A few days before the ship's departure for home, a rumour was circulated
on board that some relatives of the commander were to embark as
passengers, and the report was confirmed by the carpenters being
directed to put up temporary sleeping accommodation in the captain's
cabin for a lady and gentleman, their female servant, and two little
girls.
The acting boatswain was delighted to hear that a lady was coming on
board, thinking Captain Tortle would, under such circumstances, abstain
from inflicting any severe punishment upon his crew, and he knew her
presence would in many ways ameliorate the condition of the men. He also
had some curiosity to see what sort of person the servant was; for it
must be confessed that although Jerry had not forgotten A-tae, he was
beginning to yearn after another affinity. We do not wish to imply by
this that he desired to slight Mary Ann, although probably he did not
feel particularly anxious to meet her. He knew that he had promised to
make her his wife upon his return, so, thinking that without doubt she
had waited for him, he was determined to keep his word; but he somewhat
resented what he called her silence, never imagining it resulted from
his own inattention, and objected to her having written to him in
poetry, "as if she couldn't write him a letter, instead of sending that
stuff." It was in this spirit he anticipated the arrival of the female
servant, and he determined to enjoy his freedom while he could, thinking
that once Mary Ann was Mrs. Thompson all such luxuries as affinities
would be simply out of the question. Jerry was fast returning to his
former general devotion to the fair sex, and, as Clare observed, "would
require a deal of looking arter for the future."
About nine o'clock on the morning of departure, Captain Tortle proceeded
on shore to fetch the party, and it being rather a boisterous day, the
lady was afraid to venture in the gig, so the captain politely brought
her off in the pinnace, a boatswain's chair being slung from the main
yard, in which she was safely lifted on board without having to climb
the gangway ladder.
Mr. Thompson was standing by the starboard companion when the boat
arrived alongside, and although on the sick-list, he gave an eye to the
rigging of the chair. Everything being adjusted, and the lady
comfortably lashed in the apparatus, a boatswain's mate piped "hoist
away," and in a few moments the chair rose from the pinnace, freighted
with a lady in whose lap was seated a most beautiful little girl, who,
instead of betraying fear at her novel position, laughed and kicked her
feet about, only seeming concerned when she found herself safely landed
upon the deck. The lady being released from the chair, it was again
hoisted up and lowered into the boat alongside, from which it once more
emerged, bearing a smart-looking French bonne, who was tightly clutching
a blue-eyed baby; and although the latter did not cry, it evidently
anything but enjoyed the hoisting process.
Mademoiselle Adèle, glanced timidly down upon the deck, and seeing Mr.
Thompson with his arm in a sling, naturally supposed he was "un brave,"
and determined to captivate his heart, thinking how nice it would be to
recline her head upon his manly bosom, and how all her friends would
envy her the possession of "un officier de marine;" but the young
woman's thoughts were brought to a somewhat abrupt conclusion by the men
at the fall slacking away too rapidly, and Adèle landed upon the deck
with something very like a bump, which for a moment knocked all the
romance out of her, and caused her charge to scream in energetic
protest.
As the bonne was being released from the chair, her employer, Major
Barron, walked over the gangway, followed by Captain Tortle, who went
aft and welcomed the lady to his ship; and in a few moments they were
all below, praising the accommodation, and thanking their relation for
his kindness in giving up so much of his cabin for their comfort. The
major had been out in Africa for some years, but, having lately
inherited a large estate in Kent, was returning to live upon his
property, as a country gentleman should. He had delayed his departure
from Simon's Town, knowing that his cousin, Captain Tortle, would touch
there in the Stinger on his way home from China, and under the
circumstances the admiral had politely given him special permission to
embark on board his relative's ship.
Mrs. Barron was a gentle being, thoroughly devoted to her husband and
children, and beloved by all who knew her, while her eldest daughter, a
little darling between three and four years of age, requires something
more than a brief description. A most graceful child was Miss Barbara,
with a dazzling complexion, which presented a charming contrast to her
dark expressive eyes; the latter seeming to search into yours with
mischievous intent, and to win your affection at a glance. Her dimpled
cheeks, tinged with the healthy glow of childhood, were the admiration
of every one who beheld her; while her pretty rosebud of a mouth was
ever ready to pout in pretended seriousness, or arrange itself for the
receipt of a kiss. These charms, crowned as they were by a mass of fair
curly hair, in connection with a naturally naive manner, made this baby
a being to be loved, and petted; and all the officers and crew were,
upon beholding her, immediately converted into ardent admirers.
