Having finished this epistle, he gave it to his brother, and grasping his hand said,—
“Good-bye, Tim, we’ve been long mates in t’vorest, mind and write to me when I give you the address.”
Another grasp of the hand, and Tim walked slowly down the planks for the shore, and Mat thought that he had seen the last of him, and was turning away, when back he came, crying,—
“Where’s Jumper?”
But Jumper could not be found amongst the crowds of people and heaps of deck gear.
Tim ran ashore, calling and whistling, but came back without having found him. Then they attempted to search the ship all over, but no result: at length they bethought them of looking into a cabin, into which Tim had entered on first coming on board. With some difficulty they found it, when there, sure enough, they found the faithful beast, with his paws stretched over Mat’s bundle which Tim had deposited there.
But so much time had been lost in the search, that upon ascending to the deck again, they found the vessel on the point of being tugged down the river by a small steamer.
Tim was in despair, which being observed by one of the sailors, the man inquired what ailed him.
“Why, I want to go ashore.”
“Oh! is that all,” laughed the sailor, “you can get away in one of the shore-boats, or the pilot’s, later on, for that matter.”