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When Jerry Blunt ran away to sea from his native village, Northbourne, with his soul athirst for adventure, his body was furnished with as many limbs as other folk. Little did he dream that the golden future he panted to grasp would make of him a cripple.
It was a relief to hear even that much of his companion; it was better than the mystery of silence. But Ned's panic was pretty severe when he thought of Alick's perilous and deserted condition. A rush of mingled feelings came over the Northbourne lad. He felt as the prodigal son must have felt in the far country. Yes, it was exactly like the Bible story which 'Miss Theedory' seemed to like best.
As he took this ascent the mind of Jones, far from being clouded or dulled, was acutely active. It saw that now the railway station of Northbourne was out of count, flight by train was impossible, for the station was the very first place that would be watched.
When the doctor from Brattlesby arrived, he looked grave enough over his elder patient; and next day he was even more serious. 'She is in for brain fever! he said briefly. He was a man of few words, leaving the burden of conversation, as a rule, to his patients. Hence, perhaps, it was that little Dr. Cobbe was the most popular being, man or doctor, for miles round Northbourne.
The coast line, to judge by present results, was impossible, for it seemed that to keep to it he might go on for ever being chased till he reached John o' Groats. Northbourne is the twin image of Sandbourne-on-Sea, the same long high street, the same shops with blinds selling the same wares, the same trippers, children with spades, and invalids.
The vision of himself being carted back to Sandbourne-on-Sea with that crowd and then back again to Northbourne if he were not caught appeared to Jones for the moment as the last possible grimace of Fate. He struggled to get out, calling to the driver that he did not want to go to Sandbourne. The vehicle stopped, and the driver demanded the full fare two shillings.
This person was seated in the sunshine under a hedge, a bundle and a tin can beside him. He hailed Jones as "Guvernor" and requested a match. Jones supplied the match, and they fell into conversation. "Northbourne," said the tramp. "I'm goin' that way meself. I'll shew you the quickest way when I've had a suck at me pipe." Jones rested for a moment by the hedge whilst the pipe was lit.
Then he remembered the outcome of that despair: the unhappy youth in the parable suddenly determined to arise and go to his father, to confess, with bitter remorse, his own mad wrong-doings. Would it not be well for himself to arise and return to Northbourne, and to confess the terrible folly of which he and Alick had been guilty? Again and again Ned imagined himself so doing.
A sharp lesson taught him the world's cruel hardness to the defenceless, and showed the true value of a good father and a pure home. Geoff, ready as ever to take his colour from his surroundings, has been treading steadily on his altered brother's heels in the 'narrow way. And now our sojourn in breezy little Northbourne is over, and we must say farewell to its fisher-folk.
'Miss Carnegy, the captain has referred me to you about a matter I have been forced to mention to him. Philip Price was standing in the doorway of the tea-house, as the Carnegys called the rustic erection at the end of the long, unproductive garden, hanging sheer over the little rocky headland on which the captain had built his bunk, when he came to settle at Northbourne.
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