Having surveyed their new quarters, the major and his wife returned to
the quarter-deck, and amused themselves by watching the arrival of their
baggage. Mrs. Barron seated herself upon a chair brought up for her use,
and took her youngest daughter in her lap, in order that Adèle, the
bonne, might be free to direct which packages were required to be placed
in the cabin, while Miss Barbara begged leave to be allowed to talk with
Mr. Thompson, whom she termed, in her own charmingly-original language,
"the man with the curly eye." As Jerry smiled upon her, and watched her
every movement in a most admiring manner, Mrs. Barron gave the required
permission, and the child walked half-way towards him, pretended to look
shyly upon the deck, raised her bright eyes, lowered them again,--then,
with a merry little laugh, rushed to the acting boatswain, who had knelt
to receive her, and throwing her arms round his neck, hugged him as if
he had been an old friend.
As the baggage was being moved about the deck, and it was possible the
child might get in the way, Thompson took her upon his left arm and
walked over to the port side, where he seated himself upon a shot-box.
Having slid down upon his knee, the little pet carefully smoothed her
ruffled garments; then, with a mingled expression of delight and
coquetry, looked up in his face, and said, "How do you do, sir?"
"Werry well, thankee, miss. Why, you're as pretty as a pictur. What's
your name, missy?"
The artful little monkey knew she had made an impression, so she
bashfully inclined her head, and murmured "Cops."
"Cops, you beauty! Why, that ain't a name, is it?"
"No," exclaimed the cherub, shaking her head, as if to say, "Now, don't
you want to know all about me?"
"It's a purser's name, ain't it pretty?"
"No," continued the wide-awake one, not exactly knowing the meaning of
the word, yet almost guessing its import. "I call _my_-self Cops."
"Do you, beauty? Well, any name is nice that you are called by. But what
is your regular name?"
"Barbara Barron," demurely whispered the infant, playing with Mr.
Thompson's gold chain as she spoke. "My name is Barbara Barron, but I
call _my_-self _Cops_."
"You're the prettiest darling I ever saw," declared her admirer. "You're
as beautiful as a fairy. I'll do anything for you."
At this moment her papa came on deck, and seeing her seated upon Mr.
Thompson's knee, pointed her out to the captain, observing, "There's
Barbara captivating the boatswain; oh, that baby, never happy but when
receiving attention from the other sex." But Tortle, who considered
children rather a bore, merely observed that the boatswain would take
good care of her, and took no further notice of the little darling.
Seeing her father, the young lady inquired if her parrot had come on
board, upon which Thompson asked her what the bird was like.
Cops looked at him with a very serious air, as if about to impart a
fearful secret, then taking his whiskers she tied them under his chin,
untied them again, gazed earnestly into his eyes, and replied, "Ye-es.
It's a grey one, with square blue eyes, pink nose, green feet, yellow
tail, and gold ear-rings;" and added, her bright eyes extending with
animation, "It will bite you off if you are a naughty boy, mamma says
so."
"Will it, miss? Now don't say so. I'll be a werry good boy, and then it
will leave me alone. But where are you going to keep it?"
"I don't know," helplessly replied his enchantress. "Won't you keep it
in your house, and let it live with you, and I'll come and see it?"
The bird was just then brought over the side, and Cops pointed it out to
her friend.
"Is that your polly, darling?"
"Ye-es. Oh, don't he shiver? he's ill."
Thompson advanced, and told the sailor who was carrying it forward to
take it down to his cabin, where, much to Miss Barbara's delight, it was
duly installed in a place of honour just over the acting
warrant-officer's table, from which elevated position it could throw its
food and flirt its water over his head and down his neck as he sat at
meals; but what cared he for that? to please such a child he would
willingly have roomed with an alligator.
When the bird had been fed and received its instructions from its
mistress, Cops ordered her slave to carry her up stairs, which he
accordingly did in a most submissive manner: and upon their reaching the
top of the ladder, were accosted by the bonne, who had evidently been
searching for the child, and was somewhat out of temper.
