“No, he didn’t; he was too fond of her,” I said; “only he felt it his duty to continue his researches, the same that brought him out here, and—oh, I shall find him and bring him back.”
“Don’t, don’t, don’t! there’s a good boy; don’t talk to me like that. You’re sixteen now, and you ought to know better.”
“I don’t want to know any better than that, nurse. I know it’s my duty to go, and I shall go.”
“You’ll kill your poor ma, sir.”
“No, I sha’n’t,” I said. “She won’t like my going at first, because it will seem lonely for her out here; but she’ll be as pleased as can be afterwards. Look here: my mother—”
“Say ma, Master Joe, dear. Doey, please; it’s so much more genteel.”
“Stuff! it’s Frenchy; mother’s old English. Mother don’t believe father’s dead, does she?”
“Well, no, my dear; she’s as obstinate as you are about that.”
“And she’s right. Why, he’s only been away four years, and that isn’t so very long in a country where you have to cut every step of the way.”
“Cooey—cooey—woo—woo—woo—woo—why yup!”