Chapter 1 - Page 2

expression about his sunken mouth
and sharp chin said plainly enough that the other might state his
business at once and be gone. He sought no company; and the only time he
had ever been seen at church was when he came rowing over to Tromö with
his wife's body in her coffin. When the pastor sprinkled earth upon it,
it was observed that the tears streamed down his cheeks, and it was long
after dark before he quitted the churchyard to return. He had become a
proverb for obstinacy for miles beyond his own residence; and people who
dealt with him for fish in the harbour, if they once began to bargain,
were as likely as not to see him without a word just quietly row away.

All that was known further about "Old Jacob," as he was called, was that
he had once been a pilot, and that he had had a son who had taken to
drinking, through whose fault it had been eventually that the father had
lost his certificate; and it was thought that on the occasion in
question the father had taken the son's blame upon himself. Since then
he had shunned society, and had retired with his wife to his present
habitation, whither, after their son was drowned, they had brought their
little orphan granddaughter, who now was his sole companion. His only
ostensible means of living were by shoemaking, and by fishing, the
produce of which he generally disposed of to passing ships, and, during
the earlier period of his sojourn there, by shooting occasionally. But
it was understood that he received a small regular contribution from
several of the pilots, certificated or otherwise, of the district, for
keeping a fire alight on his hearth during the dark autumn nights, and
so giving them, by the light from his two windows, something to steer by
when they arrived off the coast after nightfall. Whether the light was
shown for their benefit particularly, or whether it was not rather
intended for the guidance of smuggling vessels standing in under cover
of the night to land their cargoes, it was not their business to
inquire. Its friendly assistance was, at all events, not unacknowledged
by these latter, and very acceptable presents, in the shape of kegs of
spirits, bags of coffee, tobacco, meal, and so forth, would, from time
to time, come rolling into the old man's room, so that upon the whole,
he was well-to-do enough out there upon his rock.

Of late years he had fallen into feeble health, and found it not so easy
to row the long distance over to land. Even in his best days he had,
owing to an old injury to one of his legs, found some difficulty in
getting down to the boat; and now, therefore, he sat during the greater
part of the day over the hearth, in his woolen jacket and leather
breeches, with his indoor work. Now and then, when