Bransome, Jackson had always kept charge of the spirits himself, and
he was such a secret old fellow that there was no knowing what he had
then taken. Now that I was aware of his failing, I was very sorry for
the old sailor; for on such a coast and in such a climate there was only
one end to it; and although I could not actually prevent him from taking
the liquor, I resolved to watch him, and if such symptoms as I had seen
before again appeared, to tell Mr. Bransome of them at all hazards. But
I was too late to prevent what speedily followed my discovery. It had
come about that the same mail-steamer that had brought out Mr. Bransome
had again anchored off the Point, and again the weather was coarse and
lowering. A stiff breeze had blown for some days, which made the rollers
worse than they had been for a long while. Both Mr. Bransome and Jackson
watched the weather with eager looks, but each was differently affected
by it. Bransome appeared to be anxious and nervous, while Jackson was
excited, and paced up and down the veranda, and kept, strange to say,
for it was contrary to his late habit, a watch upon Bransome's every
movement.
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