Tim’s heart was full to bursting, and as he leaned against the rail he thought it was not possible for greater trouble to come to him, since he was denied even a sight of Tip.
Now he would willingly have promised that the dog should remain with Bobby, if by making such promise he could see and hug him each time the boat arrived at that place.
So absorbed was he with his grief, caused by what looked very like an act of perfidy on Bobby’s part, that he failed to notice what several of the employés on the steamer saw and wondered at. A man had called Captain Pratt on shore, and was talking to him in such a manner as to make him angry. So excited was he that he paid no attention to the fact that the steamer was ready to continue the trip, and that every one waited for him.
Tim saw nothing of all this; but when the captain called loudly to him he started, as if he had been caught in wrongdoing.
“Come ashore here!” cried the captain, much as if he was angry with himself for giving such an order.
Tim walked on to the wharf in a perfect maze of surprise, and when he went near his employer his wonder was increased by hearing that gentleman say to the one he had been talking with, “Here’s the boy, and I wish you joy of him;” and then to see him go quickly on board the steamer.
Before Tim had time to recover from his surprise the steamer had started, and as she was leaving the wharf he was almost taken off his feet by some soft substance that hit him on the legs.
It did not take him many seconds to discover that this substance which had struck him so suddenly was his own little bob-tailed Tip, and then he knelt right down on the wharf and hugged him desperately, giving no heed to anything save the happy fact that he had his pet to himself once more.
Some time before he had finished hugging and kissing Tip a noisy crowd of boys emerged from behind one of the freight sheds, where they had evidently been in hiding, and gave him such a welcome to Minchin’s Island as he never expected to receive anywhere.
Bobby was among the number, of course, and it was so long before he could calm himself down sufficiently to explain the meaning of all the strange occurrences, that Tim was left some time in doubt as to whether he had really gotten away from the savage Captain Pratt, or if it was all a pleasant dream, from which he would awake to receive the promised flogging.