The ship slowly left her dock, and Charley Barker became aware of the fact that, for some reason altogether unknown to him, Tommy had not left with the other friends of the passengers. Satisfied with this conviction, he returned quickly to his father's, and having reported the safe bestowal of the coffin, hurried to Mr. Smithers' house and communicated the facts of the case. "Silly boy!" cried Mrs. Smithers. "He is always doing something stupid." "Well, ma'am, all the boys say he's a little soft." "I am in hopes he will grow out of that," said his mother. "But tell me, Charley, do you think he'll come to any harm?" "I guess not, ma'am. They'll make him work, that's all, and the American consul at Liverpool is bound to send him back." Charley Barker now retired, and the unhappy mother tried to comfort herself with the reflection that the boy was on board an English ship, bound to a well-known port, and among officers who would be kind to the poor waif whom an accident had cast among them. But her troubles were not over for that day. To her surprise, a few minutes after Charley Barker had taken his departure, Mr. Smithers entered the room, which was a very unusual occurrence for him, as he usually did not make his appearance until business at the store was over. Throwing himself into a chair, he glanced at his wife, and remarked that there were traces of silent tears in her eyes and on her cheeks. "Crying again!" he exclaimed, petulantly. "I never saw such a woman. You're always sniveling at something or another." "Tommy's gone," she replied, bursting out weeping again. "A good job, too. Where's he flitted to?" "He went on board an ocean steamer with Charley Barker, and through his carelessness or stupidity, did not go ashore with the others, and was carried along." "That boy's little better than a born idiot!" exclaimed Mr. Smithers, unfeelingly. "I'm sure he isn't that," replied the mother, checking her tears. "I tell you he's the fool of the family, and I'm glad to be rid of him. He'll fall on his legs--all these half-witted ones do--so dismiss that from your mind, while I tell you a bit of real trouble." She looked at him strangely. There was that in his bloodshot eyes, his haggard appearance and somewhat disordered dress which induced her to think that something very unusual had happened. Nor was she mistaken. "Maria," he said, "I'm ruined; don't start or go into hysterics, because there is no time for that. I didn't come home in the middle of the day to lay off. I'm here to arrange for our immediate flight." "Flight!" she stammered. "Where? how? what do you mean? What have you done?" "Embezzled my employer's money!" This reply completely took Mrs. Smithers' breath away, for the communication was totally unexpected. In the shock which this announcement caused her Tommy's disappearance was quite forgotten. "Maria," continued the wretched man, "I scarcely know how to act. You must help me in this crisis."