hat they had feared brain-fever. But the sleep had saved
me; and when Mary talked of the doctor's order that I was to lie
resting a week, I laughed aloud.

"You'd better prescribe that for Roderick," said I; "he'd rest a month;
wouldn't you, old chap?"

"I don't know about a month, old man, but you mustn't try the system
too much."

"Well, I'm going to try it now, anyway, for I start for London
to-night!"

"What!" they cried in one voice.

"Exactly, and if Mary would not mind running on deck for a minute, I'll
tell you why, Roderick."

She went at the word, casting one pleading look with her eyes as she
stood at the door, but I gave no sign, and she closed it. I had fixed
upon a course, and as Roderick, dreamingly indifferent, prepared to
talk about that which he called my "madness," I took Hall's manuscript,
and read it to him. When I had finished, there was a strange light in
his eyes.

"Let us go at once," he said; and that was all.

CHAPTER VI.

I ENGAGE A SECOND MATE.

We caught the first train to London; and were at the Hotel Columbia by
Charing Cross in time for dinner. Mary had insisted on her right to
accompany us, and, as we could find no valid reason why she should not,
we brought her to the hotel with us. Then by way of calming that
trouble, excitement, and expectation which crowded on us both, we went
to Covent Garden, where the autumn season of opera was then on, and
listened to the glorious music of _Orfeo_ and the _Cavalleria_. Nor did
either of us speak again that night of Hall or of his death; but I
confess that the vision of it haunted my eyes, standing out upon all
the scenes that were set, so that I saw it upon the canvas, and often
before me the wind-worn struggle of a burning ship; while that awful
"Ahoy!" of my own men yet rang in my ears.

When I returned to the hotel I wrote two letters, the beginning of my
task. One was to the Admiralty, the other to the office of the Black
Anchor Line of American Steamships. I told Roderick what I had done,
but he laughed at the idea; so that I troubled him no more with it,
awaiting its proof. On the next morning, in a few moments of privacy
between us, he agreed to let me work alone for two days, and then to
venture on suggestion himself. So it came to be that on the next day I
found myself standing in a meagrely furnished anteroom at the
Admiralty, and there waiting the pleasure of one of the clerks, who had
been deputed to talk with