made; and on observing closer, they were made out to be more like the paws of a wild beast stamped in the mud. "By Jove!" I said, "no wolves on the island, surely!" "All of them seem to stick to the pool in preference to the wen, at any rate," said Tom; "they appear to have the same crotohet with ourselves. Ned." "Strange," said I: "what the devil can it be?" Westwood eyed the prints over and over. "What do you think of— a dog?" he asked. "Good heavens I" exclaimed I, looking down — "yes!" and there we sat gazing at the thing, and musing over It with somehow or other a curious creeping of the blood for my part that I couldn't describe the reason of. At last we heard the men hallooing to each other on the level beneath, when we hurried down and coasted round till we came upon the boat again, where the coxswain was amusing himself gathering shells for home, and we pulled back to the schooner. My first resolve after this was to. keep before the breeze again, try to get sight of the ship, and tell Finch out and out. as I ought to have done at once, what was afoot among his crew; or else to let Sir Charles Hyde know of it. and make him a bold offer of a pasisage to Calcutta. However, I sooa saw this wouldn't do; and a regular puzzle I found myself in. betwixt in- clining to stick to the island and catch. Foster if he came, and wishing to know how the Indiaman stood on her course if he didn't. Jones must have read my thoufc-hts as I loaned upon the capstan, looking from Whitewater Island to tho- horizon and back again, for he stepped aft and said in a low voice, "Lieuten- ant Collins, there's one thing T didn't tell you about that Island before, be- cause, as I said, I wasn't at first sure- it was the one the men meant; it may- w i88 THE GREEN HAND. help to dedde yoa, sir," said he, grave- ly. "Ah " I said. "In 'that island," he went on. his or- ■dinary darlc face as pale as death,"thoro is enough sold at this moment to buy half an Rnfflish county— ay. and better than gold, seeing that only one man knows the spot where it is. and he would rather sail round the world with- out a shirt to his back than touch one filing of the— hell's dross!" I looked at .Tones in perfect amaze as he added. "You may fancy now, Mr. Collins, whether if a man of the kind happened to get wind of this, he would not stir heaven and earth to reach the place? But rather than that gold should come into living hands," said he, fierce- ly, "I would rather wait for them ray- self— ay, alone — alone." and a sh^ddei* seemed to run through him as he gave anotlher glance/ to the island. For my part I drew a long breath. What he mentioned had all at once relieved my mind wonderfully, for if this was Master Foster's cue, as I now «aw it must have been the whole voy- age over, why, he would be just as sure not to spread the thing widely, as he would be to get here some time, if he could. On second thoughts, it wasn't so plain how the rest of the crew might work with it on the least inkling: but inclined as I naturally was to look upon the best side of the matter, you needn't wonder nt my making up my mind as I did. The short and the long •of it was that. In an hour more. Jones and myself, with ,Taoobs and four other good hands — and. somewhat to my an- noyance, Mr. Rollock, who persisted in coming — were pulling back for the is- land, while the schooner, under the care of Westwood and Snelling. was hauled on a wind to stand un across the Nine Decrees Channel, which the Tndiaman would no doubt tak" as the safest course for Western India, if all went well, and supposing T had reckoned cor- rectly why we missed her so long. In thflt case three or four days at most oonldn't fail to bring her sticks, keep- ing her stem on so as to let the shir pass without notinine the boom of so ftmall a craft; wh^rens if th"v didn't see hf^r nt all in that time, thev were to bear un before th« wind neain for the 'i'«^^ all th« tim" w* could np"d. not to fipeak of what th« isl'-'ud itsnlf afforfled- and nfter watching tho sch'ionur stand bepl- Ine off to sea. round the deen end of it. we crnisod close alone not for the >>'>flch this time, but seokinsr for a cove in the rocks where the bont could be "hauled up out of siglit, and safe from the surf at high water. This we werrn't very long of finding behind some blw^icn thnt broke the force of the surge. where the gTe<>n wild trailers fn)in alKive crept almost down to the soi- weoil; and after helping them a little to hide her perfectly, the whole of us to i>o«t a lookout on the highest point. scramblwl ashore. The first thing was the sharp little peak next to the reef- side overlooking the spring and the level ground between. On the other side of the long green valley, full of biisli in the midst, was the flat-topped rise toward the brown water, from which I and the planter watched the sohooner softening for an hour or two. till sh.» reached the blue sea-gleam, and lessen- ed to a sneck. By that time the men had pitched a little oanvas tent on the slope opposite us over the hollow — .Tones evidently being anxious to keep clear of the spot which somebody else had piok- rushwood and dwarf cocoanut-trees. With the stillness of the place all round, the bare sight of that particular point gave me a dreamy, desolate, ghastly sort of feeling, beyond aught I ever saw in my life before: it was choking hot and heavy inside, and seemingly throughout the hollow, though a good deal of dew began to fall, glistening on the ''•>rk green bushes nearest us, and standing in drops on the fern-like cocoa leaves which Jacobs and the other man Imd roofed themselves with. They were sound asleep: and the glimpse of the soles of their shoes and their knees sticking out of the shadow you saw their rough faces in, with thie sight of their cutlass hilts, served to give one a still wilder notion of the place. One felt scarce sure of being able to wake them, in case of anything turning up; and. at any rate, a dread came over you of its being possibly somewhat unnat- ural enough to make the thing useless. On the other hand, the planter kept np such a confounded snoring inside the in )♦ THE GREEN HAND. 189 we wprrn't lome bl(K'k!* the surKi', Wets fn>in ■jo the stii- em a little vhole of us Bho«t point, thins was to the re.f- t nnd tho p other 3i(l<> nil of busli topped rise ■om which T he sohooiior vo. till shi' and lesHon- me the mm tent on the ollow— .Tones ceep clear of se had pi('l<- the hieheat 3 it: nnd on thicket to )11 in whioh rose-colored [> be splendid 1 had to send iter. ■haps an hour !d on looking 3 stars that igh thenorth- ive the sea. higher, you jads of the ting glimmer I of horizon. It where we 'ront the flat somehow or le upon the •ter, roughen- ies into the ocoanut-trees. ace all round, rticular point •late, ghastly jght I ever was choking nd seemingly ouph a good glistening on irest us, and em-like cocoa 18 other man 1. They were npse of the their knees r you saw the sight of to give on© a place. One ible to wake tuminjr up: lame over you ewhat unnat- thang useless, inter kept up g inside the oantc^s close by me. that although there was no doubt of his being alive, the sound of it put stronger thoughts into your head; Homclimes his breath would be jogging on like that of a tolerably ordinal ry mortal, then get by degrees perfectly quiet; and then all of a sud- den go rising and rlHing. faster and fa«ter, as if some terrible dream had hold of him, or there was some devilish monster hard in chase of bis soul, till out it broke into a f<'nrful snort that made your very heart jump, whereupon he'd lie as if lie were finished, then go through the whole story again. I can't tell you how that eurs"d noise troubled mo. 