“No, it aren’t that,” said Esau, turning a little red.
“Well, you are your own master, my lad. Go and buy what you want, and make haste back.”
Esau brightened up, and I rose to go with him.
“No, no; I don’t want you to come,” said Esau. “You stop with Mr Gunson. I shan’t be long.”
It struck me that this was rather curious on my companion’s part, but I said nothing, only sat and looked out at the lovely bay, while Gunson busied himself with writing a letter.
“There,” he said, when he had done; “want to write too?”
I shook my head.
“Better,” he said. “Mayn’t have another chance to write home for mouths.”
“I have no home,” I said sadly, “and no one to whom I could write.”
He clapped me on the shoulder, and looked down at me searchingly as I thought.