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- receive three dollars per month for my services? Well, Captain Riga, I
have gone out with you, and returned; and now, sir, I’ll thank you for
my pay.”
“Ah, yes, I remember,” said the captain. _“Mr. Jones!_ Ha! ha! I
remember Mr. Jones: a very gentlemanly gentleman; and stop—_you,_ too,
are the son of a wealthy French importer; and—let me think—was not your
great-uncle a barber?”
“No!” thundered I.
“Well, well, young gentleman, really I beg your pardon. Steward, chairs
for the young gentlemen—be seated, young gentlemen. And now, let me
see,” turning over his accounts— “Hum, hum!—yes, here it is:
Wellingborough Redburn, at three dollars a month. Say four months,
that’s twelve dollars; less three dollars advanced in Liverpool—that
makes it nine dollars; less three hammers and two scrapers lost
overboard— that brings it to four dollars and a quarter. I owe you four
dollars and a quarter, I believe, young gentleman?”
“So it seems, sir,” said I, with staring eyes.
“And now let me see what you owe me, and then well be able to square
the yards, Monsieur Redburn.”
Owe _him!_ thought I—what do I owe him but a grudge, but I concealed my
resentment; and presently he said, “By running away from the ship in
Liverpool, you forfeited your wages, which amount to twelve dollars;
and as there has been advanced to you, in money, hammers, and scrapers,
seven dollars and seventy-five cents, you are therefore indebted to me
in precisely that sum. Now, young gentleman, I’ll thank you for the
money;” and he extended his open palm across the desk.
“Shall I pitch into him?” whispered Harry.
I was thunderstruck at this most unforeseen announcement of the state
of my account with Captain Riga; and I began to understand why it was
that he had till now ignored my absence from the ship, when Harry and I
were in London. But a single minute’s consideration showed that I could
not help myself; so, telling him that he was at liberty to begin his
suit, for I was a bankrupt, and could not pay him, I turned to go.
Now, here was this man actually turning a poor lad adrift without a
copper, after he had been slaving aboard his ship for more than four
mortal months. But Captain Riga was a bachelor of expensive habits, and
had run up large wine bills at the City Hotel. He could not afford to
be munificent. Peace to his dinners.
“Mr. Bolton, I believe,” said the captain, now blandly bowing toward
Harry. “Mr. Bolton, _you_ also shipped for three dollars per month: and
you had one month’s advance in Liverpool; and from dock to dock we have
been about a month and a half; so I owe you just one dollar and a half,
Mr. Bolton; and here it is;” handing him six two-shilling pieces.
“And this,” said Harry, throwing himself into a tragical attitude,
_“this_ is the reward of my long and faithful services!”
Then, disdainfully flinging the silver on the desk, he exclaimed,
“There, Captain Riga, you may keep your tin! It has been in _your_
purse, and it would give me the itch to retain it. Good morning, sir.”
“Good morning, young gentlemen; pray, call again,” said the captain,
coolly bagging the coins. His politeness, while in port, was
invincible.
Quitting the cabin, I remonstrated with Harry upon his recklessness in
disdaining his wages, small though they were; I begged to remind him of
his situation; and hinted that every penny he could get might prove
precious to him. But he only cried _Pshaw!_ and that was the last of
it.
Going forward, we found the sailors congregated on the forecastle-deck,
engaged in some earnest discussion; while several carts on the wharf,
loaded with their chests, were just in the act of driving off, destined
for the boarding-houses uptown. By the looks of our shipmates, I saw
very plainly that they must have some mischief under weigh; and so it
turned out.
- title
- Chunk 4