'Twas no use shoving and speaking to him. and all the time the old boy was evilf; in fact, where Jones had gone at the time I didn't know, till suddenly I caught Hdght of his dark figure stand- ing on the rise at the back of our post, and went up to him. .Tones was cer- tainly a strange mixture, for here had he been all round the low side of the island by hincself. yet T found him lean- ing bareheaded on the barrel of his mus- ket, listening like a deer: he assurwl me solemnly he thought he had heard voices for the last hour on the other side, where he hadn't b^en. and n^ked me if I would go with him to see. Then down camp our lookout from the peak, rolling throutrh the bushes like a sea- oow, to report his not having seen any- thing, and to say they'd forgot to re- lieve him aloft; so rousing up Jacobs, T sent them both back together, while Tones and T h»ld the opposite way for the other height. The moment we got ta it. there was tlie samp faint blotted- ont horizon ns we had all astern of us the nieht before, the same strange un- natural paleness, cast off the face of the S'^a. making it look black by con- trast to northeastward nnd east, against the blue shadow with the bright stars in i*. where the sea rippled as usual: while the keenest glare in the middle seemd to stream richt to the breast of the island, like thp reflection of day- light down a long break in th" ice, only it was dead and ehastly to bj^hold. The AVhite water washed round under the black edgp of the recks before^ us. to the bare sloping boach. where it came up fairly like a wide plash of milk, glim- mering and sparkling back among the little sea-creatures you fancied you saw moving and crawling out or in. till it ran along by where the reefs were, and turned off to the dim sky atrain. Evpry- thine el«e was still, and .Tones drew a brenth like one relieved. "Nothing after nil. I think, sir," said he: but to my mind there was some- thing a long sight more awful in the look of that unaccountable Whitewater bearing down like snow upon the island, as it were, with the wrinkles and eddies to be seen faintly in it here and there back toward the glaring breadth of it, and the fl(mting streaks in the sky above. Especially when he told me he thought it was owing to millions unon millions of living things in it, that made the same show tliere at two dif- ferent seasons in the year for a week or so at a time, the appearance of it getting less distinct every night. How- ever, I had begun to grow uneasy again alMnit the Indiaman, and the schooner tix). as well as doubtful of the fellows eomiiig to the island at all; on the contrary, as I said to .Tones, if they saw the sohooner, and \Vestwoolves might possibly ge the finisliing stroke altogether. "The more I think of it," said I, "the more cursedly foolish it seems to be here instead of aboard!" "Why is it, Mr. Collins, I don't know," replied .Tones, "yet I feel as sure these men will land hero as if I heard them in the woods; and if I wasji't aware how one crime breeds an- other, for my part I shouldn't be here at pr(>sent, sir. Many a night afloat ha» the thought of this place weighed on me, lest there was something new do- ing in it: but what's buried here I'm resolv(>d no man shall stir up, if I can help it, sir!" A little after, as we got up and went down to the beach, all of a sudden — like a thing he couldn't avoid— Jones began to give me souie snatches of what had happened here some years be- fore, which, according to him, he had got from a shipmate of his that died; and I must say it made the blood creep in me to listen to it. . At the beginning of the war, he said, the island had been a nest of regular pirates, who had taken pains to make it. fi-om a merely muddy head of a reef with some cocoas upon it probably.into a resort en occasions, especially as even the wild Maldive natives to southward had somehow a dislike to it. The whole gang ln'ing taken by some cruiser or other at sea, however, too far off to leave any clue to their harborage here- alK>uts. they were all hanged, and the place lost sight of, till a good many years after, a country Arab craft,bound for Dacca up the Ganges, was driveix in a gale upon the reefs some wav off, without seeing the island at all till the sea went down, and she was going to pieces. There were only two Europe- ans aboard, both having turned Mus- sulmans*, and the youngest of them was mate. There was a passenger, a na- tive Indian merchant, and his servants, with, as was believetl, his harem below in the after cabins, for nobody ever had seeji them: but the Arab rais of the vessel, and several more, being washed '1 90 THE GREEN HAND. off when she atruck, the other Mussul- mans took to the only boat they had and got ashore, leaving the two English- men with the passenger. Next day the two men had contrived a raft of the spars, whereupon the BUndoo at last brought up his three women, veiled from head to foot, and the whole got nafe to the island. Here all the Ma- faommedans ht'rded together among themselves, forcing the two Englishmen to keep on the other side of the island, as they had no firearms; while the old Hindoo merchant and his native sei'- rant got a tent pitched on the highest point for the women, where they were no more seen than before, and a flag hoisted on a stick all the time for a signal to ships— poor simple devil, as .Tones said, with a laugh. Every day he offered the Arab crew more of the «old and jewels he had with him, to make for India and get him brought off; till at last some of the Arabs came round to the mate and his companion wanting them to take the boat and go instead, otherwise they would kill both of them at once. The two men accord- ingly had piv)vi8ion8 given them, and ■hoisted sail on the boat before tlie breeze to piaatward: they had almost dropped the island, when all at once the one in the boat's bows stepped aft to him that had the tiller, and said it struck him the Arabs couldn't mean well to the Hindoo and his wives, in trying to get ■clear of otiiers. All his companion did, •Tones said, was to ask if he was man »»nough to go back, face them boldly, and offesr to take the passenger and his harem, too. wh«m some craft or other might come back for the Arabs, since they weren't seamen enough to ven- ture first in the boat. "I tell you what," said the first, "ti*y the two largest breakers of water there." The water ■for use next after the open one was tasted, and it was salt. "Will you stand by me?" the second man said. Mtter a while. The other had a dog with him of his own. that had swam ashore from the vessel, after the raft lie landed n]X)n, and it was sleeping in the boat's bow at tlie moment near him; the dog lifted its head as they spoke, eyed the two, and laid down agam with a sort of growl. "Ay." answered the other, "to the last I will, as long as you stick by me!" They hauled over the sheet laid the boat sharp on a wind, and as soon as it was dusk began to pull back toward the Island, where they got ashore in the dark before morning. Here .Tones stopped, turned suddenly roimd to the glare of the white water plashing upon the beach, and said no more. "Why, Jones." said T. "is that all vou've got to tell? What came of them? For God's sake, yes, what was tbe upshot?