instead of one, if God will permit, go and help Willy's guardian angel
to protect him from the bad man who has taken him away. You see here
where I am the good Fathers will watch over me, and it will be enough
if each day you but look at me and then fly away to Willy. But, dear
angel, come to me when I am in danger and call for help."

After this the boys returned to the schoolroom, and as soon as they
were at work, Father Somazzo took his hat and walking-stick and went to
the city to consult Mr. Black, an English lawyer. To him he stated the
case assuring the learned gentleman that the father would not willingly
have placed his child under the guardianship of this younger brother,
who was a gambler and a spendthrift, and asked if there was any way of
getting the boy a way from him. Mr. Black said that according to law
the uncle, as next of kin, could claim the guardianship of his
brother's children, and unless sufficient proof that he was not a fit
person to have such guardianship could be secured immediately, months
might elapse before he could be taken from him. At the time of our
story Hongkong was not connected with Europe by telegraph, as it now
is, and it took from eight to ten weeks to communicate with people in
Dublin.




CHAPTER III.

Aboard the "St. George."

The Captain took his nephew directly to the harbor. The boy cried
softly to himself as he trudged along, and at last his uncle said to