Before leaving home Shibusawa had penned a short message to his father, and one to his wife. He informed Takara that he should be absent for a long time, and advised her to seek such happiness as she herself might find. To his father he explained more fully his departure, his intentions, and his hopes. Again he urged Maido to accept the situation, feel assured of his safety, and fully confide in his purposes.

As the ship rolled out upon the great ocean Shibusawa gained a parting glimpse of his native land, and there came over him, only for an instant, a feeling of awe mingled with something of regret. Then he dismissed the past and thenceforth looked only to the future.

CHAPTER XI
CAST ADRIFT

Upon sailing out into the open water the little squadron encountered calm weather and a smooth sea, and as they had taken the outside course it was late at night before the Black Current was left behind. The phosphorescent light danced and played, while the air grew warm and balmy; though Shibusawa since leaving sight of land ventured not so high as a port-hole to enjoy the delights of a summer night on the Eastern seas. In fact, the first relaxation from the excitement of getting off, the swaying of the ship, the warmth of the boilers, and the closeness of the atmosphere combined to make him drowsy, and he crawled forward and hid himself away between great rolls of canvas, where he went fast asleep.

Nor did he after he had awakened attempt to stir from his hiding-place until hunger and thirst had driven him out. Then he came, blindly searching for the one who had undertaken for an advance consideration to “stow” and feed him and his companion until the ship landed at Shanghai, its proposed destination. And when he finally did after much confusion find his provider he was surprised and mortified at the treatment meted him.

“Take that, Indian, and mind y’u that ‘mum is the word’,” said the churlish stoker, as he tossed him an old tin half filled with cold stew, earlier in the day purloined from the mess.

Shibusawa said nothing and took the food, though not without a look of resentment. He did not understand the words, but from the fellow’s gruff manner suspected something of his meaning. Those last words, “mum is the word,” impressed him, and intuitively he felt they in some way related to manner. This he afterwards so thoroughly impressed upon Okyo’s mind that he, doubtful slave, learned no more “European,” but made that much serve his every purpose.

Had Shibusawa been more politic, and accepted the situation as a necessary consequence of his uncongenial surroundings, he might have escaped further insult, but that characteristic look of his gave the big, sooty stoker further occasion to “show off,” whereat he pounced upon him with his big bony hand in such manner as to send his now bewildered charge sprawling over the loose coals, saying, gruffly: