“You can go ashore and see the town, if you want to; but be back by nine o’clock.”
Tim shook his head; he had no desire to see anything new, since Tip was not there to enjoy the sights with him, and he crept off to his dirty berth in the forecastle, where he cried himself to sleep.
On the next morning he succeeded in supplying the captain’s wants at the table as quickly as that gentleman thought proper, and yet no mention was made of the events of the previous day.
The steamer was to leave Bedlow on her return trip at noon, and Tim took no interest in the bustle and excitement on the wharf, save that each succeeding moment was one less in the time that must elapse before he saw Tip again.
As the steamer started his spirits rose, and he watched her course carefully, fretting at the time spent at each landing, content only when she was going at regular speed toward Minchin’s Island and Tip.
He had formed no plan as to what he should do when he got there. He knew that Mr. Rankin’s advice that Tip be left there was good, and should be followed, but he could not make up his mind to do so. Parting with Tip seemed like parting with a portion of his very life, and he could not bring himself to say that he would leave this his only friend, no matter how short the time.
It was nearly nightfall when the steamer neared Minchin’s Island, and Tim was as far in the bow as he could get on the main-deck, in order that he might catch the first glimpse of Tip, for he felt sure Bobby would bring him to the wharf.
At last he could distinctly see the different objects on the wharf, and his heart sunk when he failed to see any one who at all resembled Bobby. He looked eagerly among the crowd assembled, and could not even see one boy, when on the day before there had been at least twenty there. He was at a loss to account for this cruelty on Bobby’s part. He knew the dog had been saved, for he had surely seen him held aloft in Bob’s arms, and a cruel suspicion came into his mind that perhaps the boy was keeping out of sight with the intention of claiming Tip as his own.
The boat arrived at the wharf, and was made fast. Not a single boy or dog could be seen.