The Story of John Trevennick

Chapter I The Tempter

It was a delicious day in mid - April. Although the breeze that broke up the sea into countless ripples still had a slight touch of its winter keenness, the sun, in gracious mood, poured down gloriously, turning each tiny wave into a silver thread, and beating upon the rocky coast, softened and brightened the gray sombre cliffs that stretched away on either side almost as far as the eye could reach. Some three miles from the shore, a small VOL. I B boat swayed softly in the gentle swell, and in it were two men, each with a fishing-line, which now and again was gently raised in the hope of a bite. Neither seemed very keen on the sport ; the younger man sitting with knitted brows, his thoughts apparently very far from his present occupation, while his companion was whistling softly, glancing now and again with some curiosity at the troubled face of his fellow-sportsman. ' What's the matter, Jack ? ' he said, breaking a silence that had lasted some minutes. ' You seem down in your luck about some thing.

What is it ? ' 'Oh! nothing much,' came the reply, accompanied by a rueful smile. ' The usual thing — that's all.' ' Money ? ' ' Money it is. I'm in such an awful hole that I can't see my way to get clear anyhow.' ' The supply doesn't equal the demand, I presume. Cash disappeared in the un accountable manner that cash always does vanish, and the allowance not due for a month or two — eh ? Well, my boy, the next best thing to cash is credit. Try that.' ' There's the rub, Robarts. I have tried it. It's a rope I've been hanging on to for some time, and it won't bear the weight much longer. Half the tradesmen at Oxford are clamouring for the settlement of their accounts ; but I could get over that, only — there's the name of Jack Trevennick on the back of a bill.' ' Your own ? ' ' No. A chum of mine, and he is in lower water than I am.

It's due at the end of October, and I don't think they'll renew it.' ' Did you have any of the proceeds thereof ? ' ' Not a penny. He said it would be all right — a mere matter of form.' 'Yes. It's always a matter of form. Jack, my boy, you're an ass ! ' ' I know that. But when a fellow you like asks you to oblige him, what's to be done ? Suppose the boot had been on the other leg, he'd have stuck his name to any number of bills for my benefit.' ' That only proves that he is an ass too. An average man is quite capable of running up debts on his own account, without making himself responsible for those of other people. Upon my life you deserve to get bit over such a piece of folly.' ' Thank you. You're a nice, sympathetic chap to soothe a fellow in his troubles. I only told you because you've been in a heap of such scrapes yourself and I thought you might advise me,' said Trevennick, half-resentfully. ' I'd do more.

I'd advance you the money if I could spare it. But I can't. What about the Squire ? ' ' Pumped dry. I've thought of that; but I've overdrawn my allowance time after time, and I promised him faithfully to turn over a new leaf. I can't go to him again, Robarts. That's the worst of fathers. They're so fond of taking you at your word. Honestly, I haven't the pluck to tell him, and I don't think I should be any the better off if I did.' JOHN TREVENNICK CHAr. 6 ' Oh ! Then it seems to me your only chance of settling: one bill is to draw another, and that's an uncommonly losing game in the long run.' ' Yes. And if that's the best thing you can suggest, I don't think much of you as an adviser,' laughed Trevennick. ' But I may have something else to say that might — but after all it's a wild scheme, and your notions on some matters are so quixotic that it's scarcely worth while mentioning it,' said Robarts, with a curious look on his sunburnt, handsome face. ' I've roughed it a good bit, and seen the world, and learnt the maxim of every man for himself and money for us all.

But it's different with you. No, I won't suggest it. You'd only get in a rage and want to throw me overboard.' ' Rubbish, man. I'm not a child,' in terrupted the younger man hotly, his curiosity roused by the speech of his companion. ' What's in the wind ? There's no harm in saying what was in your mind. I'm not bound to agree with you.' ' No, Jack. It might lead to mischief. Besides — no. I shan't tell you.' With a reluctance that seemed almost unnatural, Robarts at last yielded to the solicitations of Trevennick, and even then he contented himself with half-jocular hints, as if he had only advanced his startling proposition as something that Jack would never consider seriously for a moment. 'You must bear in mind, my boy, that I've been put to many a shift in my time, and the little expedient I'm going to propose is merelv a last resource.' ' I suppose it isn't a question of forgery, or robbing a bank ? ' laughed Trevennick. ' Not quite.

