“But my father did not love him so well as another person did—at least, he did not wish me to love him. It was only in the intervals of long voyages that I saw him, and when the time for his arrival drew near, and the ship, for me so richly freighted, was due, I spent many hours in the observatory on the top of our house, sweeping the line of the horizon with a long spy-glass, and watching for the little signal flag that I alone knew of, and that would tell me he was coming. So you see, my dear, that I was well acquainted with the sea.
“One day this brave, good captain, who had won my heart, asked my father for my hand. He could have nothing against him. There could not be a better or braver man. He was nobility itself—but I was my father’s pet and pride, and he was ambitious. I think nothing less than a lord would then have satisfied him for a son-in-law.
“Captain Walter came and told me, with some bitterness, the result of his interview with my father. I knew that he was poor, but I knew that this was the only reasonable objection that could be made to him, and I laid my hand in his—a strong, manly hand—strong and true, and I said: “‘Be patient: I am yours, and I will never be any one’s but yours, while this world stands.’
“He went away upon a long voyage, and a very important one, for my father liked him as a captain of his ship, and knew well that he could trust him to the last drop of his blood to protect ship and cargo.
“When he came home next time, I had reflected much, and determined upon what I ought to do. I did not wait for him to come and see me. I did not wait for him to ask me to do anything. I knew that he could not, while he was my father’s captain. So I went to the ship, and said: ‘Captain Walter, will you leave this all to me, to do as I think right?’
“He only held me to his big heart a moment, but he looked a thousand yeses out of his handsome, loving eyes.
“The day his ship was to sail on her next voyage, I sent my trunks on board the ship. Then I found my captain, and said: ‘Come with me, and redeem your promise, and I will keep mine.’ We went to a church, a licence was ready, and we were married. The ship was ready to sail, and I knew that my father was on board to give his last directions, and see her off. I went on board with my husband, and my father was not surprised, for I had often sailed out with him, and returned in the pilot-boat.
“When the ship had got a good offing, and the pilot was ready to take us back, my father said his last words to the captain, and shook hands, wishing him a good voyage. ‘Come darling,’ said he to me: ‘say good-bye to Captain Walter, for we must go now.’
“‘Dear father,’ said I, ‘forgive your darling; I cannot go with you now. I must sail this voyage with my husband, Captain Walter!’
“He looked from one to the other, to see if this were jest or earnest.
“‘Father dear,’ said I, ‘you could never have found me so good a husband. So 1 took him this morning, and made him marry me, and here is the certificate that I am his wife.’
“Poor father! He turned very pale, but he loved me, and there was no help. He held me in his arms and kissed me, while his tears ran over my cheeks. At last he held out his hand to my brave captain in token of forgiveness. He went home alone in the pilot-boat. I waved him my tearful adieux as long as I could see him, for he was ever a kind and indulgent father. We sped on our voyage.
“The shores of England faded from our sight, and we were on the open sea. We had fair winds and foul, stiff gales and gentle breezes, and I became a sailor. We crossed the line, doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and sailed on weeks and weeks through the Indian seas to Batavia, and then to Canton: you have read about it in Lord Anson and Captain Cook. When our cargo was completed, we sailed homeward again. It was a long and solitary voyage, but I was never lonely. My world was with me. I wished to see my father, but we were homeward bound.
“One day, as we were reaching our northern latitudes, my captain came hastily into the cabin to get his spy-glass, and I followed him on deck. There was a vessel in sight, bearing down directly for us. She had changed her course since we first saw her, and it was evident she meant to come near us.
“My captain took a long look at her. ‘Well?’ said I, standing at his elbow, and taking the glass from his hand.
“‘You have good eyes, darling,’ said he, ‘see what you can make of her.’
“I adjusted the glass to my eye, and looked intently. ‘It is an armed vessel,’ said I. ‘I see ports, and a large gun amidships.’
“‘You are quite correct—as usual,’ said my captain.
“‘But she does not look like a man-of-war,’ said I, ‘and I do not think she is English.’
“‘No more is she,’ said he. ‘Either war has been declared, and she is a privateer, or she is a cursed pirate.’
“I was never a coward. I held the glass steadily in my hands, and watched the brig, as she bore down with all sail set, and it was evident that she was a good sailer. There had been talk of war before we left England, but my father did not believe in it. I shuddered at the idea of its being a pirate.
“‘Whatever she may be,’ said my captain, ‘she has no business with us. I shall give her a try at all events.’ So we tacked ship and stood off in the contrary direction from that in which we had been sailing. The stranger had tacked also before we were well on our course. In half an hour she had gained perceptibly.
“‘She can beat us on a wind,’ said my captain, looking very serious. ‘There is nothing for us but to show the cleanest pair of heels we can.’
Round we went to our best point of sailing; out went the studding sails, the cargo was shifted to give our ship the best possible trim, the sails were wet; but it was soon apparent that, after all we had done, the brig was gaining on us—slowly, indeed, but certainly gaining.
