Captain Owen came in every day with news of the repairs.
"Well, Mr. Wynne," he said one morning, "I am happy to tell you we shall sail to-morrow afternoon."
Cardo's heart sank, and Valmai turned very pale.
"Your cabin is being refitted to-day, and I shall be glad if you can come on board by four o'clock to-morrow afternoon. There's every promise of fine weather. No more fogs, no more collisions, I hope."
"I'll take care to be on board in good time," Cardo said.
"Tarnished if Ay won't be awful dull without you!" said Captain Powell. "He's been as jolly, and as much at home here as you would yourself, Owen! He's read to me and he's brought me cigars, and always with a smile on his face; and Ay hope he's bin comfortable here."
"Thoroughly, indeed," said Cardo. "I shall never forget the fortnight I have passed under your roof."
"The lil gel has done her best, Ay know," said his host.
"A year I think you said you were going out for," said Captain Owen.
"Well, I hope to be away only eight or nine months; certainly not longer than a year," said Cardo.
And while the two old sea captains bade their last good-byes and good wishes to each other, Cardo slipped out to find Valmai, who had quietly disappeared.
She was sitting on the old red sofa in the little back parlour in an abandonment of grief.
"Oh! Cardo, Cardo, it has come! Now in reality it has come!"
"Cheer up, darling," he said. "You'll be brave for my sake, won't you?"
"Yes," she said, trying to check her sobs, "this is the last time I am going to be weak and childish. To-morrow I will be strong and brave and womanly. You will see, Cardo, a bright, courageous wife to cheer her husband at parting, and to bid him look forward with hope to meeting again. Oh! I know quite well what I ought to be."
"You are perfection in my eyes, f'anwylyd--that is what makes the parting with you so cruel. Gwynne Ellis was quite right when he said that it would be much harder to part with a wife of a week than a sweetheart of a year."
During the next few weeks, Cardo Wynne was generally to be seen pacing the deck of the _Burrawalla_, playing with the children or chatting with some of the passengers. He walked up and down, with his hands sunk deep in his pockets, and cap tied firmly under his chin, for there was a pretty stiff breeze blowing, which developed later on in the voyage into the furious gales and storms which made that autumn so memorable for its numerous wrecks and casualties. Cardo was a great favourite on board, his frank and genial manner, the merry twinkle of his eye, and his tender politeness to the very old or the very young had won all hearts. With good-natured cheerfulness he entered into the plans and pastimes of the youthful part of the community, so that he had made a favourable impression upon all, from the cabin boy to the captain, and from the old general, who seldom left his berth, to the big black retriever, who was making his third voyage with his master to the Antipodes.