He had started on a voyage to England without intending it, and could not help himself.
When he did reach the deck Jersey City was only visible in the distance, and the Umbria was gradually leaving the Battery behind.
The tears came to his eyes, and he exclaimed, "Charley! Charley!" But his call met with no response.
The great ship steamed past Staten Island and into the upper bay without anyone taking any notice of Tommy.
He had spoken to several people, but they, full of their own affairs, had pushed him rudely on one side, as if a small boy was too insignificant to pay attention to. There was no hope of his getting on shore now, for the only place where they might have landed him was Quarantine, and that was out of sight.
The tears trickled down his face still, and a strange fear that the captain might beat or imprison him took possession of his mind.
He had heard of people being put in irons and confined in some dark place for a trifling offense.
Suppose they asked him for his passage ticket, what could he say?
It was not likely that the captain would take him a journey of three thousand miles for nothing.
He had no money, his knowledge of the sea and of seamanship was so meager that he did not think he could work at anything.