An Unexpected Departure.

On the morning following the Chinese New Year, with a favoring west wind the "St. George" put to sea with Green at the helm, because the Captain was unable to find a man that he liked better, who was capable of taking his place. Restlessly the Captain paced up and down the deck, gazing at the island in the moonlight until it was lost in the sea. As soon as the morning light gave better opportunities, he climbed to the crow's nest and with a field glass searched the western horizon, and not until the sun was well up did he push the glass together. Then he muttered to himself as he came down from the rigging:

"My fears are vain. Why, that Italian priest wouldn't have the Chief of Police send a steam launch after us on account of that boy. And yet Redfox states positively that he sent the agents of the police to the sailors' home, to sidle up to the crew that I dismissed and to try to get out of them all the information they could. But what do they know? What can they prove?—Oh, I am such a coward! Come, John, come. Drive these stupid fears out of your head. Think of the future and not of the past."

The Captain went to the helmsman and found the boatswain and first officer, Redfox, with him. All greeted the Captain in a becoming manner and wished for favoring winds to carry them on their way.

"We could make use of them all right," cried the Captain. "Gray, the ship can carry more canvas. Set all the sails, and Green, do you steer as straight as a crow flies for the Channel of Balintang. How far is it to Balintang, Redfox?"

"Four hundred and fifty sea miles, but we can save a hundred miles by holding for the southern point of Luzon—"

"Yes, and be wrecked on some one of the hundred reefs and islands which make the route by the Philippines so dangerous! No, Mr. Redfox, though it is of great importance for me to get to Melbourne as soon as possible, I shall not take any risks going that way. We'll go farther to the north through the Balintang, from there down between the Palau and Caroline Islands, on through by the Soloman Islands, and the Lousiade Archipelago."

"We shall meet with dangerous seas that way, too, but if it's the route you've decided on, that's all there is to it. What's going on with the three hundred Chinamen in the steerage?"

"I don't know. Let them stay down where they are; they won't suffocate yet awhile, and we'll have peace on deck for an hour or two," growled the Captain.

"With the last lot that came on board there was a little pigmy, barely ten years old," said Gray. "An old Chinaman carried him in his arms and said he was asleep. It seemed to me that he was in a stupor, and I had more than half a mind to send them back, and then it occurred to me that we could use the lad in the kitchen, as the cook's assistant. I'll get the boy, Captain, and let you see what you think of giving him over to the cook. By cuffs and knocks perhaps he can be developed into something useful."

"Go ahead, Gray," answered the Captain. "And you, Redfox, want my nephew, of whom this small Chinaman makes me think." Then he added in a low tone: "Since our last talk I have thought the thing over.—You are right. It cannot be otherwise. He must disappear, at least for a time, that is, until we are in possession of the money; later I will restore it to him."

"Quite right. And if—by any accident—he should fall from the rigging, or else—"

"No, no, I won't have him put to death. God knows I wish my brother were alive. The thought even that perhaps in my drunkenness I sanctioned the changing of his medicine, almost drives me mad.—I am satisfied, though, that we will have to hide this boy for a time in some institution, and then announce to the authorities that at the shipwreck, which we contemplate having, he perished."

"Captain, you are always for half-way measures. But as you like, so long as you hold fast to our agreement—the half of the property."

"On the day on which I come into possession of the property, the half is yours."

"Very well. You have sworn to this, and now be assured that just so surely as you betray me, or attempt to cheat me out of the wages of my sins, you are a dead man, even if at that very hour I go to eternal damnation with you."

"You may depend upon me. Half and half, just as I have sworn. And now
I'll go for my nephew."

With these words the Captain stepped into the cabin. Through this cabin ran a partition, and in one corner of the smaller part Willy had hung his hammock. So soundly had he slept, that his first knowledge that the "St. George" was under sail came when he noticed the motion of the ship, and heard the swishing of the water.

"O dear! We've left Hongkong, and Father Somazzo couldn't get me away from my uncle," was his first thought. "And last night I dreamed that he did get me away, and that Brother Onufrio and Peppo were with me, but I can't remember where.—O dear, we are out at sea and on the way to Australia, or God knows where."

Willy was almost in tears. Father Somazzo's comforting words came to his mind, then kneeling down for a short morning prayer, he commended himself to the care of his guardian angel. Strengthened by the thought that God's holy guardian angels are companions and protectors at sea as well as on land, he was rising from his knees just as his uncle came into the room.

"What, up and dressed! By the seven sleepers of old, I verily believe that you have been praying! That's what they set you to doing at the pension, but you'll soon get over it; a seaman has no time for any such superfluous business as that."

"Superfluous to say one's prayers?" questioned Willy in utmost surprise, opening wide his big blue eyes. "The good Fathers prayed every day, and used to say that 'he who knows not how to pray, the sea will teach to pray'. What will become of us, if God and his angels do not watch over and guard us?"

"Oh, dear me! You talk just like the preaching Brothers," laughed the
Captain, in a way that made the boy shudder.

