ts, meanwhile,
to the question of what would be the best course for me to pursue under
my mother's altered circumstances. She was now absolutely dependent
upon me for food and clothing, for the funds requisite to maintain the
household--for _everything_, in fact, save the roof that covered her;
and it needed no very abstruse calculation to convince us that my wages
as chief mate were wholly inadequate to the demands that would now be
made upon them. If only I could but obtain a command, all would be
well; but I had no interest whatever outside the employ in which I was
then engaged; and I had already received a distinct assurance from my
owners that I should be appointed to the first suitable vacancy. But--
as I had taken the trouble to ascertain immediately upon my arrival
home--the prospect of any vacancy, suitable or otherwise, was growing
more remote and intangible every day; steamers were cutting out the
sailing craft in every direction; freights were low and scarce; and
ships were being laid up by the hundred, in every port of any
consequence, for want of profitable employment. Still, there were
exceptions to this rule; and I had met an old shipmate of mine, only a
few days before, in London, who, in command of his own ship, was doing
exceedingly well. And, as my meeting with him and our subsequent chat
recurred to my memory, the thought suggested itself, "Why should not I,
too, command my own ship?"

I had a little money--a legacy of a few hundreds left me by an uncle
some years previously; and there was my share of the salvage money: it
might be possible to obtain a command by purchasing an interest in a
ship! Or, better still, I might be able to acquire the sole ownership
of a craft large enough for my purpose by executing a mortgage on the
ship for the balance of the purchase-money.

The idea was worth thinking over, and talking over also; and, since
there is no time like the present, I determined to call upon an old
family friend--a retired solicitor, named Richards--forthwith.

I was fortunate enough to find the old gentleman at home when at length
I had made my way over the bridge, up through the town, and along the
esplanade, to his comfortable villa on the Dorchester road. He was
pottering about in his garden when I was announced; and the smart
parlour-maid who took my card to him quickly returned with a message
requesting that I would join him there. He seemed genuinely glad to see
me; and, li