The Emerald Key

by Christopher Dinsdale

  “I don’t want another family.”

  “What are you going to do, then, if not go to another family?”

  She looked pleadingly at Jamie. “I’d like to stay with you.”

  Jamie raised his eyebrows. “I can’t adopt you, and even though I like you, Beth, I’m not in need of a little sister just at the moment.”

  “Please? Just for a little while? I can help you find your brother. Remember what Tutuyak said? Our paths will be intertwined!”

  Jamie examined her pleading face. “The one thing I will need when I get to Montreal is a nanny to look after Colin while I search for my brother. Would you be able to do that for me?”

  She nodded eagerly. Before she could reply, Monsignor Baillargeon stepped onto the landing and made his way down the steps to his waiting guests. He joined them in front of the fireplace. In fear of being found out, Beth fell into an unusual silence.

  “Little Simon is such a blessing, but he does take his time to fall asleep.”

  “Is he an orphan?” asked Jamie.

  “Yes. He’s one of hundreds I have in my care. I’m doing everything I can to find them safe places with families in the church. Simon I’m especially fond of. It gives me a moment to imagine what life could have been like as a father if I hadn’t chosen to do the work of God.”

  Beth purposely looked away, but Jamie smiled in admiration. “That is a huge but noble task. Hopefully all will end up with loving families.”

  “Amen,” said Beth, not looking up.

  “I normally take travellers such as yourselves to the church hall for dinner, but I would very much like to talk to you, Jamie, in private. Why don’t I serve up some of the bean soup and bread I have in my kitchen for Beth and Colin so that the two of us can talk in here?”

  Jamie translated for the children. Beth and Colin jumped to their feet. “Yes, please!”

  Monsignor Baillargeon led them through a small doorway and into a simple kitchen. On top of a small wood stove sat a pot of bubbling soup. The priest scooped some of the savoury-smelling broth into four wooden bowls, then placed two of them on a small table along with a piece of bread and mugs of sweetened tea. After the priest had blessed the meal, the children dug in hungrily. Jamie and Monsignor Baillargeon took their bowls of soup and tea to the study, making themselves comfortable in front of the fireplace.

  The priest pointed his spoon at the young man. “So you are a member of the Brotherhood? I have only heard of the Irish Brotherhood through quiet conversation. Is it true, then? There is a group protecting the ancient knowledge of our early Christian brothers in Ireland?”

  Jamie nodded. “Much must remain secret, but yes, the ancient knowledge has been kept safe for almost a thousand years.”

  Monsignor Baillargeon took a sip of the hot soup and shook his head. “How is it possible for such secrecy? A thousand years! And the knowledge being kept secret is all the more impressive considering your people have had to suffer through countless invasions. That is a tremendous accomplishment. So what brings a member of the Brotherhood to my humble abode in Quebec?”

  Jamie put down his bowl. “There has been a terrible accident. My brother Ryan, who is also a member of the Brotherhood, was attacked by British troops near Cork. He was then shipped off, unconscious, to Montreal. To make matters worse, he also had with him a priceless document that the Brotherhood desperately needs to retrieve. I’m here to track him down and bring them both back home.”

  The monsignor thought for a moment. “Are you sure he survived the crossing?”

  “At this point …” Jamie paused, “I’m not sure of anything.”

  He put a hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “Try not to worry, my friend. We will do whatever we can to help you find your brother.”

  Chapter 10

  After a hearty breakfast of ham and eggs, Jamie, Beth, and Colin were led down the cobblestone streets by Monsignor Baillargeon to the Port of Quebec. Three ocean-going sailing ships and two steamships were moored to the largest quay. Even at this early hour, wooden crates and pallets of timber were being loaded by crane onto two of the sailing ships, preparing them for their return voyage to Europe. The bishop led them to the smaller of the two steamships. It actually looked more like a schooner than a steamship with its long, low hull and typical two-mast sailing rig. A huge single paddlewheel was attached to its side and a black smokestack rose up between the two masts. A young man about Jamie’s age was busy securing the hatches when the bishop called up to him.

