Then a single stroke on the bell, followed by the reappearance of the substantial-looking clerk.
“Bring me in the inventory of the Aurora, if you please; that paper that was left here by Mr Sutton yesterday.”
The document was brought in, and Mr Roberts at once handed it over to his client with the remark—
“There, my dear sir, just run your eye over that; if the Aurora won’t suit you, nothing will. She is a capital little ship; I know her well. Her owner, poor fellow—who is captain of her also—had the misfortune to lose his wife last voyage—washed overboard somehow in a gale of wind—and it has so upset him that he has resolved to cut the sea altogether and everything connected with it. He is even willing to sell at a great sacrifice, so as to get rid of the ship as soon as possible. Great bargain, captain; most extraordinary bargain; never get another such a chance.”
“That looks much more promising,” said George, returning the paper. “Where is she, and when can I see her?”
“London Docks—see her in an hour—I’ll take you down on board at once,” was the reply.
And merely stopping to change his coat, and give some instructions to his clerks, Mr Roberts invited George to follow him; and, getting into the street, they hailed the first hackney-coach which passed, and in a few minutes were jolting along on their way to the London Docks.
Dismissing the coach at the dock gates, Mr Roberts inquired of the gate-keeper where the Aurora was to be found.
“Inside ship, fourth berth, north side,” answered the man, pointing out the direction they were to take.
They soon found the vessel, and George, standing on the edge of the dock wall, saw before him a pretty little barque of some four hundred and odd tons, copper-bottomed, with a flush deck fore and aft, a fine set of spars, and such a shapely hull as set his eyes glistening. He walked away from her and knelt down so as to take a good look at her “run;” then went ahead of her to see what her bows were like; and finally, very much prepossessed in her favour already, went on board, accompanied by Mr Roberts.