“To go away, uncle.”
“Well, that’s what I said, sir.”
“That was not quite correct, uncle. If I ran away it would have been without telling you.”
“Of course, and that’s what you meant to do.”
“No, uncle; I feel now that I could not have done that. I should have come to you in the morning to tell you that I felt as if I should be better away, and that I would go to sea at once.”
“Humph! And if you went away, sir, what’s to become of me?”
“I don’t know, uncle, only I feel that you’d be better without such an obstinate, disobedient fellow as I am.”
“Oh, you think so, do you? Well, you shouldn’t be obstinate then.”
“I didn’t mean to be, uncle.”
“Then, why, in the name of all that’s sensible, were you? Why didn’t you tell me why you fought and got in such a state?”