The agents conducted
their parley from a boat, and only made off on being threatened with a
bucket of slops. I kept the ship's guns loaded, and set on a double
watch, night and day. His wife's peril threw Obed into a state of
apprehension so pitiable that I began to fear for his mind. Margit, on
the other hand, behaved with the coolest composure: and I had some
trouble in persuading her to remain below decks and out of sight.
She relied cheerfully on us and on the crew, every man of whom she had
bound to her (I suppose by her remarkable beauty) in the completest
loyalty.
In five weeks Mr. '--' had spent at least as many thousands of pounds; and
still matters were at a stand when, one day, Mr. Tomlinson reported a
boat under our quarter demanding speech with us. I went to the side and
saw a tall lank-haired man, in a suit of white duck, standing in the
stern-sheets with the tiller-lines in his hands.
"No pigtail on me, Cap!" he bawled. "I'm Oliphant Q. Wills, of the
American barque _Independence_: and I want to come aboard." He pointed
to his vessel, which had entered the river soon after us, and now lay,
ready for sea, two cables distant from us.
I saw no reason for refusing; and in less than a minute he came running
up the ladder, and introduced himself again. "Business," said he; so I
led him to my cabin.
"Hullo!" said he, looking over the floor.
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