If I could have got to them places in the Indies,
such as that Philip went to, as you reads about in the verse-book--he
as killed his wife and lost his son, and made friends with that there
big rascal, and had the chest of gold--'

'Philip Mortham! Were you going in search of buccaneers?'

'I don't know, my Lord. Once you told me of some English Sir, as kills
the pirates, and is some sort of a king. I thought, may be, now you'd
tell me where they goes to dig for gold.'

'Oh, Tom, Tom, what a mess I have made of your notions!'

'Isn't there no such place?'

'It's a bad business, and what can you want of it?'

'I want to get shut of them as orders one about here and there, with
never a civil word. Besides,' looking down, 'there's one I'd like to
see live like a lady.'

'Would that make her happier?'

'I'll never see her put about, and slave and drudge, as poor mother
did!' exclaimed Tom.

'That's a better spirit than the mere dislike to a master,' said Louis.
'What is life but obedience?'

'I'd obey fast enough, if folk would only speak like you do--not drive
one about like a dog, when one knows one is every bit as good as they.'

'I'm sure I never knew that!'

Tom stared broadly.

'I never saw the person who was not my superior,' repeated Louis,
quietly, and in full earnest. 'Not that this would make rough words
pleasanter, I suppose. The only cure I could ever see for the ills of
the world is, that each should heartily respect his neighbour.'

Paradoxes musingly uttered, and flying over his head, wore to Tom a
natural and comfortable atmosphere; and the conversation proceeded.
Louis found that geography had been as much at fault as chronology, and
that the runaway had found himself not at the sea, but at Illershall,
where he had applied for work, and had taken a great fancy to Mr.
Dobbs, but had been rejected for want of a character, since the good
superintendent made it his rule to keep up a high standard among his
men. Wandering had succeeded, in which, moneyless, forlorn, and unable
to find employment, he had been obliged to part with portions of his
clothing to procure food; his strength began to give way, and he had
been found by the police sleeping under a hedge; he was questioned, and
sent home, crestfallen, sullen, and miserable, unwilling to stay at
Marksedge, yet not knowing where to go.

His hankering was for Illershall, and Louis, thinking of the judicious
care, the evening school,