ook Mrs. Goring's hand in his and remarked with a smile:

"I scarcely know how to address you now. Is it Mrs. Goring? or have I
got it wrong? Should it be Mrs. Gordon? Pardon me if I'm floundering."

"Not Gordon, yet, Captain," she replied, and again the hint of pain in
her eyes was banished by a resolute smile. "I am still Miss Vandersee. I
have never been married. I took a married name after--after--well, there
was a little one, you know," she murmured softly, "a tiny life to be
guarded from the poison of tongues. So I stole a name for its sake. It
is dead now. I am Miss Vandersee."

A deep silence was marked by the men walking away and leaving the two
women to their own thoughts; and the relief was welcomed when Vandersee
reported the steam launch in sight. In five minutes it was alongside,
and the men in her held the ladder for Little. The ex-typewriter
salesman travelled light enough now, for all his worldly belongings
reposed somewhere among the drenched and shattered interior of the
brigantine.

"Well, so long, Jack Barry, old scout!" he shouted, after he had made
his _adieux_ to the rest. "We've had a lot o' sport since I dug you out
o' the dumps in Batavia. I'm staying here until Mr. and Mrs. Gordon come
to relieve me; then I'll see you again, either in Java, or at the post,
if you decide to try Celebes again. Stick to Cornelius, Jack. He's
tickled silly with you; never mind about the ship you lost. So-long,
all!"

The cheery fellow dropped into the launch and waved her on her way up
the river with a lordly air of command that brought a grin of
reminiscence to Barry's face. Then Houten's rumbling voice boomed in his
ear, and he heard his destiny and that of all hands.

"Captain Barry, you have done well. Noddings dot I expected you to do
vas undone. I am satisfied. Friendt Leedle iss to be mine superintendent
in Java ven Gordon unt the niece he iss stealing from me are retty to
return to the post. Yah, Captain, dot iss deir choice. Gordon iss to be
mine partner, anyvay. As for Captain Barry, I dond't know," he chuckled,
regarding the skipper with eyes that twinkled and shot between Barry's
face and Natalie just behind him. The girl colored like a peony, as if
some unsuspected instinct within her told her whither his words were
driving. "I haf better ships as the old _Barang_, Captain, unt in my
launch alongside I haf some pags ouf goldt dust dot iss to be a wedding
present for a leedle lady I know ouf py