“He is a dangerous man though, Tessa. And now listen to me. When I came on board this steamer I intended to land at the Mortlocks Islands. But I think now that I will go on to Ponapé.”
“Do not change your plans, Harvey, on my account. I am not afraid of this man. He dare not insult me, for fear my father would hear of it.”
“I know him too well, Tessa. He and the skipper are, I fear, a pair of cunning, treacherous villains. And so I am going on to Ponapé. And I will stay there until your father returns. I daresay,” he added with a smile, “that he will give me a berth as a trader somewhere.”
A sudden joy illumined the girl's face. “I am so glad, Harvey. And mother, too, will be overjoyed to see you again; father has never ceased to talk about you since you left him. Oh, Harvey, we shall have all the old, old delightful days over again. But,” she added artlessly, “there will be but you and I now to go fishing and shooting together. Carmela and her husband are living in the Ladrones, and Librada and her husband, though they are still on Ponapé, are ten miles away from mother and I. Then Jack is in California, and Ned is away on a whaling cruise.”
A quick emotion stirred his bosom as he looked into her now joyous face. “I don't think you and I can go out shooting and fishing together, Tessa, as we did in what you call 'the old, old days.'”
“Can't we, Harvey?” she asked wonderingly.
He shook his head, and then mused.
“Tessa, I wish you could meet my sisters.”
She clasped her hands together. “Ah, so do I, Harvey. I should love to meet them. Do you think they would like me?”
“I am sure they would.”