Now, the Squire may screw you down to your allowance,' he continued, ' but he never begrudges any expense with regard to the yacht. You remember last year that you and I had many a cruise together ; down to Falmouth and the Lizard, then back to Plymouth, while twice we ran across to the Scilly Islands. He never grumbled at the bill — did he ? ' ' Never a word. He paid up like a brick — seemed to think that as long as I was on board The Nautch Girl I was out of mischief ' So I thought. It was a very good time last summer ; but I couldn't help thinking that we might have got more fun out of it, and, what we both g want so precious badly, a bit of money as well.' ' Money ! How ? Take passengers aboard — short trips at a shilling ahead ? Is that your grand notion ? ' ' Nonsense, man. It's a game that used to be fashionable enough in the old days, but it's a little out of date now.

There's money in it for all that if it's played boldly — and, in your case, there's no risk.' ' I'm still in the dark, Robarts, as to what you're driving at,' said the younger man, with a tinge of sternness in his tone. ' Are you ? Then you're more dense than I thought. I mean this, Jack — that with the Squire's yacht, a coastguard that would never dream of overhauling her, and a place I know of for storage, there's no particular reason why we shouldn't do a little trading in brandy on our own account without troubling the revenue officers. Now, do you understand ?' John Trevennick sat speechless. The calm, business - like manner in which his companion had propounded his scheme, made him almost believe that he was in earnest ; but that he, a gentleman, the son of a man whose honour and integrity were famed through the county, should have such a proposition put to him, seemed something very like an insult. ' I suppose you're joking, Robarts ? ' said he. ' But it isn't in the best possible taste.

You don't suppose for an instant that I should take to smuggling as a way out of the difficulty ? ' ' Upon my word, I never gave it much thought either way,' replied Robarts coolly, n lighting his pipe. ' You asked me to tell you what my idea was — don't forget that. And now because I've done so you flare up as if I'd insulted you.' ' But smuggling ! Hang it all, man, it's — why it's downright robbery when you come to think of it.' ' Rubbish ! You buy an article and pay for it, honestly. It's your own to do what you like with. The mere fact that an inter fering government endeavours to make you pay for the privilege of bringing it ashore doesn't affect the question in the least. But still it's hardly worth arguing about, not to say quarrelling over. It's one way of get ting the money you say you must have, and there is just that dash of excitement about it that I thought would suit you.

But you don't like the idea, and so there's an end of it.' ' Of course, that's one way of looking at it,' remarked Trevennick, apparently some what mollified by the explanation, although it was evident that his temper was still ruffled. ' But anyhow, Robarts, it's a bit shady, to say the least of it.' ' Perhaps so. Of course I thought you'd like it more for the fun of the thing than any other reason, especially as it's so unlikely that any one will be the wiser.' ' But if it were found out ? ' ' Well — even then. The whole business was a practical joke of the young Squire's. But don't let me influence you. I'm a bad lot, capable of any wickedness, and you — you're an innocent cherub that mustn't be contaminated,' said Robarts, with an irri tating laugh. ' There's nothing gained by sneering at what you choose to call my innocence,' re torted Jack, flushing. 'I'm no better than the average, perhaps a bit worse ; but that's no reason why I should jump at your precious scheme.

