d their trunks ready on deck to
be examined. Among the rest was Hilbert with his trunk, though his
father and mother were not yet ready. Hilbert was very anxious to get on
shore, and so he had got his trunk up, and was all ready on the deck
half an hour before the steamer came.

When the tug[D] came alongside, Hilbert, who was looking down upon her
from the promenade deck, observed a neatly-dressed looking man on board
of it, who seemed to be looking at him very earnestly. This was Mr.
Holiday's servant. His name was Alfred. When Mr. Holiday had gone to bed
the night before, he had given Alfred orders that in case the steamer
should come in in the night, or at a very early hour in the morning,
before it would be safe for him, as an invalid, to go out, he, Alfred,
was to go on board, find the children, and bring them on shore.
Accordingly, when Alfred saw Hilbert, and observed that he was of about
the same size as Rollo had been described to him to be, he supposed that
it must be Rollo. Accordingly, as soon as the tug was made fast, he came
up the ladder, and immediately made his way to the promenade deck, to
the place where Hilbert was standing. As he approached Hilbert, he
touched his hat, and then said, in a very respectful tone,--

[Footnote D: They often call these small steamers that ply about harbors
_tugs_, from the fact that they are employed in towing vessels.
Sometimes they are called _tenders_.]

"Beg pardon, sir. Is this Master Holiday?"

"Rollo, do you mean?" said Hilbert. "No. Rollo went ashore last night
with the bearer of despatches."

Hilbert knew that this was the arrangement which had been made, and he
supposed that it had been carried into effect.

Alfred, who was a very faithful and trustworthy man, and was accustomed
to do every thing thoroughly, was not fully satisfied with this
information, coming as it did from a boy; but he waited some little
time, and made inquiries of other passengers. At last, one gentleman
told him that he was sure that Rollo had gone on shore, for he saw him
and his sister pass up out of the cabin when the mail tug came. He was
sitting up in the cabin reading at the time. Alfred was satisfied with
this explanation, and so he called a small boat which was alongside, and
engaged the boatman to row him ashore.

Thus the second plan for taking care of Rollo and Jennie, in the
landing, failed.

All this time Rollo and Jennie were both asleep--for the chambermaid,
thin