“You’ve got some very wrong ideas, Jenny,” said Mrs. Merton. “I fear that your grandmother has not brought you up properly.”
“She did not bring me up at all. I brought myself up. As for granny, she didn’t care as long as I brought her money to buy whiskey.”
Mrs. Merton shook her head. It was very evident to her that Tom had been under very bad influences.
“I hope you will see the error of your ways after a while, Jenny. My brother takes an interest in you, and for his sake I hope you will try to improve.”
“If he wants me to, I will,” said Tom, decidedly.
Arab as she was, she had been impressed by the kindness of Captain Barnes, and felt that she should like to please him. Still, there was a fascination in the wild independence of her street life which was likely for some time to interfere with her enjoyment of the usages of a more civilized state. There was little prospect of her taming down into an average girl all at once. The change must come slowly.
“My brother will be very much pleased if he finds that you have improved when he returns from his voyage.”
“When is he goin’ to sea?”
“In two or three days.”
“I asked him to take me with him,” said Tom; “but he wouldn’t.”