Everything they could think about, even their passage-money, had been paid from the purse of Mr Raymond, in spite of their protests, and they were carrying their store of funds untouched. By this time their hearts were completely won, and they vowed that old Raymond was a jolly fine fellow.
This jolly fine fellow stood on the deck until the bell rang for the tender to return. He rubbed his lean hands together when not engaged spreading one hand over his wide mouth to cover a yawn. Then, with a hearty handshake, he returned to the train, while the steamship proceeded on her voyage.
To amuse himself on the journey back, he took out his pocket-book and added up the expenses he had been put to for the young gentlemen.
The grin had left his jaws at the last wave of his handkerchief. He now looked grim, yet on the whole not dissatisfied.
"Priscilla will grumble at the large outlay," he muttered; "but it was necessary to keep the young cub in a proper mood, and leave a good impression. Now he can have no suspicions, and I have four years to turn myself about, even if he ever comes back to claim his own, which is extremely doubtful."
Ned Romer was going away full of faith and loving-kindness towards this knave who had been robbing him systematically for years. What he had given had not been a quarter's interest on the money due to Ned, therefore no wonder that he felt it needful to expend this sum-- particularly with that document in his possession.
The trusting father had left him entire control of the estate, with the possession of all papers and deeds; thus he had not many fears about his peculations being discovered. The parchment which Ned had signed was really a deed of sale of all that he had inherited from his father. Being a minor, it was as yet useless in a legal sense, but as the dates were not yet added, Mr Raymond was prepared to advance these dates by four years, if what he expected happened. If Ned added his bones to the number of those who had left them in the wilds of that fatal country, this could easily be done without any dispute. Indeed, Mr Jabez would hardly require any deed to step into the property which he had already marked out as his own. Yet possible heirs might turn up unexpectedly, and it would quash their claims. If Ned returned, more wide-awake than he had left, the wily lawyer had all these years to prepare for him.