** " 'Tis enough to show how one bail thing breeds another, as I said, sir," answered he. "Probably in the end. thou^; at any rate, I only fancy the rest; 'tis a horrible dream to me, for a — a — squall came on when that ship- mate of mine got so far, and we had to reef topsails. He went overboard off the yard that very night," said Jone«, wildly. "The man must have been there," said I, in a pointed way, "to' give all the particulars; he was the mate him- self, Mr. Jones!" He made no answer, but kept gazing out to sea. "And how long was this ago?" I asked. "Oh," answered he, "years enough ago, no doubt, sir, for both of us to be children, if you were born, Mr. Col- lins," and he turned his face to me as ghastly as the water toward the hori- zon he was looking at before — "at least I hope to God it was so. The man wan a poor creature, sir, bless jrou, and d— d old, as it seems to me — twice my own age at the time. Lieutenant Collins. At all events, though," he went on, ram- bling in a strange way that made rae think he was going out of his mind, "he remembered well enough the first time he saw the white water coming down upon the island. He was hunting— hunting-^)hrouc;h the bushes and pp and down, and oame upon the crag." "Himting?" I said. "Yes. you didn't know how it lived, or where it kept, but every night it was on the lookout there. There W!i.nl,i but have finished that brute, tes- tifying like the very devil, he'd have be.^n happy, he felt. Hark ye," said he, sinking his voice to a whisper, "when he went back at daylight the woman was dying — she had borne a — what was as innocent as she was, poor, sweet, young heathen." And if I hadn't guessed pretty well before that Jon^s was the man he'd been speaking of. his glittering eye and his stride from the beach would have showed it; .-ipparently he forgot every- thing besides at that moment, till you'd have thought his mind gloated on this pieee of history. "The woman." I couldn't help saying; "what woman? Had the rest left you in the boat, then?" .Tonos looked upon me fiercely, then turned away; when all on a sudden such a long, unearthly quaver of a cry came down through the stillness, from some- where aloft in the island, that at first T didn't know what to think, unless onf of our look-out men had met with an THE GREEN HAND. 191 >w one bait said, sir," , the end. ' fancy the to me, for that ship- 1 we had t() jrboard off said Jone«, )een there," 'to" ^ve all } mate him- kept gazing is ago?" I ars enoupU Ji of us to arn, Mr. Col- ice to me as pd the hori- »re— "at least Phe man wan "ou, and d— brute, tes- he'd have ve," said he, lisper, "when the woman a— what was ixwr, sweet, pretty well he man he'd ring eye and would have forgot everv- snt, till you'd )ated on this help saying; rest left yon fiercely, then ; sudden such E a cry caroi- , from sorae- that at first ik. tmless onf met with an nccident, and tumbled down. T "9 so dark where they were, however, there was no seeing them. Without looking for himaelf, Jones faced me, shivering all over. "What is that, Mr. Ck)mna?" whis- pered he, catching my arm *vith a clutch like death. "Is there anything yonder, behinil— behind, sir?" On the flat head of the crag north- westward, black against the pale glim- mer over the very spot where he had stood half an hour before, to my utter horror, there was some creature or other sitting as if it looked toward the sea,; and just then another wild, quiver- ering, eddying sound came evidently enough from it, like a thing that would never end. It wasn't a human voice, that; my very brain spun with it, as I glanced to Jones. •H3ood heavens!" I said, "what? But, by Jove! now I think of it. yes, 'tis the howl of a dog. nothing else." "Eight— ten years," said Jones, hoarse- ly, "without food, too, and enough in that well to have poisoned whole gangs of men for t.venty years — can it be an earthly being, sir?" The stare he gave me at the moment was more frightful than aught else, but I mentioned what Westwood and I had observed the day before. Before I well knew what he meant, Jones was steal- ing swiftjy up the rising ground to the shoulder of it. I saw him get suddenly on a level with the creature, his musket aiming for it— there was a flash, and a shot that left the height as bare as be- fore, and next minute, w?th a short whimpering howl, the animal flew down the hill, while I heard Jones crashing lihrough the bushes after it. till he was lost in the dark. Such a terrible notion it gave me of this strange story being true, whereas before I had almost fan- cied it partly a craze of his, from hav- ing lived here alone, that for a moment or two it seemed to my mind we were still in the midst of it. I hurried back to our post, and close upon morning Jones oame over and lay down by him- self without a word, haggard and cov- ered with sweat. All next day the horizon on every side was clear of a single speck: nu «gns either of ship or schooner, till I began to wish we were out of it. hoping the Seringapatam had, after all, kept the old course for Bombay, in spite of us. I found Jones had warned the men not to get our water out of the tank. it being poisoned in a way fit to last for years, as the pirates knew how to do. For our part, we had to amuse our- selves the best way we could, waiting for the schooner to come down again for us, which was, the only thing I looked for now. That night the white appearance of the water to north and windward seemed a good deal gone, save where it hung like a haze in the direction it took off the island. The stars shone out, and in two or three nights more I found from Jones thert^ would be nothing of it, which I hoped I should have to take on his word. At daybreak, however, our look-out could all of a sudden be seen hoisting the signal for a sail in sight, and wav- ing his hat for us to come. No sooner had we hurried up, accordingly, than a sail could be mode out in the south- east, hull down; and the schooner not being likely thereaway, a certain flutter in me at once set it down for the In- diaman at last, on her way far past the island for the open channel. Being broad daylight, too, with a fresh breeze blowing, we