.

The ringleader was a man named Gordon; who had incited the rest to the
crime, and killed the captain with his own hand. Obtaining command of the
ship, they put her about, and commenced a piratical raid. One vessel they
succeeded in disarming, despoiling, and then leaving her to her fate. But
the next vessel they attacked proved a more formidable enemy, and there
was a hand-to-hand struggle for the mastery, and for life or death. The
_Morning Star_ was sunk, with the greater portion of her living freight.
A few, only some four or five, were saved by the other ship, and conveyed
to England.

It was by them the dark tale was brought. The second officer of the
_Morning Star_ was one of them; he had been compelled to dissemble and to
appear to serve the mutinous band; the others were innocent passengers,
whose lives had not been taken. All agreed in one thing: that Gordon, the
ringleader, had in all probability escaped. He had put off from the
_Morning Star_, when she was sinking, in one of her best boats; he and
some of his lawless helpmates, with a bag of biscuit, a cask of water,
and a few bottles that probably contained rum. Whether they succeeded in
reaching a port or in getting picked up, was a question; but it was
assumed they had done so.

The owners of the _Morning Star_, half paralyzed at the news of so daring
and unusual an outrage, offered the large reward of five hundred pounds
for the capture of George Gordon; and Government increased the offer by
two hundred, making it seven in all.

Overwhelming tidings for Clerk Gum and his wife! A brief season of
agonized suspense ensued for the poor mother; of hopes and fears as to
whether Willy was amongst the remnant saved; and then hope died away, for
he did not come.

Once more, for the last time, Clerk Gum took a journey, not to London,
but to Liverpool. He succeeded in seeing the officer who had been
saved; but he could give him no information. He knew the names of the
first-class passengers, but only a few of the second-class; and in that
class Willy had most likely sailed.

The clerk described his son; and the officer thought he remembered him:
he had a good deal of gold on board, he said. One of the passengers spoke
more positively. Yes, by Clerk Gum's description, he was sure Willy Gum
had been his fellow-passenger in the second cabin, though he did not
recollect whether he had heard his name. It seemed, looking back, that
the passengers had hardly had