“He was drifting farther and farther out to sea, and his senses were becoming benumbed and his thoughts confused; yet still he instinctively held on to the log until everything else seemed to have left him.
“When John Weston recovered his consciousness he found himself in a comfortable berth in a ship that he afterwards discovered to be the American merchantman Buzzard, homeward bound from Calcutta to New York.
“Later on he learned the facts of his rescue. He had been seen floating on the log by the man at the look-out. A boat had been put off to his relief, and he had been brought on board the ship, in apparent death. All means known to science had been used for his restoration, and they had proved successful.
“In a day or two John Weston was strong as ever, and went before the mast a willing worker, in a short-handed ship, which had lost several of its men by fever while in port at Calcutta.
“On reaching New York he discharged himself, and glad, glorious with this realization of freedom, he started at once for Seawood to give Joseph and Lil a joyful surprise.
“Ah, how soon were his high hopes dashed to the ground! He reached Seawood the same day.
“He inquired for Mr. Joseph Wyvil. He was told the sad tragedy with which you are already acquainted—that Joseph Wyvil had been drowned in rescuing the son of a Major Hereward, that Mrs. Wyvil had died on the same day on which her child was born, and that the orphan baby-girl had been adopted and taken away to be brought up as his own daughter by Major Hereward.
“Poor Joe—to give him back his familiar name since his escape—poor Joe was nearly crushed to death by this blow. He inquired about Major Hereward, but could not find out his address.
“The rector, who had been with Lil in her last moments, might have given him the information, but he had gone to Europe for his health.
“At last poor Joe gave up the search for the time being, and contented himself, on the child’s account, by reflecting that she was in good hands and much better situated than she could be in his own possession, even if he, the fugitive convict, could dare to claim her.