Once in the cabin, and the door being
closed, Mr. Ned adroitly knocked Palmer down with a blow from behind;
gagged, bound, and robbed him of the money, and left him to his
devices. Returning to the deck, he induced the captain to put him, by
boat, aboard the brig bound for England, which was still close at
hand. Taking different courses, upon leaving the lower bay, the two
vessels were soon out of hail, and that before the discovery of the
much puzzled Palmer's condition in his cabin.
The poor old man had to go to the Barbadoes, and come back again,
before a word of this event reached the ears of Mr. Faringfield. When
Palmer returned with his account of it, he brought word from Mr.
Culverson that, although Ned had indeed settled a gambling debt at the
pistol's point, and had indeed paid the passage of a woman and child
to England, his theft had been of less than a hundred pounds. Thus it
was made manifest that Ned had lied to Philip in order to play upon
his father's solicitude concerning the name of Faringfield for
integrity, and so get into his hands the means of embarking upon the
pleasures of the Old World. Very foolish did poor Philip look when he
learned how he had been duped. But Mr. Faringfield, I imagine,
consoled himself with the probability that New York had seen the last
of Mr. Edward.
I think 'twas to let Mr. Faringfield recover first from the feelings
of this occasion, that Philip postponed so long the announcement of
his intention to go to England.
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