"Levi!" said Mr. Watson, gently disengaging himself from his daughter's embrace, and giving the young captain his hand.
"I am glad to see you, Mr. Watson," replied Levi, grasping the offered hand.
"If Levi hadn't followed me, you would never have seen me again," added Bessie, throwing herself upon her father's breast again.
"God bless you, Levi!" exclaimed the delighted father, wringing the young man's hand again.
Mr. Watson seemed to be bewildered by the ecstasy of his joy. He grasped the hand of Augustus, who was so pleased that he forgot to use any high-flown speech. The gentleman who had come in the boat with Bessie's father was introduced to the party as the American consul.
"We did not expect to see you, Mr. Watson," said Levi.
"I have been in Melbourne for three weeks," replied he. "This is the port for which the Caribbee cleared at the Custom House. But where is the Caribbee?"
"She struck on a rock to the southward of King's Island, in the gale, yesterday morning. She has broken up before this time."
"And I was on board of her at the time," said Bessie.
"Though the Caribbee was twenty tons larger than The Starry Flag, we were just a match for her in sailing," added Levi. "We lost her a week out of New York, saw her again at the Cape of Good Hope, and then lost sight of her three or four times; but we arrived at the entrance of Bass Strait about the same time."