"Go along," said the captain. "Five hundred pounds? Yes?"

"That sum of money," pursued the young fisherman, entering with the
greatest earnestness on his demonstration, while the captain eyed him
with equal earnestness, "was all my late father possessed. When he died,
he owed no man more than he left means to pay, but he had been able to
lay by only five hundred pounds."

"Five hundred pounds," repeated the captain. "Yes?"

"In his lifetime, years before, he had expressly laid the money aside to
leave to my mother,--like to settle upon her, if I make myself
understood."

"Yes?"

"He had risked it once--my father put down in writing at that time,
respecting the money--and was resolved never to risk it again."

"Not a spectator," said the captain. "My country wouldn't have suited
him. Yes?"

"My mother has never touched the money till now. And now it was to have
been laid out, this very next week, in buying me a handsome share in our
neighbouring fishery here, to settle me in life with Kitty."

The captain's face fell, and he passed and repassed his sun-browned right
hand over his thin hair, in a discomfited manner.

"Kitty's father has no more than enough to live on, even in the sparing