t be keeping you here, Harry," she said, "so do you go after
Mr Reginald. Miss Fanny will be looking for you, and she won't thank
me if I keep you here. Now go, Harry, and bless you--bless you; my
heart's very happy at seeing you back, for I'm sure that all will turn
out as we wish it at last. You've had a sore trial, but you acted
rightly."

Harry, having given Susan another embrace and shaken me warmly by the
hand, bounded away after Reginald. I didn't offer to accompany him,
for, in truth, I could not have moved as fast as he did; but I followed
at my leisure, as the captain had told Susan he wanted to see me as soon
as I came on shore. As I got near the house, I caught sight of Harry
and Miss Fanny in the shrubbery, and from what I saw he had no reason to
doubt that she loved him as much as ever; and I am sure that she would
not have met him as she did, unless she had had the captain's leave to
receive him as her intended husband. Mr Reginald reached the house,
and got through the greetings with the captain and his mother, and other
sisters. A very happy party they looked, for he had a good account to
give of himself, though maybe he hadn't quite as much to boast of as had
Harry. From the way Harry was received when he at last made his
appearance with Miss Fanny by his side, I felt sure that all was right.

I had afterwards a long talk with the captain. He told me that he was
ready for a start as soon as Harry was at liberty. There was no time to
be lost, for we could not tell what tricks Mr Biddulph Stafford might
be playing in the meantime. As far as we knew, he had as yet no inkling
of what had occurred; but he was deep and cunning, according to Jerry's
account, and would move heaven and earth, if his suspicions were
aroused, to defeat our object. Some days, however, must pass before we
could begin our journey, as Harry could not quit his ship till she was
paid off. It was a question with us whether Mr Biddulph Stafford knew
that his nephew had been saved when the ship went down, or had found out
the name we had given him; if he did, he would soon learn that he had
come home again, and might possibly be on the look-out for him,
thinking, of course, that Harry was still ignorant of who he really was.
This idea came into the captain's head. He said that he thought it
would be well to tell Harry, that he might be on his guard against any
treacherous trick his uncle might endeavour to play him. I had n