ed for working the ship.
Philip showed great activity as well as method in the arrangements
proposed and the captain, during a pause in his own arduous duties, said
to him--

"I thought you were taking it very easy, Mr Vanderdecken, in not
joining the ship before, but, now you are on board, you are making up
for lost time. You have done more during the forenoon than I could have
expected. I am glad that you are come, though very sorry you were not
here when we were stowing the hold, which, I am afraid, is not arranged
quite so well as it might be. Mynheer Struys, the first mate, has had
more to do than he could well give attention to."

"I am sorry that I should not have been here, sir," replied Philip; "but
I came as soon as the Company sent me word."

"Yes, and as they know that you are a married man, and do not forget
that you are a great shareholder, they would not trouble you too soon.
I presume you will have the command of a vessel next voyage. In fact,
you are certain of it, with the capital you have invested in their
funds. I had a conversation with one of the senior accountants on the
subject this very morning."

Philip was not very sorry that his money had been put out to such good
interest, as to be the captain of a ship was what he earnestly desired.
He replied, that "he certainly did hope to command a ship after the next
voyage, when he trusted that he should feel himself quite competent to
the charge."

"No doubt, no doubt, Mr Vanderdecken. I can see that clearly. You
must be very fond of the sea."

"I am," replied Philip; "I doubt whether I shall ever give it up."

"_Never_ give it up! You think so now. You are young, active, and full
of hope; but you will tire of it by and bye, and be glad to lay by for
the rest of your days."

"How many troops do we embark?" inquired Philip.

"Two hundred and forty-five rank and file, and six officers. Poor
fellows! there are but few of them will ever return: nay, more than
one-half will not see another birthday. It is a dreadful climate. I
have landed three hundred men at that horrid hole, and in six months,
even before I had sailed, there were not one hundred left alive."

"It is almost murder to send them there," observed Philip.

"Pshaw! they must die somewhere, and if they die a little sooner, what
matter? Life is a commodity to be bought and sold like any other. We
send out so much manufactured goods and so much money to barter for
Indi