Washed Ashore | Page 4

he had ever before been
about Jack. He had done his best to prevent Mrs Askew from being
alarmed, but was on the point of going out himself to make inquiries
about the galley, when a ring was heard at the gate, and Becky Bott, the
maid, came to say that blind Peter, the pedlar, wanted to see the captain.
Blind Peter with his dog Trusty traversed the country round, selling
needles, thread, tape, and such like small wares. Peter seldom failed,
when he required it, to obtain a crust of bread, and a piece of cheese,
and a glass of cider for himself, and a few bones for his dog. He had
always met with a kind reception at the tower, and seemed to have
taken a very great fancy to little Margery. "It's her sweet gentle voice I
love to hear," he said one day talking to Becky. "That's what goes to
my heart."
"What brings you here, Peter, at this time of night?" asked Captain
Askew, with some anxiety in his voice.

"I wish, captain, I could say it was pleasant news I've brought you, and
yet when there's evil it is better to know it, that we may find a remedy,"
answered the blind man. "I wouldn't like to frighten the missus
though--but it's just this--Master Jack has been taken with Bill Starling,
Bob Herring, and a lot of other chaps, by the coastguards' men, with a
cargo of contraband, and they are all now on their way to Mr Ludlow's.
He's long been wishing for such a haul, and he'll commit one and all of
them to prison, and Master Jack too, if you don't go and bail him out."
Peter's news caused a considerable amount of anxiety, for Mr Ludlow's
stern character was well known. However, the only thing to be done
was to set off immediately to see him. Fortunately the post-chaise
which brought Captain Summers was still at the public-house in the
village, and the postboy sufficiently sober to undertake to drive to the
hall. The two captains found Mr Ludlow seated in magisterial state,
with the prisoners before him, making out their committal for trial.
"I am very sorry for this, Captain Askew, very sorry," he remarked, as
they were introduced. "The case is clear against all the party, and your
son was with them. He is young, and may have been led astray by
others, but a severe example is necessary, and he must suffer with the
rest. He will be sent to prison for a year, or to sea in a ship of war." In
vain Captain Askew and his friend pleaded for Jack. Mr Ludlow would
not listen to their explanations. Captain Summers, as a last resource,
offered to take Jack away with him to sea, and, to his surprise, Mr
Ludlow at once agreed to the proposal. Jack was accordingly allowed
to accompany his father and his friend home.
Jack, though he liked the thoughts of going to sea, was very sorry to
leave his father and mother and dear little Margery, but he bravely kept
up his spirits, that he might not grieve them more than he could help.
Not a word of complaint either did he utter against Mr Ludlow, or those
who had brought him into trouble. "It will be a lesson to me through
life to avoid associating with those who are doing wrong," he remarked,
and he said but little more on the subject.
There was a void not likely soon to be filled in the old tower, and a

greater still in the hearts of its inmates, when Jack Askew went to sea.
They occasionally received letters from him, not very often though, and
they found that many he had written had not reached them. The last
letter they received was dated from a port on the coast of Peru. The ship
was about to sail among some of the wide-scattered islands of the
Pacific, whose then still savage inhabitants were said to be addicted to
the worst vices which disgrace humanity. In vain they waited for
another letter--none came. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick. Still
they hoped, and hoped on, that tidings would come some day or other.
At length rumours arrived that Captain Summers' ship, the Truelove,
with all hands, had been lost on a coral reef. Captain Askew would not
allow himself to believe the report, and he took a journey to London to
ascertain its truth. "God's will be done, dear wife," he said when he
came back. "He that gave has taken our child away." Many a pious
parent has repeated the same words, yet with anguish of heart. Still they
went on hoping against hope. However, at length it became too certain
that the Truelove had