“Poor man,” said Amine, with a look of pity, “how much he must have suffered! Is not this the man who brought you the letter from the Company, Philip?”
“He! he! yes! Not very welcome, was it, lady?”
“No, my good fellow; it’s never a welcome message to a wife, that sends her husband away from her. But that was not your fault.”
“If a husband will go to sea and leave a handsome wife when he has, as they say, plenty of money to live upon on shore, he! he!”
“Yes, indeed, you may well say that,” replied Amine.
“Better give it up. All folly, all madness—eh, captain?”
“I must finish this voyage, at all events,” replied Philip to Amine, “whatever I may do afterwards. I have suffered much, and so have you, Schriften. You have been twice wrecked; now tell me, what do you wish to do? Go home in the first ship, or go ashore at the Cape, or—”
“Or do anything, so I get out of this ship—he! he!”
“Not so. If you prefer sailing with me, as I know you are a good seaman, you shall have your rating and pay of pilot—that is, if you choose to follow my fortunes.”
“Follow?—Must follow. Yes! I’ll sail with you, Mynheer Vanderdecken, I wish to be always near you—he! he!”