"Oh, mon Dieu! Mademoiselle que vous êtes nottey!"
"No, she ain't naughty," replied Jerry, who was exceedingly indignant at
the charge. "She's as good as gold."
"Eff you zay zo, sare, I it belief!" exclaimed the bonne, darting a look
of unmistakable admiration at the last speaker. "You are trop good not
to say vat is not ze trof;" saying which she bade the child kiss her
hand to her good friend, and darting another killing glance at the
acting boatswain, seized Miss Cops, said, "Good-bye, sare," upon her own
account, and disappeared below with her charge.
"Oh," mused Jerry, "that's it, is it, Miss Polly-wo-frunkzay? Well, I
can't make love to you before such a beautiful angel as that baby is;
besides, I don't think it's right. Being an engaged man, it ain't
correct for me to make love to French gals." It will be seen by this
that Mr. Thompson changed his ideas, as some do their political
opinions, to suit the circumstances of the case.
By noon, everything being quite ready, the Stinger saluted the admiral's
flag, and, having steamed through False Bay, made sail for home, all
bidding adieu to Africa without the slightest regret.
About five o'clock that evening the ship was bowling along under
close-reefed topsails, and Mrs. Barron and Adèle were both confined to
their cabins by sea-sickness, thus giving Miss Cops an opportunity of
visiting her new friend, which probably she would not otherwise have
enjoyed. Before she left the cabin the child fished out a toy-basket
which she had brought on board in her hand, and after giving it a good
shake, to ascertain if its contents were safe, she knocked at the outer
door of the cabin until the sentry heard her and let her out; then she
proceeded into the steerage; and presented herself at the door of the
acting boatswain's cabin, which she found closed.
Mr. Thompson had invited his friend Clare to tea with him; and when
Barbara arrived at the door they were busily discussing the merits of a
tin of sardines, termed by them "Sardinians," and Jerry was in the midst
of an explanation, when they heard a knock at the door, upon which Tom
laid his hand upon his friend's sleeve, and said, "Hush! there's some
one calling Jerry."
"I expect it's little Cops," replied Thompson, picking out a grain of
Indian-corn which had just been dropped into the sardines by the parrot.
"Jer-ry!" again exclaimed the impatient child, who, now hearing her
friend's voice, applied her boots to the pannel right vigorously, "I
want to come in."
Thompson laid down his fork, slid the door back, and beheld his little
friend, who, without more ceremony, walked into the cabin, climbed upon
his knee, and, pointing to Clare, asked "if he were his father?"
"No, Miss, he's my chum."
"I'm his old friend, Miss, and has got a little boy about your age,"
observed Tom, who had seen the child before.
Barbara pretended not to care about Clare's boy, yet asked a dozen
questions concerning him; the fact was, Cop had a weakness for boys,
whom she considered as being specially created for her amusement. So
well known was she at the Cape, that none of her young gentlemen friends
would submit to her tyrannical friendship, she regarding them as slaves,
who were to be petted or slapped as the whim of the moment prompted her,
a course of treatment many of her older friends submitted to with great
equanimity.
After partaking of some biscuit and sardines, the child produced her
basket, and begging her friends not to tell any one about it, opened the
lid, when out tumbled a much-ruffled monkey, seeing which Barbara
laughed and clapped her hands, whereupon the animal sat up, stretched
out one leg, scratched itself, and looked up at the beams, and when the
attention of those present was attracted in that direction, quietly put
his hind leg in the basin near him, and grasped a lump of sugar, which
he deftly conveyed to his mouth, unobserved by any one but the child,
who was perfectly frantic with delight over his achievement.
When her merriment had somewhat abated, Cops, with wide-open eyes and
expressive action of forefinger, solemnly enjoined her friends not to
tell "no one" about her monkey, as papa and mamma thought she had left
it behind her.
"Is it such a dreadful secret, that the monkey can't go on deck?"
observed Tom, who began to think his friend had enough live stock in his
cabin, his hair being by that time pretty well decorated with rejected
Indian corn rinds. "Don't you think it would be better to let him live
in the pinnace, miss?"
