Just then a young man, well dressed in seafaring style, pa.s.sed the window.
"Do any people of the name of Kempson live hereabouts?" d.i.c.k heard him say.
"Yes, sir," said d.i.c.k. "That"s our name. What do you want?"
The young man made no answer, but walked in and sat down on a chair Mrs Kempson offered him. He looked round for a minute without speaking-- first at Mrs Kempson, then at Limping Lawry, then at little Nelly, and then at the other children, and over and over again at d.i.c.k.
"I think that I have seen you all before; but it was years ago," he said at last, and his voice trembled. "Some time back, as I was reading an account of a dreadful accident which happened in one of the coal-pits hereabouts, I saw the name of Samuel Kempson and his son Benjamin among the list of sufferers."
"Yes, sir; those were my poor husband and son," said Mrs Kempson, with a sigh, and the tears came to her eyes.
"Did you ever live in Suffolk?" asked the stranger. "Yes, sir; and I wish that we had never left it," answered Susan.
"And had you a son you called Jack?" inquired the visitor.
"Yes, I had; I had a fine hearty boy, but he went away to sea, and I fear has long since been drowned," cried Susan, lifting her ap.r.o.n to her eyes.
"I don"t think so," answered the stranger. "Do you think that you should know him again?"
"I"m sure I should, my own bright boy. Oh! speak, young man. Who are you? Don"t deceive me," exclaimed Susan, starting up and taking the stranger"s hands. "Are you my son Jack?"
"Indeed I am, mother," answered Jack Kempson, for the young stranger was her long-lost son.
He returned her embrace affectionately, and soon all his young brothers and sisters were cl.u.s.tering round him. He had heard of the strike, and of the state of affairs, and guessing that provisions would be welcome, before he could talk further, went out with d.i.c.k and got a good supply for supper.
While the family were seated round a better meal than they had had for many a day, he told them how he had gone to sea in a collier running between Newcastle and London; how he then had sailed to far distant lands; how once, when ill-treated by the master, he had made up his mind to quit the sea and had come to look out for work in the mines; how he soon saw that he should not change for the better.
"Yes, we know the widow woman you spoke to, and she told us all about the sailor lad, who had come, thinking to get work, and had gone off again."
"That is strange," cried d.i.c.k, "that we should have been so near, and not have seen each other."
"Well, I went back to the ship," continued Jack, "and I made up my mind to stick to the sea. I was soon afterwards made second mate, and then first mate; and a year ago, in a foreign voyage, the captain, who was given to drink, fell overboard, and I brought the ship home, and the owners were so pleased that they made me captain. I am now bound back to London, and though I say it"s generally best for every man to stick to the trade he is brought up in; yet as the people here won"t let d.i.c.k work in it, I want him and you all to come away with me. You cannot be worse off, and you may be much better; and at all events, I have enough wages to keep you all comfortable."
Poor Mrs Kempson thankfully accepted her son"s offer. A good and affectionate son he proved. d.i.c.k was well pleased to change, but he could not make up his mind to part from David Adams.
"I will take him and his mother and the rest of them too," said the generous sailor. "I have saved money, and cannot spend it better than in helping the widow and orphan. I dare say we shall find some place in the old county where our mother and Mrs Adams can settle down among green fields, and where you may find work for which you are suited."
As soon as supper was over, Mrs Kempson and Jack and d.i.c.k set off to visit Mrs Adams. d.i.c.k had put up a basket full of provisions--bread and b.u.t.ter, and cheese, and herrings, and tea and sugar, and other things which he well knew from experience would be welcome. "This is doing to others as I would be done by, or indeed as I have been done by," he thought. "Yes, G.o.d has been very merciful to us--just when we were well-nigh starved, and now Jack come to life again!"
Mrs Adams was very grateful for the good food d.i.c.k had brought. She did not at first remember Jack, but he soon convinced her who he was.
Great was her joy when the generous young sailor offered to carry her and David and the rest of her children to the neighbourhood of her old home.
"But I can never, never repay you, young man," she said.
"Never mind that," answered Jack, unconsciously looking upwards, "Some one else will."
A happy party sailed down the river Tyne on board the brig, _Good Hope_, bound for the Thames. The young captain was as good as his word.
Little Nelly was sent to an inst.i.tution, where she was very happy, and was taught to do many useful things. Limping Lawry went to another, where he recovered his strength, and learned to gain his daily bread; and d.i.c.k and David got employment as engineers; and in a few years d.i.c.k rose to be foreman of some extensive works, with his old friend as his a.s.sistant.