It isn't fair dealing.' ' Neither is running up debt that you've no means of paying,' was the quick response. ' Look here, Robarts, be careful what you say,' said the younger man in a tone that was ominously quiet. ' I won't stand being spoken to like that.' ' If it comes to that, your remarks were hardly complimentary, Master Jack. But what's the use of quarrelling ? ' he added in a friendlier tone. ' We've settled that this particular cat won't jump, and so let's forget all about it. Whose boat is that off the Eel Rock ? ' he said, abruptly changing the conversation. ' They're standing towards us.' ' It's Larry Bracher's, I fancy,' said Jack, cooling down, and looking at the craft that was rapidly nearing them. ' He's trying his new tops'le.' ' Ladies aboard, too,' was Robarts' observation after a lengthened scrutiny. ' Can you recognise them ? ' ' Yes ; Gipsy is one, and the other is — Rennet Bracher.' There was just a suspicion of self-con sciousness as Trevennick uttered the last name, that made his fellow-voyager look at him smilingly.

He said nothing, however, and waited for the boat to come nearer. ' Shall we give it up for to-day ? ' suggested Jack, after a pause. ' The fish don't seem like feeding, and I do.' ' Just as you like. I doubt if we shall get much more sport.' And the two men began preparations to sail back to the harbour. They had scarcely loosed the mainsheet, when the captain of the approaching craft hailed them. ' Hullo-o — Trevennick ! ' ' Hullo-o ! ' ' Any sport ? ' ' Pretty good. About two dozen whiting — that's all. How are you, Rennet ? ' he con tinued, raising his hat to a slim, chestnut-haired girl, as the boat ran past them. ' And how does the Vixen move under that new tops'le ? ' ' Splendidly, Jack. We shall beat everything our own size.' 'As long as you're in her, Miss Bracher,' chimed in Robarts, with a smoothness of speech which had before been lacking. ' No decent person would dare outsail her with you aboard.' 'That's Mr. Robarts, I'm certain;' and a laughing face, lit up by a pair of magnificent dark eyes, half-hidden by tumbling, unruly masses of black hair, suddenly appeared from behind the foresail. ' Nobody in St. Endiver is so polite — when he likes — especially to grown-up girls.' ' Don't be rude, Gipsy,' shouted Jack, as the Vixen forged ahead. ' I'm not rude, and we'll race you home.

Larry, let me have the tiller or I'll upset the boat.' In a few minutes Gipsy, or, to give her correct title, Miss Grace Trevennick, had gained her point, and was sailing the boat as close to the wind as she dared, while her brother followed in her wake. For a time the Vixen held her own gallantly, but as the breeze freshened, the larger boat drew up, and they ran in side by side between the two rocky sentinels that guarded the mouth of the harbour. 'There wasn't much in it, after all,' shouted Larry, as the rivals approached each other. ' You had the best of the tide at the finish.' ' Very likely. Are you going on up .the river ? ' ' No. I shall take her to her moorings. Rennet wants to get home.' ' All right. There's wind enough to take you as far as your place, Robarts. You can put me ashore at the Red House, and I'll send for the boat to-morrow.' ' As you like.

By the way, to-day is the last of your Easter "vac." It's a case of "good-bye " until July, I suppose ?' ' Yes. Another three months' "grind." vol. 1 c 'Ah, well. You can stand it. And, Jack,' here the speaker dropped his voice, ' I hope you won't bear any malice because of that suggestion I made. I didn't look at it from your point of view, or I shouldn't have men tioned it.' ' My dear fellow, there's no harm done. I'm not in the least "huffy" about it; but I didn't like the idea — that's all. If I shewed temper, I'm sorry ; only this money business is bothering me a good deal, and I don't see my way to get clear of it. Bring her round a bit,' he added suddenly, ' and I'll get into Larry's " tub " and row to the quay.' As Robarts put the boat alongside, Trevennick scrambled over the gunwale, and held on to the craft he had just vacated, while he shook hands with his companion. ' Good-bye, Robarts.' 'Good-bye, old chap. You'll send me a line occasionally ?