"No," gravely replied the child, "it mustn't live not nowhere but here,
or he'll die, and the blume mouse will come for you."
Barbara believed in a highly-decorative lot of bogeys, but was, while
constantly threatening others with their visits, herself perfectly
indifferent to them. Jerry listened to the child with rapt attention,
and pretended to credit every word she uttered; seeing which Cops
enlarged upon the blue rodent question until Clare began to imagine she
was slightly touched in the brain, he never having before met with an
infant who possessed such wonderful imaginative power.
"Is she all right there?" observed Tom, touching the back of her curly
hair with his forefinger.
"Right! I should rather say she is," replied her champion. "Why, she's
as smart as lightning; and what you think is nonsense is real downright
cleverness, a deal beyond the understanding of you and I. Why, she can
speak French; can't you, pretty?"
"Oui monsieur," archly replied the young lady.
By this time the monkey began to revive, the sugar which it had freely
purloined having acted us a powerful restorative; and when the child
declared she must go, it leaped upon her shoulder, and snicking its
sharp little teeth, offered a determined resistance; whereupon Clare
cleverly manufactured a leathern belt, which he fastened round the
animal's waist, and having secured it with the chain of Thompson's old
call, he drove a nail in a beam; then taking the wriggling creature from
the child's shoulder, deposited it upon a shelf where Jerry usually kept
his books and other treasures.
As the monkey landed overhead, the marine sentry on duty before the door
of the captain's cabin left his post and walked forward, being directed
by Tortle "to find out that child and to bring her aft;" and hearing her
voice in the boatswain's cabin, he put his head inside the door and told
Cops "that her mar wanted her," upon which the pretty creature kissed
Mr. Thompson, blew a similar favour to Clare and the monkey, and having
heard her parrot say "Good-night," trotted aft, and was soon afterwards
undressed by the drowsy Adèle, who was half-dead with sea-sickness.
After they had been at sea a few days the weather moderated, and the
remainder of the voyage was remarkable for its uniformly fine weather.
Miss Adèle recovered from her sea-sickness and managed to get about; and
the midshipmen took every opportunity of improving their knowledge of
the French language by conversing with her. Now, although this flattered
the bonne exceedingly, still it was not the attention she wanted; and
the sprightly girl was somewhat chagrined by her failure in regard to
Mr. Thompson, who avoided her in every possible manner. At last, one
afternoon, when the men were at cutlass-drill upon the quarter-deck,
Miss Adèle sauntered forward to the acting boatswain's cabin, and seeing
him engaged in examining a pair of trousers, boldly advanced, and
addressed him.
"Monsieur Thompe-sonne, how you do you do to-day?"
Jerry whistled softly, and pretended not to hear her, upon which she
stood in his light, and, smiling on him, repeated the question.
"Ah! how-de-do, may-dam-moselle?"
"Monsieur Thompe-sonne, will you please be so kind as to tell me vare my
malle--my tronke is?"
Jerry looked at his garment, then glanced at the speaker, as much as to
imply that he thought her very bold to speak to him when he was engaged
in such a business; and, touching his injured arm, informed her that he
was on the sick-list.
"Oh, are you sicke, poor theeng? I am varrai sorry. Vill you allow me to
attend to you? I vill soon your arm make vell."
Jerry got up, meditating a bolt forward, but the bonne was too clever
for him; as upon his rising she placed a hand upon each side of the
door, and looking at him in a most affectionate manner, softly repeated,
"I am varrai sorry."
Adèle was dressed in a most killing costume, and the effect of her
speaking grey eyes upon his susceptible heart resembled that of the sun
upon ice; so Jerry stuffed the garment he was holding into his chest,
and, approaching her politely, yet half reluctantly, begged she would
withdraw, observing that ladies wern't allowed forward.
Seeing that he feared she would get herself in trouble with her
mistress, the bonne altered her tactics, and with a sweet smile declared
she had no intention of entering his cabin, but that all she required
was the loan of a chair; upon hearing which Mr. Thompson lifted out the
best one he possessed, and having dusted it, motioned her to take it,
after which he retired to his den.