saw that Foster and his party, if they carried out their scheme, would have to wait till she was a long way to windward at night-time in order to get clear off. In fact, I had every one kept down off the height, lest the ship's glasses might possibly notice something, while, ut the same time, we hadn't even a fire kindled to cook our victuals. I was watching her over the brow of the hill, through the telescope, when she evidently stood round on the other tack to get up to windward, which brought her gradually nearer. She was a large ship, under full canvas; and at Inst she rose her hull to the white streaks below the bulwarks, till I began to think they in- tended passing the island to eastward to make the channel. I went down for Jones, And usked him how far the reefs actually ran out, when he told me there would probably be signs enough of them in such a strong breeze; besides, as 'le reminded me, if she was the In- diaman, it was the captain himself that had a chart of them; in which, from the particular nature of it— being an old buccaneering chart, as he thought — tliey would be laid down quite plainly. Indeed, when we both returned to the height, there were lines of surf to be noticed here and there more than three miles out; and seeing her by that time so distiuotly, a new uneasiness began to enter my hend. There were no sig- nals we could make, even if they didn't serve the other way; and, to tell the truth, I didn't much like the idea of being found there. Still, it was so ter- rible to see her getting nearer and nearer, without the iiower of doing the least thing to wp:n her off, spreading and heightening befoT^ you till you counted her sails, and sew the light be- twixt them, with the breeze ahvays strengthening off tliat side the island, and of course making it the safer for her to pass it to leeward. The blue surges ro«e longer to the foam at their crests, till one's eyes got confused be- tween them and the spots of surf rip- pling greenish over the tongues of reef; m fact, it wasn't far off being low water at the time, and the whole was 193 THE GREEN HAND. k i to be seen better from the height than elsewhere, stretched out like a floor that the breeze was sweeping acrosa, ruUinK a white dust where the blue melted into the liRht brown tint of the sen to loewnrd. The breeze came so fresh that she even hauled do^vn her sky-snils and fore-royal, falling off to go to leeward of the island. At the same moment I made out with the glass tluit she yvaa actually the Ser- ingaiwtam, and also that she'd got a leadsman at work in the chains. Five minutes more and she'd have gone true enough into the distinct brown-coloret and main-to'-gallant-mast gone out of their places at the shock, and the heavy blue swells running to her highest side in a perfect heap of foam, while the spray rose in white jeis aci\)a8 her weather bulwarks at evei-y burst of them. The Indiaman had sta-uck on a rib of reef, or else a rib ot suud, nejir the very edge of the whole bank: had it been only high water— as I had reason to believe after- ward — she'd h.rve gone clear over it. As soon as the first horror of the thing was a little past, I looked with- out a wxjrd to Jones, and he to me. "The fellows have come at last, certainly," said he, in a serious enough tone. "xMr, Ckillina," he added, " the moment I set foot on ground here 1 felt sui"e something would come of it." "Get the men down at once, sir," I said, "and let's pull out to the ship." "Why, sir," answered he, " tJio breeze is likely to keep for some time as it is, and if she's completely gone, they'll be able to bring all hands safe ashore. If you take my advice, Mr. Collins, you'll hold all fast and show no signs of oar being here at all, in case of having something or othci' to manage yet that may cost us harder." It didn't need much thought to see tjiis, in fact; and in place of going down, ten minutes after we were all close up among the bushes on the slope, watching the wreck. What was at the bottom of all this I didn't know; whether Captain Finch had really got wind of Foster's scheme, and been play- ing with some hellish notion his heart ill failed him to corry out, or how it was; but what he was to make of this was the question. Well, toward afternoon the wrei|» seemed pretty much in the same stntr. though by that time they had evidently given her up, for the boats were bt'giii- lung to be hoisted out to leeward. We couldn't see what went on there, till one of them suddenly .ippeare(l in the short swells, and they were full an hour ere they got out of our sight, near the broad beach on the level sido. where the tide was ebbing fast again, making it a hard matter to pull tlic distance. Two more boats came from the ship, filled full of c^isks and other matters, save the crews; the rest ofthi> passe'igers and men no doubt waiting for the launch and jolly boat to go back and take them ashore, for soon after they both could be seen roundinc the point on their way out. On comin); within hail of the fresh boats, how- ever, they apparently gave in, since wo could see the two of them, to our groat surprise, strike round and make for tlu> beach again with their shipmates, spite of .signals from the wnH'k, and even shots hred after them. The breeze by that time fli-gged, leaving less of a sea agahist the ship's hull in the dead water from the other reefs, and she had fallen over again to leeward— a proof of her sticking fast where she struck, vrithout much fear of parting very soon in such v»'e«ther; but the sun was going down and this being the first sign of foul play we had observed, 'twas plain at all events we should have to look sharp about us. We kept close up the height, bolted our cold junk and bHCuit, washing down with a stiff calker, and looked every man to his tools. To my great satisfaction, tho planter, who had watched everytlune seemingly in pure bewilderment, woko up out of it when he knew how matters stood, and handled the double-barrel as cool as a cucumber, putting in two bul- lets above the small shot he had got for the birds, and ramming down witli the air of a man summing up a couple of bills against a rascally debtor. For my own part, I must say I was longer of coming to feel it wasn't some sort of a dream, owing to Jones' broken story, until the thoughts of who was to all likeUhood on the very island be- low, with the rest of the ladies. amon« a set of foremastmen thrown loose from command — half of them, probably, ruffians. witJi some hand in the matter it came on me like fire at one's vitals. Meantime we sat there patiently enough for want of knowing what was to do first, or which way we had best keep to avoid bringing matters to a head worse than they yet were. !'.:;A THE GREEN HANI). 