The Poacher Part 40

Joey thought there was no standing such digs in the ribs, but he said nothing.

"I leave him to you, Sleek. I must be off to call upon Captain James.

See to the lad's food and lodging. There's an order from the gun-room of the _Hecate_." So saying, Mr Small departed.

Mr Sleek asked our hero where he was stopping; recommended him another lodging close to the house, with directions how to proceed, and what arrangements to make; told him to haste as much as he could, and then come back to the counting-house.

In a couple of hours our hero was back again.

"Look on this list; do you understand it?" said Mr Sleek to Joey; "it is sea-stock for the _Hecate_ which sails in a day or two. If I send a porter with you to the people we deal with, would you be able to get all these things which are marked with a cross? the wine and the others we have here."

Joey looked over it, and was quite at home; it was only b.u.mboating on a large scale. "O, yes; and I know the prices of all these things,"

replied he; "I have been used to the supplying of ships at Gravesend."

"Why then," said Mr Sleek, "you are the very person I want; for I have no time to attend to out-door work now."

The porter was sent for, and our hero soon executed his task, not only with a precision but with a rapidity that was highly satisfactory to Mr Sleek. As soon as the articles were all collected, Joey asked whether he should take them on board--"I understand the work, Mr Sleek, and not even an egg shall be broke, I promise you." The second part of the commission was executed with the same precision by our hero, who returned with a receipt of every article having been delivered safe and in good condition. Mr Sleek was delighted with our hero, and told Mr Small so when they met in the evening. Mr Sleek's opinion was given in the presence of Mrs Phillips and Emma, who exchanged glances of satisfaction at Joey's fortunate _debut_.

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

IN WHICH THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE TURNS A SPOKE OR TWO IN FAVOUR OF OUR HERO.

If we were to a.n.a.lyse 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 pa.s.s 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 sh.e.l.ls and of birds, which he procured her.

These were presents which he could make, and which she could accept, and not a week pa.s.sed 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 a.s.sist 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 a.s.sist 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 _Zen.o.bia_ 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 sh.o.r.e, with steady crews to a.s.sist 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."