Star started and looked blank at his words.
“The street and number were written in my diary. That was lost on the vessel. I did not think, in my haste, to get it,” she said, in dismay.
“Whew! that makes matters rather complicated for you, then; but never mind, the captain will know what to do about it, and I feel sure that you will have no trouble. It is probable that the pilot-boat, when it returned, after leaving the pilot with us, took back the news that some of the passengers from the wrecked steamer were with us, and your friends may hope that you are among them, and come to ascertain.”
Star was greatly cheered by this view of the matter, and made up her mind to wait patiently for whatever was to come.
CHAPTER IV.
MRS. RICHARDS.
It was very late when the stately ship rolled slowly up to her pier, too late for the customs officers to visit her that night, and the impatient passengers were forced to wait until morning to appear before them and undergo that much dreaded ordeal of taking oath upon their possessions, dutiable or otherwise.
But early the next morning the hurry and bustle began, and there was the usual rush to claim baggage and get away as soon as possible from the place where they had spent so many monotonous days.
Star had no baggage to claim, and, not knowing what else to do, she sat still in the saloon and waited, watching the departing people with mingled feelings of curiosity and sadness.
Mr. Rosevelt had told her not to be anxious about her own fate, for he should see that she was kindly cared for, and if her friends did not come for her, he would provide for her until they could advertise her arrival in the papers. It was unfortunate, he said, that she lost their address, since it would be liable to cause something of a delay in reaching her destination. So, while he went to arrange some little matter with the captain, she sat and watched the hurrying crowd.
Archibald Sherbrooke came to seek her there, and found her alone.