“All right, sir,” replied Herbert, taking the proffered seat; “I’ll do so.”
“By the way,” interrupted the Captain, “before you talk about yourself, tell me about your father.”
“You know that father is dead?” began Herbert.
“Yes, I know that,” answered the other, “but I want some details about it.”
“All right, I’ll try to give them to you.”
“By the way,” he interrupted again, as Herbert started to talk, “will you have a glass of grog to wet your whistle?”
“No, sir,” replied Herbert, “I don’t drink.”
“Good for you; you’re a good deal better without it; but an old salt like myself couldn’t do without his pipe and his grog, especially in his old days.”
Herbert then proceeded to tell the old sailor all about his father, and when he spoke of the mysterious midnight visit and the cloud of false rumors that had arisen therefrom the Captain’s face clouded and he walked up and down the floor of his little cabin shaking his fist.
“The lubbers!” he shouted, “they ought to have been tied to the mast and given a dose of a cat o’ nine tails.”
Having finished this part of his narrative, Herbert then proceeded to tell the story of his own life, and at its conclusion the old salt put out his brawny hand, and taking Herbert’s, gave it a hearty grasp.
“Your story is mighty interesting. I’m mighty glad to hear it, and I think I am in a position to be your friend.”
“I am glad of that,” responded Herbert, “and I’m very curious to find out the real meaning of that midnight visit.”
“I’ll give it to you, my boy, and in mighty quick order. I was a boyhood chum of your father. We grew up together, went to school together, and one never had a thing that wasn’t shared by the other. I had no idea of the sea in my youth; but shortly after I got to be a boy of about your age I was entrusted with a sum of money belonging to another person. I was a sort of trustee. In an evil moment some fellow came along and showed me how it would be possible to double the money without any risk. I tried it, and lost every cent. While I was in this condition, I was called upon to make an accounting of the trust money. In my extremity I went to your father and explained everything. He gave me every penny that he had in the world in order to make good the loss, and my reputation was saved and I had learned a lesson that I have never forgotten since then. I was a wild boy in my younger days. I owed a great deal of money, and finally determined to take to the sea as a means of cooling down my hot blood. During the next ten years I sailed over every part of the civilized globe. I became a master and traded extensively in the Chinese seas. I was fortunate, made money, and finally came home to retire upon my savings.