The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands by Robert Michael Ballantyne (classic novels txt) 📖

not unfrequently under a hedge-- until at last he found himself in the town of Ramsgate.

Here he made inquiries of various people, and immediately set forth again on his travels through the land until he reached a remote part of the coast of England, where he found his further progress checked by the sea, but, by dint of begging a free passage from fishermen here and there, he managed at last to reach one of our outlying reefs, where, on a small islet, a magnificent lighthouse reared its white and stately column, and looked abroad upon the ocean, with its glowing eye. There was a small village on the islet, in which dwelt a few families of fishermen. They were a hard-working community, and appeared to be contented and happy.

The lighthouse occupied an elevated plateau above the cliffs at the sea-ward extremity of the isle, about quarter of a mile distant from the fishing village. Thither the old man wended his way. The tower, rising high above shrubs and intervening rocks, rendered a guide unnecessary. It was a calm evening. The path, which was narrow and rugged, wound its serpentine course amid grey rocks, luxuriant brambles, grasses, and flowering shrubs. There were no trees. The want of shelter on that exposed spot rendered their growth impossible. The few that had been planted had been cut down by the nor'-west wind as with a scythe.

As he drew near to the lighthouse, the old man observed a woman sitting on a stool in front of the door, busily engaged with her needle, while three children--two girls and a boy--were romping on the grass plat beside her. The boy was just old enough to walk with the steadiness of an exceedingly drunk man, and betrayed a wonderful tendency to sit down suddenly and gaze--astonished! The girls, apparently though not really twins, were just wild enough to enjoy their brother's tumbles, and helped him to accomplish more of them than would have resulted from his own incapacity to walk.

A magnificent black Newfoundland dog, with grey paws and a benignant countenance, couched beside the woman and watched the children at play. He frequently betrayed a desire to join them in their gambols, but either laziness or a sense of his own dignity induced him to sit still.

"Nora," called the mother, who was a young and exceedingly beautiful mother, "Nora, come here; go tell your father that I see a stranger coming up the path. Quick, darling."

Little Nora bounded away like a small fairy, with her fair curls streaming in the wind which her own speed created.

"Katie," said the mother, turning to her second daughter, "don't rumple him up quite so violently. You must remember that he is a tiny fellow yet, and can't stand such rough treatment."

"But he likes it, ma," objected Katie, with a look of glee, although she obeyed the order at once. "Don't you, Morley?"

Little Morley stopped in the middle of an ecstatic laugh, scrambled upon his fat legs and staggered towards his mother, with his fists doubled, as if to take summary vengeance on her for having stopped the fun.

"Oh, baby boy; my little Morley, what a wild fellow you are!" cried the mother, catching up her child and tossing him in the air.

The old man had approached near enough to overhear the words and recognise the face. Tears sprang to his eyes and ran down his cheeks, as he fell forward on the path with his face in the dust.

At the same moment the lighthouse-keeper issued from the door of the building. Running towards the old man, he and his wife quickly raised him and loosened his neckcloth. His face had been slightly cut by the fall. Blood and dust besmeared it and soiled his white locks.

"Poor old man!" said the keeper, as his mate, the assistant light-keeper, joined him. "Lend a hand, Billy, to carry him in. He ain't very heavy."

The assistant--a strapping young fellow, with a powerful, well-made frame, sparkling eyes and a handsome face, on which at that moment there was a look of intense pity--assisted his comrade to raise the old man. They carried him with tender care into the lighthouse and laid him on a couch which at that time, owing to lack of room in the building, happened to be little Nora's bed.

For a few moments he lay apparently in a state of insensibility, while the mother of the family brought a basin of water and began carefully to remove the blood and dust which rendered his face unrecognisable. The first touch of the cold sponge caused him to open his eyes and gaze earnestly in the woman's face--so earnestly that she was constrained to pause and return the gaze inquiringly.

"You seem to know me," she said.

The old man made no reply, but, slowly clasping his hands and closing his eyes, exclaimed "Thank God!" fervently.

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Let us glance, now, at a few more of the changes which had been wrought in the condition and circumstances of several of the actors in this tale by the wonder-working hand of time.

On another evening of another month in this same year, Mr Robert Queeker--having just completed an ode to a star which had been recently discovered by the Astronomer-Royal--walked from the door of the Fortress Hotel, Ramsgate, and, wending his way leisurely along Harbour Street, directed his steps towards Saint James's Hall.

