"—him!" said another. "It's a pity he and his old money-griper of a dad are not both at the bottom."
Wrapped in the captain's greatcoat, George was as comfortable as his anxieties would permit. No sign of life was upon the dark waters. When the boat made her landing, he slipped out of his coat, leaped ashore, and, walking and running alternately, soon reached his father's house.
Opening the door with his latch-key, he stumbled on Jube, the waiter, who backed away from him with something like a yell of fear, believing that his young master had come back in ghostly guise.
"Shut up, you fool!" said George sternly. "Don't you know me?"
"O Lawd, Lawd! you ain't a spook, Marse George?"
"I'll box your ears in a way that will convince you—"
At this moment Dr. Devoe came hastily from the sickroom, and met George on the stairs. "Thank God!" exclaimed the physician, "you have escaped. Caution, now, caution. You must not show yourself to your father till I give permission."
"Has he heard? Is he very ill?" George asked, in deep anxiety.
"Yes, but he'll come through all right, now that you are alive, I've had to stupefy him partially. He was told that you had been drowned. Go change your clothes, and be ready when I want you. How did you escape?"
"Picked up by the steamer 'Firefly.' Did they escape?—I mean Mr. Bodine and his party."