But no one watched the proceeding with greater evident anxiety than Flutters, for Flutters had given himself over mind and body to the Captain, anticipating his every wish, and trying to be both hands and feet to him; and Hazel had been sufficiently gracious to resume without demurring the brushing of her own clothes and sundry other little duties which had of late been performed for her by Flutters.
As for Flutters, now that his father was dead, it mattered not to him where home might be, if it were only with the Bonifaces; but he thought he should like some day, when they could spare him from the Rectory over there in Cheshire, to run down to Burnham, and without letting them know who he was, perhaps have a chat with those little white children of his father's, that were babies when he left England, if he should happen to find them playing in the garden of the house where he used to live.
It was a beautiful early-summer day, that 15th of June, and the bay lay sparkling like silver in the sunshine. The “Blue Bird” was booked to sail at three o'clock, and at the exact moment the sailors began pulling hand over hand with their “Yo, heave O,” and the “Blue Bird's” anchor was weighed.
Harry Avery had kissed Mrs. Boniface good-bye, and once again promised, with a tremble in his voice, “to take the best care of Josephine,” and now he was climbing down the ship's side, and the rowers of the barge, bending to their oars, were simply waiting to “give way,” till he should have stepped aboard.
Starlight, with hands in his trousers' pockets, stood on the “Blue Bird's” deck, apparently unconcerned. Flutters, wondering what the fellow could be thinking of, with an excited gesture gave him a shove in the direction of the barge, while Hazel, with a strong accent on every word, cried, “Another minute, Job Starlight, and you'll be left.”
“It can't be helped, Hazel; I'm left now,” Starlight answered, and indeed truthfully, for the barge was already yards away; then, seeing how real was Hazel's anxiety over what she deemed a most distressing accident, he hastened to announce, his face wreathed in smiles, “But it's all right, Hazel; I am going to see you safe to England, and Aunt Frances is in the secret.” Hazel, as weak as a kitten with delight and astonishment, leaned against the ship's rail, and could not find voice to speak for two whole minutes; while Captain Lewis looked on, rubbing his palms complacently together, and thinking what a grand thing it was to have had a hand in a surprise like that.