193 the wroi'K ^aine stnli'. (1 evidontly werebi'giii- ■ward. Wi' there, till re lade out in Is flutterin;; )oat8 dippt'il y were full i our siRht. e level sid<>. fast again. :o pull the came from 8 and other lerest oftho jubt waitinK bo«t to R<> re, for soon Ben roundintr On cotninj; boats, how- in, since wo to our groat make for tlu- pujates, spite k, and even tie breeze by ; less of II ia the dead efs, and she o leeward— a ; where she r of partiiiK ; but the sun seingthe first lad observed. e should have ^^e kept close »ld junk and ■with a stm Diaa to his (faction, , the 1 everythme srment. woke ' how matters uble-barrel as g in two bul- ; he had got ig down with J up a couple debtor. For I was longer n't some sort ones' broken of who was ivy island be- ladies. amon;: thrown loose lem, probably. ,in the matter t one' 8 vitals, liently enough .t was to do beat keep Irs to a head Tlio night ennie out, of llu> dusk a fiiio starliglit lo scnwanl beyond 1h > ivefs whiTo the Indiauian lay, I he IukIi side of tho ishuid glooming baciv auainsi (lio det'p Idiic ulisti'iiinh' sky, till you didn't Si'o how large it might 1h>, whil*' the white waier hung glimnii'i-ini; ulT to Ut'ward fron; the nM'l;s. 'Hie ship's rri'W hud kindled a tire t>:i tlie long stnnd near the bu.its, :ind we lieard (heir noi.s • i-'elling h>uder and louder aiK>ve tile sound of tiu* sea plasliing niwHi it, evide-atiy through their nnik- ing free witli liquor. .loues Iteing no doul>t well ae<|uaJntiKl with every part of (he ground, he i)roi)osed to go over and see liow IhingH stood, and where ihe passengus might l»e. At the same time, as Mr. Holhxk wa.s iiion" likely lo ssihle, while the iinMi an. myself waitinl in readiness for whatever ndfiht turn up. Hour after hour passed, liowover, till 1 was t|nlte out of patieneo, not to say tineasy be- yond de.seriptiou. All Avas still, save helow toward the water's aT\'ntly to settle down to sleei*. At last the plant- er came skirting i"oimd the hill through tlie trees, (piite out of breath, to say they hiid dis<:overed the spot where the ladies had no doubt been taken by their friends, as Captain Finch himself, with one of the ship's othoei-s, and two or three cadets, were walking about on the watch, all of them anne«l. To judge liy this, and the fact of the other gen- tlemen being still apparently on the wreck. Finch mistrusted his men. Ho^\- ever, the planter thought it better not to risk a hasty shot through him h.v iroing nearer; and, to tell the truth. I thought it better myself to wait till ilaylight, when we should sec if ' the lest got ashoi'e; or iKwsibly, as I wisluil to heaven were the cii.se, the schooner might heave in sight. . "Where is Mr. .Tones, though?" asked I ; on which 1 found he had gone over for the fii-st time toward the well for some water, as h(« told Mr. llollock. Indeed, the passengers were settled near the thick of the wood on this side of the watering-place, none of the India- iiian's people s(>oming to know a.s yet [there was such a thing on the island. We each of us held our breath, and lllsteacd to hear Jones come back. I was I just on the point of leading my party I that way, when I caught the sound of |sume one panting, as it were, up the ridge from the shore, and next nmnuMit saw. to my great siiriu-ise, it w.is the creature .lones hud such a liorror of • thi> iloi; that hud run wild on the island sniitliiiu with i:s nose to ihe ground as if it were iu dniHo of something: while the straw hats and larpuiilins of l>alf a dox.en fellows with ship's muskv>ls and cutlasses followed it over the hill, not thirty paces above us. 1 sivined to .Jacobs to keep (piiet, as they lialted to- gether, looking at the do;;; ami iium what I could catch «d' their worls, they had noti(;ed it ever since sundown. Hil- ling at the liuot of the hill watciiiiit; what wtnt on, till the aninnil ran toward them as if they were frh>nds, ( vejy now and then turning and making for the heights with a bark and a whimin'r, as it did at present. <)ne of tlu^ men was Foster. "1 tell you what it is," said he, '•lliere is some fellow on the island alreiuly. unites. If w<' <'alch him, why, we'll have it out of him, then down with it the shore, and go otT iu the long boat, seeing as how this blasted fool of a skipper of ours has sikuUmI our l»h asure!" The dog turnetl again, wagged his tail, and pill its nose to the ground, as though at first it would bring them rit;ht upon tis, when suddenly it broke oft' with a .velp exactly i:ito the track .loues had tak(.'n with Mr. Ridlock on leavinjr us. The sailors kept away in its wake down thnuigh the bushes into the thick dusk of the trees: upon which the planter and 1 started to our feet at oiict^ and held cautiously after them, the five man o'-war's-men following at oir heels Indian file. .Tones, however, had either heard the dog or got an inkling of the thing, and he had taken a long round so ns to join us from behind. Tlie India man's men kept on for a quarter of an hour or so, M-hen they bi"ought up again, seemingly doubtful whether to ffJlow the creature or not; and we dropped like one nmn into the shadow till they made sail once ir..ii-e. Soon after, the planter pointer asle(>i>. tailor-fashion, with his flat turban sunk to his breast. One of the cadets stood down the slope a little, betwixt that and the beach where th«» crew were, loaning sleepily on his gun, and nodding: while in tho midnt was a sort of shed, run nj) with branohep and eocoanut loaves, where you could see a glimpse of the different ladies, young and old. asleep on the ground. The st.\t- ligiit fell riglit down Tuto the opening, and showed the glistening edges of the 194 THE GREEN HAND. II ^ li'iivcH, with tlu> mm Itrnntl out. Im>.v cin'iKiM at lliu fuof of the IIHIIIK ;,'roiin(l; h(» hiiiJiiiK .Tout's look out slmi'ii, I Hl*'p|>«>ti <'ur»'fiiil.v Ihrouuli. My < yo li>{iitf in liis pilot coiit tiie lirnt tini>* in tlie ol'>iiun's life for ii Kood wliile, 1 grountl, especially wilii kucIi ti lot of lierths ttlkeu up besitle lilni. Still, he was HiMind enonuh at tin* tiuK'. to jutlue by his breathing, trllle as it was to the i»lanter's, and close l)y iiiin was his daughter, with hor cloak drawn half iiverhead in the shadow— her hair con- fused about her check as it pressed wiiite into the bundle of red bunting sh(' had for a pillow, and one hand keop- inij tlie cloak fast nt the nek, as if s1h> dreamed of a stiff breeze. 'L'ho sight went to my heart, and so did the notion of wdking her; but I heard sounds be- low on the beach, as If the rest r.f the crew missed their shijnnatos, p;'ol>ably getting jealous after their booze, and not unlikely to seek them up the island; so tho more it struck me there was no time to bo lost in coming to an under- stui\ding. Accordingly I stoop.'il down ♦piictly and touched her on the shoulder. Violet Hyde opened hor eyes .nt once, and looked nt me; but whethc it was the starlight showing my uniform, or her fancying it was still the Indiamnn in the Atlantic, In place of crying out, why, there was almost a smile on Ler lil)s as she saw me from the ground. Next moment, however, she drew her hand across her eyelids, sat up with the help of the other arm, and gnzi?d at me in a bewildered way, naming me at the same time below her breath. "Yes, Miss Hyde!" I said hastily, and a few words served to give her a notion of the case, as well as to advise her to wake up the judge, with the re.