“Our passage home will be brief and pleasant, I should imagine, from the portion we have passed,” remarked Oriel Porphyry.
“There’s no knowin’ sir,” said old Hearty, seriously. “Sometimes it’s fair weather and sometimes it’s foul, and sometimes it’s a bit o’ both. The weather’s the most unsartaintest thing in nature; it puzzles the wisest on us. It’s quite optional whether it has a mind to blow one way or t’other, and sometimes it seems as if there was a reg’lar blow up wi’ ev’ry wind as blows, and they gets a skylarking wi’ one another most considerably.”
“I am very anxious to return to Columbia with as little delay as possible,” observed the young merchant. “My not having received any communication from my father, and my knowledge of the unsettled state of the country, makes me fear that the government have got the upper hand again, and that they have made my father the victim of their vengeance.”
“They daren’t harm him, sir,” replied the old man; “they daren’t harm a hair o’ his head; they knows of old how popular he is, and how popular he desarves to be; and they must have a pretty considerable winkin’ that they’ll be left among breakers if they ’tempts to steer that course. I arn’t no great politician, but it’s as plain as a marlin spike to me, that if they bore down upon master Porphyry after that fashion, they’d get such a broadside from the people as ’ould sew ’em all up in their hammocks in very little time.”
“I hope I shall arrive before they can execute their evil intentions, if such intentions they have,” remarked Oriel. “In case I should require their services, do you think I could depend on the crew of this ship?”
“On ev’ry mother’s son of ’em,” said the captain, with emphasis. “Ev’ry man in the vessel’s selected, and most ov ’em have sailed wi’ me at some time or other. There arn’t a braver or more skilful crew afloat; and if ’tis required that they shall bear a hand in defence o’ master Porphyry, I’ve got a notion there’s nothin’ they’d do wi’ half so much ’lacrity. Master Porphyry ha’ done so much good in his time that there’s scarcely a cretur livin’ as has’nt through his friends or relations profited by it in some degree, and it arn’t in the natur o’ a seaman not to be grateful. As for me, when I’ve had never a shot in the locker, master Porphyry, more nor once, has made me comfortable inside and out, and sent me afloat, laden wi’ summat else besides ballast; and if I don’t stand among the foremost in any shindy as you’ve a mind to kick up, and don’t sarve out the lubbers as would be tryin’ to circumvent your honourable old father, I’ll give you leave to slice me into pea-shells and dish me up into hogswash.”
“I’m perfectly satisfied with your fidelity, captain,” said the young merchant, “and I am very much gratified by hearing that I can depend upon the crew. There’s no knowing what may happen, and you and your men might render me service of the highest value. If the struggle I anticipate is to be made, every brave man will be an important acquisition.”
“If we could only get together all the craft as master Porphyry possesses, scrunch me! if we shouldn’t be able to turn ’em inside out, wi’ as much ease as a fellow might take in a reef,” exclaimed the old man.
“That cannot be done without the sacrifice of more time than I can spare,” observed Oriel. “My great object is to arrive in the metropolis before the government can find an opportunity for working out its schemes, as I feel convinced that they only wait occasion to resume the influence of which they were dispossessed. If I am in time to prevent their intrigues, I will speedily take such measures as shall put it out of their power to make any attempt of the kind; and if the mischief should be done previous to my arrival, I will make such a stir in the country as shall shake them out of their ill-got authority before they have had time to exercise it.”
“I maintain that the ancients greatly excel us!” exclaimed Fortyfolios in a loud voice, as he approached the place where the captain and the young merchant were conversing.