e lost her a week
out of New York, saw her again at the Cape of Good Hope, and then lost
sight of her three or four times; but we arrived at the entrance of
Bass Strait about the same time."

"I think I will not stop to hear the story now. Bessie, there is some
one on shore who wishes to see you," replied Mr. Watson.

"Who? O, I know, father! It is mother! Come, let us go on shore, this
minute!" exclaimed the bewildered girl, dancing about again, as this
new joy dawned upon her.

Levi informed the consul that one of the conspirators had been saved
from the wreck, and this gentleman promised to attend to the matter.
The life boat was lowered; and leaving his mate in charge of the
vessel, with strict injunctions not to let Mat Mogmore escape, Levi
went on shore with Bessie and her father.

"My mother in Australia!" exclaimed Bessie.

"And Mrs. McGilvery, too!" added Mr. Watson.

"Why, then the whole family are here! Only think of it! I didn't expect
to see you or mother for months yet."

"We could not do anything but come, for every hour seemed like an age
to us," replied Mr. Watson. "When I received Levi's letter, I saw that
nothing more could be done on our side of the world, and I decided to
follow you. Dock Vincent assured me I should never see my daughter
again; and I was satisfied by the confidence he exhibited, and the
persistency with which he urged me to pay his demand, that the Caribbee
had indeed sailed upon her long voyage. Levi's letter, written when he
had been three days at sea, with the Caribbee in sight, fully confirmed
my view. I was sorry Levi did not return to New York, instead of
following the vessel."

"Why so?" asked Levi, blushing under the implied censure.

"If I had known the result in season, I might have sent a steamer in
pursuit of the Caribbee. As it was, I did not get the letter till a
week after her departure."

"The chances of a steamer finding the Caribbee were not more than one
in fifty," replied Levi.

"I was sorry then, Levi; but I am not now. You have achieved almost a
miracle, and I am willing to believe now that your course was the best
and the safest. I decided at once to be in Melbourne when the Caribbee
arrived. I sailed for England in the steamer with your mother and your
aunt. We came from there by the way of Egypt, and landed here three
weeks ago. I have an agent in every principal port in Australia on the
lookout for the Caribbee. When any fore-and-aft vessel ca