Gazing at the partly opened door, he awaited for whatever
adventure might next befall him. Once again the footsteps paused,
this time at the very threshold, and then the door was slowly
pushed open from without.
As our hero gazed at the aperture there presently became
disclosed to his view the strong and robust figure of one who was
evidently of a seafaring habit. From the gold braid upon his hat,
the seals dangling from the ribbon at his fob, and a certain
particularity of custom, he was evidently one of no small
consideration in his profession. He was of a strong and powerful
build, with a head set close to his shoulders, and upon a round,
short bull neck. He wore a black cravat, loosely tied into a
knot, and a red waistcoat elaborately trimmed with gold braid; a
leather belt with a brass buckle and hanger, and huge sea-boots
completed a costume singularly suggestive of his occupation in
life. His face was round and broad, like that of a cat, and a
complexion stained, by constant exposure to the sun and wind, to
a color of newly polished mahogany. But a countenance which
otherwise might have been humorous, in this case was rendered
singularly repulsive by the fact that his nose had been broken so
flat to his face that all that remained to distinguish that
feature were two circular orifices where the nostrils should have
been.
Pages:
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54