Chapter Four.
Poor Jessie had wished at once to hasten on board the Amity, to obtain the assistance of Captain Mudge, and to get Ralph’s protection, but her grandmother persuaded her to remain till the morning, as, not knowing where Ralph had been carried, she was sure nothing could be done till then.
Daylight came at length, and Jessie, receiving a loving embrace from her grandmother, set out. With a prayer for her safety, Mrs Treviss watched the young girl, who, like a bird released from its cage, flew rather than walked, as she made her way in the grey light of the early morn in the direction of the port.
At last she reached the landing-place, some way off which Ralph had told her the Amity lay. There were several boats made fast to the shore, or moored off it; but no watermen were about. In vain she looked along the quays on either hand; no one was stirring. Here and there, on board some of the vessels, men were seen just coming up the fore hatchways on deck, but they were too far off to hear her voice had she called to them. She felt ready to give way to tears at the delay, when every moment might be so precious. At length she saw, through the veil of morning mist which still hung over the mirror-like surface of the harbour, a small boat approaching the landing-place. A boy was paddling her at his ease, singing as he slowly dipped his oars in the water. She hurried down to meet him, as, standing up, he gave a few more strokes and brought the boat to shore.
“Well, Miss, what’s it you want?” he asked.
“Oh, boy, will you take me off to the Amity?” said Jessie. “She lies not far away from the shore, and I will pay you well.”
“Now that is curious,” exclaimed the lad, the same Peter Puddle by name to whom Ralph had entrusted his important commission. “I was to have gone aboard her for a young chap who was pressed last night and had left his protection behind him, but I got another job and couldn’t, though I am agoing when I’ve had breakfast.”
“Pray take me off at once, for every moment may be of consequence,” cried Jessie. “I want to see the captain about the same young man, and he will, I am sure, give you some breakfast.”