And if you're very hard pressed, I might be able to let you have a few pounds to go on with.' ' Thanks. I know you would if you had them.' ' Yes. It isn't the will I want but the wherewithal. Perhaps we shall both be rolling in cash at our next meeting.' Robarts waved his hand in farewell, and Jack stood watching the boat as she went gaily up the harbour, heeling over with the breeze, and then, casting the ' tub ' loose, pulled leisurely towards the granite landing stage that ran down into the water. It was some minutes before the party from the Vixen joined him, and as the owner had to take her back to her moorings and make everything snug for the night, Jack proposed to escort Miss Bracher home. ' Are you coming too, Gipsy ? ' he asked his sister carelessly. ' No ; I shall stay and help Larry.

Besides — perhaps I'm not wanted,' added the girl mischievously. ' Just as you like,' and with a fine, uncon cerned air that was not altogether successful, he led his convoy up the narrow passage that opened on to the road. As the two walked along side by side they were, without doubt, a comely pair to look upon. The girl was just approaching womanhood, and her tall figure had a supple grace that had no trace of languor. The face, too, was charming in its setting of bright hair ; clear skinned and rosy with perfect health, and her eyes shone laughingly upon the world, although at present they were cast down demurely enough. The square, sinewy frame of her cavalier looked still bigger in comparison to his slender companion, and the dark, handsome face, with its rich colouring, contrasted pleasantly with the delicate tints that added so greatly to the girl's beauty.

The two strolled along in no seeming haste to reach their journey's end, and with no apparent distaste for each other's society, talking with the ease of old friends. ' I wish I had known you were going out to-day, Rennet. You and Gipsy might just as well have come with me.' 'You're too polite, Jack. I'm perfectly certain that you and Mr. Robarts much preferred fishing and pipes to our society. You seem to have taken a great fancy to him lately,' she added quickly. ' You are nearly always together.' ' I don't know about that. But he's a very decent sort of fellow — good company and all the rest of it.' ' Oh yes ! I daresay.' There was something in the girl's tone that made Jack look more closely at her. ' I don't believe you like him, Rennet,' he said suddenly. ' Why not ? I know so little of him.

He seems pleasant enough.' ' That isn't an answer.' 'Well then, Jack, I — I don't like him. It's no good asking me why, because I don't know.' 'A woman's reason,' laughed Trevennick. ' A woman's want of reason. It's instinct perhaps. If I were a man, I shouldn't like him as an enemy, but I wouldn't trust him as a friend.' ' I think you misjudge him, Rennet,' answered Jack, almost reproachfully. ' He's an awfully good-hearted chap — always ready to do one a good turn.' ' If one is likely to return the compliment,' broke in Rennet. ' But it's of no use arguing the matter, because we shan't agree.' 'And I don't want to quarrel to-day,' observed Jack in a sorrowful voice. ' I'm off by the 9.36 to-morrow morning, Rennet, and I shan't be back until July.' 'Three whole months,' was the girl's mirthful answer. ' Isn't it terrible !

Three months of continuous "cramming," don't you call it ? when you sit with a wet towel round your head, drinking strong tea and racking your brains over all sorts of maddening problems. Poor Jack ! what an ordeal.' ' You needn't be so heartless as to laugh at a fellow, Rennet, when he's going away,' said her companion reproachfully. ' Then you shouldn't make out it's such a hardship. You know perfectly well that you enjoy yourself immensely. You get heaps of boating and cricket, and friends out of number. And after you've been "up" a week, you've forgotten all about us.' ' That's not true. Of course it isn't all work, but often and often I'd give anything to be back at St. Endiver with — with you all,' and Jack's manner became so distinctly sentimental that it was quite a relief to Miss Bracher when their journey ended. ' I've said good-bye to your people this morning, Rennet, because there's no time for me to run round later,' said he, swinging open the gate. ' And I suppose I shan't see you again ? ' ' No. Good-bye.

