'Ah, I imagine we all like to get back. By the way, it was a much more serious affair than we thought at the time on board the Caloric.'
'So I see by the papers.'
'How is your friend? He seemed to take it very badly.'
'Take what badly?' asked John in astonishment.
'Well, he appeared to me, at the time of the accident, to feel very despondent about our situation.'
'Oh yes, I remember now. Yes, he did feel a little depressed at the time; but it was not on account of the accident. It was another matter altogether, which, happily, turned out all right.'
'I am glad of that. By the way, have you made your report to the directors yet?'
'Yes; we were at a meeting of the directors to-day.'
'Ah, I could not manage to be there. To tell the truth, I have made up my mind to do nothing with those Ottawa mines. You do not know what action the Board took in the matter, do you?'
'No, they merely received our report; in fact, they had had the report before, but there were some questions they desired to ask us, which we answered apparently to their satisfaction.'