"William, certainly, ma'am, if you will let him go with me, as you
could ill spare the girl."

"Indeed, I do not like it; I would rather lose Juno for a time,"
replied Mrs. Seagrave.

"My dear wife," said Mr. Seagrave, "recollect how Providence has
preserved us in such awful dangers - how we are landed in safety. And
now, will you not put trust in that Providence, when the dangers are,
as I trust, only imaginary?"

"I was wrong, my dear husband; but sickness and suffering have made me,
I fear, not only nervous and frightened, but selfish: I must and will
shake it off. Hitherto I have only been a clog and an incumbrance to
you; but I trust I shall soon behave better, and make myself useful. If
you think, then, that it would be better that you should go instead of
William, I am quite content. Go, then, with Ready, and may Heaven
protect you both!"

"No, ma'am," replied Ready, "William will do just as well. Indeed, I
would go by myself with pleasure; but we know not what the day may
bring forth. I might be taken ill - I might hurt myself - I am an old
man, you know; and then I was thinking that if any accident was to
happen to me, you might miss me - that's all."

"Pardon me," replied Mrs Seagrave; "a mother is foolish at times."

"Over-anxious, ma'am, perhaps, but not foolish," replied Ready.