"Yes, they're having dreadful times. What were you thinking of?"
"Helping, if you'll take a hand."
"I'm your man, sir, and God be thanked for your good thought! I'll thank you in my own way."
"Help me to make a list of the most necessary things, and I'll charter a ship to take them straight out. Will you go with her and see to it all?"
"Will I?" blazed Eager. "Will I not? It's almost too good to be true. I want to find out what's become of those boys too."
"I wouldn't like it all to go astray like the rest, you see."
"I'll see to that. It may be the saving of hundreds. God bless you, sir! George's death will be a blessing to many through you. It is just what he would have done himself."
Sir George shook his head sadly. The wound was too raw yet. "Let's get to work!" he said; for in work, and especially in such work, there was something of healing.
So they formed themselves into a committee of four, and Sir George insisted on Eager and Gracie coming to stay with them at Knoyle so that the work might go on without interruption.
He went down to Liverpool, and with difficulty secured a steamship--the Bakclutha, 1,000 tons burden, James Leale, master, at a very high price, for Government charters had made a tight market.