“Yes,” replied Polly, in a low tone.
“Well, they happen to be in town just now with their family, and they’re all coming. Then there’s my first mate, Simon O’Rook; he would be coming, only he’s come already, a full hour before his time! Then there’s a Mr Burr and a Mr Buckley, both returned from California with fortunes—”
“A-rowlin’ in gold,” muttered O’Rook, in a low tone.
“You don’t really mean, father, that—”
“Yes I do, Polly. I mean that Baldwin Burr and Jacob Buckley are coming. I met ’em only two days ago in the streets, going about in chimney-pot hats and broadcloth like gentlemen—which they are, every inch of ’em, if worth and well-doing and wisdom make the gentleman. So, knowing you were to be here, I made ’em promise to come. Well, then, there’s your old friend Watty Wilkins, who, by the way, is engaged to be married to Susan Trench. I tried to get Susan to come too, but she’s shy, and won’t. Besides these, there’s a doctor of medicine, whom I think you have met before, a very rising young man—quite celebrated, I may say. Got an enormous practice, and—”
The captain was interrupted by the rattle of wheels outside, and the pulling up of a carriage at the door.
Polly rose quickly, with a half-frightened look.
“Don’t be alarmed, Poll, it’s only the doctor,” he said, going out to the passage.
“Pardon my coming so much before the appointed time,” said a familiar voice; “but I have something to communicate before she comes—something very important and—”
Philosopher Jack stopped short, for he had entered the room and saw that Polly had already come. With one spring he was at her side, seized her in his arms, and imprinted on her lips what her father afterwards called the “stiffest nor’wester he’d ever seen.” At the time, however, the captain strode up to our philosopher with a frown.