Many Cargoes Part 44

His heart almost failed him when he encountered the radiant Jane at breakfast in the morning, but he concealed his feelings by a strong effort; and after the meal was finished, and the pa.s.sengers had gone on deck, he laid hold of the mate, who was following, and drew him into the cabin.

"You haven't washed yourself this morning," he said, eyeing him closely.

"How do you s'pose you are going to make an impression if you don't look smart?"

"Well, I look tidier than you do," growled the mate.

"Of course you do," said the wily Evans. "I'm going to give you all the chances I can. Now you go and shave yourself, and here-take it."

He pa.s.sed the surprised mate a brilliant red silk tie, embellished with green spots.

"No, no," said the mate deprecatingly.

"Take it," repeated Evans; "if anything'll fetch her it'll be that tie; and here's a couple of collars for you; they're a new shape, quite the rage down Poplar way just now."

"It's robbing you," said the mate, "and it's no good either. I ain't got a decent suit of clothes to my back."

Evans looked up, and their eyes met; then, with a catch in his breath, he turned away, and after some hesitation went to his locker, and bringing out a new suit, bought for the edification of Miss Jones, handed it silently to the mate.

"I can't take all these things without giving you something for 'em,"

said the mate. "Here, wait a bit."

He dived into his cabin, and, after a hasty search, brought out some garments which he placed on the table before his commander.

"I wouldn't wear 'em, no, not to drown myself in," declared Evans after a brief glance; "they ain't even decent."

"So much the better," said the mate; "it'll be more of a contrast with me."

After a slight contest the skipper gave way, and the mate, after an elaborate toilette, went on deck and began to make himself agreeable, while his chief skulked below trying to muster up courage to put in an appearance.

"Where's the captain?" inquired Miss Cooper, after his absence had been so prolonged as to become noticeable.

"He's below, dressin', I b'leeve," replied the mate simply.

Miss Cooper, glancing at his attire, smiled softly to herself, and prepared for something startling, and she got it; for a more forlorn, sulky-looking object than the skipper, when he did appear, had never been seen on the deck of the Falcon, and his London betrothed glanced at him hot with shame and indignation.

"Whatever have you got those things on for?" she whispered.

"Work, my dear-work," replied the skipper.

"Well, mind you don't lose any of the pieces," said the dear suavely; "you mightn't be able to match that cloth."

"I'll look after that," said the skipper, reddening. "You must excuse me talkin' to you now. I'm busy."

Miss Cooper looked at him indignantly, and, biting her lip, turned away, and started a desperate flirtation with the mate, to punish him. Evans watched them with mingled feelings as he busied himself with various small jobs on the deck, his wrath being raised to boiling point by the behaviour of the cook, who, being a poor hand at disguising his feelings, came out of the galley several times to look at him.

From this incident a coolness sprang up between the skipper and the girl, which increased hourly. At times the skipper weakened, but the watchful mate was always on hand to prevent mischief. Owing to his fostering care Evans was generally busy, and always gruff; and Miss Cooper, who was used to the most a.s.siduous attentions from him, knew not whether to be most bewildered or most indignant. Four times in one day did he remark in her hearing that a sailor's ship was his sweetheart, while his treatment of his small prospective brother in-law, when he expostulated with him on the state of his wardrobe, filled that hitherto pampered youth with amazement. At last, on the fourth night out, as the little schooner was pa.s.sing the coast of Cornwall, the mate came up to him as he was steering, and patted him heavily on the back.

"It's all right, cap'n," said he. "You've lost the prettiest little girl in England."

"What?" said the skipper, in incredulous tones.

"Fact," replied the other. "Here's your ring back. I wouldn't let her wear it any longer."

"However did you do it?" inquired Evans, taking the ring in a dazed fashion.

"Oh, easy as possible," said the mate. "She liked me best, that's all."

"But what did you say to her?" persisted Evans.

The other reflected.

"I can't call to mind exactly," he said at length. "But, you may rely upon it, I said everything I could against you. But she never did care much for you. She told me so herself."

"I wish you joy of your bargain," said Evans solemnly, after a long pause.

"What do you mean?" demanded the mate sharply.

"A girl like that," said the skipper, with a lump in his throat, "who can carry on with two men at once ain't worth having. She's not my money, that's all."

The mate looked at him in honest bewilderment.

"Mark my words," continued the skipper loftily, "you'll live to regret it. A girl like that's got no ballast. She'll always be running after fresh neckties."

"You put it down to the necktie, do you?" sneered the mate wrathfully.

"That and the clothes, cert'nly," replied the skipper.

"Well, you're wrong," said the mate. "A lot you know about girls. It wasn't your old clothes, and it wasn't all your bad behaviour to her since she's been aboard. You may as well know first as last. She wouldn't have nothing to do with me at first, so I told her all about Mary Jones."

"You told her THAT?" cried the skipper fiercely.

"I did," replied the other. "She was pretty wild at first; but then the comic side of it struck her-you wearing them old clothes, and going about as you did. She used to watch you until she couldn't stand it any longer, and then go down in the cabin and laugh. Wonderful spirits that girl's got. Hush! Here she is!"

As he spoke the girl came on deck, and, seeing the two men talking together, remained at a short distance from them.

"It's all right, Jane," said the mate; "I've told him."

"Oh!" said Miss Cooper, with a little gasp.

"I can't bear deceit," said the mate; "and now it's off his mind, he's so happy he can't bear himself."

The latter part of this a.s.sertion seemed to be more warranted by facts than the former, but Evans made a choking noise, which he intended as a sign of unbearable joy, and, relinquishing the wheel to the mate, walked forward. The clear sky was thick with stars, and a mind at ease might have found enjoyment in the quiet beauty of the night, but the skipper was too interested in the behaviour of the young couple at the wheel to give it a thought. Immersed in each other, they forgot him entirely, and exchanged little playful slaps and pushes, which incensed him beyond description. Several times he was on the point of exercising his position as commander and ordering the mate below, but in the circ.u.mstances interference was impossible, and, with a low-voiced good-night, he went below. Here his gaze fell on William Henry, who was slumbering peacefully, and, with a hazy idea of the eternal fitness of things, he raised the youth in his arms, and, despite his sleepy protests, deposited him in the mate's bunk. Then, with head and heart both aching, he retired for the night.

There was a little embarra.s.sment next day, but it soon pa.s.sed off, and the three adult inmates of the cabin got on quite easy terms with each other. The most worried person aft was the boy, who had not been taken into their confidence, and whose face, when his sister sat with the mate's arm around her waist, presented to the skipper a perfect study in emotions.

"I feel quite curious to see this Miss Jones," said Miss Cooper amiably, as they sat at dinner.

"She'll be on the quay, waving her handkerchief to him," said the mate.