It had been arranged that Mrs Manners and her children should return
with George and Jean for a visit, but when the time came it was decided
that it was too late in the season for the northern journey, and in
order to make amends to the sisters for their disappointment, it was
proposed that George should go home alone, and that the sisters should
spend a few weeks together at the seaside.
Jean hesitated long, before yielding to her sister's entreaties, though
she acknowledged she had no reason for refusing the pleasure, since it
had been proposed by her father, and since her aunt was well, and
nothing had happened to make it necessary to go home. She yielded at
last, however, and George went home without her.
He did not go alone. He had spent many words in trying to persuade
Willie Calderwood, who had just come to London for a day or two, to go
with him; and at the last moment Willie decided that it was possible for
him to go for a single day, to bring his sister home. It might be long
before he would see her again, for his next voyage was to be a long one.
In a week he was to sail for Australia, not as commander of the vessel
this time, but if all went well, he had the hope of making his second
voyage as commander of a fine new ship that was to be ready for him by
the time his present engagement came to an end. He had been fortunate,
during one of his Atlantic voyages, in coming under the notice of a
great merchant and ship-owner, who was capable of appreciating his high
qualities as a sailor and as a man. The offer of a ship was made by him
and accepted by Willie, and now he could with certainty look forward to
a successful career in the profession he had chosen.
They reached Portie only just in time, they were told, for the "John
Seaton" was to sail that very day, and it would have been hard indeed if
Captain Saugster should have missed the sight of his friends. They were
hardly in time for speech. The ship was to sail at noon, and the new
skipper was busy with a thousand things, and had only time for a word,
and a grip of the hand when they went on board.
They walked about, and lingered here and there, and had something to say
to most of the ship's company as well as to the skipper, and Mr Dawson
grew soft-hearted as he watched the friendly looks that met his son
wherever he turned. George had a word for most of them, a promise to
one, a caution to another, a joke with a third, a kind word to all.
"Ye're no' to vex yourself about your mother and the bairns, Sandy.
Miss Dawson will see that they are cared for if the sickness should come
again. Donald, man, be thankful that ye're leaving your temptation
behind ye, and that ye're to sail under the temperance flag this time.
Gather strength to withstand your foe, by the time ye come home again.
I suppose we must call ye a man now, Jack. Dinna forget the mother and
grannie. They winna forget you."
Mr Dawson kept near his son when he could do so without too evidently
appearing to be listening to him, and he heard all with mingled
feelings. George's way had never been his, and it was only a qualified
approval that he had been brought to give to his son's method of dealing
with the men, but he could not but be pleased and proud at the many
tokens of respect and affection with which he was regarded by them all.
Even the strangers among them turned pleased looks to the young man, as
he moved up and down among them.
"It is a pity but you had come sooner, that you might have had a longer
time on board," said Mr Dawson, as he took his way to Miss Jean's house
in company with the two young men. "Ye might almost take an hour or
two's sail with them and land at F--or C--and be home to-night, or early
in the morning."
Before twenty-four hours were over he would have given much that he had
not uttered the words. But George and his friend caught at the idea,
and before they went into the house all arrangements for going with
Captain Saugster for a few hours' sail were made. Miss Jean looked
grave when the plan was spoken of, but she said nothing in the hearing
of her brother.
"Ye winna bide awa' long, and make us anxious," said she.
They must not stay long, for Willie had but a single day, or at most two
to see all the folk he wanted to see in Portie, and they would be
certainly home early in the morning. There was no time to discuss or
even to consider the matter. Willie had only a word or two with his
sister, but he followed every movement of hers with glad, proud eyes;
and when she went for a moment out of the room, he said softly to Miss
Jean, "She has grown a woman now, our wee Maysie."