“She’s the mother, my lord,” several explained to him.
“Mother of what?”
“My boy,” the woman cried, and dragged the urchin to Lord Romfrey’s feet, cleaning her boy’s face with her apron.
“It’s the boy Commander Beauchamp drowned to save,” said a man.
All the lights of the ring were turned on the head of the boy. Dr. Shrapnel’s eyes and Lord Romfrey’s fell on the abashed little creature. The boy struck out both arms to get his fists against his eyelids.
This is what we have in exchange for Beauchamp!
It was not uttered, but it was visible in the blank stare at one another of the two men who loved Beauchamp, after they had examined the insignificant bit of mudbank life remaining in this world in the place of him.