rebuilding
forward of the mast."

"It will cost about twenty pounds to make a good job of it," Benting
said as he joined them. "I shouldn't like to take the job for less, not
on contract. If I did day-work it might come to a little less or a
little more, I cannot say."

Jack looked anxiously up into his uncle's face, for he knew that twenty
pounds was a serious matter.

"It won't be at my expense, Jack," Ben replied to his look. "Captain
Murchison came down at seven o'clock this morning and had a look at her
with me. I told him yesterday that I was afraid she had damaged herself
on the sand, as she had made a lot of water on her way up. He said that
I was to have her examined at once and get an estimate for repairing her
thoroughly, and that he would undertake it should be paid. He asked what
her age was. Of course I told him she was only four years old, and that
I had only finished paying off the money I borrowed when I had her
built, last year. He said that as she was only four years old she was
worth spending the money on; but if she had been an old boat, it would
not have been worth while throwing money away on her. But Benting says
he can make her as good as new again."

"Every bit," the carpenter said. "She will be just as strong as she was
on the day she was turned out."

"How long will you be about it?"

"I would get her done in three weeks. I will go over to Southend by the
twelve o'clock train and order the timber, and you can arrange this
evening whether you will have her done by contract or day-work."

Captain Murchison that evening when he returned from town, where he had
gone up to report to Lloyd's the loss of the ship, had a talk with
Benting, and being assured by him that the _Bessy_ would after the
execution of the repairs be in all respects as stout a craft as before,
arranged with him to do it for the sum he named, and to set to work
immediately.

Three days later Mr. Godstone was able to be brought out on to the sofa
in the sitting-room. Captain and Mrs. Murchison had gone home two days
before, but the former came down again to Leigh on the morning Mr.
Godstone got up. After a talk together Captain Murchison went out and
fetched Ben Tripper in, and Mr. Godstone presented him with a cheque for
a hundred pounds for himself and fifty for Tom Hoskins.

"We owe you our lives," he said, "and we shall never forget the service
you have rendered us. Captain Murchison tells me that your boat will b