gle second, then all sank below the cold waves.

Two heads rose to the surface a second later, and those on the ship as
well as those on shore recognized them as Sir Albert St. Croix and Mrs.
Price. Holding the screaming woman in one arm, Sir Albert nobly struck
out for shore, and no doubt would have reached it, for he was a bold
swimmer, had not a large cake of ice borne them down to a watery grave.

When they were found, three days later, they were closely locked in
each other's arms. Robert Stevens came from Jamestown, and he and his
sister had the body of their mother buried at the old churchyard in the
ruins of Jamestown. Sir Albert was also, by order of his captain, buried
at the same place.

All winter long, Captain Small of the _Despair_ remained in the York
River; but at early spring he came to the James River and, summoning
both Robert and Rebecca aboard his vessel, informed them that his dead
master had, by a will, left them a vast fortune in money, jewels and
lands, in both America and England.

"He also gave you the ship _Despair_," concluded the captain.

"This is very strange." said Robert. "I can scarcely believe it."

Captain Small, however, had the will to prove it.

"Now what will you do with the ship?" the captain asked.

"What do you advise? We know nothing of such matters."

"She would make an excellent merchantman, and I would be willing to rent
her of you and give you one half the profits."

"No, no, captain; take her, and give us one fourth."

Captain Small was delighted with his new employer's liberality, and the
name _Despair_ was changed to _Hope_. The vessel soon became famous as a
merchantman all over the world. Her honest master, Captain Small, became
wealthy, at the same time increasing the wealth of the owners.

Robert and Ester Goffe were married one year after the death of Mrs.
Price. Hugh Price never molested Robert, but gave himself up to
dissipation and was killed in a drunken brawl two years after his wife's
death. Giles Peram continued to make himself a nuisance about the home
of Robert Stevens and to annoy his sister, until the indignant brother
horsewhipped him and drove him from the premises. Shortly after Giles
was seized with fever of which he died.

Rebecca went with her brother and his wife to Massachusetts on a visit
and, while there, met a young Englishman of good family, whom she
married within a year and took up her abode in New England, while Robert
retur