Miss Adèle took out some knitting, and placing the chair exactly
opposite the acting boatswain's cabin, worked away like a machine, much
to the admiration of a group of marines, who were watching her
proceedings with the greatest attention. The bonne did not lack
admirers, as she well knew; but the man she almost worshipped, "the
charming Monsieur Thompesonne," was unkind to her.
Finding she meant to blockade him, Jerry turned his attention to
cleaning the animals, when the quick eye of the French girl discovered
the monkey, and she determined to thaw her cold idol by threatening him
with exposing the child's secret; so she started, and exclaimed with an
affected little scream, "Oh, Monsieur Thompe-sonne! vare deed you get
zat monquai?"
"It's mine, miss; I've had it a long time," he coolly replied.
Adèle got up, walked to the cabin door, surveyed the animal with a
slightly contemptuous air, and observed, "Zat is Meece Barbe's monquai."
"Oh no, it ain't; it ain't the little gal's; it's mine."
"Oh no. Monsieur, I know zat monquai; it my fingare bited too many
times. Her papa zay it vas to be kill, but one leetle niggare boy he
zave it, and now meece hide it here--I must tell her papa of it."
"For goodness' sake, don't do that!" whispered the fellow, quite
forgetting in his anxiety to shield his favourite from trouble, that
probably her papa only deprived his child of her plaything because he
thought it could not be accommodated on board. "Oh, please don't tell on
the pretty baby."
Adèle walked into the cabin, gazed almost fiercely in his face, and
exclaimed, "Vy should I hold my tongue? _you_ do not care for _me_. Vy
should I do so for zo meece?"
"Phew!" whistled Jerry, seeing in a moment what the girl meant. "Why, my
dear may-dam-mosselle, I'll do anything to please you, if you won't
split about the monkey."
"I do not vant to spleet ze monquai--mais I vant ze leetle politeness
from yourself, Monsieur Thompe-sonne. Do you like me? No! Ees it zat I
am zo uglee donc!"
"Lord bless you, miss, I'm in a perfect fever about you. But please get
out of my cabin, the engineers are a-looking over here, and making fun
of us."
"Pah! what you care for zengeneers! If zey laugh, you can blow zem viz
ze boxe; you are brave. Vous êtes un vrai Hercule!"
"Anything you like, miss, if you'll only get out of my cabin."
"Monsieur Thompe-sonne," cried the girl, now thoroughly roused, and
indifferent to any consequences to herself or the man she admired,
"Ger-rrr-ai, do you lofe me?"
"Lord bless you, miss, I adore you; but do, if you please, get out of my
cabin."
After much persuasion she finally left his presence, but not until she
had extorted from him the word "yes," in reply to her inquiry, "Do you
lofe me?" It appeared that she had, from some French novel, taken the
idea that all the English law required was the repeating of the word
"yes" on the part of the man; evidently the author must have taken a
passage from the marriage service and introduced it in his story as "a
manner and custom of the John Boule," as after Jerry had said that word
she became as submissive as a slave, and that evening told her mistress,
in great confidence, "zat she was going to be married to ze brave
Monsieur Thompe-sonne as soon as zey arrived."
As the time passed Miss Barbara became known to all the crew, and it was
a sight that would have moved a misanthrope to see the pretty infant
tyrannizing over the men in her tiny way. As to Thompson, he was her
slave, and poured out the choicest treasures he possessed for her
amusement, it being nothing uncommon to see Cops sitting upon the image
of the God Buddha, and nursing the God Fo, whom she called "a nice fat
little boy," while an admiring crowd of sailors watched her footsteps,
and removed every rope yarn from her path whenever she honoured them by
extending her promenade round the forecastle.
Jerry was exceedingly particular how he treated the bonne; in fact, upon
all occasions he what the Irish term "blarnied" her, in order that she
might keep Miss Cop's secret; while she, imagining he was lawfully
engaged to marry her according to English custom, gave him a little
latitude, and overlooked many small offences which otherwise she would
have resented.
"Upon my word, you get more beautiful every day," he observed to Adèle
one morning when she brought Cops forward to feed her bird. "I wonder
how it is you haven't got married before this?"
"Oh, cher Ger-r-r-r-ai, I vait for you. I know alway zat you live
_some-me-ware_ in ze world."
