He looked at me, and blushed a little.
"All the more reason I should go with you, sir; for then—then—there would be—you know."
"What, Harmer?" I asked.
"A pair of us," he answered humbly.
"H'm, you are a nice boy? What will your father say if he hears you have gone off in this way?"
Harmer looked at me and laughed.
"He will say it was your fault, sir! But I had better get my dunnage on board."
And away he went.
"Harmer, come back!" I cried, but he only turned, nodded cheerfully, and disappeared in the crowd.
On the whole, although the appearance of Harmer added a new responsibility to those which were already a sufficient burden, I was not ill-pleased, for I thoroughly liked him, and had parted with him very unwillingly when I shook his hand on board the Vancouver for the last time, as I thought then. At any rate, he would be a companion for me, and if by having to look after him I was prevented in any measure from becoming selfish about Elsie, I might thank his boyish foolishness in being unable to prevent himself running after Fanny, whom, to say the truth, I considered a little flirt, though a dear little girl. And, then, Harmer might be able to help me with Elsie. It was something to have somebody about that I could trust in case of accident.