uring the long
trip to Chinese waters.

"The trip among the western islands occupied two years, and I became an
expert skipper as time went on, and many, many hours he and I sat up
together and perused the wonderful books he had, and discussed a wide
range of subjects which the readings suggested. It was a feast for me,
and it was such a pleasure to him, which I know was real and unaffected.

"Three years after my sudden disappearance from New Bedford the ship
sailed into the harbor, and the first one to greet us was a beautiful
girl, the daughter of the captain, and the first most graceful act of
his was to bring her over to me, and I was presented to her.

"I do not know how I ever passed the days of the following two weeks.
Everything was a dream to me after I saw her, and I often imagined that
the captain knew what my symptoms were. One day he called me to the
cabin and said: 'John, how do you feel about signing for another term of
three years?' My heart was so full that I answered: 'Why for three
years? Make it for as long as I live.' The captain smiled and stroked
his beard for a while, and then his countenance changed, and he said,
'John, you know I am blunt and open in all my dealings, and you haven't
been treating me in that way.'

"That was the only time in the entire three years he had ever upbraided
me, or found any fault, and I was so dumbfounded that I did not know how
to answer, and when I recovered and inquired in what manner I had
offended him, he replied, 'I did not say you had offended me. But you
love Harriet, and I know you do, and you have been trying to hide it
from me.'

"How had he learned that she and I loved each other from the moment we
first met, and that we saw each other at every opportunity, and made
mutual confessions of love? I started to apologize, but he began to
smile again, and I knew it was not so serious. 'Yes,' he continued, 'I
have charged Harriet with it, and she confessed, so it will not be
necessary for you to defend yourself.'

"We were in port for three months, and Harriet told her father that she
could not bear to have us both go away, and before the ship sailed we
were married, a fine suite of rooms was set aside for our use, and I
became the first mate of the ship, as well as the first mate of the most
beautiful woman in the world.

"Thus I passed a year of the happiest days that it was ever given man to
enjoy. Together we gleaned the library for our recreation,