"They were river boatmen;--that's all I know," said he.
"But what was the name of their boat?" persevered Job.
"I never took no notice; the Anne, or William,--or some of them
common names, I'll be bound."
"What pier did she start from?" asked Job despairingly.
"Oh, as for that matter, it were the stairs on the Prince's Pier she
started from; but she'll not come back to the same, for the American
steamer came up with the tide, and anchored close to it, blocking up
the way for all the smaller craft. It's a rough evening, too, to be
out on," he maliciously added.
"Well, God's will be done! I did hope we could have saved the lad,"
said Job sorrowfully; "but I'm getten very doubtful again. I'm
uneasy about Mary, too,--very. She's a stranger in Liverpool."
"So she told me," said Charley. "There's traps about for young
women at every corner. It's a pity she's no one to meet her when
she lands."
"As for that," replied Job, "I don't see how any one could meet her
when we can't tell where she would come to. I must trust to her
coming right.
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