And he had left her without a word—without a kiss! Many and many a time had he felt her kiss upon his forehead as he was sinking off into the sound sleep of childhood. Many a time he had heard her whispered prayer as she knelt by his side; and now he had left her desolate!
"Joy will be there," Jack thought—"little Miss Joy, and she will comfort her—dear little Joy!"
And somehow, as all these memories of those he had left behind him came before him, tears rose all unbidden, and chased each other down his cheeks.
Presently a rough kick from a man's boot made him start.
"The mate is singing out for you, youngster," he said; "get along with you and go where you are wanted, for you ain't wanted here."
"Where's the mate?"
"Where, stupid? In his berth, a groaning and sighing. There ain't much the matter with him, that's my belief; only some folks can afford to make a fuss."
Jack drew himself together and walked towards the companion ladder. As he was putting his foot on it with the cautious air of the uninitiated, a rude push from behind, followed by a derisive laugh, sent him down to the bottom with a heavy thud.
"Shame!" cried a voice, "to treat the boy like that."
"Oh, he will be one of Colley's lambs, canting no end, you'll see! For my own part, I'd soon chuck him overboard."