ether his son had been heard of. The only
information he could gain was that the _Thisbe_ had been sent to the
Indian Archipelago and had not returned to Calcutta.

At length news was received that she had arrived after encountering a
terrific hurricane, and that she had captured a prize, in which one of
her officers and several of her men had been lost.

"But the officer's name," asked Sir Ralph of the clerk who was giving
him the information.

"I shall find it shortly, sir. Yes, as I feared, it is Lieutenant
Castleton." Sir Ralph staggered out of the Admiralty. At the door he
encountered General Sampson.

"I have just come to enquire about my gallant friend, Captain Headland,
and your boy Harry," exclaimed the old soldier, taking the baronet's
hand. "Why, you look pale, Sir Ralph, what is the matter?"

"He has gone, lost in a hurricane," answered Sir Ralph, with a groan.
"I do not believe it; cannot be the case; he would swim through fifty
hurricanes," exclaimed the petulant old general. "The clerks here never
have the rights of the story. Come back with me, we will have a look at
the despatches. We manage things better at the War Office, I flatter
myself."

"The account was very circumstantial though," said Sir Ralph, with a
sigh. "I wish I could believe there was a mistake."

"Of course there is a mistake, very sure of it. Come along, and we will
soon set it to rights."

The general dragged Sir Ralph back into the building. The clerk looked
somewhat offended at the general's address.

"I understand that you have told Sir Ralph Castleton that his son is
lost. You should be more exact, sir, in the information you give. Just
let me see the despatch."

The clerk hesitated, on which the general desired his name to be taken
in to the secretary. He was admitted, and the despatch placed in his
hand. His countenance fell.

"Still I do not see that it is certain," he observed. "The ship was not
seen to go down, and if she had, some of the people may have been saved:
people often are saved from sinking ships, and there is no proof
positive that she did sink. Though the _Thisbe_ may have been in
danger, and I am sure if Captain Headland says she was, it must have
been of no ordinary character, that is no reason that the prize might
not have weathered the hurricane. He speaks of her, I see, as a
recapture, and in all probability an Indiaman, and those hulking
tea-chests will float when a man-of-wa