England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Nobility -- Fiction
'That's the point,' and Herbert briefly explained his difficulties, and
Rose agreed that he must try to learn where the emigrants had gone, from
their relations. And when he expressed his full intention of following
them, even if he had to work his passage, before telling the parents, she
applauded the nobleness of the resolution, and all the romance in her
awoke at the notion of his bringing home the boy and setting him before
his parents. She was ready to promise secrecy for the sake of preventing
the prosecution that might, as Herbert saw, be a terrible thing for the
whole family; and besides, it must be confessed, the two young things did
rather enjoy the sharing of a secret. Herbert promised to meet her the
next morning, and report his discoveries and plans, as in fact she was
the only person with whom he could take counsel.
He did meet her accordingly, going first to the church. He had to tell
her that he had been able to make nothing of Mrs. Hall. He was not sure
whether she knew where her daughter had gone; at any rate, she would not
own to any knowledge, being probably afraid. Besides, when acting as
charwoman, Master Herbert had been such a torment to her that she was not
likely to oblige him.
He had succeeded better with the Jones family, and perhaps had learnt
prudence, for he had not begun by asking for the Rattler, but for the
respectable brother who had invited him out, and had thus learnt that the
destination of the emigrant was Toronto, where the elder brother was
employed on the _British Empress_, Ontario steamer. Mrs. Jones, the
mother, and her eldest son were decent people, and there was no reason to
think they were aware of the encumbrances that their scapegrace had taken
with him.
So Herbert had resolved, without delay, to make his way to Toronto; where
he hoped to find the child, and maybe, bring him back in a month's time.
'Only,' said Rose timidly, 'did you really mean what you said about
working your way out?'
'Well, Rose, that's the hitch. I had to pay up some bills after I got my
allowance, and unluckily I changed my bicycle, and the rascals put a lot
more on the new one, and I haven't got above seven pounds left, and I
must keep some for the rail from New York and for getting home, for I
can't take the kid home in the steerage. The bicycle's worth something,
and so is my watch, if I put them in pawn; so I think I can do it that
way, and I'm quite seaman enough to get employment, only I don't want to
lose time about it.'
'I was thinking,' said Rose shyly; 'they made me put into the Post Office
Savings Bank after I began to get a salary. I have five-and-twenty
pounds there that I could get out in a couple of days, and I should be so
glad to help to bring that dear little boy home.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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