IN WHICH THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE TURNS A SPOKE OR TWO IN FAVOUR OF OUR
HERO.
If we were to analyse the feelings of our hero towards Emma Phillips, we
should hardly be warranted in saying that he was in love with her,
although at seventeen years young men are very apt to be, or so to fancy
themselves. The difference in their positions was so great, that,
although our hero would, in his dreams, often fancy himself on most
intimate terms with his kind little patroness, in his waking thoughts
she was more an object of adoration and respect,--a being to whom he was
most ardently and devotedly attached,--one whose friendship and kindness
had so wrought upon his best feelings, that he would have thought it no
sacrifice to die for her; but the idea of ever being closer allied to
her than he now was had not yet entered into his imagination; all he
ever thought was that, if ever he united himself to any female for life,
the party selected must be like Emma Phillips; or, if not, he would
remain single. All his endeavours were to prove himself worthy of her
patronage, and to be rewarded by her smiles of encouragement when they
met. She was the lodestar which guided him on to his path of duty, and,
stimulated by his wishes to find favour in her sight, Joey never relaxed
in his exertions; naturally active and methodical, he was indefatigable,
and gave the greatest satisfaction to Mr Sleek, who found more than
half the labour taken off his hands; and, further, that if Joey once
said a thing should be done, it was not only well done, but done to the
very time that was stipulated for its completion. Joey cared not for
meals, or anything of that kind, and often went without his dinner.
"Sleek," said Small, one day, "that poor boy will be starved."
"It's not my fault, sir; he won't go to his dinner if there is anything
to do; and, as there is always something to do, it's as clear as the day
that he can get no dinner. I wish he was living in the house
altogether, and came to his meals with us after the work was done; it
would be very advantageous, and much time saved."
"Time is money, Sleek. Time saved is money saved; and therefore he is
worthy of his food. It shall be so. Do you see to it."
Thus, in about two months after his arrival, Joey found himself
installed in a nice little bedroom, and living at the table of his
patron, not only constantly in company with the naval officers, but,
what was of more value to him, in the company of Mrs Phillips and Emma.
We must pass over more than a year, during which time our hero had
become a person of some importance. He was a great favourite with the
naval captains, as his punctuality and rapidity corresponded with their
ideas of doing business; and it was constantly said to Mr Sleek or to
Mr Small, "Let O'Donahue and I settle the matter, and all will go
right." Mr Small had already established him at a salary of 150 pounds
per annum, besides his living in the house, and our hero was comfortable
and happy. He was well known to all the officers, from his being
constantly on board of their ships, and was a great favourite: Joey soon
discovered that Emma had a fancy for natural curiosities; and as he
boarded almost every man-of-war which came into the port, he soon filled
her room with a variety of shells and of birds, which he procured her.
These were presents which he could make, and which she could accept, and
not a week passed without our hero adding something to her museum of
live and dead objects. Indeed, Emma was now grown up, and was paid such
attention to by the officers who frequented her uncle's house (not only
on account of her beauty, but on account of the expectation that her
uncle, who was without children, would give her a handsome fortune),
that some emotions of jealousy, of which he was hardly conscious, would
occasionally give severe pain to our hero. Perhaps as his fortunes
rose, so did his hopes; certain it is, that sometimes he was very grave.
Emma was too clear-sighted not to perceive the cause, and hastened, by
her little attentions, to remove the feeling: not that she had any
definite ideas upon the subject any more than Joey; but she could not
bear to see him look unhappy.
Such was the state of things, when one day Mr Small said to Joey, as he
was busy copying an order into the books, "O'Donahue, I have been laying
out some of your money for you."
"Indeed, sir! I'm very much obliged to you."
"Yes; there was a large stock of claret sold at auction to-day: it was
good, and went cheap. I have purchased to the amount of 600 pounds on
your account. You may bottle and bin it here, and sell it as you can.
If you don't like the bargain, I'll take it off your hands."
"I am very grateful to you, sir," replied Joey, who knew the kindness of
the act, which in two months more than doubled his capital; and, as he
was permitted to continue the business on his own account, he was very
soon in a position amounting to independence, the French wine business
being ever afterwards considered as exclusively belonging to our hero.
One morning, as Joey happened to be in the counting-house by himself--
which was rather an unusual occurrence,--a midshipman came in. Joey
remembered him very well, as he had been often there before. "Good
morning, Mr O'Donahue," said the midshipman; "is Mr Small within?"
"No, he is not; can I do anything for you?"
"Yes, if you can tell me how I am to persuade Mr Small to advance me a
little money upon my pay, you can do something for me."
"I never heard of such an application before," replied Joey, smiling.
"No, that I venture you did not, and it requires all the impudence of a
midshipman to make such a one; but the fact is, Mr O'Donahue, I am a
mate with 40 pounds a year, and upon that I have continued to assist my
poor old mother up to the present. She now requires 10 pounds in
consequence of illness, and I have not a farthing. I will repay it if I
live, that is certain; but I have little hopes of obtaining it, and
nothing but my affection for the old lady would induce me to risk the
mortification of a refusal. It's true enough that `he who goes
a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing.'"
