"Much better, Captain. I am very much obliged to you, and I am sure that he will be, too."
"I should like it immensely, Captain," Dick exclaimed.
At this moment, the purser came up.
"Mr. Stevenson," the captain said, "this is Mrs. Holland. She is the wife of my old friend, John Holland--we were midshipmen together on board the Ganges. He commanded the Hooghley, which was lost, you know, five or six years ago, somewhere near Calicut. There were two or three survivors, and he was one of them, and it seems that he was taken up the country; so Mrs. Holland is going out to endeavour to ascertain whether he may not be still alive, though perhaps detained by one of those native princes.
"Please do everything you can to make her comfortable, and tell the head steward that it is my particular wish she shall be well attended to. Who is she berthed with?"
The purser took the passenger list from his pocket.
"She is with Mrs. Colonel Williamson, and the wife of Commissioner Larkins."
The captain gave a grunt of dissatisfaction. The purser went on.
"There is a small cabin vacant, Captain. Two ladies who were to have it--a mother and daughter--have, I hear this morning, been unexpectedly detained, owing to the sudden illness of one of them. Their heavy baggage is all in the hold, and must go on, and they will follow in the next ship. Shall I put Mrs. Holland in there?"
"Certainly. This is most fortunate.