He was determined at last, he said, to put him to the parish, for he did not dare to keep him.
"He's a fine whelp, and would fetch ten pieces in Virginny," sighed the Ensign.
"Crimp, of Bristol, would give five for him," said Mr.Wood, ruminating.
"Why not take him ?" said the Ensign.
"Faith, why not ?" said Mr.Wood.

"His keep, meanwhile, will not be sixpence a day." Then turning round to the blacksmith, "Mr.Billings," said he, "you will be surprised, perhaps, to hear that I know everything regarding that poor lad's history.

His mother was an unfortunate lady of high family, now no more; his father a German nobleman, Count de Galgenstein by name." "The very man!" said Billings: "a young, fair-haired man, who came here with the child, and a dragoon sergeant." "Count de Galgenstein by name, who, on the point of death, recommended the infant to me." "And did he pay you seven years' boarding ?" said Mr.Billings, who was quite alive at the very idea.
"Alas, sir, not a jot! He died, sir, six hundred pounds in my debt; didn't he, Ensign ?" "Six hundred, upon my secred honour! I remember when he got into the house along with the poli--" "Psha! what matters it ?" here broke out Mr.Wood, looking fiercely at the Ensign.

"Six hundred pounds he owes me: how was he to pay you?
But he told me to take charge of this boy, if I found him; and found him I have, and WILL take charge of him, if you will hand him over." "Send our Tom!" cried Billings.

And when that youth appeared, scowling, and yet trembling, and prepared, as it seemed, for another castigation, his father, to his surprise, asked him if he was willing to go along with those gentlemen, or whether he would be a good lad and stay with him.
Mr.Tom replied immediately, "I won't be a good lad, and I'd rather go to -- -- than stay with you!" "Will you leave your brothers and sisters ?" said Billings, looking very dismal.
"Hang my brothers and sisters--I hate 'em; and, besides, I haven't got any!" "But you had a good mother, hadn't you, Tom ?" Tom paused for a moment.
"Mother's gone," said he, "and you flog me, and I'll go with these men." "Well, then, go thy ways," said Billings, starting up in a passion: "go thy ways for a graceless reprobate; and if this gentleman will take you, he may do so." After some further parley, the conversation ended, and the next morning Mr.Wood's party consisted of three: a little boy being mounted upon the bay horse, in addition to the Ensign or himself; and the whole company went journeying towards Bristol.
***** We have said that Mrs.Hayes had, on a sudden, taken a fit of maternal affection, and was bent upon being restored to her child; and that benign destiny which watched over the life of this lucky lady instantly set about gratifying her wish, and, without cost to herself of coach-hire or saddle-horse, sent the young gentleman very quickly to her arms.