"At last!" exclaimed Robin, bursting into his old home and seizing his
mother in his arms.
Robin had just returned home after the laying of the 1866 Atlantic
Cable, as briefly narrated in the last chapter.
It may be said with some truth that the old home became, during the next
few days, a private lunatic asylum, for its inmates went mildly mad with
joy.
Chief among the lunatics was uncle Rik, the retired sea-captain. That
madman's case, however, was not temporary derangement, like the others'.
It was confirmed insanity, somewhat intensified just then by the
nephew's return.
"So, young man," he said, one evening at supper, when the family
traveller was dilating to open-eyed-and-mouthed listeners, "you actually
believe that these cables are goin' to work?"
"Of course I do, uncle. They are working now, and have been working for
many years."
"Well, now, the gullibility o' some people is stupendous!" returned Rik.
"Don't you know, Robin, that everything a'most works for a time, and
then, sooner or later--usually sooner--the ridiculous thing bursts up?"
"But, uncle, you beg the question in classing submarine cables among
ridiculous things. Besides, have not dozens of cables been working
satisfactorily for many years, without showing signs of bursting up as
yet?"
"Pooh! bah! boh!" replied uncle Rik, by which he meant to say that
though convinced against his will he was of the same opinion still.
At that moment cousin Sam Shipton entered with an eager, excited look.
"It's all settled," he said, taking Robin by the hand.
"What is settled?" asked Mrs Wright, somewhat anxiously.
"Mother, don't be angry," said Robin, laying his hand on his mother's
shoulder, and speaking tenderly, "I meant to have told you the moment I
came in to-day, but uncle Rik with his argumentative spirit drove it and
everything else except cables out of my head--"
"Well, but what is it?" interrupted Madge impatiently; "why do you keep
us in suspense?"
"I have some prospect, mother, of being appointed to go with a
telegraph-laying party to the East, but Sam is wrong when he says it is
all settled. Whatever he may have to tell us, it is by no means settled
until I have your and father's opinion."
"Well, you horribly good but ungrateful boy," returned Sam, "it is at
least settled as far as I have do with it. I have made application at
head-quarters, and they are willing to take you on my recommendation.
Moreover, I am myself going."
"You're joking, Sam!" exclaimed Robin, with a flush of joy; "I thought
you had neither intention nor desire to go far from home."
"You thought wrong, Robin. I always had desire, and now have
intention--and I go as second in command. So, Miss Mayland," he
continued, turning to Madge, "I shan't be able to continue those
electrical lectures which you were so fond of once, but have lately
seemed to grow tired of."
Madge was at that tender age of budding womanhood when sensitive girls
are apt to misunderstand a jest. She blushed, stammered something, then
forced a laugh, and turned to speak to Robin; but Sam perceived that
tears rose to her eyes, and he instantly sank in his own estimation to
the condition of a loathsome reptile.
"Well, now, that is good news," cried Robin, applying himself to the
viands on the table with renewed zest. "You cannot have the smallest
objection or anxiety, mother, I should think, when you know I shall be
under so able a guide."
"I have not yet thought it over, Robin."
"And you, father?"
"Go, my boy, and my blessing go with you," said Mr Wright, all but
choking the blessing with a huge oyster.
"Are any labourers to go with us?" asked Robin.
"One or two picked ones."
"Then you must allow me to pick one, Sam. My friend Jim Slagg is at
present cast adrift with a considerable part of the Great Eastern's
crew. He will be delighted to go, I know, and is a first-rate,
hard-working, willing, conscientious youth."
"He ought to be proud of having so warm a friend and advocate," said
Sam, "but I have no power to choose the men."
"O yes, you have, Sam. If you could get me appointed, you can get him
appointed; and you must, for, if you don't, I won't go."
"You are hard on me, Robin, but I'll try."
"But you have not yet told us where it is that they are going to send
you," said Mrs Wright.
"Ah! that's not fixed," replied Sam; "they are laying down lines in
Turkey; and Egypt is talked of, and telegraph to India itself is even
hinted at. All I know is that we shall be sent to the East somewhere."
"Bah! boo! Why does nobody ask for _my_ opinion on the matter?" said
uncle Rik, as he gazed at the company over a goose drumstick, which was
obviously not tender.
"Your opinion, brother," said Mr Wright, "is so valuable, that no doubt
your nephew has been keeping it to the last as a sort of tit-bit--eh,
Robin?"
"Well, uncle; come, let us have it," said Robin.
"You don't deserve it," returned Rik, with a wrench at the drumstick,
"but you shall have it all the same, free, gratis. Was this bird fed on
gutta-percha shavings, sister Nan?"
"Perhaps--or on violin strings, I'm not sure which," replied Mrs Wright
blandly.
"Well," continued the captain, "you youngsters will go off, I see, right
or wrong, and you'll get half-drowned in the sea, roasted in the East,
smothered in the desert, eaten alive by cannibals, used-up by the
plague, poisoned by serpents, and tee-totally ruined altogether. Then
you'll come home with the skin of your teeth on--nothing more."
"I sincerely hope it will be summer at the time," said Sam, laughing;
"but we are grateful to you for prophesying that we shall return, even
though in such light clothing."
"That's what'll happen," continued the captain, regarding the other
drumstick with some hesitation; "you may take the word of an old salt
for it. I've lived in the good old times, lads, and I know that all
these new-fangled notions are goin' to burst up--and _that's_ what'll
come of it."
Whether that was what came of it remains to be seen.