hat
suspicious fellow, Kidd, who was ready to sail without wages--Richard
Kidd was his name--an ominous one rather; and when I saw poor Mrs
Clayton and your little sister on board, I so disliked the looks of the
crew that I was much inclined to persuade her to wait for another ship."

This account gave a fresh colouring to the matter. If Kidd was the
character described, he might probably have run away with the _Emu_ for
the sake of the dollars on board, and have carried her into a Dutch or
Spanish settlement, where he could have sold her.

This also gave a wider range to the field of my search. Had she been
captured by pirates, I should have looked for my friends in their haunts
in the Sooloo Archipelago, and on the coast of Borneo; now I should have
to search from Java, among all the islands to the east, up to Luzon, in
the north. I was resolved to leave no spot unvisited; and the
circumstance of a brig like the _Emu_ having been seen to the west of
Borneo determined me on visiting the Dutch settlement first. I have not
attempted to describe my feelings all this time. I felt that I was
engaged in a sacred duty, and I was rather calm and braced up for the
work than in any way excited. I held my object, distant though it might
be, clearly in view, and nothing could turn me away from it. I do not
think I could have persevered as I did, had I been influenced by what is
called enthusiasm or excitement.

CHAPTER TEN.

Having resolved to undertake a work, the first point to be considered is
how it is to be performed. I therefore immediately made every inquiry
in my power, and found a Dutch brig sailing direct for Batavia. My
intention, on arriving there, was to prosecute my inquiries for the
_Emu_, and then to continue my voyage to the eastward, on board any
craft I could find.

When I paid my last visit to Mr Noakes, he winked his eye at me with a
most knowing look, observing, "I guess you've got some little trading
spec in hand, or you wouldn't be running your nose into those outlandish
places. Well, good-bye, young one, you're a 'cute lad; and I hope
you'll turn a cent or so before you get home."

The worldly trader could not believe that my sole object was to look for
my sweet little sister. Wishing farewell to all my friends, I went on
board the _Cowlitz_, Captain Van Deck. Both he and his crew spoke
English; indeed, besides the Dutch, there were Englishmen or Americans,
with the usual number of M