‘I’m not agoing to say—I’m not agoing to say!’ he cried with an accent of excitement that astonished me; ‘what’s the good of talking when you don’t know? Wouldn’t it be a sin to go and make promises to people in your condition and disappoint ’em? I can just tell ye this: that Baltimore itself never turned out a keel able to clip through it as this here Lady Blanche can when the chance is given her. And now,’ he exclaimed, changing his voice, ‘suppose we clear out of this, and go up into the daylight and fresh air;’ and without pausing for an answer he trudged off.
I handed Miss Temple up the ladder, and we gained the little cabin, or living-room as it might be termed. The young fellow who acted as steward or servant was busy at the glass-rack. The captain called to him, and peremptorily and most intelligently gave him certain instructions with respect to the clearing out and preparing of the berths below for our reception. He told him where he would find a spare mattress—‘Quite new, never yet slept on,’ he said, contorting his figure into a bow to Miss Temple—he had a couple of shawls and a homely old rug which had made several voyages, and these were to be put into her bunk; the man was to see that the lady lacked no convenience which the barque could afford. ‘The late Mr. Chicken’s mattress was to be given to me along with his bedding, if so be that I was willing to use the same.’ Other instructions, all expressive of foresight and hospitable consideration, he gave to the fellow, who then went forward to obtain help to clear out the cabins.
‘We are deeply indebted to you, captain,’ said I, ‘for this very generous behaviour’——
‘Not a word, sir, if you please,’ he interrupted. ‘I have a soul as well as another, and I know my duty. Lady, a hint: you have some fine jewelry upon you; take my advice and put it in your pocket.’
She was alarmed by this, and looked at me.
I smiled, and said, ‘The captain of a ship is Lord Paramount; his orders must be obeyed, Miss Temple.’
Without another word she began to pull off her rings, the skipper steadfastly watching her.
‘Will you take charge of them for me, Mr. Dugdale?’ said she.
I placed them in my pocket. She then took off a very beautiful diamond locket from her throat, and this I also carefully stowed away.
‘I will remove my earrings presently,’ she exclaimed with a slight flush in her cheek and a sparkle as of ire in her gaze, though her lips still indicated an emotion of dismay.