"We were rolling very heavily in the gale, sir, and I bent on the foresail, which made things easier on board; and as the wind was fair, we made twelve and thirteen knots an hour for about ten hours."
"It was a smart gale; and when I did not find you where I expected, I was a little anxious about you this forenoon. How does the Maud behave in heavy weather, Captain Scott?"
"Like a lady, sir; of course she does a great deal of rolling on account of her size, but she stood it very well, and kept up her speed in spite of the knocking about she had."
"I suppose you have become a sailor by this time, Louis," added Captain Ringgold, turning to the young millionaire.
"Not much of a sailor, sir," replied Louis.
"You must be full-fledged, Mr. Woolridge, after the experience of the last thirty-six hours," he added.
"I tried to do my duty, sir," answered Morris, rather startled to hear himself mistered,— a distinction to which he was entitled as mate, though the big four had been more familiar with him.
"Mrs. Belgrave and Mrs. Woolridge were somewhat worried about you during the gale; but Mr. Boulong will take you to the ship, Louis and Morris, while I am arranging things with the captain for the future," said the commander. "You will return in an hour."
The first officer of the Guardian-Mother took the hands of the young gentlemen as he received them in the cutter, and listened with interest to a brief account of their voyage. In return he told them the news from the steamer, and told them what had passed between Captain Ringgold and the Pacha. But the time was too short to say much, and in a few minutes both of them were in the arms of their mothers, after which there was a general shaking of hands with the other passengers.
"I don't see that we have any occasion to go to Malta," said the commander to the captain of the Maud, after the departure of the cutter. "We can take that in at another time. Have you had any trouble of any kind on board?"