ship's chronometer in a window, and I saw him bearing down upon me, head
on.

It is, personally, neither Smithick, nor Watersby, that I here mention,
nor was I ever acquainted with any man of either of those names, nor do I
think that there has been any one of either of those names in that
Liverpool House for years back. But, it is in reality the House itself
that I refer to; and a wiser merchant or a truer gentleman never stepped.

"My dear Captain Ravender," says he. "Of all the men on earth, I wanted
to see you most. I was on my way to you."

"Well!" says I. "That looks as if you _were_ to see me, don't it?" With
that I put my arm in his, and we walked on towards the Royal Exchange,
and when we got there, walked up and down at the back of it where the
Clock-Tower is. We walked an hour and more, for he had much to say to
me. He had a scheme for chartering a new ship of their own to take out
cargo to the diggers and emigrants in California, and to buy and bring
back gold. Into the particulars of that scheme I will not enter, and I
have no right to enter. All I say of it is, that it was a very original
one, a very fine one, a very sound one, and a very lucrative one beyond
doubt.

He imparted it to me as freely as if I had been a part of himself. After
doing so, he made me the handsomest sharing offer that ever was made to
me, boy or man--or I believe to any other captain in the Merchant
Navy--and he took this round turn to finish with:

"Ravender, you are well aware that the lawlessness of that coast and
country at present, is as special as the circumstances in which it is