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- 12109
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:14.846Z
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- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 12034
- text
- me of his manner, when we had started for London, from the sign of the
Golden Anchor, in Liverpool.
He was, indeed, in most wonderful spirits; at which I could not help
marveling; considering the cavity in his pockets; and that he was a
stranger in the land.
By noon he had selected his boarding-house, a private establishment,
where they did not charge much for their board, and where the
landlady’s butcher’s bill was not very large.
Here, at last, I left him to get his chest from the ship; while I
turned up town to see my old friend Mr. Jones, and learn what had
happened during my absence.
With one hand, Mr. Jones shook mine most cordially; and with the other,
gave me some letters, which I eagerly devoured. Their purport compelled
my departure homeward; and I at once sought out Harry to inform him.
Strange, but even the few hours’ absence which had intervened; during
which, Harry had been left to himself, to stare at strange streets, and
strange faces, had wrought a marked change in his countenance. He was a
creature of the suddenest impulses. Left to himself, the strange
streets seemed now to have reminded him of his friendless condition;
and I found him with a very sad eye; and his right hand groping in his
pocket.
“Where am I going to dine, this day week?”—he slowly said. “What’s to
be done, Wellingborough?”
And when I told him that the next afternoon I must leave him; he looked
downhearted enough. But I cheered him as well as I could; though
needing a little cheering myself; even though I _had_ got home again.
But no more about that.
Now, there was a young man of my acquaintance in the city, much my
senior, by the name of Goodwell; and a good natured fellow he was; who
had of late been engaged as a clerk in a large forwarding house in
South-street; and it occurred to me, that he was just the man to
befriend Harry, and procure him a place. So I mentioned the thing to my
comrade; and we called upon Goodwell.
I saw that he was impressed by the handsome exterior of my friend; and
in private, making known the case, he faithfully promised to do his
best for him; though the times, he said, were quite dull.
That evening, Goodwell, Harry, and I, perambulated the streets, three
abreast:—Goodwell spending his money freely at the oyster-saloons;
Harry full of allusions to the London Clubhouses: and myself
contributing a small quota to the general entertainment.
Next morning, we proceeded to business.
Now, I did not expect to draw much of a salary from the ship; so as to
retire for life on the profits of _my first voyage;_ but nevertheless,
I thought that a dollar or two might be coming. For dollars are
valuable things; and should not be overlooked, when they are owing.
Therefore, as the second morning after our arrival, had been set apart
for paying off the crew, Harry and I made our appearance on ship-board,
with the rest. We were told to enter the cabin; and once again I found
myself, after an interval of four months, and more, surrounded by its
mahogany and maple.
Seated in a sumptuous arm-chair, behind a lustrous, inlaid desk, sat
Captain Riga, arrayed in his City Hotel suit, looking magisterial as
the Lord High Admiral of England. Hat in hand, the sailors stood
deferentially in a semicircle before him, while the captain held the
ship-papers in his hand, and one by one called their names; and in
mellow bank notes—beautiful sight!—paid them their wages.
Most of them had less than ten, a few twenty, and two, thirty dollars
coming to them; while the old cook, whose piety proved profitable in
restraining him from the expensive excesses of most seafaring men, and
who had taken no pay in advance, had the goodly round sum of seventy
dollars as his due.
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