Jeff took the rebuke in good part, readily admitted that youth was prone to err, and slily expressed a hope that in his case coming in contact with age might do him good.
If you mean that for a shot at me, cried the captain, with a loud guffaw, youve missed the mark; for Im only forty-five, an that isnt age; is it, Molly?
Of course not. Why, youre little more than a baby yet, replied Miss Millet who greatly enjoyed even a small jokeindeed, she enjoyed almost everything, more or less, that was not wicked. But now, Dick, I want you to tell Jeff some of your adventures in foreign partsespecially those that have a moral, you know.
Why, Molly, thats a hard jobyou dont want me to draw the moral, do you? I never was good at that, though Ive known fellows with that peculiar cast o brain as could draw a moral out of a marline-spike if they were hard put to it. Seems to me that its best to let morals draw themselves. For instance, that time when I was wrecked on the South American coast, I came to a shallow river, an had to wade across, but was too lazy to pull off my boots, cause they were long fishermans boots, right up to the hip an rather tight; so in I went boots an all. Just as I was gettin to the other side, a most awful alligator seized hold o my right foot. Its wonderful how easy my boot came off just then! Although I was used to tug, an shove, and gasp, and pull, at that boot of a night, no sooner did the alligator lay hold on it than my leg came out like a cork out of a bottle, and I was out o the water and up the bank like a squirrel. Now, Molly, what would you say was the moral that should be drawn from thatNever use an alligator as a boot-jackeh?
I should say, Never wade across a South American river without your boots on, suggested Jeff.
Well, now, I should say, Never wade across a South American river at all, said Miss Millet; but, brother, thats not what I meant. Before you arrived, Jeff and I had been talking about Gods ways with man, and I was trying to show that disasters and what we call misfortunes are not necessarily evil, but are often the means of great blessing. I dont think Jeff quite sees that. I cant explain myself clearly, brother; but you know what I mean.
While the old lady was speaking, the captain had become thoughtful.
Yes, I know what you mean, he replied, and I agree with you heartily. Is it not written of our Saviour, He hath done all things well? and is He not unchangeable? Of course it is not to be expected that we shall always see through and understand His ways though we can always trust Him; but sometimes He lifts a corner of the veil and lets us see. Very odd, Molly, continued the captain, extracting a large black pocket-book with some difficulty from a breast-pocket, very odd that you should have touched on this question, for I have somethin to say to you that bears on it. Look here. Whats that?
He handed an oblong piece of paper to his sister, who examined it slowly.
Why, Dick, its a cheque for 500 pounds.
Just so, old girl, an its yours.
Mine!
Ay, I might have given it to you when I first came back, but I took a fancy to keep it as a little surprise for our last evenin together, so that I might leave you with a good taste in your mouth. Now, listen, an Ill spin you an Jeff a yarn. But first fill up my cup. Im fond o teanatrally, bein a teetotaler. Up to the brim, Molly; I like a good bucketful. Thankeenow, let me see.
The captain put his hand to his rugged brow, became thoughtful for a few moments, and then resumed.
Just before startin on my last voyage to China I ran down to Folkestone to see Rosebudthats my little daughter, Jeff. Surely you must have seen her when knocking about here?
You forget, Captain, I have not been in these parts for six years. Nevertheless, I did see Rosebud some ten or twelve years ago with her nurse in this very room.
Yes, so you did, chimed in Miss Millet. She was six at that time, and the dearest little angel I ever saw.
She was all that and a great deal more, said the enthusiastic father. It dont become me to have much of an opinion about the angels, but I wouldnt give my Rosebud for the whole lot o them, an all the cherubs throwd into the bargain. Well, as I was sayin, I ran down to Folkestone to the school where she is, and as we were partin she made me promise when I got to Hong-Kong to run up the river to see an old schoolmate o hers that had gone out there with her father. I was to give Clara Rosebuds dear love, and her photograph, and get hers in exchange. I would have done this, of course, for my darlin, anyhow, but I promised all the more readily because I had some business to do with old Nibsworth, the father.
Well, after Id got to Hong-Kong an seen the ship all snug, I thought of runnin up the river in a small steamer that was ready to start. It so happened that I got a letter that very day from Nibsworth himself, who had heard of my arrival, askin me to come without delay, as there was a grand chance of doin a bit of business that might turn in some thousands of pounds. But it would have to be settled next day, or the chance would be lost. You may be sure I didnt waste time after readin this, but when I got to the river-side, I found that the steamer had started, and there wasnt another till next mornin.
What a pity! exclaimed the sympathetic sister and Jeff in the same breath.
Yes, wasnt it? Of course it wasnt a personal loss, but it was the loss of a splendid out-o-the-way chance to do a good turn to the owners. It was an ill windJeff, almost a disaster. Howsever, I had to grin an bear it. But I couldnt rest till next day; so I hired a native boat, determined to do my best in the circumstances, and you may be sure I wasnt in the best of humours, as we went creepin slowly up that river, when I knew that the hours of opportunity were slippin away.
