“Only what?” inquired my mother, looking very kindly at my father.
“Only let’s have a pot of beer now, to drink Tom’s health, that’s all.”
Having thus satisfactorily settled this point, I returned to Chatham. I had promised to take a farewell of my sister and the O’Connors, as I expected they would leave previous to my again coming up the river.
Chapter Fifty.
An adventure which at first promised to be the most unfortunate, and eventually proved the most fortunate in my life.
As Sir James O’Connor would have to remain at least a fortnight longer at Chatham, until his ship was paid off, I made Lady O’Connor promise to write to me, and then started for Deal. I found Bramble and Bessy as usual delighted to see me, and Mrs Maddox was as talkative as ever. I received a letter from Lady O’Connor, and also one from Dr Tadpole, written at the request of my father, informing me that by a letter from Mrs St. Felix there was little prospect of her return to Greenwich. I had not been a week at Deal when a large ship dropped her anchor in the Downs, and made the signal for a pilot.
“Well, Tom,” said Bramble, “I think I shall take a turn now, for I want to go up and see old Anderson.”
“I will take her through, if you please, father; and you may go as a passenger. You don’t want money, and I do.”