Dick's thoughts came to earth as the Count's voice reached him.
"I'm glad to see you," he said cordially, and as he led the way to the library he was all that a host should be.
"You see, I was in England, and, having a little spare time, I thought I would look you up. I hope I'm not taking too great a liberty?"
"Liberty, my dear fellow! I should be annoyed beyond words if you had not come to see me. I have hosts of things to discuss with you. Besides," and Dick spoke like one deeply moved, "I cannot help remembering that but for you it is not likely I should be here. I should have been lying somewhere at the bottom of the Indian Ocean."
"Oh, come now; let's have no more of that. Of course, I had the good luck to be of service to you, and jolly glad I am; no decent fellow could have done less than I did."
"All the same, I cannot forget that I owe my life to you," cried Dick fervently. "Do you know, I wondered no end what happened to you; tell me about it."
"Not until I hear about you. Of course, I can guess a great deal. The fact that you are here tells me that the wireless you got on the ship was not only bona fide but important. You are master here, eh?"
Dick nodded.
"I've been told that your uncle was a very rich man. Is that so?"
"Yes."