"Well, what do you think of this? `_Lucy_--brigantine; 520 tons;
oak-built, coppered, and copper-fastened throughout; has only been to
sea twice; excellent sea-boat, very fast and weatherly; fully found in
every respect, and quite ready for sea. Price 2500 pounds.'"
"That sounds very much better," answered Leicester, who, to tell the
truth, was almost as much taken with the name as anything else; "but I
don't particularly admire the rig."
"Umph!" ejaculated Mr Roberts, pursing up his lips and referring to the
index once more. "Um, um, _Maid of the Mist_--_Lizzie_--_Highland
Lass_--_Enterprise_--ah! yes; perhaps this will do. `_Enterprise_--
brig; seven years old, oak-built, iron-fastened, 350 tons register, will
carry 600 tons dead-weight; well found. Price 2200 pounds. Requires a
few trifling repairs amounting to possibly 500 pounds.' How does that
strike you?"
"Not very favourably," was the reply.
"Well, let's try again," remarked the ship-broker. "I _know_ I can suit
you."
Another reference to the index, then a sudden sharp closing of the book,
with the muttered ejaculation, "The very thing! What a donkey I am not
to have thought of her before."
Then a single stroke on the bell, followed by the reappearance of the
substantial-looking clerk.
"Bring me in the inventory of the _Aurora_, if you please; that paper
that was left here by Mr Sutton yesterday."
The document was brought in, and Mr Roberts at once handed it over to
his client with the remark--
"There, my dear sir, just run your eye over that; if the _Aurora_ won't
suit you, _nothing_ will. She is a capital little ship; I know her
well. Her owner, poor fellow--who is captain of her also--had the
misfortune to lose his wife last voyage--washed overboard somehow in a
gale of wind--and it has so upset him that he has resolved to cut the
sea altogether and everything connected with it. He is even willing to
sell at a great sacrifice, so as to get rid of the ship as soon as
possible. Great bargain, captain; most extraordinary bargain; never get
another such a chance."
"That looks much more promising," said George, returning the paper.
"Where is she, and when can I see her?"
"London Docks--see her in an hour--I'll take you down on board at once,"
was the reply.
And merely stopping to change his coat, and give some instructions to
his clerks, Mr Roberts invited George to follow him; and, getting into
the street, they hailed the first hackney-coach which passed, and in a
few minutes were jolting along on their way to the London Docks.
Dismissing the coach at the dock gates, Mr Roberts inquired of the
gate-keeper where the _Aurora_ was to be found.
"Inside ship, fourth berth, north side," answered the man, pointing out
the direction they were to take.
They soon found the vessel, and George, standing on the edge of the dock
wall, saw before him a pretty little barque of some four hundred and odd
tons, copper-bottomed, with a flush deck fore and aft, a fine set of
spars, and such a shapely hull as set his eyes glistening. He walked
away from her and knelt down so as to take a good look at her "run;"
then went ahead of her to see what her bows were like; and finally, very
much prepossessed in her favour already, went on board, accompanied by
Mr Roberts.
Here they were received by the ship-keeper, who at once led the way into
the cabin. This proved to be an exceedingly snug and comfortable
apartment, not very large, yet roomy enough, and very tastefully fitted
up. Abaft this they found the captain's cabin, a room some twelve feet
long, and the entire width of the ship, well lighted--there being both a
skylight and stern-ports--and fitted up in a style which gave
unmistakable evidence of the refined taste of the former captain's poor
drowned wife. From the cabin they proceeded to the forecastle, and from
thence into the hold, George all the time peering about everywhere for
signs of weakness or bad workmanship, without finding any. Having at
length satisfied himself as to the soundness of the hull, he went aloft
and gave to the spars and rigging a careful examination. Here, too,
everything was perfectly satisfactory; and when he at length stepped
down out of the rigging on to the deck, he nodded approvingly to Mr
Roberts and said--
"All right; I'll take her."
"Glad to hear you say so, captain," was the cheery reply; "she is a
capital little craft, and I'm sure you'll like her. Now--as it is
nearly two o'clock--what say you, will you come and take dinner with
me?"
Leicester acquiescing, they made the best of their way to the
eating-house which Mr Roberts patronised, and, while discussing the
meal, made arrangements for the completion of the purchase.
The meal ended, George wended his way back toward the dock, and, turning
into Nightingale Lane, established himself in tolerably comfortable
quarters in a boarding-house kept by a widow, whose husband had been
what she called a "sea-captain."
On the following day Captain Leicester paid over the full amount of the
purchase-money, receiving in return the ship's register properly
endorsed; and that same evening he found himself the undisputed owner of
the _Aurora_.
His next task was to secure a freight. This he had no difficulty in
doing--in fact he had his choice of some half a dozen--and by noon he
had accepted a charter for the conveyance of a general cargo to
Kingston, Jamaica; to commence loading at once. Having completed the
business, he hurried away to the shipping-office, and was fortunate
enough to secure the services of a very promising-looking mate, who
undertook to establish himself on board forthwith, so as to be on the
spot in readiness to receive the cargo as it came down to the ship.
George now found himself comparatively at leisure, and he had at one
time serious thoughts of running down to Gosport, were it only for a
day, just to see Lucy once more, and bid her good-bye. Well would it
have been for both of them had he done so. But on reconsidering the
matter, he arrived at the conclusion that no good could possibly come of
any such proceeding, whilst the sight of Lucy would only too certainly
increase the pangs of regret he already so keenly felt at his failure to
win her; so he eventually decided to remain where he was, and occupy
himself in watching the stowage of the cargo.