Seven years had wrought a great change for the better in Mr Robert Queeker. His once smooth face was decorated with a superb pair of light-brown whiskers of the stamp now styled Dundreary. His clothes fitted him well, and displayed to advantage a figure which, although short, was well made and athletic. It was evident that time had not caused his shadow to grow less. There was a jaunty, confident air about him, too, which might have been thought quite in keeping with a red coat and top-boots by his friends in Jenkinsjoy, and would have induced hospitable Mr Stoutheart to let him once more try his fortune on the back of Slapover without much anxiety as to the result; ay, even although the sweet but reckless Amy were to be his leader in the field! Nevertheless there was nothing of the coxcomb about Queeker--no self-assertion; nothing but amiableness, self-satisfaction, and enthusiasm.

Queeker smiled and hummed a tune to himself as he walked along drawing on his gloves, which were lavender kid and exceedingly tight.

"It will be a great night," he murmured; "a grand, a glorious night."

As there was nothing peculiarly grand in the aspect of the weather, it is to be presumed that he referred to something else, but he said nothing more at the time, although he smiled a good deal and hummed a good many snatches of popular airs as he walked along, still struggling with the refractory fingers of the lavender kid gloves.

Arrived at Saint James's Hall, he took up a position outside the door, and remained there as if waiting for some one.

It was evident that Mr Queeker's brief remark had reference to the proceedings that were going on at the hall, because everything in and around it, on that occasion, gave unquestionable evidence that there was to be a "great night" there. The lobby blazed with light, and resounded with voices and bustle, as people streamed in continuously. The interior of the hall itself glowed like a red-hot chamber of gold, and was tastefully decorated with flowers and flags and evergreens; while the floor of the room was covered with long tables, which groaned under the glittering accessories of an approaching feast. Fair ladies were among the assembling company, and busy gentlemen, who acted the part of stewards, hurried to and fro, giving directions and keeping order. A large portion of the company consisted of men whose hard hands, powerful frames, and bronzed faces, proclaimed them the sons of toil, and whose manly tones and holiday garments smacked of gales and salt water.

"What be goin' on here, measter?" inquired a country fellow, nudging Mr Queeker with his elbow.

Queeker looked at his questioner in surprise, and told him that it was a supper which was about to be given to the lifeboat-men by the people of the town.

"An' who be the lifeboat-men, measter?"

"`Shades of the mighty dead;' not to mention the glorious living!" exclaimed Queeker, aghast; "have you never heard of the noble fellows who man the lifeboats all round the coasts of this great country, and save hundreds of lives every year? Have you not read of their daring exploits in the newspapers? Have you never heard of the famous Ramsgate lifeboat?"

"Well, now 'ee mention it, I doos remember summat about loifboats," replied the country fellow, after pondering a moment or two; "but, bless 'ee, I never read nothin' about 'em, not bein' able to read; an' as I've lived all my loif fur inland, an' on'y comed here to-day, it ain't to be thow't as I knows much about yer Ramsgate loifboats. Be there mony loifboat men in Ramsgate, measter?"

"My good fellow," said Queeker, taking the man by the sleeve, and gazing at him with a look of earnest pity, "there are dozens of 'em. Splendid fellows, who have saved hundreds of men, women, and children from the raging deep; and they are all to be assembled in this hall to-night, to the number of nearly a hundred--for there are to be present not only the men who now constitute the crew of the Ramsgate boat, but all the men who have formed part of her crew in time past. Every man among them is a hero," continued Queeker, warming as he went on, and shaking the country fellow's arm in his earnestness, "and every man to-night will--"

He stopped short abruptly, for at that moment a carriage drove up to the door, and a gentleman jumping out assisted a lady to alight.

Without a word of explanation to the astonished country fellow, Queeker thrust him aside, dashed forward, presented himself before the lady, and, holding out his hand, exclaimed--

"How _do_ you do, Miss Hennings? I'm _so_ glad to have been fortunate enough to meet you."

"Mr Quee--Queeker," exclaimed Fanny, blushing scarlet; "I--I was not aware--so very unexpected--I thought--dear me!--but, pardon me--allow me to introduce my uncle, Mr Hemmings. Mr Queeker, uncle, whom you have often heard mamma speak about."

Mr Hennings, a six-feet-two man, stooped to shake Queeker by the hand. An impatient cabman shouted, "Move on." Fanny seized her uncle's arm, and was led away. Queeker followed close, and all three were wedged together in the crowd, and swept towards the banquet-hall.

"Are you one of the stewards?" asked Fanny, during a momentary pause.

How exquisite she looks! thought Queeker, as she glanced over her shoulder at him. He felt inclined to call her an angel, or something of that sort, but restrained himself, and replied that he was not a steward, but a guest--an honoured guest--and that he would have no objection to be a dishonoured guest, if only, by being expelled from the festive board, he could manage to find an excuse to sit beside her in the ladies' gallery.

"But that may not be," he said, with a sigh. "I shall not be able to see you from my allotted position. Alas! we separate here--though-- though--lost to sight, to memory dear!"