“Good-bye!” he called. “I don’t want to go a bit, but if dad says I must, there’s no help for it. Good-bye; don’t forget me. I won’t forget you, any of you, and I’ll come back soon to see you. Good-bye, Comethup.”
The last they saw of him was his slight, boyish figure, still encircled by his father’s arm, going across the uneven ground toward the town. Mr. Robert Carlaw was waving his disengaged hand enthusiastically in that direction, as though he pointed to fortune and all desirable things.
CHAPTER VIII.
COMETHUP SUFFERS A LOSS.
Comethup was glad to think, as he sat at the captain’s feet, looking after Brian and his father, that Brian had appeared to remember him last and most of all; he was glad to recall it afterward when Brian was gone. The suddenness of the boy’s departure made the whole circumstance more surprising and dramatic than it otherwise would have been; this sudden whipping of him off into fortune and grandeur, at a few moments’ notice, quite took away Comethup’s breath. Indeed, the emotional meeting between father and son, acted out to the accompaniment of sounding phrases on the part of Mr. Robert Carlaw before their very eyes, had held them all breathless. It was only when the two figures disappeared over a ridge that the three watching ones seemed to gasp in concert, and to blink their eyelids, as though awaking from a dream.
“Dear me!” said the captain, pushing his hat back from his forehead and looking down at Comethup, “it’s very sudden, isn’t it?” In his simple heart, although he scarcely liked to acknowledge it to himself, he felt a certain great relief come upon him with the departure of father and son. It can not be actually said that he disliked Brian; but he was puzzled by him—perhaps even a little afraid of him. With their going, the peace of the day seemed to be restored, and the captain could find it in his heart to hope that fortune might indeed be awaiting Brian in London, and that the boy might remain there to enjoy it.
“I’m sorry he’s gone,” said Comethup, smothering a sigh.
“I expect you’ll miss him?” said the captain. Comethup detected, with quick sympathy, young though he was, a little note of jealousy in the captain’s tones, and did not reply.