land. Why, man, I'd travel round the
world to stand in your shoes when you hand Myra over. I've got a child
of my own." The captain's eyes were winking hard and fast, and Rowland's
were shining.

"Yes, I'll take the passage," he said, with a smile. "I accept the
bribe."

"That's right. You'll be strong and healthy when you land, and when that
mother's through thanking you, and you have to think of yourself,
remember--I want a mate and will be here a month before sailing. Write
to me, care o' Lloyds, if you want the berth, and I'll send you advance
money to get back with."

"Thank you, captain," said Rowland, as he took the other's hand and then
glanced at his empty sleeve; "but my going to sea is ended. Even a mate
needs two hands."

"Well, suit yourself, Rowland; I'll take you mate without any hands at
all while you had your brains. It's done me good to meet a man like you;
and--say, old man, you won't take it wrong from me, will you? It's none
o' my business, but you're too all-fired good a man to drink. You
haven't had a nip for two months. Are you going to begin?"

"Never again," said Rowland, rising. "I've a future now, as well as a
past."

CHAPTER XIV

It was near noon of the next day that Rowland, seated in a steamer-chair
with Myra and looking out on a sail-spangled stretch of blue from the
saloon-deck of a west-bound liner, remembered that he had made no
provisions to have Mrs. Selfridge notified by cable of the safety of her
child; and unless Mr. Meyer or his associates gave the story to the
press it would not be known.

"Well," he mused, "joy will not kill, and I shall witness it in its
fullness if I take her by surprise. But the chances are that it will get
into the papers before I reach her. It is too good for Mr. Meyer to
keep."

But the story was not given out immediately. Mr. Meyer called a
conference of the underwriters concerned with him in the insurance of
the _Titan_ at which it was decided to remain silent concerning the card
they hoped to play, and to spend a little time and money in hunting for
other witnesses among the _Titan's_ crew, and in interviewing Captain
Barry, to the end of improving his memory. A few stormy meetings with
this huge obstructionist convinced them of the futility of further
effort in his direction, and, after finding at the end of a week that
every surviving member of the _Titan's_ port watch, as well as a few of
the other, had been induced to sign for Cape v