tions. I was one of the passengers on that ill-fated
ship!"

"Golly, massah, yo' don't really mean dat?" And Old Ben's eyes opened
widely.

"Yes, I do. I suspected it before; now I am dead certain of it."

At this declaration Old Ben grew quite excited.

"And did yo' know Massah Jack's fadder, sah?"

"Yes, my man, I knew him very well," and there was a significant smile
on the doctor's face as he spoke.

"And was he a gen'man, sah? St. John Ruthven t'inks he was common white
trash."

"He was a gentleman of high family--the son of an English nobleman,
although born in this country."

"An' Jack's mudder, sah?"

"Was an American lady--a lady belonging to one of the first families of
Massachusetts."

"Golly, a Northerner!" and Ben's face became a study.

"Yes."

"Yo' must visit de house, sah, and tell Mrs. Ruthven 'bout dis. She will
want to heah de partic'lars wery much, sah."

"Yes, I will visit the Ruthven home," replied the doctor.

"Yo' know de way, sah?"

"I believe I do."

"I can show yo' de way, an' will do it willingly. So you knew Jack's
fadder an' mudder! Golly, but aint dat strange--after all dese yeahs,
too! Jack will want to see yo', ob course."

"And I shall want to see Jack," replied the medical man.

"Jack's a fine lad, sah."

"I am glad to hear it." But, as he spoke, the face of Dr. Mackey became
a study.

"Yes, sah; aint no bettah boy in all dese parts, sah."

While talking Ben was rowing steadily, and it was not long before the
pair reached shore.

Then the boat was made fast, the oars put away, and the doctor and the
colored man started for the Ruthven mansion.

CHAPTER XI.

MRS. RUTHVEN SPEAKS HER MIND.

Leaving the shore of the bay, St. John Ruthven walked slowly toward the
home of his aunt.

It irritated him greatly to think that his cousin preferred the society
of Jack to his own.

"I must speak to Aunt Alice about this," he said to himself. "It is
getting worse and worse."

He found his aunt sitting in the garden reading. She looked up in
surprise at his approach.

"Aunt Alice, can you spare me a few minutes?" he said, after the usual
greeting.

"Surely, St. John. What is it that you wish?"

"I wish to speak to you about Marion."

"About Marion?" Mrs. Ruthven looked somewhat surprised.

"Yes. I saw her out again in a boat with that boy."

"That boy? Do you mean Jack?"

"Yes. I wonder you trust her to his care--after what happened at the
wre