friends.

But Billy was not so destitute as he supposed himself to be--as we shall
see.

Meanwhile Morley Jones went about his special business. He reported the
loss of the sloop Nora; had it advertised in the _Gazette_; took the
necessary steps to prove the fact; called at the office of the Submarine
Insurance Company, and at the end of three weeks walked away, chuckling,
with 300 pounds in his pocket!

In the satisfaction which the success of this piece of business induced,
he opened his heart and mind pretty freely to his daughter Nora, and
revealed not only the fact of Billy Towler's illness, but the place
where he then lay. Until the money had been secured he had kept this a
secret from her, and had sent Jim Welton on special business to
Gravesend in order that he might be out of the way for a time, but, the
motive being past, he made no more secret of the matter.

Nora, who had become deeply interested in the boy, resolved to have him
brought up from Ramsgate to Yarmouth by means of love, not being
possessed of money. The moment, therefore, that Jim Welton returned,
she issued her commands that he should go straight off to Ramsgate, find
the boy, and, by hook or crook, bring him to the "Garden of Eden," on
pain of her utmost displeasure.

"But the thing an't possible," said Jim, "I haven't got money enough to
do it."

"Then you must find money somehow, or make it," said Nora, firmly.
"That dear boy _must_ be saved. When he was stopping here I wormed all
his secrets out of his little heart, bless it--"

"I don't wonder!" interrupted Jim, with a look of admiration.

"And what do you think?" continued the girl, not noticing the
interruption, "he confessed to me that he had been a regular London
thief! Now I am quite sure that God will enable me to win him back, if
I get him here--for I know that he is fond of me--and I am equally sure
that he will be lost if he is again cast loose on the world."

"God bless you, Nora; I'll do my best to fetch him to 'ee, even if I
should have to walk to Ramsgate and carry him here on my shoulders; but
don't you think it would be as well also to keep him--forgive me, dear
Nora, I _must_ say it--to keep him out of your father's way? He might
teach him to drink, you know, if he taught him no worse, and that's bad
enough."

Nora's face grew pale as she said--

"Oh, Jim, are you _sure_ there is nothing worse that he is likely to
teach him? My father has a great deal o