"
"I am sure it will, Ben. I can tell you that it is as much as I can
do, sometimes, not to burst out crying when I see her sitting, by the
hour, with her eyes open, but not seeing anything, or moving as much
as a finger--just thinking, and thinking, and thinking.
"I wish we were going out in your ship, Ben."
"I wish you was, lad; but it will be five or six weeks before we are
off again. Anyhow, the ship you are going in--the Madras--is a fine
craft, and the captain bears as high a character as anyone in the
Company's fleet.
"Well, lad, I hope that it will all turn out well. If I could have
talked the lingo like a native, I would have been glad to have gone
with you, and taken my chances. The captain saved my life in that
wreck, and it would only have been right that I should risk mine for
him, if there was but a shadow of chance of its being of use. But I
know that, in a job of this sort, I could be of no good whatsomever,
and should be getting you into trouble before we had gone a mile
together."
"I am sure that you would help, if you could, Ben; but, of course, you
could be of no use."
"And when do you think of being home again, lad?"
"There is no saying, Ben--it may be years.
Pages:
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30