I owe to you. He is yet too weak to be moved, or he would be here by my
side to thank you. I was much absorbed on the voyage, but I saw how you,
officers and seamen, worked to take advantage of every puff of wind and
every current of the sea. I know how you others were working in the hell
of the fire-room, and I shall be grateful to you as long as I live. I
wish you all health, happiness and prosperity in the future.

"You, with your grand captain, carried the machinery to Africa, which has
made me a good deal of money. You brought home my friend when he was
making an unequal fight for life. I want each of you to have a little
souvenir of my gratitude."

With that he undid a package which he had been holding in his hand. It
contained a bunch of envelopes. He handed one to each of the officers and
men.

Those for the mates and engineers each contained bank notes of the value
of L200. Those of the men each contained L50. The doctor's contained
L1,000.

The men whispered eagerly among themselves for a moment; then the third
mate said:

"Mr. Sedgwick, the lads want me to ask you how they can best thank you.
They are not much talkers, and this gift of yours has about beached their
tongues."

Sedgwick smiled and said: "No thanks are needed, but I want to tell you
that this is all due to the dearest woman in the world," putting his arm
around Grace. "If you will each come and shake the hand of my wife, all
the gratitude you feel will be receipted for."

They joyfully responded, and one old tar, more bold than the rest, said,
as he took the fair little hand of Grace in the grasp of his own knotted
hand: "Your mon is a mighty poor hand to save money, but he'll be richer
nor Rothschild as long as you are spared to him."

They gave their old captain and his friend three cheers as they passed
over the ship's side, and McGregor wiped his eyes all the way back to the
hotel.

Grace went at once to the sick-room. Jordan was half reclining in an
easy-chair. Margaret was sitting where he could see her, and was
evidently reading to him, when Grace entered.

Jordan spoke: "Take a cheer, madam. Maggie wur readin' 'nd it's mighty
comfortin'. It's like sipping old wine and hearin' music in thar next
room same time."

"Don't you mind him, Grace," said Margaret. "He is still very weak, and
all that he says is not as deep as it might be." But she smiled fondly at
him while she spoke.

"Don't yo' b'leve her, Mrs. Sedgwick," said J