FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134  
135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   >>   >|  
c, or by his most careless nod in the street. But "my Lord" does not know that this is a paper currency that represents no capital, that it is not convertible at will, and is never a legal tender; and consequently, as a requital for actual _bona fide_ services, is about as honest a payment as a flash note. It was no breach of my principle that I accepted Sir Dudley's offer. Our acquaintance began by my rendering him a service; and I was as free to leave him that hour, and, I own, as ready to do so, if occasion permitted, as he could be to get rid of me; and it was not long before the occasion presented itself for exercising these views. As I lay thus, ruminating on my past fortunes, Halkett descended the steerage-ladder, followed by Felborg, the Dane; and, approaching my hammock, held a light to my face for a few seconds. "Still asleep?" said Halkett. "Poor boy! he has never awoke since I dressed his wound this morning. I 'm sure it's better; so let us leave him so." "Ay, ay," said the Dane, "let him sleep; bad tidings come soon enough, without one's being awoke to hear them. But do you think he 'll do it?" added he, with lower and more anxious tone. "He has said so; and I never knew him fail in his promise when it was a cruel one." "Have you no influence over him, Halkett? Could you not speak for the boy?" "I have done all I could,--more than perhaps it was safe to do. I told him I could n't answer for the men, if he were to shoot him on board; and he replied to me short, 'I 'll take the fellow ashore with me alone; neither you nor they have any right to question what you are not to witness.'" "Well, when I get back to Elsinore, it's to a prison and heavy irons I shall go for life, that's certain; but I 'd face it all rather than live the life we've done now for twenty months past." "Hush! speak low!" said the other. "I suppose others are weary of it as well as you. Many a man has to live a bad life just because he started badly." "I 'm sorry for the boy!" sighed the Dane; "he was a bold and fearless fellow." "I am sorry for him too. It was an evil day for him when he joined us. Well, well, what would he have become if he had lived a year or two on board!" "He has no father nor mother," said the Dane, "that's something. I lost mine, too, when I was nine years old; and it made me the reckless devil I became ever after. I was n't sixteen when the crew of the 'Tre-Kroner' mutinied, and I led the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134  
135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Halkett
 

occasion

 

fellow

 
ashore
 

replied

 

fearless

 

mutinied

 

mother

 

father

 

question


answer

 
joined
 

sixteen

 
months
 
twenty
 

suppose

 

Elsinore

 

prison

 

sighed

 

witness


reckless

 

started

 

Kroner

 

Dudley

 

acquaintance

 
accepted
 

principle

 

payment

 

breach

 

rendering


presented

 

permitted

 
service
 

honest

 

currency

 

represents

 

street

 

careless

 

capital

 

convertible


actual
 
services
 

requital

 

tender

 

exercising

 
tidings
 

promise

 
anxious
 
morning
 

descended