"Well, for aught that I care keep on praying to your guardian angel to watch over you, but now go into the kitchen and get a cup of coffee and a biscuit or two. Hurry yourself. In five minutes be ready for work and report on deck to the first officer."

In the meantime the boatswain had started for the steerage, where three hundred Chinamen were packed like herrings on the floor and in the berths along the sides of the room. When he opened the trap-door to go down the stairs, the poisonous stench which assailed his nostrils almost knocked him down. "By all the great sharks in the sea," he cried angrily, "I believe it would be easier to breathe in the bottom of the ocean than down there with those pig-tailed Chinamen! He! I don't want to go down there. Be quick, and send the interpreter up here," he called.

A babel of Chinese words came from the unventilated room which was lighted by an old kerosene lamp, and the crowd pushed to the gangway to get up on deck. The boatswain thundered "Back", and to make his words emphatic as well as intelligible, drew his revolver. The men went back, and Lihoa brought his nephew, the small Peppo, to the foot of the gangway. "Tell him that he is to let us come out on deck before we suffocate in this vile hole," commanded Lihoa.

As soon as Peppo began to tell in English what he had been told to say, the boatswain cried out: "Ha, ha! So you are the interpreter, you little pigmy? Why, that's all right. How lucky! Come up. I am looking for you, but your pig-tailed cousins will have to stay down there. They won't suffocate for awhile; the air of the steerage is thicker and more nourishing than that on deck."

After a little parleying Lihoa let his nephew go. Quickly he ran up the ladder, and when Gray had closed the trap-door he threw himself at his feet, and with outstretched hands begged to land, because he had been brought on board against his will.

"Land?" laughed Gray. "Land on what? We have been under sail for six hours or more and are now a goodly number of miles from Hongkong, and probably won't see land again for weeks. For good or for evil, for better or for worse, my little pigmy, you'll have to go with us until we land those cousins of yours in Australia. Get up. I'll take you to the kitchen, and there our cook will find so much for you to do, that you won't have time for sad thoughts."

With these words he seized Peppo by the arm and led him to the kitchen, where he gave him over to the cook. The fat cook with the big white apron looked at the slender youth half angrily, half compassionately, and grumbled:

"That little Chinaman is to give me the promised help? How is he to lift the heavy kettles of rice off the fire, Mr. Gray?"

"Well now, Mr. Blue, it's better to have a little help than none at all. Why, indeed, you'll have to lift the heavy kettles off the fire yourself. The boy can peel potatoes and wash dishes."

"Yes, and break more than his neck is worth in Brothers. I understand.—Now, little one, come here and get into this apron, and begin work.—Oh, wait a moment. You have not had any breakfast. There, take that bowl of rice; you are more accustomed to that than to our bread and coffee. When you have finished get at those dishes, and wash and wipe them quicker than scat, and for every one you break a precious good thump you'll get."

With tears in his eyes poor little Peppo choked down his rice, and went to work. "Oh, dear," he said to himself, as he dipped the plates in hot water and burned his fingers trying to get them out, "Oh, dear, how God is punishing me for my disobedience! If I had only stayed where I was told. Father Somazzo must have known what Lihoa was going to do. This is what I get for running off and having my own way. And who knows whether I'll ever see Hongkong and the good Fathers again so long as I live?"

Poor little Peppo's cup was full to overflowing. As with trembling fingers he kept on fishing the hot plates out of the dishpan, he noticed that all the plates had on them the word "St. George"; then he recalled that that was the name of Willy's father's boat. Just as it was dawning on him that he must be on the "St. George" the kitchen door opened and he heard a well-known voice say, "Give me some breakfast quicker than a wink, dear cook, for I've got to go to work as cabin-boy right away."

Peppo was walking across the floor to the crockery chest to put away a dozen or more clean plates which he had in his hands, when at the sound of the voice he turned and saw Willy whom the Captain had given a push that sent him half across the kitchen. The small Chinaman gave a cry of surprise and let the plates fall on the floor where they broke into a thousand rattling pieces. Angrily the cook sprang at him, and would have struck him with the big wooden cooking spoon, if Willy had not come between them and received the blow meant for Peppo.

"Peppo, Peppo," he cried, "are you here?"

"Yes, Willy, as a punishment for my disobedience. And now see what more mischief I have done, and what more punishment I shall get. The cook will beat me half to death for breaking all the beautiful plates," moaned Peppo.

"But I was all to blame for that," said Willy. "I frightened you so that you let them fall. That's so, isn't it, dear cook? You won't punish him, will you?"

The cook's anger was somewhat mollified. The good-natured man was pleased with the boys, and gave them both some breakfast on a little table. Peppo told of his adventures, and Willy comforted him by saying, "You have been disobedient and you'll have to take your punishment, but the dear God ordained it that you should come to me. We'll pray together and be good, so that our holy guardian angels will take us back to Hongkong again to the Fathers."

Just here the boatswain came in and ordered Willy on deck, or they would have continued talking indefinitely.