ption-room.

John Brown was the younger brother of George Brown, Willy's father.
Both men had received from their parents, in Dublin, a large amount of
money, but they had not managed it equally well. George, choosing to
go to sea had invested his in a merchantman, and in a short time
through prosperous voyages to the Indian and Chinese Seas doubled his
capital. In Hongkong he married a Catholic maiden, who unfortunately
died, leaving a child, Willy, now barely eight years old. In
accordance with her last wish this child was taken to the Missionary
College of the Holy Saviour to be educated. Here the father had
frequent opportunities of seeing him, as his trading expeditions often
took him to Hongkong. The reports of the child's progress and behavior
were always good, and he seemed so happy and contented that the father
questioned the advisability of taking him to a larger European
institution, especially as Willy begged to remain where he was.
Oftentimes the Captain took his little son with him on short trips to
the neighboring ports of Canton and Malacca; and for one of these Willy
was now hoping, as his father was just returning from a voyage to
Ireland. But instead of the father, there came the uncle, whom he had
never seen, and of whose existence he did not even know, bringing the
sad news of the death of George Brown.

John Brown was a man of an altogether different stamp, and had lived an
altogether different life. Possessed of a passion for drinking and
gambling he had indulged in riotous living until he made an end of his
patrimony, then appealed to his brother to pay his debts. In order to
save the family name from disgrace George furnished him money, but the
appeals for more were so constant that he was obliged to give no heed
to them or else ruin himself. On the occasion of his last visit to
Dublin he found his brother in trouble, and, to escape the charges
preferred against him in the criminal courts, took him with him on what
proved to be his last voyage. Captain Brown died a few days out from
Hongkong and was buried at sea.

John Brown was innocent of his brother's death, and so the officers and
crew of the "St. George" believed, yet the death came so suddenly and
opportunely that it gave grounds for suspicion. John was left
administrator of the estate of his nephew, and, directly on landing in
Hongkong, had himself, as next of kin, appointed Willy's guardian, with
the idea of taking him wit