hen he told me who the man was, and after all I had to wait so
long I began to fear he would never give me a chance to carry out my
desire."

"Is that true, Gracie?" asked Sedgwick.

"Indeed it is," she replied, and then she quickly continued, "Does it
drift badly along here?"

"Pretty badly," answered Sedgwick.

"Then, love," answered Grace, "buy the farm by all means and at all
hazards."

"I believe I will," said Sedgwick. "I believe we need it in our business.
If when we get back to England it shall be known that we have bought a
home in America, and are having a house built, it will take all
suspicions about a possible African enterprise away."

And that day he bought the farm, and the next one to it, and told his
brother he would send from England plans for a house to be built in the
spring.

Next day came the parting from the old home. Sedgwick promised to return
before many months and stay longer, and he and his wife started for New
York.

They rested over one train at Niagara, and took in its splendor as seen
in winter-time, and arrived in New York on Wednesday. Forbes had
purchased the tickets, and secured the rooms on the ship for the whole
party. Thursday and Friday were devoted to taking in as much as possible
of the great city. On Saturday they sailed.

The voyage was generally uneventful, except that one day they were
treated to a beautiful spectacle of rescuing a crew from a water-logged
craft. The wind was fresh, and there was an uneasy sea on, when a signal
of distress was noted off across the water. The steamer was headed for
it, and in half an hour came up to it. It was a little old lumber
schooner. The sea was washing its deck with every wave. In the meantime,
the second officer, with six seamen, had taken their places in a boat.
The boat had been swung out over the water. The sailors were standing by,
holding the tackle by which a boat is lowered; the commander was on the
bridge, and when in hailing distance of the craft he dropped his hand and
the engines stopped. He shouted through his trumpet, asking what was
wanted. "To come aboard," a voice came back. The commander dropped his
hand again, and down ran the boat and pulled away for the wreck. It would
mount a wave, and then sink out of sight of those on the ship's high
deck; then climb again. It returned in twenty minutes, and it was the
commander of the great ship that took the hand of the schooner's rough
skipper as the boat was hoi