Then, when everything was ready--his linen, etc., arranged--( Jemima was also to look after this)--he would whisk him off and make him comfortable in his own bed.

He would, of course, now that his uncle wished it, keep secret his retreat; although why St.
George Wilmot Temple, Esq., or any other gentleman of his standing, should object to being taken care of by his own servants was a thing he could not understand: Pawson, of course, need not know--nor should any outside person--not even Gadgem if he came nosing around.

To these he would merely say that Mr.Temple had seen fit to leave home and that Mr.
Temple had seen fit to return again: that was quite enough for attorneys and collectors.

To all the others he would keep his counsel, until St.
George himself made confession, which he was pretty sure he would do at the first opportunity.
This decided upon he bade Jemima good-night, gave her explicit directions to call him, should his uncle awake (her own room opened out of St.George's) spread his blanket in the cramped hall outside the sick man's door--he had not roughed it on shipboard and in the wilderness all these years without knowing something of the soft side of a plank--and throwing his heavy ship's coat over him fell fast asleep..