‘“A life on the ocean wave,
A home on the rolling deep.”
It is thus I can carry out the mission of the age, to break down the barriers created by the prejudices and ignorance of nations, to make men realize by means of international commerce that we are members one of another, and that God has made of one blood “all nations that dwell on the face of the earth.”’
‘Why, my dear boy,’ said the actress, ‘you are quite a Radical, and a philosopher as well. Where did you get your ideas from? From the newspapers?’
‘Not a bit.’
‘Where from then?’
‘From the Book of Books—the Bible. I have loved to think of such things in the watches of the night as I have been alone on deck.’
‘Well, you have thought to some purpose,’ said the actress. ‘Wentworth will be delighted. I am sure you will fall in with our plan.’
‘What is that?’
‘I’ll tell you as soon as I have seen Wentworth.’
‘You’ll hear from me soon,’ said the actress, as she seated herself in the train, and glided along the iron road till London was reached in safety and in good time. Nor were Wentworth and his wife sorry at his decision. They infinitely preferred him as he was, and thus the matter was allowed to drop, to the infinite regret of a sharp firm of City lawyers, who were quite ready to do battle for the lad’s right, with a chance of making money out of the case somehow before they had done with it. The family lawyers were quite content to let things remain as they were. They had lost money by the family, and had no more wish to trouble themselves about their concerns. There was no chance of anyone coming forward to claim the family honours, and the name of Strahan was dropped out of the book of the baronetage of England for ever.