“Why you see, Miss Morgan and young gentlemen, it was your brother first did me a service, and a very great one too, and so I felt very grateful, and a liking to him, and that made me have my eye oftener on him when there was any danger abroad, and be oftener talking to him; and so, do ye see, all the rest followed in course.”
“We never heard of Frank doing anything for you,” answered Anna. “We thought that the obligation was all on his side.”
“Come, Tom, don’t talk about that just now,” cried Frank. “I say, Anna, how’s Old Moggy? I’m glad to see that you have painted up her abode. I must go up and see her at once, and introduce Tom to her; she’ll like to hear about the foreign parts he has been to.”
Saying this, he ran up the hill towards the hut. The rest of the party followed more slowly. Tom remained outside; the young Morgans entered. They found Frank seated opposite to Moggy, talking away to her, and telling her how happy he was to see her so comfortable. The poor old woman was much gratified with the attention paid her.
“But where is Tom?” cried Frank. “Willie, tell him to come in. I want to introduce him to Moggy. He will be interested in her, for a kinder heart than his does not beat in the bosom of any man, woman, or child that I know of.”
Tom soon made his appearance, doffing his tarpauling as he entered, and taking a seat to which Frank pointed, nearly opposite Moggy.
For a minute or more after Tom had taken his seat Moggy was silent, when bending forward, and shrouding her grey eyebrows with her withered hand, with unexpected suddenness she said, in a deep, low voice, and a strange inquiring expression in her countenance—
“Who are you, and where do you come from?”
“A seaman, mother,” answered Tom, “and shipmate for many a year with young Mister Morgan here.”
The old woman scarcely seemed to understand what was said, but kept muttering to herself, and intently gazing at Tom.