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Read Ebook: Hocken and Hunken A Tale of Troy by Quiller Couch Arthur
Font size: Background color: Text color: Add to tbrJar First Page Next PageEbook has 2596 lines and 91896 words, and 52 pagesBOOK I CHAPTER BOOK II CAPTAIN CAI HAULS ASHORE. "I never liked the life, notwithstandin'," confessed the Captain. "And I'll be fifty come Michaelmas. Isn' that enough?" "Nobody likes it, sir; not at our age. But all the same I reckon there be compensations." Mr Tregaskis, shading his eyes , let his gaze travel up the spars and rigging of the Barquentine--up to the truck of her maintopmast, where a gull had perched itself and stood with tail pointing like a vane. "If the truth were known, maybe your landsman on an average don't do as he chooses any more than we mariners." "Tut, man!" The Captain, who held the tiller, had ceased to look aft. His eyes were on the quay and the small town climbing the hillside above it in tier upon tier of huddled grey houses. "Why, damme! Your landsman chooses to live ashore, to begin with. What's more, he can walk where he has a mind to, no matter where the wind sits." Mr Tregaskis shook his head. Having no hat, he was able to do this, and it gave him some dialectical advantage over his skipper. "In practice, sir, you'd find it depend on who's left to mind the shop." "Home's home, all the same," said Captain Cai positively, thrusting over the tiller to round in for the landing-stairs. "I was born and reared in Troy, d'ye see? and as the sayin' goes--Steady on!" Nathaniel Berry, recovering his balance, rescued the headgear from the grip of his knees, gave it a polite brush the wrong way of the nap, and passed it aft to Ben Price. Ben--a bald-headed but able seaman--eyed it a moment, rubbed it the right way dubiously with his elbow, and handed it on to the mate; who in turn smoothed it with the palm of his hand, which--being an alert obliging man--he had dexterously wetted overside before the Captain could stop him. "That's no method to improve a hat," said Captain Hocken shortly, snatching it and wiping it with his handkerchief. He peered into it and pushed out a dent with his thumb. "The way this harbour's allowed to shoal is nothing short of a national disgrace!" He improved on this condemnation as, having pushed clear and brought his boat safely alongside, he climbed the steps and met the Quaymaster, who advanced to greet him with an ingratiating smile. "You've no idea, Cap'n Cai, the hard I work to keep this blessed quay tidy." "Work? Ay--like a pig's tail, I believe: goin' all day, and still in a twist come night." "Chide away--chide away, now! But you're welcome home for all that, Cap'n Cai,--welcome as a man's heart to his body." "Ahoy, there!" Captain Cai hailed, and made across at once for the invalid chair: for Mr Rogers was his man of business. "Lost no time in reportin' myself, you see." "To be sure I did. I've taken the two houses for 'ee, what's more, an' the leases be drawn ready to sign. . . . But where's your friend? He'll be welcome too--that is, if you don't hold three too many for a leg o' mutton?" "'Bias Hunken? . . . You didn't reckon I was bringing him along with me, did you?" "I reckoned nothin' at all, not knowin' the man." Mr Rogers dismissed the subject as the Quaymaster came sidling up to join them. Mild gossip was a passion with the Quaymaster, and eavesdropping his infirmity. "Well, Cap'n Cai, and so you've hauled ashore--and for good, if I hear true?" "For good it is, please God," answered Captain Cai, lifting his hat at the word. He was a simple man and a pious. "And a householder you've become already, by all accounts. I don't set much store by Town Quay talk as a rule--" "That's right," interrupted Mr Rogers. "There's no man ought to know its worth better than you, that sets most of it goin'." "Do they?" Captain Cai glanced at the ship-chandler for confirmation. "Well, then, I hope it is true." "Ah, to be sure!" agreed the honest captain, visibly relieved. But the Quaymaster persisted. "Yes, yes; there was talk of a friend o' yours, an' that you two were for settin' up house alongside one another. Hunken was the name, if I remember?" Again Captain Cai glanced at the ship-chandler. He was plainly puzzled, as the ship-chandler was plainly nettled. But he answered simply-- "That's it--'Bias Hunken." "Have I met the man, by any chance?" "No," said Captain Cai firmly, "you haven't, or you wouldn't ask the question. He's the best man ever wore shoe-leather, and you can trust him to the end o' the earth." "I can't say as I know a Hunken answerin' that description," Mr Bussa confessed dubiously. "You've heard the description, anyway," suggested Mr Rogers, losing patience. "And now, Peter Bussa, what d'ye say to running off and annoying somebody else?" The Quaymaster fawned, and was backing away. But at this point up came Barber Toy, who for some minutes had been fretting to attract Captain Cai's notice, and could wait no longer. "Hulloa, there! Is it Cap'n Cai?--an' still carryin' his gaff-tops'l, I see" . "Well, home you be, it seems, an' welcome as flowers in May!" "Thank 'ee, Toy." Captain Cai shook hands. "We was talkin' business," said the ship-chandler pointedly. "Then you might ha' waited for a better occasion," Mr Toy retorted. "Twasn' mannerly of ye, to say the least." "Better be unmannerly than troublesome, I've heard." "Better be both than unfeelin'. What! Leave Cap'n Cai, here, pass my door, an' never a home-comin' word?" "I was meanin' to pay you a visit straight away; indeed I was," said Captain Cai contritely. "Troy streets be narrow and full o' friends; and when a man's accustomed to sea-room--" He broke off and drew a long breath. "But O, friends, if you knew the good it is!" "Ay, Cap'n: East or West, home is best." "And too far East is West, as every sailor man knows. . . . There, now, take me along and think' that out while you're giving me a clip; for the longer you stand scratching your head the longer my hair's growing." He turned to Mr Rogers. "So long, soce! I'll be punctual at twelve-thirty--what's left of me." THE BARBER'S CHAIR. "Very likely." The Captain sighed again contentedly. "I take no truck in marriage, for my part. A friend's company enough for me." "What's his name, Cap'n? The whole town's dyin' to know." "He's called Hunken--Tobias Hunken." The barber paused, snapping his scissors and nodding. "Bussa was right then, or Bussa and Philp between 'em." "Hey?" "'Tis wonderful how news gets abroad in Troy. . . . 'Hunken,' now? And where might he be one of? I don't seem to fit the name in my mem'ry at all." Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page |
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