“Why, sir, it’s told in a few words. I took your advice, and brought the old gentleman presents, and I sat with him and heard all his old stories at least fifty times over, and laughed at his jokes as regularly the last time as the first; and he told Jane and her mother that I was a very pleasant, sensible and amusing young man—although he had all the talk, and I had none. The fact is, sir, it was he who first brought up the subject of my splicing his niece; that is to say, he hinted how he should like to see her well settled, and that if she married according to his wishes, he would leave her all he had.
“Well, sir, it was the opinion of Jane and her mother, that, as he was a whimsical, changeable old chap, it would be right for her to refuse me at first; and so she did, very much to the old man’s annoyance, who then set his mind upon it, and swore that if she did not marry me, he would not leave her a farthing. After a few days of quarrelling, Jane gave in, and the old chap swears that we shall be married immediately, and that he will give us half his property down at once.”
“Strike the iron while it’s hot, Bob,” replied I. “Is the day fixed?”
“Not exactly, sir; but we are to be put up in church next Sunday, and it takes three Sundays. I hope you won’t part with me, sir,” continued Bob. “The Diligente will be paid off on Tuesday, they say, and if you could get me appointed to the Circe—”
“Why, Cross, you are thinking of going to sea again, even before you are married. I should advise you not to be in such a hurry. You must not displease the old gentleman; besides, you must not leave a young wife so soon.”
“That’s very true, Captain Keene, but I don’t think I should be comfortable if I knew you were afloat without me.”
“I suppose you think that I cannot take care of myself.”
“Yes, I do, sir; but still I know that I should fret; and, sir, it will be four months at least before the Circe is ready for sea and I may just as well be appointed to her, and I can decide whether I do go to sea or not when the time comes.”
“Well, Cross, I will certainly apply for you; but, if you take my advice, you will give up the sea altogether, and live on shore.”
“I have nothing to do, sir.”