"Hm,--hm,--my coming," he said, "will not give the boy so much pleasure
as you think. I am not his father but his guardian. His father died
suddenly last week at sea."

"Oh, how sad! And the poor child knows nothing of it," sighed the
Brother. "I'll first speak to the Father Prefect in private; he must
prepare him somewhat for this sad news. Wait a moment. Father Somazzo
will be here immediately."

The Captain gave the gray-haired man a sinister look as he left the
room, then muttered to himself: "Prepared! As if such a piece of news
could have much effect on a healthy child. If it would only frighten
him to death.--Well, there'd be no great damage done. Then I'd have
his inheritance--which is really not a trifling sum--instead of being
merely the administrator, and my creditors would not be driving me
almost out of my senses. If his father had only given me a lump sum of
at least ten thousand pounds, as I begged him to do before he
died!--Our ship will be confiscated in Melbourne. The 'St. George'
does not belong to me but to my nephew, my ward.--Oh, if I only knew
how to get myself out of this predicament! One fortunate thing has
happened since the death of my brother. I have managed to get all the
books and accounts out of the way, and perhaps things will go better,
if I once get the boy in my power." These were the thoughts which
occupied the mind of John Brown, as, with downcast eyes and sullen
mien, he paced up and down the reception-room.

John Brown was the younger brother of George Brown, Willy's father.
Both men had received from their parents, in Dublin, a large amount of
money, but they had not managed it equally well. George, choosing to
go to sea had invested his in a merchantman, and in a short time