"With a blue jacket?" said the lady.
"Yes," said Rollo, "and a bow and arrows."
"That's he," said the lady. "If you will go and find out where he is, and ask him to come to me, you will do me a great deal of good."
Rollo had seen this boy several times in different places about the ship; but as he seemed to be rather rude and boisterous in his manners, and very forward and free withal in his intercourse with the passengers who chanced to speak to him from time to time, Rollo had not felt much disposed to form an acquaintance with him. The boy had a bow and arrows, with which he had often amused himself in shooting about the decks. He did this with so little consideration, that at last, one of the officers of the ship told him that he must not shoot any more in those parts of the ship where the ladies were, but that he must go forward, among the sailors, if he wished to practise archery. So the boy went forward, and from that time he spent most of his time on the forward deck among the sailors, and in the midst of the ropes and the rigging.
Rollo now went in pursuit of him, and after looking for him in many places, both before and aft, he finally went down into the dining saloon, and there he found Hilbert seated at the table, eating dinner, with his father. His bows and arrows were on the seat by his side.
Rollo went up to the place where Hilbert was sitting, and in a timid and cautious manner informed him that his mother wished to see him.
"My mother!" repeated Hilbert, looking up surprised.
"Yes," replied Rollo; "she asked me to tell you. But I suppose that she can wait until you have finished your dinner."
"O, no," said Hilbert, "I can't go at all. Go tell her I can't come."
Rollo was greatly astonished at receiving such a message as this from a boy to his mother.