=it uf the ladic!', and be ready to move the moment we came back. My first thought was to take Foster's own plan, and se- c re the long boat, if we could only get between the Indiaman's crew and the water; or even try our own, on thi» op- iwsito side of the island, and carry off the other boats to the wreck; after which we might keep off till the schoon- er appeared, as she couldn't be long of doing in this weather. I had just stolen back to tho men and Mr. Rollock, when all at once there was a -wild cry. not twenty yards off, among the brushwood. A heavy blow and a struggle, in the midst of which three shots, one after the other, were heard from the cadets: next minutv<, with oaths and curses to the mast-head, and a crash among the branches in the dark, Foster and his shipmates came making for the opening. Something hor- rible Hashed ihrough my mind as I fiiii lied I hud caught Finch's voice, whetii< r one way or the other 1 couldn't ^'ay, t<>i 1 had no thought at tht; tinn,' cxo.'ptiii;; I'er Violet. Shriek upon shriek Itn.L,- from the ladies; ere I well i^uew 1 li.i.l big Harry hinitieU' i)y the h.iiry tliin.ii of Idni, as lie was ainiiug u Icfl-hii'nli .| stroke uf his cutlass at the Judge. uli.> had siu-iing betwixt him and his «laim!i ti-r. The .strength of that riilliusi wms wonderful, lor he lluug me off. and lev- elled Sir Charles Hyde at the siii;:e jiki- iiieiit, iIm} jualge^s body tripping inc. ./ones and my own men, as well us iliu i)lu"ter. were hard at work with llic otiJ.r live desperate villains; while the cadets and the second oliicer of the Scr- ingapatam rushed from the treos-ail of it passing in half a minute. As 1 started to my feet, Foster had lifti d Violet Hyde in his arms, and was duall- ing through the darkest of the wood with her toward the hollow; when, just as 1 was hard upon him, doubly to iii.v horror, above all the screams of tin' ladies, 1 could hear the wild drimkcu ■shouts of the crew below coming uii from the beach like so many devils. Foster had got as far as the nest open- ing where the rubbish of the hut was. and uo doubt catching the sound as vI stride, his cutlass waving fiercely v the time in the air clear of my lioa( for the stroke came under his arm. The moment he fell, though I kne] nothing before that of where we werj there was a heavy plunge. I had near| itang en baf saw t time 1 down I 'liny, lontriv in a li the wh inkling lied. «<>t def vide, a round with oi nnmbei ;father the la( tincomf rest; of sCIl n« saw in Frigh f'f som the mu of the lag pla single THE CREEN HAND '95 iiul UH 1 fllll oiff, wlU'lli' r Itlii't my, >'" Hlirlck Im.ki- , uuow I liail b.ury till! 1.1 1 a li'l't-hiivili'l e jiitlfc't', who 111 liii* iliiiiyii t nilliiiu Nv;i> 3 off. ami l«'v- tb« tfili::*.* 'iKi- trippWiS 111''- kS well us llii; ork wUU lli>' us; while tliL- er of the Si-i- the trees -all uinute. Aa 1 ;er had liftul and was dush- the wood with vvheu, just us doubly to my :i-eams of tin- wild dniukcu (W coming ui> many devils, the next opm- t the hut was. > sound ftB v ce, 'twould hav lut at the tliii air imder it, tli id through In back stride l' ring fiercely i ar of my hoa( er his arm. though I kne where we wer :e. I had near I'oilitwtMJ ,111 top i.f liiin a* he wi'Ut liwid- foroinoHl (l(»\vn I he tank well uiulcr lhi> irccH; but next moment, without a thought more to him in the heat of tho Ntruuglf, 1 wiis lifting Violet off iho ;,'raHH. What I did or what I .>iaid to Hee if hIio would revive I don't really know; but 1 renu»inl)<'C, as well as if it wore last night, the very sound cf her voice as Khe tohl u\o she wasn't hurt. The affair in the wood below iik l.-id suddenly ceased during tlu»se live or ten minutes; indeed, us 1 found afterward, .font's and my parly had settled every lino of the five, either altogether or for lilt' time; but the uproar of more than twenty fierce voitt>H coultl be heard bi?- yoiitl them. curKing antl yelling as they (•aino stumbling and cnisliing through I lie bru8hwot)d in a Ix>tly, while the ladies anil their companions strugsled ii]! from all sides toward the ht>igiit, wiltl with terror. f met Sir (Charles H.vde hurrying to seek his daughter, how«!ver; and tho mo- ment he had her in his arms, I rushed down, pistol in hand, to .ioin my men. who were standing firm below, as tho iiiulint^ers burst into the opening, no doubt with tho notion they had jnly the cadets to do with. "Here, my lads," I sang out; "moke ••very man of them prisoner — ilown with 'em to the schooner!" And as I broke sinideiily through iii the starlight in the midst of them. .Tones, .Tacob.>. tlie plan- ter anil the other four nuin-o'-w.ar'.s-men sprang after me, one by one, taking tho i-ne. ana.riy. howevtn*. being only stunned, bad contrived to get down among them; and in a little while, seeing we didn't follow, the whole lot of them appeared lo get an inkling of tlie truth, on which they ral- lied. It wasn't long ere I saw they had j;ot desperate, and were planning lo di- vide, and come somewhere over upon us round tho heights; so that, in the dark, with our small party, not knowing their numbers, the best we could do was to gather up toward the peak and secure the ladies. Accordingly wo passed an nneomfortablo enough time during the rest of tlie night till daybreak, when st'll no signs of the schooner, as wo saw in the clear to northeastwanl. Frightful notions came into my head r.f somothing having happened to her: the mutineers below were on l»oth sides of the island, and they held the water- ing place; wo hadn't provisions for a single breakfast to half the party of us, and. the fellows being now fairly in ft)!* it, they eould starve us out if they ehoso. Yo may conceive, accordingly, what a joyful sight met my eyes when, on tho dusk lifting olT to northward, vc could see the lovely craft uniler all sail not six miles t»lf, bearing down ber'ore a fresh breeze for tho tiecp ond of the island. The wind had headtvl her off on her way back, antl knowing nothing uf tilt' wreck, Westwfiod might have hinded at the mercy of the villains in till' bush. But the minute wo saw his boat out, the whole of us, save the judge and planter, made a clean charge down uiion them— tho schooner's men joining tis with the oars and boat slretehcrs- and in another half hour the whole gang, having lost heart, were taken nnd i.i-licd_ last by the wrists on the beach, to a single man. On searching the watering plaee dur- ing the day we foimd some one had cnv- ert^d the mouth of the tank with sticks and leaves, through which Harry Vns- ter hail gone when he fell. 'J'h<» stuff had fallen in over him; and the well being evidently made deep into the rock, to hold water the longer with the roots tif the trees growing out into ir. his hotly nevt>r came up. Somehow or other no one liked to sound it to the bottom: but (he thing that horrified all of us the most, was to find ('apt. Finch him- .self lying qtiite dead among the brush- wood near where the passt>ngcrs had piteliotl their quarters.with a cut tlirough his skull enough to have killtvl an ox. Tt was supposed Foster hail siidd^nl.v L'oino upon him, as he and his ship- mates lookcfl out for tho hoard they thought th" pirates had in th(» islnnil. while Finch was on guard over the ladies. Whether the fellow took a new notion at the moment, or what it was. the wholo gang of them made their rush upon tho second mate and the cadets the minute after tho captain met his ileath. As for .Tones, he told me he had notic- ed the dog watching the seamen below, and the idea got into his head of what might happen. There was that about the animal to give ore a dread you couldn't describe. How it had liv^tl all this time, and how the custom came back on it after growing perfectly wild of c.arrying on like what it did that night was a mystery; but .Tones saitl he had not heard it bark before, neither had tho man ht» knew of, since the lime he was first loft alono on Whitewater island. Tn fact, the whole of us might have hunted it down before wo left. But "No!" .Tones said. "There's a perfect fiend in the brute, I do believe; yet it strikes me by th's time the crea- ture belongs to—to the Almighty, sir!" The men and passengers had been tak- 196 TlIK CREEN HANI). H 2 1(0 k on off llio Iiwliainairs wrcrk, which Ihoro was no rhancp of uottinir off tlio nof ; iw», tukiiiK out tho hont of her stores and tho i)aHMoiiKr, iind at hiHt Hft Rail to the NoiilliruHt, meaning to go in at MadraH, wliorc a sloop uiiKhl bt> Hont to rw«)vi>r inon' from iiit> Hliip. "IVaH with no onlinary statu of iliin>rs, fixiiu stiMn to Htt'rn, tliat wo dnipiMMl Whitowatcr island astorn. Well, nurani, tlic n-st yuii may fasily fancy. Wo made Madras Itouds, and thero I oxpoctod to loso sinht of tin* ju«lK'^ iind Ids daiitfhtiM* iiirnin, as wo did of most of tho «>tlit>r passonKcrs; hut to my porfs. 'nic IndiaiiiiiM's <'rew I kopt, prisoners and ail. till ue should ineot tho frigate olT the Sunlcr- bunds. Just eonceivo standing up the V.ot bay r»f Bengal wth lla>rninK southwcstecly bivezos. shifting at times to a l>nsU sonthoastor or a stpuill. as we've drum ourselves this Aveek. The JUfsMi wasn't at tho full then, of ro»ns;\ so wo only had it like a reaper's sickle in 1h'» di»tf watelies: but it was fine weather, and you may imaKino one sometimes cmi- trlvt'd. betwixt Westwood and my-ii'If. to have Violet on the tpiarter d.vk^ of an eveinuK without the .iuflue. Tom wiudd step fonvard sudilenly to .led to eastward witli a miKhty ariii. as it were, of snuill white spots ami flakes, as a perft>ct sea of lipht flows ui) into it before tho sun under the horizon, and a palo slantinR sliaft of it seems to bans pray in tho yellow above him. "I'lie s(>4i heaves eam. The planter is smoking hi^ first che- root for that day at the stern gratings, when wo make out three or four faint points over tho streak of land, ehining like gold in the daAvn; while, at the same time, three hazy pillai-s, as it wore, are seen standing up betwixt st a and sky beyond the rippling blue in the iiorLlieastern board. 'Tis the spins (if .riiggernaut pagoda oi< ou" side; an I as the brisk niorning bree/.e drives tin w;!ter into slmrt surges, till tlii> sclmun er rises the ship upon the uihci-, all nt a sudilen she looms scpnire iinr inider her ciin vas, there was It ss doubt every feu minutes of her Iwing a frigate; and by the time Violet and her father wi-iv standing together on the quarter «'eck, tin* glorious old IIcIk* was signalling Un from her fore-royal-masthead, as sin kept close on a wind to cross our course. We spoke the jdlot brig that evoninjr. liM»k out the pilot, and stood up into tho mouth of the lloouhly with the night tide in tho moonlight, droi)pi!it.' I he llelic at Dianmnd harbor next flay: while Lonl I'rederick. and a goverumein uenileman he Jiad with him from Si. llel.-mi, went up to Calcutta with us in tho schooner. The wh(de of the Tmlianwin's late crew and ollicers were left in the frigate till further notice, notwithstanding v hich, we were |u-elty well rrowded on our way up. WestwrxMl and I were gl id ( f a couple of hammocks in tli" lialf-de«k- and. in fact. T saw little more of Viol.i Hyde till they went ashore opposite Fort William. ' In half an hour W(> were Iving at an i-hor in the nndst of the crowd of 1ndi:i men, c/>nntry shijis, Arab craft, and all sorts of craft beHid)>s, stretching far ii|i (i> th<> next rmch; the Innjr front of flat lopl»ed bidldings, with their green veiic lians and balustrades shining while over Ihv row of trees on the right bank, lik. a string of palaces spreading bac!> through tho huge mass of the city tc tin' pale, eastern sky— a tall cocoa'-nn! tree or a sharp spire breaking it her. and there— while tho pile of (Jovernment House was to be seen dotted with ndjii taut birds: and tho opposite shore show (hI far off in a line of green jungle, faced by a few gay-looking s|M»ts of bungalows All tho rest of the day .lones busied him Helf seeing all made regular and Khi|< shaiKi before and aloft, in complete sea- uian-lik(' style, till I began to think lie had taken a fancy to the schooner, and meant to go with her and the frigate i<> tho China seas. Ne.\t morning, however, as soon as breakfast was over in th.' cabin, he came to me and said that, a- there was nothing more to be done; :ic present aboard, according to our agree- ment he would bid us good-bye. Noth- ing I could say was of the least ii.se. h<> at last I had to give it up. Having litth money about uie. however, except in bills, and intending to go ashore mvself. 1 told him I should pay him his niate's wages at once at a banker's in the town By the time I came on deck .Tones ha I hailetl a dingy, and the native boatman rilK (IkKKN HANI) ";7 ris tht< spin s 111" Ki«lo; an I 7,t« tIrlvt'H )Ih II tlM> ScllOdll litlu"'. illl "I r(> iiiitl wliii As till' hull iidor liiT «ini it cvi-ry f»'^^ ipito; iinil I'v fiiflicr \v»'r< quarter (S-ck. 8i>niallii>K "- ht'fUl, IM sill )S8 our coin'Hi'. that ovpiiin;.'