Mind you're a good boy, and work hard and don't get into mischief ' I don't think you care much whether I do or not.' 'When you talk like that I'm not sure that I do. It makes me angry, and I've a great mind not to shake hands with you.' But, woman-like, she let her hand linger longer in his than was absolutely necessary, and he stood until a turn in the drive hid her from view, thinking with a dull pain of the months before their next meeting. During the past weeks the troubles at Oxford had been almost forgotten. Here, in his Cornish home, among his own people, they i seemed far away ; things that mattered little. Now he must go back and face them. After all, what were they ? The debts were small enough — mere trifles that his father could pay without feeling the loss. But the remembrance of his broken promise haunted him, and his sense of shame kept him silent.

Rennet's laughing advice came back to him. What would she think if she knew how he had kept his word ? And with a miserable seeling as to the sorry hero he would appear in her eyes if the truth were known, he hastened homewards to prepare for his departure.

Chapter II Gipsy Trevennick Makes An Acquaintance

A week or two after Jack Trevennick had returned to Oxford, his sister was sitting in a summer-house that stood on the upper terrace of the Manor gardens, shewing every symptom of impatience and anger. On that particular afternoon Larry Bracher had promised to row her as far as Poltec, a little village some two miles up the river, and Larry Bracher, with the perversity and rudeness which the male creature dis plays only to the very young of the opposite sex, had not put in an appearance. From her coign of vantage Gipsy could see the exact spot where her cavalier should first become visible, and her attention was mainly centred upon this point, although her eyes would wander occasion ally across the harbour, where the sun lit up the ' white - faced houses in Pentruth, that rose in irregular terraces to the summit of the hills, or glance enviously to where the river flowed smoothly between its wooded banks.

The young lady was not accustomed to be slighted in this manner, and it was evident enough, judging from the curl on her lip, and her heightened colour, that Larry would receive a warm welcome when he ultimately appeared. At last her small stock of patience was exhausted, and having surveyed the garden and the windows of the house to see that no one was likely to impede her progress, she stole round to a gate and emerged into a narrow lane that led down into the Fore Street. With an occasional backward look she turned to the right and made off in the direction of the cliffs ; but, having gone some hundred yards, she wheeled suddenly to the left, and soon found her self leaning over the stone parapet of the Red House quay. Again she swept the harbour in search of the recreant knight, but without success ; and having made up her mind as to the course she intended to pursue, she came down to the water's edge and made a cursory examination of some half-dozen boats that were fastened to the iron rings let into the stonework.

Without much hesitation or any regard to the feelings of the absent owner, she singled out the lightest of the skiffs, and, having unfastened the painter, leapt in, and was soon floating clear of the miniature fleet. There was nothing in her proceedings that would excite the smallest curiosity in the breasts of any casual onlookers. St. Endiver accustomed itself to the water in its earliest infancy. The children learnt to manage an oar almost as soon as they could walk, and an inhabitant who possessed no boat was almost an anomaly. There was nothing strange, therefore, in the circum stance that Gipsy, though having attained the ripe age of but eleven years, could scull with a power and dexterity born of long practice ; and the mere fact of having calmly put off in a craft with whose owner she was not personally acquainted, was an occurrence that happened daily, and of which no notice was taken.

It was hardly probable, however, that Miss Trevennick would be suffered to cruise about the harbour alone and unprotected. She was perfectly well aware that this was a stolen pleasure, and that Nemesis, in the form of a severe lecture, would follow in its wake. Not that any fear of the conse quences weighed with her for an instant. Larry, the faithless one, had probably for gotten his promise, and the young lady, whose pride was wounded, was prepared to prove that she could be independent of him, and had determined to enjoy her trip in solitary glory. With a delightful feeling, therefore, that she was ' breaking bounds,' she ran out the oars, and turning the nose of the boat, commenced pulling vigorously up the river. The labour, after a time, became somewhat severe, as the ebb tide was running strongly ; and although the girl dragged steadily at the oars, she found her progress by no means satisfactory.

