Part 15 (1/2)
Well, anyhow, he would go and buy some addition to his outfit. He had read books about Greenland, and he knew what to purchase. Everything must be rough and warm.
When he had made his purchases he found he had only thirty s.h.i.+llings remaining of all his savings.
As he was bargaining for a pair of thick mitts a gentleman entered the shop and bade the young woman who had been serving Harry a kindly good morning.
”What can I do for you to-day, Captain Hardy?” asked the woman, with a smile.
”Ah! well,” returned the captain, ”I really didn't want anything, you know. Just looked in to have a peep at your pretty face, that's all.”
”Oh, Captain Hardy, you're not a bit changed since you were here last season.”
”No, Miss Mitford, no; the seasons may change, but Captain Hardy--never.
Well, I'll have a couple of pairs of worsted gloves; no fingers in them, only a thumb.”
”Anything else?”
”Come, now to think of it, May-day will come before many months, and--”
”Oh, sly Captain Hardy,” said Miss Mitford, with a bit of a blush, ”you want some ribbons to hang on the garland [Note 1]. Now I daresay you have quite a pocketful, the gifts of other young ladies.”
”'Pon honour, Miss Mitford, I--”
”No more, Captain Hardy. There?” she added, handing him a little packet, ”they are of all the new colours, too.”
”Well, well, well, I daresay they are delightfully pretty, but I'm sure I sha'n't remember the names of one-half of them.”
”And when do you sail?”
”Oh, I was going to tell you. The _Inuita_ is going first this year.
Will be first among the seals, Miss Mitford, and first home.”
”And I trust with a full s.h.i.+p.”
”G.o.d bless you for saying that, my birdie. Well, we're off the day after to-morrow at four o'clock. Good-bye; come and see you again before I sail.”
And off dashed Captain Hardy of the good s.h.i.+p _Inuita_.
A great kindly-eyed man he was, with an enormous brown beard, which I daresay he oiled, for it glittered in the winter suns.h.i.+ne like the back of a boatman beetle.
”One of the best-hearted men that ever lived,” said Miss Mitford to Harry, as soon as he was gone; ”strict in discipline, though; but his officers and men all love him, and he has the same first mate every year. May Providence protect the dear man, for he has a wild and stormy sea to cross!”
Harry soon after left the shop.
”The _Inuita_,” he said to himself--”the _Inuita_, Captain Hardy, sails the day after to-morrow at four o'clock. Well, I'll try, and if I fail, then--I must fail, that's all.”
This was on a Thursday, next day was Friday. On this day it is supposed to be unlucky to sail. At all events, Captain Hardy did not mean to.
Not that he was superst.i.tious, but his men might be, and sure enough, if they afterwards came to grief in any way, they would lose heart and make such remarks as the following:
”Nothing more than we could have expected.”