“You were lang awa’, Captain,” was his opening speech.  “It would tak’ a deal o’ gude fortune to mak’ it worth your while to knock around the high seas for three years or mair.”

“Well, look now, Elder, I didn’t come home with empty hands.  I have always been apt to get into the place where gold and good bargains were going.”

“Hum-m-m!  You sailed for Rotterdam, I think?”

“That is true; from Rotterdam I went to Batavia, and then to the coast of Africa.  The African cargo took me to the West Indies.  From Kingston it was easy to St. Thomas and Surinam for cotton, and then to Curacoa for dyeing-woods and spices.  The ‘Great Christopher’ took luck with her.  Every cargo was a good cargo.”

“I’ll no be certain o’ that, Captain.  I would hae some scruples mysel’ anent buying and selling men and women o’ any colour.  We hae no quotations from the other world, and it may be the Almighty holds his black men at as high a figure as his white men.  I’m just speculating, you ken.  I hae a son—­my third son, Alexander Semple, o’ Boston—­wha has made money on the Africans.  I hae told him, likewise, that trading in wheat and trading in humanity may hae ethical differences; but every one settles his ain bill, and I’ll hae enough to do to secure mysel’.”

Batavius was puzzled; and at the words “ethical differences,” his big brown hand was “in the hair” at once.  He scratched his head and looked doubtfully at Semple, whose face was peculiarly placid and thoughtful and kindly.

“Men must work, Elder, and these blacks won’t work unless they are forced to.  I, who am a baptized Christian, have to do my duty in this life; and, as for pagans, they must be made to do it.  I am myself a great lover of morality, and that is what I think.  Also, you may read in the Scriptures, that St. Paul says that if a man will not work, neither shall he eat.”

“St. Paul dootless kent a’ about the question o’ forced labour, seeing that he lived when baith white and black men were sold for a price.  However, siller in the hand answers a’ questions and the dominie made a vera true observe one Sabbath, when he said that the Almighty so ordered things in this warld that orthodoxy and good living led to wealth and prosperity.”

“That is the truth,” answered Justice Van Gaasbeeck; “Holland is Holland because she has the true faith.  You may see that in France there is anarchy and bloodshed and great poverty; that is because they are Roman Catholics.”

It was at this moment that Katherine came and stood behind her father’s chair.  She let her hand fall down over his shoulder, and he raised his own to clasp it.  “What is it, then, mijn Katrijntje kleintje?”

“It is to dance.  Mother says ‘yes’ if thou art willing.”

“Then I say ‘yes,’ also.”

For a moment she laid her cheek against his; and the happy tears came into his eyes, and he stroked her face, and half-reluctantly let Batavius lead her away.  For, at the first mention of a dance, Batavius had risen and put down his pipe; and in a few minutes he was triumphantly guiding Joanna in a kind of mazy waltzing movement, full of spirit and grace.