"Did you, miss? Ah! I see. You're one of them what's-his-names wot
believe in having another of the opposite sex always a cruising about in
search of them. I've never come across one of your speecee before. How
do you like it?"
"Oh, I lof you, Ger-r-r-r-ai, and vot do I vant more?" replied the girl,
darting a sentimental glance at him over her shoulder as she walked
away.
"A deal that you won't get, I reckon," quietly observed the acting
warrant-officer, as he watched her across the steerage. "I'll keep on at
this game until you lands, and then adoo to polly-woo-frunkse; there's
too much of the rile tiger about your style to suit me."
One afternoon, as the ship was running as upright as a dart, Cops was
permitted to go forward as far as the booms, and of course was attended
by her friend; and as this was to be his last day on the list, he had
devoted nearly the whole of it to the child. After telling her some
marvellous stories, which the clever "dot" perfectly understood, he told
her what the guns said at Canton, and invented a new speech for each
piece, Jerry being never tired of talking to her; when suddenly she
declared, she was weary, and made him sit down upon a shot box while she
told him a story; seeing which a number of men who were lying upon the
deck got up and watched the child, as if they could have worshipped her.
"Who is those men?" inquired the little autocrat, pointing to the
sailors. "May I play with them?"
The captain and first lieutenant being below, and the men off watch,
Thompson thought it would be no harm to indulge his idol, so the sailors
were informed they might approach the child, upon which she assumed a
severe expression of face and sent them all in the corner, while she
plundered her attendant of his silk handkerchief, which she wrapped
round a gun-chock and carefully nursed in her lap. After having amused
herself for some time, she made them all sit in a circle, then with
bated breath told them of the "blume" mouse.
The sailors looked at each other and laughed, upon which, thinking they
were not sufficiently attentive, she ordered them all out of her house,
and having sent her only love, Jerry, into the corner, drew the
handkerchief more tightly round the gun-chock, and bade her baby go to
sleep before the mouse came out of the gun. Thompson stood with his face
to the ship's side, looking in Barbara's eyes, the very perfection of a
naughty boy, when suddenly a hand was laid upon her shoulder, and she
heard the voice of Captain Tortle, who roughly told her to go below, as
mamma wanted her.
Now, Miss Barbara was an exceedingly dignified child; and Tortle having
addressed her as youngster, she pretended not to have heard his speech,
but proceeded to scold her naughty boy, who, unmindful of the
commander's presence, was still "in the corner."
"Hush, sir!" she observed, when the captain again spoke to her, and
added, looking up in his face,--her eyes dilated with
excitement,--"Don't you see my baby is asleep? I'm samed of you!"
Hearing this, Tortle, who could not appreciate the pretty little comedy,
rudely picked up the child, and carried her down to the cabin; and, upon
stooping to ask her for a kiss, received a severe smack on the face from
the indignant little lady, who immediately afterwards wisely sought
refuge in the folds of her mamma's dress, where she indulged in a good
cry.
Tortle rubbed his face with his handkerchief, and pretended to be
amused, while he inwardly vowed he would never touch her again. Poor
baby! 'twas very thoughtless of him to wake her so suddenly from her
dream of pleasure, and he fully deserved the blow she gave him. Upon
seeing her sister in tears, Marie, the younger one, joined in the
out-burst, and cried "Go away" to the naughty captain, who thereupon
beat a retreat to the upper deck.
When their grief was somewhat abated, their gentle mother, with solemn
voice, told them how wrong it was for a little girl to do such a sad
unladylike act as to smack the captain, and how she feared that Barbara
would never become an angel if she did not alter her behaviour,--upon
which the darling naively declared she would rather be Cops and smack
him again than be an angel and not do it. This irreverent reply so
shocked her mother that she reported the circumstance to her papa, who
thereupon seized the infant, and smothered her in kisses; when the
artful puss, finding him in a good humour, proceeded to tell him about
her monkey, and how kind dear, dear Thompson had been. Adèle heard this,
and did not feel pleased with the disclosure, but comforted herself with
Jerry's having said yes, and looked forward to becoming "Mrs.
Thompe-sonne" with as much confidence as ever.
The day after this Mrs. Barron had an opportunity of speaking to the
acting boatswain, who, almost against the wish of the doctor, was now
once more on duty, and after a little conversation she sounded him about
Adèle.
