What is this? said Mrs Stoutley, holding the paper gingerly with the tips of her fingers, WipWapWopper! What is Wopper? Is the person a man or a woman?
The footman, who, although well-bred, found it difficult to restrain a smile, intimated that the person was a man, and added, that he said he had come from California, and wanted to see Mrs Stoutley very particularly.
On hearing this, the ladys manner changed at once, and, with more animation than she had yet exhibited, she desired that he should be shown in.
With his large wide-awake in one hand, and a canvas bag in the other, Captain Wopper entered the drawing-room, and looked around him with a beaming and rather bashful smile.
Mrs Stoutley, I believe, he said, advancing, and Miss Emma Gray, I suppose, he added, turning with a beaming glance towards the young lady.
Mrs Stoutley admitted that he was right, and expressed some surprise that he, a perfect stranger, should be so well acquainted with their names.
I am indeed a stranger personally, maam, said Captain Wopper, smoothing the hair down on his rugged brow, but I may be said to know you pretty well, seeing that I have for many years been the friend and messmate of your late husbands brother in Californy.
Indeed! exclaimed Mrs Stoutley, with increasing animation, as she rose and held out her hand; any friend of my brother-in-law is heartily welcome. Be seated, Mr Wopper, and let me hear about him. He was very kind to my dear husband during his last illnessvery kind. I shall never forget him.
No doubt he was, said the Captain, accepting the chair which Emma Gray handed to him, with looks of great interest. Thank ee, Miss. Willum Stoutexcuse my familiarity, maam, I always called him Willum, because we was like brothersmore than brothers, I may say, an very friendly. Yes, Willum Stout was kind to his brother in his last days. It would have bin shame to him if he hadnt for your husband, maam, was kind to Willum, an he often said to me, over the camp-fires in the bush, that hed never forget his kindness. But its over now, continued the seaman in a sad tone, an poor Willum is left alone.
Is my uncle very poor? asked Lewis, who had been paying more attention to the appearance of their rugged visitor than to what he had said.
Ay, very poor, replied the seaman, as regards near relations, leastwise such as he has seen and known in former days, but he ant poor as regards gold. Hes got lots of that. He and I worked not far from each other for years, an he used to hit upon good claims somehow, and shovelled up the nuggets like stones.
Indeed! I wish hed send a few of them this way, exclaimed Lewis, with a careless laugh.
No doubt he might do so, young man, if he knew you were in need of em, but your father gave him to understand that his family was rich.
Rich! exclaimed Lewis, with a smile, in which there was a touch of contempt. Well, yes, we were rich enough once, but when my father was away these wretched mines became
Lewie! exclaimed his mother, hastily, what nonsense you do talk! Really, one would think from your account that we were paupers.
Well, mother, so we arepaupers to this extent at least, that we cant afford to take a run to Switzerland, though ordered to do so for your health, because we lack funds.
Lewis said this half petulantly, for he had been a spoilt child, and might probably have been by that time a ruined young man, but for the mercy of his Creator, who had blessed him with an amiable disposition. He was one of those youths, in short, of whom people say that they cant be spoiled, though fond and foolish parents do their best to spoil them.
You mis-state the case, naughty boy, said Mrs Stoutley, annoyed at being thus forced to touch on her private affairs before a stranger. No doubt our ready cash is what our man-of-business calls locked up, but that, you know, is only a matter of temporary inconvenience, and cannot last long.
As Mrs Stoutley paused and hesitated, their visitor placed on the table a canvas bag, which, up to this point he had rested on one knee.
This bag, he said, of nuggets, is a gift from Willum. He desired me to deliver it to you, Miss Gray, as a small acknowledgment of your kindness in writin so often to him. Hed have bought you a silk gown, or a noo bonnet, so he said, but wasnt sure as to your taste in such matters, and thought youd accept the nuggets and buy it for yourself. Leastwise, thats somethin like the speech Willum tried to tell me to deliver, but he warnt good at speech-makin no more than I at remembrin, and hoped youd take the will for the deed.
With a flush of surprise and pleasure, Emma Gray accepted both the will and the deed, with many expressions of gratitude, and said, that as she did not require either a silk dress or a bonnet just then, she would invest her little fortune; she would lend it at high interest, to a lady under temporary inconvenience, who was ordered by her doctor to Switzerland for the benefit of her health. To this Mrs Stoutley protested very earnestly that the lady in question would not accept the loan on any consideration; that it must not be diverted from its destined use, but be honestly expended on silk-dresses and new bonnets. To which Emma replied, that the destiny of the gift, with interest (she was very particular on that head), should be fulfilled in good time, but that meanwhile it must be lent out.
In the midst of a cross-fire of this kind the bag was opened, and its contents poured on the table, to the immense admiration of all the company, none of whom had, until that day, beheld gold in its native condition.
How much may it be worth, Mr Wopper? asked Lewis, weighing one of the largest lumps.
About two hundred pound, I should say, more or less, replied the seaman.
Indeed! exclaimed the youth in surprisean exclamation which was echoed by his mother and cousin in modified tones.
While they sat thus toying with the lumps of gold, the conversation reverted to the sender of it, and the Captain told such entertaining anecdotes of bush life, in all of which Uncle Willum had been an actor, that the afternoon arrived before Mrs Stoutley had time to wish for it. They also talked of the last illness of the deceased father of the family; and when it came out that Captain (they had found out by that time that their visitor had been a skipper, and, by courtesy, a captain), had assisted Willum in nursing Mr Stoutley, and had followed him to the grave, Mrs Stoutleys gratitude was such that she insisted on her visitor staying to dinner.
Thank ee, maam, he said, Ive dined. I always dines at one oclock if I can manage it.
But we dont dine till eight, said the lady, so it will just suit for your supper.
Do come, said Emma Gray, we shall be quite alone, and shall have a great spinning of yarns over Uncle William and the gold-fields.
Well, I dont mind if I do, said the Captain, but before supper I must go to the docks for my kit and settle my lodgings.
I am going to the Strand, and shall be happy to give you a lift, said Lewis.
The Captain accepted the offer, and as they drove along, he and his young friend became very intimate, insomuch that Lewis, who was lighthearted, open, and reckless, let him into his confidence, and spoke quite freely about his mothers difficulties. It is only justice to add that the Captain did not encourage him in this. When, however, the youth spoke of himself, he not only encouraged him, but drew him out. Among other things, he drew out of him the fact that he was in the habit of gambling, and that he fully expectedif his usual luck attended himto assist in adding to the fund which was to take the family abroad.