“Never mind,” answered his brother, who was secretly rather pleased, “we must make the best of it, and we’ll talk to the captain, if we see a good chance, but it musn’t be yet a good bit.”
“I wouldn’t mind so much,” said Tim, “if it wasn’t for the old folks; they’ll think I’m lost in London.”
Shortly after this conversation, the emigrants were divided into “messes,” and Tim found from inquiries he made that he was indeed in for the whole trip.
CHAPTER IV.
Life on board the Young Austral—The wreck—A swim for life—Safe ashore.
Thus it was that both brothers joined the full-rigged ship Young Austral, bound for Moreton Bay direct, joining a band of sturdy Britons who were going to seek their fortunes in the new colony. Though Tim started against his will, he very soon did “make the best of it,” seeing that there was no present hope of returning. Mat, too, helped to cheer him, telling him that the voyage would do him good, and buying him clothes and a few necessaries from those emigrants who had any to part with.
A day later on, Mat was summoned to speak to the captain, who, until then, had not had time to read the letter from Burns, which Mat had sent into his cabin upon first coming on board.
Said the skipper, as Mat made his appearance, followed by Tim,—
“I understand your story, this letter from my friend explains all; that’s your brother alongside you, I’ll be bound. Mr. Burns has arranged it all, so that you will get better accommodation than the ‘free’ passengers, and your stowaway brother can mess with you; I’ve been hearing about him from my mate, and I’m not sorry that he’s on board. If we speak a homeward-bound ship, we may have a chance of sending a letter home before long—that’s all”—and the skipper waved the two lads out of the cabin.
Comforted by these words, soon perceiving that this gruff, hard-featured captain was a good-hearted man, Mat and Tim congratulated themselves now with having had the luck to ship under him.