LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1692, 23 July 1879, Page 3

LITERATURE.

OUR PASSENGER. It was a lovely autumn afternoon toward the close of September, when we weighed a ichor and sailed out of the river Mersey, bound for Melbourne. We had a good ship —Janet’s Pride—loaded with miscellaneous articles. On board were fourteen passengers, and, take them all in all, with a pleasanter lot I never steered across the stormy sea.

There were three old gentlemen, who were going out to share their fortunes, come what might, and which, poor old souls, they seemed to think fashioned in tho brightest colors, long before the Hngl'ih coast was out of sight. Then there was a solitary old gentleman, who, judging from tho general tone of his conversation, was seeking the New World for the ostensible purpose of finding fault with it.

There were two young married couples, a l l full of hope and activity, bent upon making a new home far away jfrom their native land. Thera was also a very jolly elderly brother and sisters, neither of whom had ever entered in‘o the bonds of matrimony, bat instead had stuck by each other through life.

There were three Australian settlers, who had been over to have a peep at the old country, and who were now returning to the land which to them, through long communion, had become the dearest of all others, ' Home, sweet home !’ Lastly, though not least, there was a solitary passenger, who soou became the pet of pH on board. He was a man of about eight and-twenty years of age, possessing a very dear complexion, a very handsome long, flowing beard, and a very silky moustache. His name was Reginald Moore. His given reason for taking this sea voyage was the delicate state of his health. There was not the least doubt that the poor fellow’s chest was considerably affected, for his voice, though charmingly sweet, was one of the weakest I ever remember hearing ; and it had a ce. tain hollow ness in its sound that in my mind is invariably rssooiated with that terrible disease commonly termed consumption. He always wore a thick muffler round his neck to protect his throat and chest. In all my experience, and it has been a pretty wide one, I never knew any one with so many friends and such undivided esteem, in so short a time as Reginald Moore. There was not, I believe, a sailor on board who did not entertain the warmest possible liking for him. As for the passengers, they never seemed so happy as when listening to his amusing anecdotes, of which he seemed to_ possess an inexhaustible store. And this delicate young English paragon of passengers had made this conquest over all our hearts before we had been three weeks at sea He was, too, such a clever fellow with his hands. He could cut and shape you anything out of a piece of wood, from an oyster to an elephant, and, at making models of ship’, I never met his equal. He was, b‘ sides, such a kind and considerate fellow t jward his fellow-passengers. When the three elderly gentlemen, who imagined their fortnma trade, were afflicted with sea-sickness, he was the first to come forward and help them about while they slowly recovered. He would insist upon the’r taking his arm, weak as he was himself, and he would lead them about on deck with a firmness that spoke volumes in favor of his “ sea legs.” Ido not remember any voyage ever passing so quickly as the one when the pleasant passenger was on board. I could with infinite pleasure make a long pause at this juncture in the thread of my story, to dwell upon the pleasant memories I still retain of Reginald Moore. Wo were within a week’s sail of Melbourne. Reginald Moore had all bat completed a model of the Janet Pride, which he proposed presenting to me the night before we landed. . . Now he worked at this model principa 'y on deck, and, strangely enough, he had chosen for a worktable the top of cno of the empty water casks that stood on deck, abaft and under the shelter of the bulwarks.

While he worked through the day you were sure to see him surrounded by somoof the passengers or sailors. I he amount of industry he displayed was truly wonderful, for he was invariably at work in the early morning, long before any of the other passengers dreamt of turning out of their snug berths. . As I have already stated, we were hut six days’ sail from Melbourne. For the first time In our experience of him tho pleasant passenger appeared at the dinner table with a solemn downcast expression of face, and a silent tongue. Before dinner was over I asked him what troubled his mind and caused this unhappy change in hia wonted cheerful manner. At first he tried to evade my queries by replying that it was ‘ nothing ; nothing in particular.’ Bat I pressed him persistently until I won from him an explanation. * Perhaps, after all,’ he said, 1 it is only fair that I should explain matters. The fact of tho matter is my watch has been stolen.’ . , ~ ‘ Stolen 1’ we all exclaimed in a breatn. ‘ Undoubtedly,’ he answered j ‘but I pray yon, captain—’ hero he turned to me * I pray yon say not one word about it. The only thing that renders tho loss of consequence to mo is the fact that it once belonged to my poor mother. On that account alone I would not have lost it for any amount of money. However, It cannot be helped, and therefore it is useless to cry over spilt milk.

as the old adage has it. My only request in the matter is, my dear captain, that you will leave the matter entirely in my hands, and I think it very probable that I may recover it. This request lam sure you will obl : go me by granting.’ ‘ Certainly, my dear sir,’ I replied; ‘but still—’

‘ Exactly,’ ho interrupted, with one of his pleasant smiles, ‘ you would like to take the matter in hand and investigate it to the utmost cf your power. I know that my dear captain, full well; but I can trust you to keep your promise, and leave the case entirely in my hands.’ How could I deny him this request? You will readily imagine what oonsternation this event gave rise to among the other passengers. The three old gentlemen instantly proceeded to explain that they possessed jewellery to the value of at least £3OO, which they usually kept looked up In a bmwn leather writing case ; but unfortunately, at the present time, the look was out of order.

Mr Reginald Moore suggested a safer deposit for their valuables. The young married couples announced the fact of their owning at least £250 worth of jewellery; and they too, consulted Mr Moore as to the safest plan for secreting it. The kind-hearted brother and sister had, it appeared, more valuables in the way of jewellery than any one on beard, since £ISOO had never purchased what they posa. s«ed.