Without admitting it, even to herself, she would have hailed the appearance of Bracher with some delight, and was keeping a strict watch on the mouth of the cove, when a sudden shouting from a boat on her left hand attracted her attention. Gipsy ceased rowing and regarded the proceedings with some interest. The crew that caused this hubbub were evidently boys, and from the movements of the rowers, and the attitude of the leader, who stood in the bows, brandishing a boathook, it was plain that they were giving chase to something in the water. Gipsy was not long in discovering the object of their pursuit. A too venturesome ' diver ' had journeyed well into the harbour, and its presence having been noticed by some junior inhabitants, they had promptly appropriated a boat and given chase to the unlucky bird.

The excitement was running high, and the girl watched the frantic endeavours of the boys to capture or kill the quarry, as it rose to the surface. Their efforts, however, were for some time unsuccessful, and time after time the bird evaded the boathook by a quick dive, which brought it nearer to Gipsy. As the hunt progressed, a sudden keen sympathy for the ' diver ' took hold of the girl. It seemed brutal that a boat-load of boys should persecute the harmless bird which, almost frantic vol. 1 D with fear, swam and dived alternately, in wild efforts to escape, and with a determination to render it what assistance she could, the girl pulled towards the oncoming boat. 'You're not to do that,' she proclaimed in imperious tones, so soon as she came within speaking distance. ' You are to let the bird alone.' To Gipsy's profound astonishment, not the slightest notice was taken of her demand, and before she could repeat it, the leader took careful aim at the ' diver,' which had just risen close by him, and narrowly escaped achieving his object.

By the time he had regained his weapon of offence, Gipsy had pulled across their bows, and shipping her oars, clutched the gunwale of the offending craft with both hands. ' You shan't do it. It's — it's wicked, and you're all bad, horrid boys ! ' she exclaimed, her eyes blazing with indignation. ' You're to let the bird go.' The unexpected and startling arrival of Miss Trevennick had, for the moment, its desired effect. The boys simply sat and stared at her in wonder, too astonished at the audacity of this slip of a girl daring to inter fere with their sport, to make any rejoinder. Before long, however, their leader recovered his speech, and replied in a manner more laconic than polite — ' Leave hold.' ' I don't mean to leave hold. It's a shame, and you shan't do it.' In sublime ignorance as to the identity of the important person he was addressing, the boy again curtly observed — Leave hold, or I'll make you.' ' You daren't make me,' blazed out the girl. ' You're hateful cowards, every one of you.' The situation was distinctly awkward.

Had Gipsy only been of the sterner sex the difficulty could have been solved promptly, but being of the genus feminine, the leader not only felt some compunction in resorting to strong measures, but was also a little cowed by the girl's fierce demeanour, and so in a milder tone he attempted to temporise. ' We aren't oop to no harm,' said he. ' An' you aren't got no call to interfere wi' us.' ' Yes, I have, and I mean to interfere ' Then just look out,' said he, in a surly tone. ' I'm a goin' to get clear some ways,' and putting the boathook against the side of Gipsy's skiff he commenced pushing with all his strength to loose her grip. But, strive as he might, the girl clung on bravely, and the contest seemed likely to last for some while, when a diversion occurred that caused both parties to cease hostilities.

It came in the form of a sturdy, determined-looking boy, who, in a crazy tub, had sculled unnoticed to the scene of the dispute. ' What's the racket, young Reuben ? ' he shouted, as he ceased rowing, and glanced curiously at the flushed face of the girl. 'We wor after that "shag," Micky, and she won't let us bide,' was the reply, in a tone more suggestive of sorrow than anger. ' No, of course I won't,' said Gipsy, scenting a possible ally in the person of the new-comer. ' The bird hasn't done them any harm, and why should they want to kill it ? You'll help me, won't you ? ' It is possible that any appeal to the boy's sense of humanity would have fallen upon deaf ears. As a matter of fact, many an exciting hunt after ' divers ' had he himself assisted in ; but there was something in her tone and the glance accompanying her request that turned the balance in her favour.