James’s heart was heavy, yet he tried to keep his spirits up among his new comrades. He was anxious, too: every stranger he saw looking about he thought might be a sheriff’s officer, come to take him prisoner. Most of the men were hoping that the day they were to go on board the ship might be put off: his great wish was that they might sail sooner than had been expected. He had written a letter to his kind uncle, asking his forgiveness for what he had done, and expressing his love and gratitude to him.
He had heard nothing from Ben. This was so far well. He could have gained nothing, if Ben had come.
At length the day arrived for the troops to embark. The ship sailed, and bore James Grey far away from the shores of Old England.
Story 1—Chapter 5.
When Farmer Grey got up in the morning, and found that his nephew had left the house without saying where he was going, he was somewhat surprised; but, as he thought that he would soon return, he did not give himself much concern about the matter.
The farmer went out among his labourers in the fields, and came back to breakfast; but James had not returned. The farmer made inquiries among all his people; no one had seen James. Dinner-time arrived, still he did not appear. It was late in the day that a friend, Farmer Mason, called on Farmer Grey. “Have you heard of the murders in Sir John Carlton’s park, last night?” asked Farmer Mason. “Two of his keepers killed, and another wounded, I am told. Daring outrage! The murderers are known, I hear. It will go hard with them if they are taken; for the magistrates are determined to put a stop to poaching, and will show no mercy to poachers. They will do their best to prove them guilty.”
Farmer Grey’s mind was greatly troubled when he heard this. He could not help connecting it, somehow or other, with the disappearance of James.
“That wild lad, Ben Page, has had something to do with it; of that I am sure,” he said to himself.