  “Young man, is Captain Nadeau aboard?”

  The young man stood up and waved to the priest. “He’s in the wheelhouse preparing to depart, Monsignor. I will go and fetch him for you.”

  “Merci beaucoup.”

  He turned to the children and smiled. “Captain Nadeau is a personal friend of mine. We went to school together.”

  A grey-haired man with a patch over one eye appeared on deck and strode to the railing.

  “Maurice! What are you doing down here on the docks? Do you need passage to Montreal?”

  “Yes, but not for myself. It’s my young friends who would greatly appreciate such an offer.”

  “Irish orphans?” he asked suspiciously. “I’ve already lost my engineer to typhoid. I can’t afford to lose anyone else.”

  “They are all healthy. You have my word. They are trying to track down a lost brother who has recently arrived in Montreal. It’s important that they find him quickly. The church has the desire to do what it can in order to help them in their search. Can you give them passage, Benoit?”

  “Well, since the church supports their important quest,” sighed Nadeau to his friend, “who am I to stand in the way? You have permission to come aboard, children, but you’ll be put to work. This isn’t a pleasure boat!”

  “Fair enough,” agreed Jamie.

  The monsignor waved. “Thank you, Benoit. Chess, next time you are in town?”

  “I’ll give you white to give you a fair chance!”

  Monsignor Baillargeon laughed then turned to Jamie and the children. “God bless you and your search.”

  “And you, Monsignor,” replied Jamie. “You are an inspiration for what you are trying to accomplish with all of the orphans.”

  They waved one last time to each other before Captain Nadeau broke up the final salutation and welcomed them aboard. He directed Jamie and Beth to the bow, where they were put to work pulling in the lines from the dock. The cook took Colin by the hand and led him into the galley where he would stay out of trouble. The ship’s large paddle began to churn and the craft slipped away from the dock. As the ship adjusted its course upriver, the captain yelled over to the two newcomers.

  “Do not think that just because you’re friends with the monsignor you’re travelling first class on my ship!” he shouted, his English heavily accented. “Girl, what is your name?”

  “Beth, sir.”

  “Beth, go to the galley and help the cook prepare lunch.”

  “Yes, Captain.”

  Beth disappeared through the cabin door. The captain pointed his finger at Jamie.

  “And you, do you have any mechanical sense in that head of yours?”

  “Some, Captain. I have helped repair a steam locomotive.”

  “That’s good enough for me. With Henri ill in Montreal, we’re short men in the engine room. Go down below and try not to blow up my ship.”

  Jamie smiled. “Yes, Captain.”

  As Jamie made his way to the stern of the ship, he glanced to his right to get a better look at the massive paddlewheel. The monstrous paddlewheel was bolted firmly to the side and the entire ship leaned slightly to port due to its massive weight. He found an open hatch and slid down the ladder into the engine room. The engine room was dark, hot, and noisy. A huge iron boiler powered a single giant piston that pushed the rod that turned the paddlewheel. The young crew member he had first seen on the dock was now manning the iron gate to the boiler; feeding the giant machine’s monstrous appetite wi
th giant shovelfuls of coal.

  “Can I give you a hand?” shouted Jamie.

  The man wiped his brow and looked at the newcomer.

  “Sure,” he said, throwing over the shovel, which Jamie caught in midair. “Another ten throws of coal should do it.”

  The young man took a pull on a waterskin as Jamie finished stoking the glowing boiler. Jamie slammed the iron door shut with his foot, then looked up at the huge chugging piston.

  “Not much different from a steam locomotive,” Jamie said thoughtfully. “Instead of the steam pushing a piston that’s attached to the drive wheel of a train, it pushes that … teeter-totter thing up there.”

  The man laughed. “That ‘teeter-totter thing’ is called a walking beam. My name’s Theodore Carbonneau.”

  He stuck out a greasy hand. Jamie shook it. “Jamie Galway.”

  “You’ve worked steam locomotives?” asked Theodore, impressed.

