JACK OF THE NINGPO.
My reader will know better than Lucy or Mr. Fuller what Thomas was
after. Having only a hope, he did not like to say much, and therefore,
as well as that he might not lose the chance of a night train, he
hurried away. The first thing he did was to drive to a certain
watchmaker's, to raise money if he could, once more on his watch and
on Lucy's ring, which I need not say remained in his possession. But
the shop was shut. Then he drove to the Mermaid, and came upon Captain
Smith as he was emptying his tumbler of grog preparatory to going to
bed.
"I say, captain, you must let Robins off this voyage. I want him to go
to Newcastle with me."
"What's up now? Ain't he going to Newcastle? And you can go with him if
you like."
"I want him at once. It's of the greatest importance."
"You won't find him to-night, I can tell you. You'd better sit down and
have something, and tell us all about it."
When Thomas thought, he saw that nothing could be done till next day.
Without money, without Robins, without a train in all probability, he
was helpless. Therefore he sat down and told the captain what he was
after, namely, to find Robins's friend Jack, whose surname he did not
know, and see what evidence he could give upon the question of the
order of decease in the family of Richard Boxall. He explained the
point to the captain, who saw at once that Robins's services must be
dispensed with for this voyage--except, indeed, he returned before they
weighed anchor again, which was possible enough. When Tom told him what
he had heard Jack say about little Julia, the captain, pondering it
over, gave it as his judgment that Jack, being the only one saved, and
the child being with him till she died, there was a probability almost
of his being able to prove that she outlived the rest. At all events,
he said, no time must be lost in finding this Jack.
Mr. Potts having joined them, they sat talking it over a long time. At
last Tom said:
"There's one thing, I shall be more easy when I've told you: that
lawyer is my father."
"God bless my soul!" said Mr. Potts, while Captain Smith said something
decidedly different. "So you'll oblige me," Tom went on, "if you'll
say nothing very hard of him, for I hope he will live to be horribly
ashamed of himself."
"Here's long life to him!" said Captain Smith.
"And no success this bout!" added Mr. Potts.
"Amen to both, and thank you," said Tom.
Mrs. Potts would have got the same bed ready for him that he had had
before, but as the captain was staying all night, Tom insisted on
sleeping on the sofa. He wanted to be off to find Robins the first
thing in the morning. It was, however, agreed that the captain should
go and send Robins, while Thomas went to get his money. In a few hours
Robins and he were off for Newcastle.