“Well, what of that?”
“What ob dat! why, you’ll write a letter to your fadder. It’ll go by de steamer to Batavia. He gits it long before we gits home, so dere’s plenty time for ’im to take haction.”
“But what good will writing to my father do?” asked Nigel in a somewhat disappointed tone. “He can’t help us.”
“Ho yes, he can,” said Moses with a self-satisfied nod. “See here, I’ll tell you what to write. You begin, ‘Dear fadder—or Dearest fadder’—I’s not quite sure ob de strengt’ ob your affection. P’raps de safest way.”
“Oh! get on, Moses. Never mind that.”
“Ho! it’s all bery well for you to say dat, but de ole gen’leman’ll mind it. Hows’ever, put it as you t’ink best—‘Dear fadder, victual your ship; up anchor; hois’ de sails, an’ steer for de Cocos-Keelin’ Islands. Go ashore; git hold ob do young ’ooman called Kat’leen Hobbleben.’”
“Holbein, Moses.”
“What! is she Moses too?”
“No, no! get on, man.”
“Well, ‘Dearest fadder, git a hold ob her, whateber her name is, an’ carry her off body and soul, an’ whateber else b’longs to her. Take her to de town ob Anjer an’ wait dere for furder orders.’ Ob course for de windin’ up o’ de letter you must appeal agin to de state ob your affections, for, as—”