Part 40 (1/2)
But all that was easy enough. The worst thing was, it came so expensive--50 is a lot of money,” and he sighed.
”50?” said Nickelsen, looking up sharply. ”What do you mean?”
Thor Smith rapped his gla.s.s, and said with mock solemnity:
”Our efforts in the cause of freedom having met with the success they deserve, we naturally look to you, as the intended victim, for reimburs.e.m.e.nt of all costs incurred in effecting your deliverance.
And we hope after this you'll have the sense to know when you're well off, and not go running your head into a noose again, old man. Three cheers for Old Nick--hurrah!”
It was a festive evening, culminating in a song written specially for the occasion:
”Our dear Old Nick is a queer old stick, And a bachelor gay was he, Till the widow's charms occasioned alarms, In the rest of the Company.
This will never do, said we, We must settle affairs with she, So we played for Old Nick, and we won the trick, And a bachelor still is he-- Give it with three times three-- A bachelor gay, and we hope he may Continue so to be!”
XVII
THE _EVA MARIA_
”Close on seven-and-thirty years now since I came aboard as skipper of the _Eva Maria_, and you can understand, Nils Petter, it's a bit queer like for me to be handing her over now to anyone else,” said old Bernt Jorgensen solemnly. His brother, Nils Petter, listened respectfully.
”Never a thing gone wrong. I've always been able to reckon out exactly what the four trips to Scotland and Holland each summer brought in; but then, as you know, Nils Petter, I didn't go dangling about on sh.o.r.e with the other skippers, throwing money away on whisky and such-like trash.”
”No, you've always been a steady one,” said Nils Petter quietly.
”Ay, steady it is, and steady it's got to be, and keep a proper account of everything. In winter, when I was at home with the mother, I'd always go through all expenses I'd had the summer past; that way I could keep an eye on every little thing.”
”Ay, you've been careful enough about little things, that's true. I remember that tar bucket we threw overboard once. We never heard the last of it all that winter.”
”It's just that very thing, Nils Petter, that I've got to thank for having a bit laid by, or anyhow, the _Eva Maria's_ free of debt, and that's all I ask.” Old Bernt was not anxious to go into details as to the nice little sum he had laid up with Van Hegel in Amsterdam, not to speak of the little private banking account that had been growing so steadily for years.
”Not but that I've need enough to earn a little more,” he went on; ”but I've made up my mind now to give up the sea, though it's hard to leave the old _Eva Maria_ that's served me so well.”
Bernt Jorgensen had been very doubtful about handing over the vessel to Nils Petter's command. Nils was a good seaman enough, but with one serious failing: he invariably ran riot when he got ash.o.r.e, and there was no holding him.
Still, Nils Petter was his only brother, and perhaps when he found himself skipper he would come to feel the responsibility of his position, and improve accordingly. Anyhow, one could but try it.
Nils Petter stood watching his brother attentively, as the latter solemnly concluded: ”Well, you're skipper of the _Eva Maria_ from now on, Nils Petter, and I hope and trust you'll bear in mind the duty you owe to G.o.d and your owners.”
Nils Petter grasped his brother's hand and shook it so heartily that Bernt could feel it for days--it was at any rate a reminder that Nils Petter had serious intentions of reforming.
But Nils Petter was the happy man! First of all, he had to go ash.o.r.e and tell the good news to his old friend, Trina Th.o.r.esen, who, it may be noted, had been one of his former sweethearts. She had married Th.o.r.esen as the only means of avoiding a scandal, and murmured resignedly as she did so: ”Ah, well, it can't be helped. Nils Petter can't marry us all, poor fellow!”
Nils Petter's large, round face was one comprehensive smile, and his huge fists all but crushed the life out of Schoolmaster Pedersen, who was impudent enough to offer his hand in congratulation. ”Skipper!”
said Nils Petter. ”Captain, you mean--he--he!” and he laughed till the houses echoed half-way up the street, and Mrs. Pedersen looked out of the window to see what all the noise was about.
Nils Petter was undoubtedly the most popular character in the town; he was intimate with every one, regardless of s.e.x or social standing.
”A cheery, good-natured soul,” was the general estimate of Nils Petter--somewhat too cheery, perhaps, at times; but never so much so that he abused his gigantic strength, of which wonderful stories were told. At any rate it took a great deal to move him to anger.
He was in constant difficulties about money, for as often as he had any to spare, he would give it away or lend it. Now and again, when especially hard up, he would apply to his ”rich brother” as he called him, and never failed to receive a.s.sistance, together with a long sermon on the evils of extravagance, which he listened to most penitently, but the meaning of which he had never to this day been able to realise himself.