Affairs also turned out rather better than he had expected. At noon the wind changed, the sky cleared, the sun shone out, and the “Flying Foam,” with all her sails set, skimmed over the seas towards England at the rate of eleven knots an hour.
At one o’clock she dropped anchor at Southampton.
Dick settled his last scores with the master,—who was master afloat, and agent ashore,—and then he inquired:
“Do you know anything about the up train, captain?”
“There is an express train starts at a quarter before two, and there is not another train until five,” answered the master.
“I’ll take that train,” exclaimed Dick.
And he made all his own little preparations, and he hurried the men that were getting out the boat to take him ashore.
As soon as he stepped on shore, he ran and called a cab, jumped into it, and, having given his hasty order, was driven rapidly to the station. He was just in time to secure his ticket, spring into a half-empty carriage—and not a moment to spare before the express started.
It was not until the train was in motion and his own hurry was over, that he recollected one or two things that might have been attended to had he chosen to wait a few minutes. First and nearest, he might have taken his change from the cabman, whose fare was half a crown, and to whom he had thrown half a sovereign.
But Dick did not the least regret that neglect.