ebt which I
owe you is one that it will be quite impossible for me ever to repay; I
can merely acknowledge it and testify to the overwhelming nature of my
obligation, for to your gallant behaviour, under God, I owe not only the
deliverance of twenty-five human lives from a watery grave, but also the
safety of my wife and only child--all, in fact, that I have left to me
to make life worth living. As I have said, it will be quite impossible
for me ever to cancel so heavy a debt; but what I _can_ do I _will_.
Your conduct shall be so represented in the proper quarter as to secure
for you all the honour which such noble service demands; and, for the
rest, I hope you will always remember that Captain Staunton--that is my
name--will deem no service that you may require of him too great to be
promptly rendered. And what I say to you especially, I say also to all
your gallant comrades, who will, I hope, accept the grateful thanks
which I now tender to them."

Poor Bob blushed like a girl at these warm outspoken praises, and
stammered some deprecatory remarks, which, however, were drowned by the
more vigorous disclaimers of the rest of the fishermen and their
somewhat noisy applause of the shipwrecked captain's manly speech; in
the midst of which commotion "mother" Salmon entered to enjoin strict
silence and to announce the gratifying intelligence that all the women
and children were doing well, including the skipper's little daughter,
the apparently lifeless body of whom Bob had recovered when first he
boarded the wreck. A low murmur of satisfaction greeted this
announcement, and then all hands fell to once more upon their supper,
which was soon afterwards concluded, when old Bill and his mates,
shaking hands heartily all round, retired to seek the rest which they
had so well-earned, while the shipwrecked men were disposed of as well
as circumstances would allow in the few remaining unappropriated bed-
rooms of the hospitable "Anchor."

By noon next day the shipwrecked party had all so far recovered that
they were able to set out on the journey to their several homes.
Captain Staunton sought out old Bill and arranged with him respecting
the salvage of the wrecked ship's cargo, after which he handed the
veteran fisherman, as remuneration for services already rendered, a
draft upon the owners of the _Diadem_, which more than satisfied the
smack's crew for all their perils and exertions of the previous night.
He then left for