_Shallow._ I know the young gentlewoman; she has good gifts.
_Evans._ Seven hundred pounds, and possibilities, is good gifts.
Shakspeare.
As for Spike, he had no intention of going to the southward of the
Florida Reef again until his business called him there. The lost bag of
doubloons was still gleaming before his imagination, and no sooner did
the Poughkeepsie bear up, than he shortened sail, standing back and
forth in his narrow and crooked channel, rather losing ground than
gaining, though he took great pains not to let his artifice be seen.
When the Poughkeepsie was so far to the northward as to render it safe,
he took in everything but one or two of his lowest sails, and followed
easily in the same direction. As the sloop-of-war carried her light
and loftier sails, she remained visible to the people of the Swash
long after the Swash had ceased to be visible to her. Profiting by this
circumstance, Spike entered the main channel again some time before it
was dark, and selected a safe anchorage there that was well known to
him; a spot where sufficient sand had collected on the coral to make
good holding ground, and where a vessel would be nearly embayed, though
always to windward of her channel going out, by the formation of the
reef. Here he anchored, in order to wait until morning ere he ventured
further north. During the whole of that dreadful day, Rose had remained
in her cabin, disconsolate, nearly unable, as she was absolutely
unwilling to converse. Now it was that she felt the total insufficiency
of a mind feeble as that of her aunt's to administer consolation to
misery like her own. Nevertheless, the affectionate solicitude of Mrs.
Budd, as well as that of the faithful creature, Biddy, brought some
relief, and reason and resignation began slowly to resume their
influence. Yet was the horrible picture of Harry, dying by inches,
deserted in the midst of the waters on his solitary rock, ever present
to her thoughts, until, once or twice, her feelings verged on madness.
Prayer brought its customary relief, however; and we do not think that
we much exaggerate the fact, when we say that Rose passed fully one-half
of that terrible afternoon on her knees.
As for Jack Tier, he was received on board the brig much as if nothing
had happened. Spike passed and repassed him fifty times, without even an
angry look, or a word of abuse; and the deputy-steward dropped quietly
into the duties of his office, without meeting with either reproach
or hindrance. The only allusion, indeed, that was made to his recent
adventures, took place in a conversation that was held on the subject in
the galley, the interlocutors being Jack himself, Josh, the steward, and
Simon, the cook.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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