"I fear it is; but I will so far assist you as to let you know what your
only chance is. State your case to Mr Small as you have to me to-day,
and then stand close to him while he answers; if he puts his knuckles
into your ribs to enforce his arguments, don't shrink, and then wait the
result without interrupting him."
"Well, I'd do more than that for the old lady," replied the poor
midshipman, as Mr Small made his appearance.
The midshipman told his story in very few words, and Mr Small heard him
without interruption. When he had finished, Mr Small commenced, "You
see my man, you ask me to do what no navy-agent ever did before--to lend
upon a promise to pay, and that promise to pay from a midshipman. In
the first place, I have only the promise without the security; that's
one point, do you observe? (A punch with the knuckles.) And then the
promise to pay depends whether you are in the country or not. Again, if
you have the money, you may not have the inclination to pay; that's
another point. (Then came another sharp impression into the ribs of the
middy.) Then, again, it is not even personal security, as you may be
drowned, shot, blown up, or taken out of the world before any pay is due
to you; and by your death you would be unable to pay, if so inclined;
there's a third point. (And there was a third dig, which the middy
stood boldly up against.) Insure your life you cannot, for you have no
money; you therefore require me to lend my money upon no security
whatever; for even allowing that you would pay if you could, yet your
death might prevent it; there's another point, (and the knuckles again
penetrated into the midshipman's side who felt the torture increasing as
hope was departing.) But," continued Mr Small, who was evidently much
pleased with his own ratiocination, "there is another point not yet
touched upon, which is, that as good Christians, we must sometimes lend
money upon no security, or even give it away, for so are we commanded;
and therefore, Mr O'Donahue, you will tell Mr Sleek to let him have
the money; there's the last and best point of all, eh?" wound up Mr
Small, with a thumping blow upon the ribs of the middy, that almost took
away his breath. We give this as a specimen of Mr Small's style of
practical and theoretical logic combined.
"The admiral, sir, is coming down the street," said Sleek, entering,
"and I think he is coming here."
Mr Small, who did not venture to chop logic with admirals, but was
excessively polite to such great people, went out to receive the
admiral, hat in hand.
"Now, Mr Small," said the admiral, "the counting-house for business, if
you please. I have very unexpected orders to leave Portsmouth. I must
save the next tide, if possible. The ships will be ready, for you know
what our navy can do when required: but as you know, I have not one atom
of stock on board. The flood-tide has made almost an hour, and we must
sail at the first of the ebb, as twelve hours' delay may be most
serious. Now, tell me--here is the list of what is required; boats will
be ready and men in plenty to get it on board;--can you get it ready by
that time?"
"By that time, Sir William?" replied Small, looking over the tremendous
catalogue.
"It is now eleven o'clock; can it all be down by four o'clock--that is
the latest I can give you?"
"Impossible, Sir William."
"It is of the greatest importance that we sail at five o'clock; the fact
is, I must and will; but it's hard that I must starve for a whole
cruise."
"Indeed, Sir William," said Mr Small, "if it were possible; but two
cows, so many sheep, hay, and everything to be got from the country; we
never could manage it. To-morrow morning, perhaps."
"Well, Mr Small, I have appointed no prize-agent yet; had you obliged
me--"
Our hero now stepped forward and ran over the list.
"Can you inform me, sir," said he to the flag-captain, "whether the
_Zenobia_ or _Orestes_ sail with the squadron?"
"No, they do not," was the reply.
"I beg your pardon, Mr Small," said Joey, "but I do think we can
accomplish this with a little arrangement."
"Indeed!" cried Sir William.
"Yes, Sir William; if you would immediately make the signals for two
boats to come on shore, with steady crews to assist me, I promise it
shall be done."
"Well said, O'Donahue!" cried the captain; "we are all right now,
admiral; if he says it shall be done, it will be done."
"May I depend upon you, Mr O'Donahue."
"Yes, Sir William; everything shall be as you wish."
"Well, Mr Small, if your young man keeps his word, you shall be my
prize-agent. Good morning to you."
"How could you promise?" cried Small, addressing our hero, when the
admiral and suite had left the counting-house.
"Because I can perform, sir," replied Joey; "I have the cows and sheep
for the _Zenobia_ and _Orestes_, as well as the fodder, all ready in the
town; we can get others for them to-morrow, and I know where to lay my
hands on everything else."
"Well, that's lucky! but there is no time to be lost."
Our hero, with his usual promptitude and activity, kept his promise;
and, as Mr Small said, it was lucky, for the prize-agency, in a few
months afterwards, proved worth to him nearly 5,000 pounds.
It is not to be supposed that Joey neglected his correspondence either
with Mary or Spikeman, although with the latter it was not so frequent.
Mary wrote to him every month; she had not many subjects to enter upon,
chiefly replying to Joey's communications, and congratulating him upon
his success. Indeed, now that our hero had been nearly four years with
Mr Small, he might be said to be a very rising and independent person.
His capital, which had increased very considerably, had been thrown into
the business, and he was now a junior partner, instead of a clerk, and
had long enjoyed the full confidence both of his superior and of Mr
Sleek, who now entrusted him with almost everything. In short, Joey was
in the fair way to competence and distinction.