we have lost altogether nine lives,
including those of Mr. Towel, the second officer, and Archer, my fellow
apprentice."

"That is bad indeed," Mr. Hewson said in a tone of great concern. "How did
it happen?"

Stephen related briefly the events that had brought about the misfortunes.
"I am sorry indeed," Mr. Hewson said he had concluded; "but it is a
consolation to me that none of the lives were lost from any deficiency in
the ship's gear or appointments. The boat must have been an excellent one
indeed to have carried you in safety through a cyclone, in which, as we
know, the stoutest ships will sometimes founder. As to the accident on
board, it was one of those things that too often occur in a heavy gale,
and that cannot be provided against. Of course, I shall hear from the
captain all details of that affair. As to your adventure on shore, you
must give me a much fuller account when you have had some supper. I shall
release you at once from duty, and you had better go down by the coach
to-morrow morning to Dover. I know that your father is anxious to see you.
He wrote to me about three weeks ago, asking me when I expected the
_Tiger_ to be home. I know what his reason is, but I think that he would
wish to be the first to speak to you about it himself."

"There is nothing wrong, sir, I hope?"

"No, lad, in no way. It is another matter altogether."

Supper was brought up, and Stephen did full justice to it, for the ship
had touched nowhere on her way home from Calcutta, and after feeding so
long almost entirely on salt meat, he thoroughly enjoyed the change of
fresh provisions. The next morning he started by the seven-o'clock coach
for Dover, and arrived there at eight that evening.

"You have grown indeed, Stephen!" his father said after the first
delighted greetings were over. "Let me think. You have been away nearly
eighteen months. That does make a good deal of difference; still, you have
grown more than I should have expected. I used to think that you would be
rather short, but now you bid fair to be a good average height, and you
have widened out amazingly. Where are your traps, lad? Have you ordered
them to be sent up from the coach office?"

"I have not brought any down with me, father. The _Tiger_ only got to
Gravesend at five o'clock yesterday afternoon, and the captain sent me up
by post-chaise to tell Mr. Hewson that she was in. I got to his place at
eight, and he told me that I had better start by thi