The whole of that evening was occupied in speculating as to the probable perpetrator of the theft, and in condoling with Mr Reginald Moore on his great loss. Every one turned in fhat night in an_uneasy state of mind, and it was with astonishment that they found themselves, in the morning, still in possession of all their worldly goods This improved condition of affairs seemed to reassure onr passingers, who once again began to look cheerful and at ease.

Reginald Moore’s pleasant face wore its wonted smile, and, as heretofore, he enlivened and charmed us with his vivacity and anecdote. All day through he worked on the model of the Janet’s Pride, still using the top of the empty water cask for a work tab’e.

That night we retired to rest with minds far more at ease than the previous one. Alas! what a scene of anger and distress came with the morning. Every passenger on board possessing jewellery had bean robted during the night. Ihe three old gentlemen, the young married couples, and the kind-hearted brother and sister, found themselves minus every article of jewellery that they had possessed. Even the grumbling old gentleman had lost his gold snuff box. There was no keeping matters quiet this time. The thief must be tracedand brought to justice. What was the wisest meth'd of procedure ? What would Mr Moore suggest ? * I would suggest, though most reluctantly,’ said Mr Moore, ‘ that every sailor’s luggage be carefully searched.’ To this p’.opositioa we all unanimously agreed. ‘ This,’ he continued, ‘ must be most humiliating to the feelings of your crew, ciptain, and therefore, in common fairness to them as our fellow men, let me also suggest that every passenger and every passenger’s luggige bo also thoroughly searched.’

A little hesitation on the part of one or two of the passengers was demonstrated before acceding to this last proposal, but our pleasant passenger soon contrived to bring those who at first demurred to his side i f thinking. ‘Of course,’ he said, ‘there is not a passenger on board who is not above suspicion, yet, in justice to the feelings of tho crew, it is in my humble opinion, the least we can do.’

This delicacy of feeling and this thoughtfulness on the part of Reginald Moore rendered him, if possible, more admirable and praiseworthy in our eyes than ever. Many of the crew objected strongly to this mode of procedure, but all were compelled to submit. The old boatswain was furious with indignation, and vowed that if it cost him his life he would trace the thief who had caused him to be searched Ilka a common pickpocket. Even the pleasant passenger failed to aootho his sense of injury. Well, a thorough search wrs made by myself, in company with the kind-hearted old gentleman and his sister. Everyone’s ‘ traps were ransacked from top to bottom without success. Further search was useless. What was to be done ? That night, all having been made snug, and tho passengers having turned in, none cf them, as you may imagine, in very brilliant spirits, I went on deck, it being what we call at sea ‘the captain’s watch.’ I turned in about 4 a.m., the second officer then coming on duty. My cabin was amidships and on deck, and froin a window therein I could command a view of the after-deck of tho ship. Somehow or other, I could not rest one atom ; so, dressing myself, I determined upon sitting up and smoking. I drew aside the blind of the window I have mentioned, and looked out. It was just the gray light of early morning, and there was a stiffieh breexe blowing. To my surprise, I behe d Mr Reginald Moore on deck. I was about [to open my cabin-door and invite him to join me in my restlessness, when the peculiar nature of his proceedings riveted my attention. He looked around on all sides, as if afraid of attracting observation. Then, suddenly, as if assured tho coast was clear, he made rapidly towards tho empty water cask on which ho was accustomed to manufacture his model of the Janet’s Pride. Once more glancing cautiously about him, he then applied his hands to tho top of the cask, and, with a rapid movement, lifted half of the top bodily off.

My astonishment and my excitement were intense. Another hasty glance round, and he plunged his hand down into the cask, then quickly withdrew it, holding in his grasp a small bag, which he rapidly concealed in the breast of his coat. Again he took a hasty survey, and was about making another dive into this sti’ange. receptacle for hidden goods, when he_ suddenly withdrew, having, with astonishing rapidity replaced the lid of tho cask. In another moment tho cause of his alarm was made apparent, as a couple of sailors passed him oa their way to relieve the man at tho wheel.

When all was again quiet, for an instant he seemed determined to at once return to to the ca°k, and no doubt withdrew something more that the interruption had prevented him withdrawing in the first instance. But suddenly changing his mind, he went down the stairs that lea from the deck to tho saloon and slot ping cabins. Scarcely had he disappeared when another figure, stealthily crossing the deck, met my anxious observation. It was the boatswain.

I saw him glance toward the stairs, down which Mr Reginald Moore had taken hia departure. He then made dirct for the watercask. It was now obvious to me that the old boatswain had been watching ihe pleasant passenger. Just as he reached the water-cask a heavy green sea struck the ship to windward, necessitating the boatswain to hold on by the ropes so as to keep his and precisely at the same moment Reginald Moore appeared at the top of the cabin stairs. I shall never forget the scene. The instant the ship had steadied herself the boatswain commenced his examination of the water-cask. For a moment only, Moore stood looking at him with as evil an expression on his face as I ever beheld. With one bound he was upon the boatswain, before he could turn to protect himself. I waited no longer, but flung open the door of my cabin In an instant, and in another I was to the rescue, and in a few moments we had our pleasant passenger in irons. So you see, he was the thief, after all, hiding hia knavery under the pleasantest exterior I ever knew a man to possess. The manner in which he had manufactured the top of that water cask was the most finished and ingenious piece of carpentry I have ever beheld. In the interior of the side of the cask he had driven several nails, about two feet from the top, on which he had suspended, in wash leather bags, the jewellery he had stolen. Yon may easily imagine the surprise evinced by our passengers on discovering that the thief was the one for whom each and every one of them entertained such regard, and even affection.

At the expiration of three days from the date of the pleasant passenger’s detection, we landed in Melbourne, where duty compelled me to band him over to the police. But as no one cared to remain in that to an for the purpose of prosecuting him, he was summarily dealt with. The presiding magistrate sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment with hard labor.