"Ask your good captain. He has gone out of his course, in the kindness of his heart, to do us all a favour."
"No favour at all," said the captain earnestly, waving his hand in token of disclaiming any obligation on their part,--"no favour at all. I like to see things get righted, and I like to have a hand in doing it.--Besides, didn't you two chaps teach me that chant that's going to help me through many a long night at the helm?"
"You will allow us to feel thankful to you, captain, if we keep quiet about it, won't you?" asked the teacher laughing. "We have been anxiously watching for your vessel ever since we heard from you.
"Heard from us! when?" asked the captain with a puzzled look.
"We heard by the vessel you hailed the night before the storm."
"Well, now, where did you see her?"
"On the rocks just off the lighthouse."
"What! cast away?"
"Yes: she went on the rocks the night of the storm; but the crew were saved, all but one man. They have been over at the lighthouse, waiting to see the last of the wreck, after rescuing all the cargo they could."
The captain turned to the boys, and said: "That was an escape for you. If we had had our way, you would have been on that wreck too. How little we know what's best for us! I'd rather not have the ordering of things if I could. I'd be sure to make a mess of things. God knows best, and that's true every time."