not cast themselves into the waters,
under the cool direction of Holmes and Bonaparte, calmly lowered the
boats, and in a short while were not only able to felicitate themselves
upon their safety, but had likewise the good fortune to rescue their more
impetuous brethren who had preferred to swim for it. Ultimately, all were
brought aboard the House-boat in safety, and the men in Hades were once
more reunited to their wives, daughters, sisters, and _fiancees_, and
Elizabeth had the satisfaction of once more saving the life of Raleigh by
throwing him her ruff as she had done a year or so previously, when she
and her brother had been upset in the swift current of the river Styx.

Order and happiness being restored, Holmes took command of the House-boat
and soon navigated her safely back into her old-time berth. The _Gehenna_
went to the bottom and was never seen again, and when the roll was called
it was found that all who had set out upon her had returned in safety save
Shylock, Kidd, Sir Henry Morgan, and Abeuchapeta; but even they were not
lost, for, five weeks later, these four worthies were found early one
morning drifting slowly up the river Styx, gazing anxiously out from the
top of a water-cask and yelling lustily for help.

And here endeth the chronicle of the pursuit of the good old House-boat.
Back to her moorings, the even tenor of her ways was once more resumed,
but with one slight difference.

The ladies became eligible for membership, and, availing themselves of the
privilege, began to think less and less of the advantages of being men and
to rejoice that, after all, they were women; and even Xanthippe and
Socrates, after that night of peril, reconciled their differences, and no
longer quarrel as to which is the more entitled to wear the toga of
authority. It has become for them a divided skirt.

As for Kidd and his fellows, they have never recovered from the effects of
their fearful, though short, exile upon Holmes Island, and are but shadows
of their former shades; whereas Mr. Sherlock Holmes has so endeared
himself to his new-found friends that he is quite as popular with them as
he is with us, who have yet to cross the dark river and be subjected to
the scrutiny of the Committee on Membership at the House-boat on the Styx.

Even Hawkshaw has been able to detect his genius.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PURSUIT OF THE HOUSE-BOAT***

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