"When God pleases, it rains with every wind, your Excellency."

Then there was a little stir in the street,--that peculiar sense of

something more than usual, which can make itself felt in the busiest

thoroughfare,--and Golden went to the door and looked out. Joris Van

Heemskirk was just passing, and his walk was something quicker than

usual.

"Good-day to you, Councillor. Pray, sir, what is to do at the wharf? I

perceive a great bustle comes thence."

"At your service, Councillor Golden. At the wharf there is good news.

The 'Great Christopher' has come to anchor,--Captain Batavius de Vries.

So a good-morrow, sir;" and Joris lifted his beaver, and proceeded on

his way to Murray's Wharf.

Bram was already on board. His hands were clasped across the big right

shoulder of Batavius, who stood at the mainmast, giving orders about his

cargo. He was a large man, with the indisputable air of a sailor from

strange seas, familiar with the idea of solitude, and used to absolute

authority. He loved Bram after his own fashion, but his vocabulary of

affectionate words was not a large one. Bram, however, understood him;

he had been quite satisfied with his short and undemonstrative

greeting,-"Thee, Bram? Good! How goes it?"

The advent of Joris added a little to the enthusiasm of the meeting.

Joris thoroughly liked Batavius, and their hands slipped into each

other's with a mighty grasp almost spontaneously. After some necessary

delay, the three men left the ship together. There was quite a crowd on

the wharf. Some were attracted by curiosity; others, by the hope of a

good job on the cargo; others, again, not averse to a little private

bargaining for any curious or valuable goods the captain of the "Great

Christopher" had for sale. Cohen was among the latter; but he had too

much intelligence to interfere with a family party, especially as he

heard Joris say to the crowd with a polite authority, "Make way,

friends, make way. When a man is off a three-years' cruise, for a trifle

he should not be stopped."

Joanna had had a message from her lover, and she was watching for his

arrival. There was no secrecy in her love-affairs, and it was amid the

joy and smiles of the whole household that she met her affianced

husband. They were one of those loving, sensible couples, for whom it is

natural to predict a placid and happy life; and the first words of

Batavius seemed to assure it.

"My affairs have gone well, Joanna, as they generally do; and now I

shall build the house, and we shall be married."




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