“We are much interested in you, Charley,” she said, “and Mr Dear will do his best to discover your relations in the West Indies. In the mean time we think you will benefit by going to school.”
I was very sorry to leave Captain Renton, but said I was ready to do whatever she and Mr Dear thought best.
The next evening, when Mr Dear returned, he said that he could not ascertain from Dick Driver the name of the island from which I had been taken away. At the same time he observed: “I conclude that I shall be able to learn at the Admiralty what place it was the Laurel and her consorts attacked.”
I spent a couple of weeks with my new friends before they found a school to which I could be sent. Captain Renton, accompanied by Dick, came out to see me. Dick had agreed to sail again in the Phoebe, and promised that, on his return, he would not fail to pay me a visit. He looked very downcast.
“We have been together for the best part of ten years, Charley,” he said, as he wrung my hand, “and if I did not know it was for your good, I could not bear the thoughts of parting from you; but you are in kind hands, and I know it’s better for you to remain on shore, and I am not one to stand in your way—I love you too well for that.”
The next day Mr Dear drove me down to a large school at Hammersmith. I was introduced to the master, Mr Rushton, a tall gentleman with white hair, who looked very well able to keep a number of boys in order, and Mr Dear gave him a brief account of my history.
“The lad will do very well,” he said, patting me on the head. “I have boys from all parts of the world, and he will soon find himself at home among them.”
As soon as Mr Dear had gone, Mr Rushton, taking me by the hand, led me into the playground, where upwards of a hundred boys were rushing about, engaged in all sorts of games. He shouted “Fenwick,” and a boy of my own age came up. He told the boy that he wished him to look after me, and teach me the ways of the school. Having done this, he re-entered the house.
As soon as the master was gone, I found myself surrounded by a number of boys, who, having examined me from head to foot, began asking me questions.
Though I was ignorant of all their games, and had scarcely heard of cricket and football, yet I knew a number of things which they did not.