I immediately returned to my possessions, and instituted inquiries about my wife and children. I learned that they were all drowned by a flood in America, and that my wife was dead. Not so fast, old man! ejaculated Frost between the puffs of his pipe. You heard what is not true. Your wife was not dead. Not dead? exclaimed his Lordship jumping to his feet. Not dead? How know you that? Now, old man, don’t get excited. Just sit down and let me tell you something you don’t know. But before I start on this cruise I want to be sure that I have got good bottom to anchor on and the right signals to hoist in case of danger, and if you can see and know the signals, I will weigh anchor and sail in. What do you say to that—jerking a piece of canvas from the wall. Can you call that signal by name? Amy—my long lost Amy! he exclaimed. Tell me—oh tell me does she still live? Now, old man, I told you I would tell you something you didn’t know, but you must keep quiet. The best ships will drag anchor in a gale. So don’t get up a breeze until we get clear of the headland. My good man, don’t keep me in suspense. If you know anything of my lost wife, tell at once. That is just what I am going to do, but you mustn’t hurry me. It’s dangerous to get in a great hurry. Many a ship has been wrecked because some one has got in too great of a hurry. In fact, my Lord, I think that if you hadn’t hurried things so fast this meeting would not have taken place in my house. Oh, good man, you torture me. Is she alive? Well, if you will just keep still and give me time to think, I think I shall be able to convince you. But an old salt like me, wants to know that the ship is well-rigged, ballasted and manned before he goes into a skirmish, and I think from that cloud and the fresh breeze that comes from that door, that we shall have a skirmish, if not a general engagement. You know, my Lord, that it is an old saying, that “When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war.” Now I don’t think that Greek is going to meet Greek here, but the way that craft is sailing, I think there will be a collision. Shiver my timbers, old man, but you must have had a jolly time anchored in that mad house for five years. But it may be a relief to know that during that time the craft you deserted was safely anchored here. It is a short yarn and quickly told. Let me see. I say, wife. It was twenty-five years ago to-night that you heard something fall on the stoop, and on opening the door and looking out, saw a well-dressed woman lying there. And now, old man, I want to say here and now that sailors and their wives have hearts, and as long as there is a cent in the locker or a crust in the cupboard, they will share it with the poor. So you see, Mary saw this lady laying there and she called: Jack, she called, come and lend a hand to tow this cast-away into port.