"Well now, Mr. Blue, it's better to have a little help than none at all. Why, indeed, you'll have to lift the heavy kettles off the fire yourself. The boy can peel potatoes and wash dishes."
"Yes, and break more than his neck is worth in Brothers. I understand.—Now, little one, come here and get into this apron, and begin work.—Oh, wait a moment. You have not had any breakfast. There, take that bowl of rice; you are more accustomed to that than to our bread and coffee. When you have finished get at those dishes, and wash and wipe them quicker than scat, and for every one you break a precious good thump you'll get."
With tears in his eyes poor little Peppo choked down his rice, and went to work. "Oh, dear," he said to himself, as he dipped the plates in hot water and burned his fingers trying to get them out, "Oh, dear, how God is punishing me for my disobedience! If I had only stayed where I was told. Father Somazzo must have known what Lihoa was going to do. This is what I get for running off and having my own way. And who knows whether I'll ever see Hongkong and the good Fathers again so long as I live?"
Poor little Peppo's cup was full to overflowing. As with trembling fingers he kept on fishing the hot plates out of the dishpan, he noticed that all the plates had on them the word "St. George"; then he recalled that that was the name of Willy's father's boat. Just as it was dawning on him that he must be on the "St. George" the kitchen door opened and he heard a well-known voice say, "Give me some breakfast quicker than a wink, dear cook, for I've got to go to work as cabin-boy right away."
Peppo was walking across the floor to the crockery chest to put away a dozen or more clean plates which he had in his hands, when at the sound of the voice he turned and saw Willy whom the Captain had given a push that sent him half across the kitchen. The small Chinaman gave a cry of surprise and let the plates fall on the floor where they broke into a thousand rattling pieces. Angrily the cook sprang at him, and would have struck him with the big wooden cooking spoon, if Willy had not come between them and received the blow meant for Peppo.
"Peppo, Peppo," he cried, "are you here?"
"Yes, Willy, as a punishment for my disobedience. And now see what more mischief I have done, and what more punishment I shall get. The cook will beat me half to death for breaking all the beautiful plates," moaned Peppo.
"But I was all to blame for that," said Willy. "I frightened you so that you let them fall. That's so, isn't it, dear cook? You won't punish him, will you?"
The cook's anger was somewhat mollified. The good-natured man was pleased with the boys, and gave them both some breakfast on a little table. Peppo told of his adventures, and Willy comforted him by saying, "You have been disobedient and you'll have to take your punishment, but the dear God ordained it that you should come to me. We'll pray together and be good, so that our holy guardian angels will take us back to Hongkong again to the Fathers."
Just here the boatswain came in and ordered Willy on deck, or they would have continued talking indefinitely.