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As soon as the report of the guns had died away, Foster sprang into one of his quarter-boats and hailed the other ship. "Ship ahoy!" he roared "why do you fire at me?" "Ha, ha! I know you," came back in mocking tones. "Now vill I sendt you to der tuyvel, you greasy valer mans. I am Captain Portveldt, und dis is der Swift. Vill you surrunder, or vill I smash you to beices?"
"I do not consider masters of merchantmen gentlemen," replied Dolly with a slight sniff. "My father is an officer in the King's service, and I have been taught to " "Ha, ha! Mees Dorotee," laughed Portveldt good-humouredly, "dot is nod so. Your baba is but a gommissary who puys de goots vich I bring me from Batavia to sell." "How dare you talk like that, sir?
Portveldt, a tall, well-made fellow, and handsomely dressed, stared at Foster's retreating figure in angry astonishment, then changing his mind about first visiting the Commissary, he opened the garden gate, and came suddenly upon Dorothy Scarsbrook seated upon a rustic bench, weeping bitterly. "My tear yong lady, vat is de matter? I beg you to led me gomfort you."
Then, rising with great dignity, she bowed and went on: "Of course I am deeply sensible of the great honour that you do me, but I can never be your wife." And then to herself: "I fancy that I have replied in a very proper manner." "Vy, vat vas der wrong aboud me, Mees Dorotee?" pleaded Portveldt "I vas feery yoyful in mein mind tinking dot you did loaf me some liddle bid.
But don't try on any boarding tricks, or you will be the worse for it." The meeting between the two skippers, notwithstanding the cause, was good-humoured enough, for Portveldt, apart from his boastfulness, was not a bad fellow. "No, no," answered Foster, "I am not so bad as all that Come below and have a glass of grog."
I vill dake care dot you und your beople shall not be hurt, because I do loaf you ferry mooch. Der master of der Mary Ann vill dell you I vas ferry goot to him for your sake. I did but take his gargo, and did give him und his grew liberdy to go to Sydney und dake this letter to you, mein vrau, in der dime to gom, as I did dell him. I remain your loafing Richard Portveldt."
"Mees Dorotee," he began ponderously, "de trood is dot I vas goming to see you to dell you I vas ferry mooch in loaf mid you, und to ask you to be mein vifes; but now dot you do veep so mooch, I " "Say no more if you please, Mr. Portveldt," said Dolly, hastily drying her eyes.
I will not pretend that I do not understand your meaning, but I tell you, once and for all, I don't want to be married. Really," and she smiled brightly, "you are as bad as Mr. Portveldt." "Very well, Miss Dorothy," said Foster with annoying equanimity, "I won't allude to the subject again. But what has the Dutchman been doing? Where is he now?" Dolly laughed merrily.
So thought Captain Portveldt, who now hailed the Policy in not quite so boastful a voice as when the vessels met earlier in the day. "Captain Voster, I haf hauled down mein flag. Mein grew will vight no more, and I must surrender." A cheer broke from the whaler's crew. "Very well, Captain Portveldt," called out Foster; "lower a boat, and come on board with half your crew.
You ought to know that to turn back means an empty ship. It is our duty to go to our proper cruising ground and cruise till we are a full ship; and all the infernal Dutchmen in the world mustn't frighten us." "Very good, sir," said the old mate cheerfully, "but, all the same, I don't want us to get served like that fellow Portveldt served the old Mary Ann." Another five weeks passed.
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