He had spoken only of money, and had said nothing about his son,--what he wished me to do for him, what plans of travel or instruction he had decided upon, or anything, indeed, about the duties for which I was to be paid.

I had expected that he would come down early to the steamer and have a long talk about these matters.

There was no time to ask him any questions now, for he was with his wife, trying to get her to hurry ashore.

He was dreadfully afraid that they would stay on board too long, and be carried to sea.
Mrs.Colbert, however, did not leave me in any doubt as to what she wanted me to do.

She rushed up to me, and seized me by both hands.
"Now you will take the greatest and the best care of my boy, wont you?
You'll cherish him as the apple of your eye?
You'll keep him out of every kind of danger?
Now _do_ take good care of him,--especially in storms." [Illustration: "SHE SEIZED ME BY BOTH HANDS."] I tried to assure Rectus's mother--she was a wide, good-humored lady--that I would do as much of all this as I could, and what I said seemed to satisfy her, for she wiped her eyes in a very comfortable sort of a way.
Mr.Colbert got his wife ashore as soon as he could, and Rectus and I stood on the upper deck and watched them get into the carriage and drive away.