have reason to believe that, on this occasion at least, he is a true
man."

Mulroy returned no answer, for the two vessels were now almost near
enough to enable those on board to distinguish faces with the telescope.
A very few minutes sufficed to remove all doubts; and, a quarter of an
hour later, Montague stood on his own quarterdeck, receiving the
congratulations of his officers, while Henry Stuart was seized upon and
surrounded by his friends Corrie, Alice, Poopy, the missionary, and Ole
Thorwald.

In the midst of a volley of excited conversation Henry suddenly
exclaimed, "But what of Gascoyne? Where is the pirate captain?"

"Why, we've forgotten him," exclaimed Thorwald, whose pipe was doing
duty like a factory chimney. "I shouldn't wonder if he took advantage
of us just now to give us the slip!"

"No fear of that," said Mr Mason. "Poor fellow, he has felt your loss
terribly, Henry, for we all believed that you were lost; but I am bound
to confess that none of us have shewn a depth of sorrow equal to that of
Gascoyne. It seems unaccountable to me. He has not shewn his face on
deck since the day he gave up all hope of rescuing you, and has eaten
nothing but a biscuit now and then, which he would suffer no one but
Corrie to take to him."

"Poor Gascoyne, I will go and relieve his mind," said Henry, turning to
quit the quarterdeck.

Now, the noise created by the meeting of the two vessels had aroused
Gascoyne from the lethargic state of mind and body to which he had given
way. Coming on deck, he was amazed to find himself close to the
_Talisman_. A boat lay alongside the _Foam_, into which he jumped, and,
sculling towards the frigate, he stepped over the bulwarks just as Henry
turned to go in search of him.

The pirate captain's face wore a haggard, careworn, humbled look, that
was very different from its usual bold, lion-like expression. No one
can tell what a storm had passed through the strong man's breast while
he lay alone on the floor of his cabin. The deep, deep sorrow--the
remorse for sin--the bitterness of soul when he reflected that his
present misery was chargeable only to himself. A few nights had given
him the aspect of a much older man.

For a few seconds he stood glancing round the quarterdeck of the
_Talisman_ with a look of mingled curiosity and sadness. But when his
eye fell on the form of Henry he turned deadly pale, and trembled like
an aspen leaf.

"Well, Gascoyne, my--my--