It was not till the evenin o the next day that I reached old Nibsworths house. Just before we rounded the bend of the river that brought it into view, I noticed smoke risin pretty thick above the trees. Of course I thought nothin of it till I found that it was the old mans house was a-fire! Didnt we bend to the oars then with a will!
As we drew near, we found that all the servants and work-people about the place were runnin here and there, shoutin and yellin for ropes and ladders. Most people seem to lose their heads in a fire. Anyhow those people had; for nobody could find a ladder long enough to reach a top window, where I could see that someone was waving his arms for help. The moment we touched the beach, I jumped out o the boat and ran up to the house. It was blazin fiercely in the lower rooms, and I soon found that old Nibsworth and his daughter were insidedriven to the attics by the fire and smoke. They soon left the window where I had first seen the arms waving, and threw open another that was further from the fire.
I saw that the old man was frail. The girl, they told me, was delicate. Get straw, hay, branchesanything soft, I shouted, an pile em under the window.
Hims too weak for jump, gasped a native servant.
Do as I bid ye, said I, with a glare that sent em all off double-quick. Happily I found a rope handy in a storehouse hard by. I made a coil of it. You know a seaman can usually heave a coil of rope pretty well. I made a splendid heave, an sent it right in at the window. The old man caught it.
Make fast to a bed-post, I roared, or a table, or chest o drawersanything big.
He understood me, I could see, and presently he looked over the window an shook his head. Then I could see the face of a dark-haired, beautiful girl. Even through the increasing smoke I could tell that she was deadly pale, and drew back with a shudder. By this time a big pile of straw lay under the window. I saw there was no hope of such an old man lettin himself or his girl down by a rope, so up I went hand over hand. Many a time had I done the sort o thing for a lark when I was a youngster; but bein out o practice, and a good deal heavier than in old days, I found it hard work, I can tell you. Howsever, I managed it and got in at the window, an didnt my heart give a jump when I saw that the old chap had only made the rope fast to a light bedroom chair. If Id bin a stone heavier, Id have pulled that chair right over the window!
God bless you! cried the tremblin old man; save my Clara!
There was no time for pretty speeches. I made fast the end of the rope to the leg of a table, made a loop on the other end, threw it over the girl, caught her round the waist an swung her over the window. I was in such a hurry that the rope nearly took the skin off my hands; but I landed her safe on the straw below. The old man was heavier, and not so easy to manage; but I got him lowered safe, and then, slipping over myself, began to descend. The flames had by that time got headway, and were dartin like fiery serpents tongues out o the windows below. One o them gave me a wipe in passin, an cleared eyelashes, eyebrows, and half the hair o my head away. Another twined round the rope and singed it; so that when I was half-way down, it snapped, and I came to the ground with a thud that damaged my canvas ducks, though they were by no means delicate. Howsever, the pile of straw broke the fall, and I was none the worse.
The gratitude o that poor old man and his daughter knew no bounds, specially when he found I was the father of his Claras favourite schoolmate.
Now, Captain Millet, says he at partin, nothin in this world can repay what we owe you. I know it would be insultin to offer you money for such service, but sometimes men like you like to help a good cause. Will you accept of five hundred pounds for such a purpose?
No sir, says I, I wont! But Ive a sister at home who spends all her time in tryin to do good. If youll be kind enough to send it to her, shell consider it a blessed windfall, and will lay it out to the best possible advantage.
Good, said he, seizin his pen an writin out the cheque. Is your sister well off?
She might be better off, said I.
Then pray beg her in my name to accept of a few shares in an Australian tin-mine which came to me a few days ago. They are not worth much, but I dont want to be troubled with them; indeed, will consider it a favour if she will take them off my hands.
The old fellow said this with a laughso there you are, Molly, 500 pounds to the credit of your charity account an I dont know how much tin transferred to your own.
O brother, how goodhow kind! Miss Millet paused here, and gazed in silence at the cheque, for she had already begun to calculate how far that sum would go towards the library, and the church, and the town-hall, and the model-houses, and the gymnasium, and the swimming-bath.
And now, young man, said the captain, turning to our coastguardsman, the missin of that steamer, at which I growled so much that day, turned out to be a great blessin after all, although it seemed such a misfortune. For it caused me to arrive just in the nick of time to save two human livesbesides givin the old girl here somethin to think about and work upon for the next twelvemonth to comewhereas, if I had arrived the day before, I would have bin sleepin in the house, and mayhap have bin burnt alive wi old Nibsworth and his daughter. Seems to me as if that little story had some sort o bearin on the subject you was discussin wi Molly. But Im not good at drawin morals, so Ill leave you to draw it for yourself.