nt for, nothing for me to
do but leave Grace a minute, whilst I rushed below to fee the stewards.
So much confusion attended our transference that my recollection of
what took place is vague. I remember that the second mate was
incessantly shouting out orders, until one of the ship's quarter boats,
with several men in her, had been fairly lowered to the water's edge,
and brought to the gangway, over which some steps had been thrown. I
also remember once again shaking Captain Parsons most cordially by the
hand, thanking him effusively for his kindness and wishing him and his
ship all possible good-luck under the heavens. The passengers crowded
round us and wished us good-bye, and I saw Mrs. Barstow slip a little
parcel into Grace's hand, and whisper a few words; whereupon they
kissed each other with the warmth of old friends.

Mr. M'Cosh stood at the gangway, and I asked him to distribute the
twenty-pound bank note I handed to him amongst the crew of the boat
that had taken us from the _Spitfire_; I further requested that the
second mate, taking his proportion which I left entirely to the
discretion of Mr. M'Cosh, would purchase some trifle of pin or ring by
which to remember us.

Grace was then handed into the boat--a ticklish business to the eyes of
a landsman, but performed with amazing despatch and ease by the rough
seaman who passed her over and received her. I followed, watching my
chance, and in a few moments the oars were out and the boat making for
the yacht, that lay within musket shot. She was rolling, however,
faster and so much more heavily than the big iron ship, that the job of
getting on board her was heightened into a kind of peril. I should
never have imagined merely by looking down on the water from the height
of the _Carthusian's_ rail how strong was the Atlantic surge--blue,
summer-like and beautiful with its lacery of froth, as it showed from
the altitude of the ship's deck. It came to Grace being lifted bodily
over the side by a couple of the yachtsman, who each grasped her hand.
I was similarly helped up, and was not a little thankful to find
ourselves safe on the solid deck of the steamer after the
egg-shell-like tossing of the ship's quarter-boat alongside.

We were received by the captain of the yacht, a fellow with a face that
reminded me somewhat of Caudel, of a countenance and bearing much too
sailorly to be rendered ridiculous by his livery of gold band and
buttons. But before I