"Quite right. And if—by any accident—he should fall from the rigging, or else—"
"No, no, I won't have him put to death. God knows I wish my brother were alive. The thought even that perhaps in my drunkenness I sanctioned the changing of his medicine, almost drives me mad.—I am satisfied, though, that we will have to hide this boy for a time in some institution, and then announce to the authorities that at the shipwreck, which we contemplate having, he perished."
"Captain, you are always for half-way measures. But as you like, so long as you hold fast to our agreement—the half of the property."
"On the day on which I come into possession of the property, the half is yours."
"Very well. You have sworn to this, and now be assured that just so surely as you betray me, or attempt to cheat me out of the wages of my sins, you are a dead man, even if at that very hour I go to eternal damnation with you."
"You may depend upon me. Half and half, just as I have sworn. And now
I'll go for my nephew."
With these words the Captain stepped into the cabin. Through this cabin ran a partition, and in one corner of the smaller part Willy had hung his hammock. So soundly had he slept, that his first knowledge that the "St. George" was under sail came when he noticed the motion of the ship, and heard the swishing of the water.
"O dear! We've left Hongkong, and Father Somazzo couldn't get me away from my uncle," was his first thought. "And last night I dreamed that he did get me away, and that Brother Onufrio and Peppo were with me, but I can't remember where.—O dear, we are out at sea and on the way to Australia, or God knows where."
Willy was almost in tears. Father Somazzo's comforting words came to his mind, then kneeling down for a short morning prayer, he commended himself to the care of his guardian angel. Strengthened by the thought that God's holy guardian angels are companions and protectors at sea as well as on land, he was rising from his knees just as his uncle came into the room.
"What, up and dressed! By the seven sleepers of old, I verily believe that you have been praying! That's what they set you to doing at the pension, but you'll soon get over it; a seaman has no time for any such superfluous business as that."