. Htood lip iiilo hly with til.' i«ht. tlnipp'm;.' rhor ni'xt. ; front of ttai lolr prooii vt'ih' liiR whiti> ovir ipht hank, liki iprpnflin>r hack of Iho rity 1" tall rocoa-nu! oakinp it hi'i-.' of (tovornnif^ni 'ttoil with ailjii lite shore show n jiinRlo, fac'^il |s of ]»unKalows IK'S hiisicd liliii iilar and Khip [n ooinploto soii- lan to think h'" schooner, ami . Ihn fripate 1" irnlnp, howovci. IIS over in tli-- (1 Haul that, ii - to he Aoui' :it to <»ur ajjrf<- )d-hyo. Notli- lie loast use. km Having littK' ver, except in ashore myself. him his mates 's in the town deck Jones hal native hoatmjiii paddled us to tlie Khaiil hclow the Sail- ors' hoiiic loKetlier. I had shaken hands wilh liiin, iiiid Hiood watchlnu hlin from the hank ver- anda, as his manly lluure, in (he lilue jacket, white thick trousers, ami straw hat, passeil away down Vh\K street, step- ping like a seuman fresh from hliie water tliroiiuh a stream of IlindtMis in white muslin, Mussulman servants, tall-capped Armenians, Danes, rrenchnieii, Chimi- nieii, Ariihs and I'arsces. Three or four coolies with paintisl nnihrellas were shunt iuK and scrumhliim in his way, inen- liohiiiK their names, snlaamliiK, and sa- hiliiiiK him to the nines; a coiiitle of nuked hlack hoys were tryiiiK to hriish his shoes in the dust: ii tray of native swe^'tmeats seemed to he shoveil every now and then under his nose; and two or three «'hildren with heads as hl^ as pumpkins were stin-k hefore him, their mothers heK^inu for "hiiekshish! hiick- Hhlsh!" ,lones held on like a man ac- tnistonii'il to every kind of foreign scenes In the world; and out td" curiosity to see where he wouhl go, I followed him for a little toward the thick of the noise and erowd, through Tank square, where the wiiter-carriers were siirinklinu the ground from the sliee|i-skins un their hacks as they walked. ser|MMit rhaii^nim hazars. S/iine Hindoo jM'(»cession or other was eoiiiiii)! along with tom-toms, gongs, lain- hourlncs and iiiinkas. sweeping on through a Haliel of heathenish cries and songs; a knot of dancing girls, with ri'd fhiwers in their sleek hla<'k hair, could he .v drov» ulong. Suddeidy I saw .Tones hall a palnnquln near him, and get in. four mud-colored hearers took the of it on their shoulders, fore and aft— greasy-looking fellows, with ochre marks on their noses and foreheads, a liift of hair tied hack on their heads llk<' wo- men, and ns nake«l as they were horn, save the cloth round their middle — and next moment away they trotted, irriiiit- ing and swinging the palanquin, rill 1 lost sight of them In the huhhuh. 'Twas the last I saw of Jones. a<'ross the glare of vond. standing like know what to do, ciitia hefore. then The jKtle Here the captain stopiM-d; the ttloiices- ter's crew were getting the anchors 4»iT her forecastle to her hows fur iiexi day. when the light-shi|i off Sainlheads was expecttnl to he seen, and from liis manner and his sileiu-e together, he "vidently cmi- Htdered the yarn at an end. "That's all. then'/" carelessly asked the surgeon, who was a ihess-player. and had heard only this part of the cnotain's adventures, and the lirst two. so tliat he appiiired to perceive a slight want of cmi- nection. "AH?" was the unanimous vni if the lady iiasseiigers. most of whom had heiui falthinl llsteiii'rs. the younger ones Were ohvioiisly dlsaiiptilnted tit Homethliig. "Why. yes," said Captain ('(dlins, with a look which might he Interpreted either uiodpst <»r "close;" "the fact Is, [ fancied the affair might serve to while away a single evening or so, and here have I heen yarning different nights all this time! 'Tis owing to my want of jirac- tice, no douht, ma'am." "Come, coiild lie to tliiish and 'whip' it. as we say. Iiefore It':^ long eiiouk'h for the purpose, whereas, luckily, my life hasn't goi lO a close yet." "ctacles, while Jane made the coff«!e. My mother handed .Tan(> a ship letter, which .she put somewhere in her dre.ss. with a hlu.sh. so that T knew in a mom- ent it must he from Ti>in Westwood. who was in the company's civil service in India, up country. "None for me, mother?" asked I, eager- P'i 198 THE GREEN HAND. [r O Iv; for the faol; was I had got ono or two at different limes, at Canton and tlio (ape of G(H)(' Hope, during the two "yes. Ned." said his mother, eveing it again and again anxiously enough, as I vliought; "tliere is; but I fear it is sonio liorrid tiling from those admirals"— the admiralty, she meant— "and they will be sending you off immediately— or a M'ar. or something. Oh dear me. Ned," ex- <'iaimed the good woman, quite distross- od. "won't you do as I wish you, and stay altogether!" When I opened it, 'twas a letter from liord Frederick Bury, who had supceeil- el to his eldest brother's title while we were out, saying he had the promise of a commandership for me, as soon as a new brig for the West India station w as ready. "I sha'n't have to go for five or six- months at any rate, mother." said I. "by which time I shall be confounded tired of the land. I know!" She wanted me to buy a small estate near Croydon, shoot, fish, and dig, I sup- 1)ose; while .lane said I ought to marrv. especially as she had a girl with money 111 her eye for me. Still, they saw it was no nsi\ and began to give it up. Why I never heard at all from a eor- t.iin quarter T cotldn't think. 'HIl that lime, in fact, I had been as sure of lior Droving true as I was of breezes lilow- iiig; but now I couldn't help fancying all sorts of tyranny on the judge's part and lier mother's, not to speak of 'j-om's uncle, the councilor. I went down llif liine for the twentieth time, past the end of tJie house they had lived in, where the windows had been shuttered up and the gates closed ever since I came. All of a sudden this time, I saw there were workmen about the place, the windows open, and two servants washing down the yellow wheels of a traveling carn- age. I made straight back to our house, went up to .Tane, who sat at her piano in the drawing room, and asked, quite out of breath, who was come to the house over the park behind us. "Did you not know that old Nabob was coming back fi-om India?" said .Tane. "His face was getting too yellow. I suppose: and, besides, his wife is dead— from his crossness, no doubt. But the young lady is an heiress, Ned, and as I meant to tell you, from good authority"— here the sly creature looked away into her music— "passionatedy fond of the sen, which means, you know, of naval ofli- cers." "The devil she is, .Tane!" T broke out: "what di friends, he must stop short somewhere, however long it might be!" The captain smiled: they sat on II1- ])oop talking for a while, sometimes say- ing nothing, but watching the last niglii at sea. The pilot brig is spoken to windwavl next morning, even while the deep-s< ,1 lead-line is being hove to sound the boi- toin. Falling suddenl.v from the fon- yard. the weight takes the long line from hand after hand back to the gang^vny, till it trembles against the ground. 'Tis drawn up slowlj', the wet coil secure 1, and the bottom of the lead showing i's little hollow filled with signs of earth- "srray sand and shells." Tliey stand on till the pilot is on board, the low land lifts and lengthens before the ship: bni the flow of the tide has yet to come and lake them safely up among the windin,' shoals into the Indian river's mouth. .V new land, and the thoughts of straii«:t new life, the gorgeous sights and fan tiustic realities of the mighty country <>f the Motfiil and Ilajahs. crowd befove them after the wide solitary sea; tin' story is already all but forgotten— and the anchor is let go! 562 f lor say, thoy nr- mr girl!" siiitl 1. —and, niiml, il nlivo in a inom- fl shut it, then ;a to hear whin as you please, lole matter was. I when wc led to reckon llir and you've im V ropes she jmt of the kind. Jis out ship-sha|)(> e judge, or vis,- ! long and sIkm-i till about seven Ferret was i)iii t time it wap iill The judge hii.l ; and, you m.iy ee "Violet Hyt to come nixl g the windiir,' 'r's mouth. A its of straiiH:e ghts and fan ity counlry