"Why, bless your heart, mam, I don't mean anything to the young woman,"
and then he told her all about her threat of exposing the presence of
the monkey, softening it down, however, as much as possible, and blaming
his own dull head more than the girl's foolishness.
"You're not married, are you, Mr. Thompson?"
"Me, mam? what makes you think that?"
"Why, I have heard you mention your little boy."
"Do you know Clare, mam? Tom, we calls him, Miss Cops knows him," he
added, smiling at the child, who was seated on his arm. "Well, mam, that
poor fellow has a wife and a child and I've a life-interest in their
baby, that is, if poor Tom don't live, I shall help bring him up, as I
knows if he dies his wife won't be long a follerin' of him, as they
loves each other truly and dearly."
"Why, you cannot attend to the boy when you are at sea, can you, Mr.
Thompson?"
"I don't mean to foller the sea any longer. I've a poor old mother who
is in an almshouse, and I'm going to take her out and stay by her in
future; and then if anything occurs to poor Tom and his wife, I can take
the boy home with me."
"Where does your mother reside?"
"At Nonnington, Kent, mam. I was born there."
"Why, that is near my husband's estate; I must talk to him about you."
That evening the major sent for Mr. Thompson, having first obtained full
particulars about the acting-warrant from the captain and doctor, the
latter gentleman being a great friend of his. After putting a few
questions to Jerry, he informed him that he had determined to pension
off the steward now managing his estate, as he knew he was too old to
agree with his ideas as to its future government, and that having
observed Mr. Thompson was gifted with great tact and had a way which
pleased him, he would give him a house and garden rent free, with coal
and wood, and a salary of eighty pounds for the first year, if he would
in return give all his time and best services to him as steward, adding,
"I know you will quickly learn what is necessary, and will suit me far
better than a man who has been brought up to the business."
Jerry stood quite dumbfounded for a moment, then in a few words thanked
his benefactor, adding, as if that thought were uppermost, "I shall
often be able to see your little daughter, which pleases me as much as
anything."
Great was Miss Barbara's joy when she heard that her friend was to live
near them on shore, and she immediately suggested to her papa the
propriety of building a sugar-candy house for Mr. Thompson's mother,
which proposition her father gravely promised to take into
consideration.
Tom Clare was delighted with his friend's good fortune, little thinking
that he intended to share it with him; but when they chatted it over
that evening, Jerry offered Tom a home in his house, saying, the country
air and the society of his wife would soon bring him round. Visions of
happy tea-parties under the trees in the orchard, for Thompson knew his
future home well, and of little Tom learning to be a farmer, while Polly
was to milk the cows, and Clare to see after the flower garden; these
pleasant thoughts busied the friends until they heard a cry along the
decks of "light on our starboard bow," and they knew that they had once
more arrived off their native land. Upon going on deck, they saw the
Start light blinking across the water, and Jerry pressed his friend's
thin hand, and laughingly observed that in a few days they would be on
the right side of that light.
Clare soon after this went forward, and Mr. Thompson was left to his own
thoughts, but in a few moments he became aware that Adèle was standing
near him, and to his surprise found she was weeping.
"Oh, Monsieur Thompe-sonne, how could you trifle vith me like zat you
have did? I lofe you so mooche, and you zay to madame you do _not_ lofe
_me_."
Thompson looked at the girl with astonishment, then desiring her to wait
where she was for a moment, descended into his cabin. After a short
delay he returned to the deck bearing in his hands a small box which he
handed to the bonne, saying, "Addel-ly! I knows you ladies are fond of
gold chains. I knows, too, that I have been rather too soapy with you,
but if you'll say you forgive me, as you knows I did it for the pretty
one's sake, I'll give you that."
Adèle walked aft and descended to the cabin, where she examined the
chain, which was of solid gold, and the one that Jerry had looted from
the pirate Seh-wang. After carefully weighing it in her hands, and
reflecting for a few moments, the bonne returned to the deck, and having
found out the patient Thompson, informed him "that it was verray good,
she vas content," and added in an undertone, "Je voudrais être trompée,
tous les jours à ce prix là!"
[Illustration: Decoration]