  “I helped out from time to time,” replied Jamie, “just like I’m doing here.”

  “They’re talking about building a steam railway from Quebec to Montreal and then all the way down to Portland, Maine,” noted Theodore. “When they complete that line, the railways are going to put all of our ships out of business.”

  Jamie tapped the boiler with the shovel. “So with a working paddlewheel, why are there still masts on this ship?”

  “It doesn’t make sense for us to use the steam engine when we’re going down current and with the wind. The sails are just as fast as using this old engine and we save the cost of fuel.”

  Jamie was surprised. “Really? What is the top speed of your ship?”

  Theodore laughed. “Six knots on a good day. See this dial above the boiler? If the pressure inside the boiler goes higher than the red line, we might get another knot or two out of her, but there’s a very good chance that we’d also blow the boiler to bits. You and I would then be instantly steamed to medium-well and put on the cook’s menu.”

  Jamie laughed. “I don’t have enough meat on me to feed a child, let alone the ship’s crew. I want to help make this journey a quick one. The faster we get to Montreal, the faster I’ll find my brother and go home.”

  Theodore raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Go back to where? Ireland?”

  Jamie nodded. “Ireland.”

  “I’ve seen hundreds come to Canada from Ireland, but you’re the first I’ve heard that wants to go back.”

  “I’ve got a love for fourth class ocean crossings,” said Jamie, dryly. “I just can’t get enough of them.”

  Theodore gave him a look of disbelief then laughed.

  “Welcome to the crew, Jamie Galway. Grab that shovel and let’s get back to work.”

  Chapter 11

  Beth led Jamie and Colin through the maze of warehouses that lined the port and out into the busy streets that crisscrossed the heart of Montreal. Jamie couldn’t stop himself from gawking at the passing people. The wealth of the colony was on display, as a sea of well-groomed men strode the streets in dapper suits, with islands of women in elegant high-necked dresses chatting among themselves on the street corners. He could hear both French and English being used by the crowds. Feeling self-conscious, Jamie realized that he had not washed his one and only outfit since nearly drowning in the St. Lawrence. He made a mental note to do something about his haggard look at the next opportunity. The three made quite the sorry sight among the well-off in this prosperous city.

  Beth didn’t seem bothered by her ragamuffin appearance as she ploughed her way through the crowds along St. James Street towards the taller buildings of Montreal. An earlier summer downpour had turned the wide dirt road they were following into a sea of mud. Horses and wagons fought hard through the rutted glop while pedestrians tried their best to stay on the wooden walkways that lined the storefronts. Jamie couldn’t help but notice several adults scowling at them as they passed. Were they afraid of possible disease? Did they hate the fact they were so obviously Irish? Jamie wished he could somehow put their worries to rest. Meanwhile, Beth rambled on about the city before them.

  “Down that alley is a butcher,” explained Beth, “and if you’re really lucky, he might leave out some nearly spoiled sausages in a bowl behind his shop. If you time it right, you can sneak a couple of links out of the bowl before he lets his dogs out for dinner. But cook them well over a fire, because if you don’t, you’ll get a gut ache that will floor you for a whole week! And right beside the butcher is the fire station. The firemen are really nice and sometimes spray water on me and the other kids if the weather gets too hot in the summer. And do you see that building? They sell the prettiest clothes in town. Just look at the window! I used to think that any woman who had enough money to shop in that store must be a princess. And the store we’re passing right now, this is a general store. The nicest owners in the world own this store. Whenever I had an errand to run to this store, the owner or his wife would give me a small peppermint stick! That’s the best-tasting candy in the whole world! It was — Hey! Where are you going, Jamie?”

  Jamie made a sharp turn and pushed open the door to the general store. The children looked at each other, Beth shrugged, and they followed him in. A small bell jingled as the door opened. The store was filled with shelves of products ranging from canned food to everyday household items. A large woman appeared behind the counter. She had her hair pulled back in a bun and around her waist was a white, frilly apron.

  “May I help you? Oh, it’s you Beth! I haven’t seen you in so long!”

