“None whatever, I fear, for we saw nothing near us, so far as the thick weather enabled us to perceive. An hour or two later, when the moon rose and the sea went down somewhat, we saw a dismasted vessel in the distance, but he could not have reached her.”
“I understand you to say that the weather had been thick previously?”
“Very thick, but, as I have said, it cleared afterwards, though no one on board had the slightest hope that the owner could have survived the fearful seas which raged at the time.”
At this point, Mr William Goodall was much moved by Mr Falcon’s recital, then, for some moments, he seemed to be absorbed in meditation, but, on regaining his self-possession, he exclaimed,—
“I may have to proceed to Sydney, Mr Falcon, but of course not before Captain Link’s arrival with the Neptune. Now I must ask you not to move in any financial matter connected with me, Squire Dove and others, or on behalf of my poor brother, at present, if you please, Mr Falcon, for I shall be most anxious to hear Captain Link’s version of this terrible affair.”
“I had your brother’s instructions to treat with Squire Dove as soon after my arrival as possible, sir.”
“Yes, yes; but now that he is dead, you will kindly, I hope, defer to my wishes under the sad circumstances; and, look here, Mr Falcon, I would not, should you decide upon seeing my nephew, tell him what has occurred.”
“In that respect, sir, I will attend to your wishes, but I must do something, known or unknown by him, to prevent your nephew from seeking an introduction to Miss Dove until he drops this frantic ballooning, for I pledged myself to do so to your late brother, Mr Goodall, before I left Sydney, and I believe, sir, that ‘prevention is better than cure.’”
“I agree with you there, but you may not be aware that my nephew is engaged in preparing for a series of ascents from the Crystal Palace grounds. However, I will not dictate to one of your clear discernment.”
“Don’t, please, Mr Goodall. I shall follow a plan of which I think you will not disapprove—a plan which may have a certain deterrent effect—but I shall not put myself forward in such a way that he will know me by name, nor shall I rashly check his movements.”