sions, and where I had a shrewd
suspicion that I should find my boat awaiting me. I was not mistaken,
and shortly after six bells in the forenoon watch I was aboard the
_Tsukushi_, handing over General Oku's dispatch to the Admiral. The
latter at once read it, and seemed much gratified at its contents,
which, however, he did not communicate to me. But I shrewdly surmised
that it was a letter of thanks for the services rendered by the squadron
and an intimation that our presence was no longer needed. And, so far
as the latter part of my assumption was concerned, I was doubtless
right, for after a little chat, during which I briefly related my
experiences of the previous day--learning in return that the _Chokai_
had lost her commander and two men killed, with two lieutenants and five
men wounded--I received instructions to return to my ship, as the
squadron would presently proceed to rejoin Admiral Togo at his base.
And an hour later we were all steaming out of the bay.

Two days after our arrival at the base, the destroyer _Kagero_ arrived
with mails for the fleet, and, to my great surprise, she brought for me
a letter from my Uncle Bob, as well as one from my chum, young Gordon,
and another from Sir Robert.

Naturally, I first opened the letter from Uncle Bob, for not only was it
the first letter which I had received from any of the family since my
"disgrace," but also the envelope was deeply edged with black, and my
first fear was that it might contain the announcement of the death of
dear Aunt Betsy. But upon extracting the contents of the envelope I was
at once reassured, for I saw that it really consisted of two letters,
one from Uncle Bob, and the other from my aunt. There had been a death
in the family, however, that of Cousin Bob, the author of the trouble
which had resulted in my dismissal from the British Navy. It appeared
that while engaged in battle practice there had been a bad accident on
board the _Terrible_, one of her quick-firers having burst, killing two
men and wounding five others, one of the latter so seriously that he had
subsequently died. That one was Bob; and when informed by the ship's
surgeon that he had but a few hours to live, he had sent for the
chaplain and to him had made a full confession of his crime, declaring
that he had been spurred to it by blind, unreasoning jealousy of me.
The chaplain, horrified at what he heard, took down the confession in
writing, and poor Bob had sign