op has become a sort of
terrestrial heaven for boys. And dear old Fred Blurt has begun to
recover under the influence of success, so that he is now able to get
out frequently in a wheel-chair. But the strangest news of all is that
Mister Enoch Blurt got a new baby--a girl--and recovered his diamonds on
the self-same day!"

"Indeed!" said Miss Stivergill, beginning to be influenced by these
surprising revelations.

"Yes, and it's a curious evidence of the energetic and successful way in
which things are managed by our admirable Post-Office--"

"What! the union of a new baby with recovered diamonds?"

"No, no, Maria, how stupid you are! I refer, of course, to the
diamonds. Have you not seen reference made to them in the papers?"

"No. I've seen or heard nothing about it."

"Indeed! I'm surprised. Well, that hearty old letter-carrier, Solomon
Flint, sent that ridiculously stout creature whom he calls Dollops to me
with the last Report of the Postmaster-General, with the corner of page
eleven turned down, for he knew I was interested in anything that might
affect the Blurts. But here it is. I brought it to read to you.
Listen: `On the occasion of the wreck of the _Trident_ in Howlin' Cove,
on the west of Ireland, many years ago, strenuous efforts were made by
divers to recover the Cape of Good Hope mails, and, it will be
recollected, they were partially successful, but a portion which
contained diamonds could not be found. Diving operations were, however,
resumed quite recently, and with most satisfactory results. One of the
registered-letter-bags was found. It had been so completely imbedded in
sand, and covered by a heavy portion of the wreck, that the contents
were not altogether destroyed, notwithstanding the long period of their
immersion. On being opened in the Chief Office in London, the bag was
found to contain several large packets of diamonds, the addresses on
which had been partially obliterated, besides about seven pounds weight
of loose diamonds, which, having escaped from their covers, were mixed
with the pulp in the bottom of the bag. Every possible endeavour was
used by the officers of the Department to discover the rightful owners
of those packets which were nearly intact, and with such success that
they were all, with very little delay, duly delivered. The remaining
diamonds were valued by an experienced broker, and sold--the amount
realised being about 19,000 pounds. After very great