  “Hello, Mrs. McCormick,” replied Beth.

  “I wondered what had happened to my favourite delivery girl.”

  “The rest of my family finally arrived from Ireland,” she lied. “These are my brothers, Jamie and Colin.”

  Mrs. McCormick smiled warmly at Beth’s new family. “My Jamie, you are certainly a handsome fellow. And look at little Colin! Red cheeks and all! So how can I help you three?”

  Jamie pointed to a glass container on the shelf behind her. “I would like to purchase three of your best peppermint sticks, please.”

  Mrs. McCormick winked at Beth. “Coming right up!”

  She reached up to the shelf lined with glass jars. Each jar was filled with different flavours of mouth-watering candy. “Beth, I think your brother likes peppermint as well. You two must be related.”

  She held the jar out, and they each helped themselves to a slender peppermint stick. Colin was delighted. He placed one of the coins that Monsignor Baillargeon had given him on the table. “Thank you very much.”

  The woman reached into a drawer and gave Jamie back his change. “You’re welcome. Come back anytime. And Beth, it’s so good to finally see you with your brothers. You really are a dear. All the best!”

  “Thank you!” Beth grinned.

  “Bye!” said Colin.

  “Thank you, Jamie,” Beth said as she curled her tongue around the candy.

  “I thought you would enjoy it. Now, which way to the immigration station?”

  “It’s not too much further. Come on!”

  Colin and Beth’s beaming faces lit up the dreary afternoon sky as they licked their sweet. Seeing the children munching on a colourful candy seemed to placate many in the passing crowd. Surely, such smiling children sucking away on a candy could not be carrying sickness. Jamie was pleased to have killed two birds with one stone.

  Beth turned a corner and led them away from the busy business district. Ahead was another collection of large wooden warehouses. Workers moved in lines through the huge sliding doors behind which were rows of neatly stacked crates. Some were being hoisted onto waiting wagons, likely destined for the port and then destinations overseas.

  “All these warehouses are full of stuff to be put on boats,” she explained. “The docks are just over there. Those warehouses are full of crates and crates of beaver, bear, and fox fur. That building over there is so full with lumber that it reaches all the way up to the ceiling!”

  “How
do you know all of this?” queried Jamie.

  “I ran messages to all of the owners of the warehouses, asking if they were interested in hiring some of the older orphans as workers. They used to take in quite a few of us, but when the sickness returned, they refused to hire any new immigrant children. That’s why I was shipped off to a farm. They said my job had become pointless since no one was hiring anymore.”

  Jamie smiled. “But now you’re back.”

  She took a lick of her peppermint stick and nodded. “Now I’m back! It feels so good to be back, seeing all of those shops. I didn’t think I would ever see Montreal again, you know. When I was sent off, I thought I would be surrounded by trees, corn, and grumpy farmers for the rest of my life.”

  She wrapped her arms around Jamie and squeezed. “Thank you.”

  Surprised, Jamie managed to wiggle out of her embrace. He decided to change the subject.

  “Are we close?”

  Beth scrunched her face. “Actually, I can smell that we’re close. Can’t you?”

  Jamie sniffed the afternoon air. A foul stench tickled his nostrils. He hadn’t smelled such a disgusting aroma since his time in the hold of the Independence.

  “Is it going to be bad?” he asked.

  She nodded sadly. “Worse. It’s just behind that big warehouse across the street.”

  Jamie stopped and bent down to talk to the children. “Listen, we’re blessed that we are still healthy. I don’t want either of you two taking a chance of getting sick by going to the station with me. I’ll go by myself. Beth, I need you to look after Colin until I get back.”

  “I’m tired of walking,” complained Colin.

  “You get to have a rest right now,” Jamie explained. “Beth will look after you.”

  “We can’t wait here,” commented Beth, looking warily at the nearby workers. “Someone will think we are runaway orphans, and they will send for the police. We might get caught and put back into an orphanage.”

  “All right, then,” said Jamie. “What do you suggest?”