Your name is Roby, I believe, continued the seaman, advancing, and looking so large in comparison with the little room that he seemed almost to fill it.
The little old woman admitted that that was her name.
My name, said the seaman, is Wopper, tho Im oftener called Skipper, also Cappn, by those who know me.
Mrs Roby pointed to a chair and begged Captain Wopper to sit down, which he did after bestowing a somewhat pointed glance at the chair, as if to make sure that it could bear him.
You was a nuss once, Im told, continued the seaman, looking steadily at Mrs Roby as he sat down.
I was, answered the old woman, glancing at the photographs over the chimney-piece, in the same family for many years.
Youll excuse me, maam, continued the seaman, if I appear something inquisitive, I want to make sure that Ive boarded the right craft dee seeI mean, that you are the right ooman.
A look of surprise, not unmingled with humour, beamed from Mrs Robys twinkling black eyes as she gazed steadily in the seamans face, but she made no other acknowledgment of his speech than a slight inclination of her head, which caused her tall cap to quiver. Captain Wopper, regarding this as a favourable sign, went on.
You was once, maam, Im told, before bein a nuss in the family of which youve made mention, a matron, or somethin o that sort, in a foundlin hospitalin your young days, maam?
Again Mrs Roby admitted the charge, and demanded to know, what then?
Ah, jus sothats what Im comin to, said Captain Wopper, drawing his large hand over his beard. You was present in that hospital, maam, was you not, one dark November morning, when a porter-cask was left at the door by some person unknown, who cut his cable and cleared off before the door was opened,which cask, havin on its head two Xs, and bein labelled, This side up, with care, contained two healthy little babby boys?
Mrs Roby, becoming suddenly grave and interested, again said, I was.
Jus so, continued the captain, you seem to be the right craftooman, I meanthat Im in search of. These two boys, who were supposed to be brothers, because of their each havin a brown mole of exactly the same size and shape on their left arms, just below their elbows, were named Stout, after the thing in which they was headed up, the one bein christened James, the other Willum?
Yes, yes, replied the little old woman eagerly, and a sweet lovely pair they was when the head of that barrel was took off, lookin out of the straw in which they was packed like two little cheruphims, though they did smell strong of the double X, and was a little elevated because of the fumes that ung about the wood. But how do you come to know all this, sir, and why do you ask?
Excuse me, maam, replied the sailor with a smile, which curled up his huge moustache expressively,you shall know presently, but I must make quite sure that Im aboard ofthat is to say, that you are the right ooman. May I ask, maam, what became of these two cheruphims, as youve very properly named em?
Certainly, answered Mrs Roby, the elder boywe considered him the elder, because he was the first took out of the barrelwas a stoodious lad, and clever. He got into a railway company, I believe, and became a rich manmarried a lady, Im told,and changed his name to Stoutley, so tis said, not thinkin his right name suitable to his circumstances, which, to say truth, it wasnt, because he was very thin. Ive heard it said that his family was extravagant, and that he went to California to seek his brother, and look after some property, and died there, but Im not rightly sure, for he was a close boy, and latterly I lost all knowledge of him and his family.
And the other cheruphim, Willum, said the sailor, what of him?
Ah! exclaimed Mrs Roby, a flush suffusing her wrinkled countenance, while her black eyes twinkled more than usual, he was a jewel, he was. They said in the hospital that he was a wild good-for-nothing boy, but I never thought him so. He was always fond of mevery fond of me, and I of him. It is true he could never settle to anythink, and at last ran away to sea, when about twelve year old; but he didnt remain long at that either, for when he got to California, he left his ship, and was not heard of for a long time after that. I thought he was dead or drowned, but at last I got a letter from him, enclosing money, an saying he had been up at the noo gold-diggings, an had been lucky, dear boy, and he wanted to share his luck with me, an would never, never, forget me; but he didnt need to send me money to prove that. He has continued to send me a little every year since then;ah! its many, many years now,ay, ay, many years.
She sighed, and looked wistfully at the spark of fire in the grate that was making ineffectual attempts to boil the little tea-kettle with the defiant spout; but why, she continued, looking up suddenly, why do you ask about him?
Because I knew him, replied Captain Wopper, searching for something which appeared to be lost in the depths of one of his capacious pockets. Willum Stout was a chum of mine. We worked together at the Californy gold-mines for many a year as partners, and, when at last wed made what we thought enough, we gave it up an came down to San Francisco together, an set up a hotel, under the name of the Jolly Tars, by Stout and Company. I was the Company, maam; an, for the matter o that I may say I was the Stout too, for both of us answered to the Stout or the Company, accordin as we was addressed, dee see? When Company thought hed made enough money to entitle him to a holiday, he came home, as you see; but before leavin, Willum said to him, Company, my lad, wen you get home, youll go and see that old oom of the name of Roby, whom Ive often told you about. She lives in Lunun, somewheres down by the river in a place called Grubbs Court. She was very good to me, that old oom was, when she was young, as Ive told you before. You go an give her my blessinWillums blessinand this here bag and that there letter. Yes, says I, Willum, Ill do it, my boy, as soon as ever I set futt on British soil. I did set futt on British soil this morning, and theres the letter; also the bag; so, you see, old lady, Ive kep my promise.
Captain Wopper concluded by placing a small but heavy canvas bag, and a much-soiled letter, in Mrs Robys lap.
To say that the little old woman seized the letter with eager delight, would convey but a faint idea of her feelings as she opened it with trembling hands, and read it with her bright black eyes.
She read it half aloud, mingled with commentary, as she proceeded, and once or twice came to a pause over an illegible word, on which occasions her visitor helped her to the word without looking at the letter. This circumstance struck her at last as somewhat singular, for she looked up suddenly, and said, You appear, sir, to be familiar with the contents of my letter.
Thats true, maam, replied Captain Wopper, who had been regarding the old woman with a benignant smile; Willum read it to me before I left, a-purpose to enable me to translate the ill-made pot-hooks and hangers, because, dee see, we were more used to handlin the pick and shovel out there than the pen, an Willum used to say he never was much of a dab at a letter. He never wrote you very long ones, maam, I believe?