Collected Works of Poe | Page 8

however,
straight to Augustus, who was waiting for me at the corner of a street. It
had been our original plan that I should keep out of the way until dark,
and then slip on board the brig; but, as there was now a thick fog in our
favor, it was agreed to lose no time in secreting me. Augustus led the
way to the wharf, and I followed at a little distance, enveloped in a
thick seaman's cloak, which he had brought with him, so that my
person might not be easily recognized. just as we turned the second
corner, after passing Mr. Edmund's well, who should appear, standing

right in front of me, and looking me full in the face, but old Mr.
Peterson, my grandfather. "Why, bless my soul, Gordon," said he, after
a long pause, "why, why,- whose dirty cloak is that you have on?"
"Sir!" I replied, assuming, as well as I could, in the exigency of the
moment, an air of offended surprise, and talking in the gruffest of all
imaginable tones- "sir! you are a sum'mat mistaken- my name, in the
first place, bee'nt nothing at all like Goddin, and I'd want you for to
know better, you blackguard, than to call my new obercoat a darty
one." For my life I could hardly refrain from screaming with laughter at
the odd manner in which the old gentleman received this handsome
rebuke. He started back two or three steps, turned first pale and then
excessively red, threw up his spectacles, then, putting them down, ran
full tilt at me, with his umbrella uplifted. He stopped short, however, in
his career, as if struck with a sudden recollection; and presently, turning
round, hobbled off down the street, shaking all the while with rage, and
muttering between his teeth: "Won't do -- new glasses -- thought it was
Gordon --d--d good-for-nothing salt water Long Tom."
After this narrow escape we proceeded with greater caution, and
arrived at our point of destination in safety. There were only one or two
of the hands on board, and these were busy forward, doing something
to the forecastle combings. Captain Barnard, we knew very well, was
engaged at Lloyd and Vredenburgh's, and would remain there until late
in the evening, so we had little to apprehend on his account. Augustus
went first up the vessel's side, and in a short while I followed him,
without being noticed by the men at work. We proceeded at once into
the cabin, and found no person there. It was fitted up in the most
comfortable style- a thing somewhat unusual in a whaling-vessel. There
were four very excellent staterooms, with wide and convenient berths.
There was also a large stove, I took notice, and a remarkably thick and
valuable carpet covering the floor of both the cabin and staterooms.
The ceiling was full seven feet high, and, in short, every thing appeared
of a more roomy and agreeable nature than I had anticipated. Augustus,
however, would allow me but little time for observation, insisting upon
the necessity of my concealing myself as soon as possible. He led the
way into his own stateroom, which was on the starboard side of the brig,
and next to the bulkheads. Upon entering, he closed the door and bolted

it. I thought I had never seen a nicer little room than the one in which I
now found myself. It was about ten feet long, and had only one berth,
which, as I said before, was wide and convenient. In that portion of the
closet nearest the bulkheads there was a space of four feet square,
containing a table, a chair, and a set of hanging shelves full of books,
chiefly books of voyages and travels. There were many other little
comforts in the room, among which I ought not to forget a kind of safe
or refrigerator, in which Augustus pointed out to me a host of
delicacies, both in the eating and drinking department.
He now pressed with his knuckles upon a certain spot of the carpet in
one corner of the space just mentioned, letting me know that a portion
of the flooring, about sixteen inches square, had been neatly cut out and
again adjusted. As he pressed, this portion rose up at one end
sufficiently to allow the passage of his finger beneath. In this manner
he raised the mouth of the trap (to which the carpet was still fastened
by tacks), and I found that it led into the after hold. He next lit a small
taper by means of a phosphorous match, and, placing the light in a dark
lantern, descended with it through the opening, bidding me follow. I
did so, and he then pulled the cover upon the hole, by