“Only the old story. When the cat’s away the mice will play.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve had bad news from my agent in Trinidad.”
“Indeed!”
“He writes to me by this mail that he has done his best, but the estate needs my immediate supervision—that he cannot exert the same influence and authority that I should.”
“Losses?”
“Oh, no; gains—that is, a little on the right side. But a little is absurd. Those plantations ought to produce a princely revenue.”
The admiral looked at his guest keenly.
“Well,” he said at last, “what does this mean?”
“That in spite of everything—my own desires and the love I have for England—I shall have to run across as soon as possible.”