"Ah, of course--of course; and also your sister-woman, I suppose," cried the captain, seizing the loaf and beginning to cut it into inch-and-a-half slices. "What's _your_ opinion, Rosebud, on the drink question?" Rose, whose cheeks emulated her namesake flower, replied that, never having tasted wine or spirits in her life, or thought upon the drink question at all, she had no opinion to express. "Long may you continue in that innocent and humble state of mind, my Rosebud," cried the captain, with a laugh which caused him to choke on his first mouthful of tea. After recovering himself and wiping his eyes, he said-- "Now, Moll, I must tell you all about the wreck;" on which he launched out into a graphic description of what the reader already knows. You may be sure that he did not underrate the services and heroism of Jeff, who sat wonderfully silent during the recital, and only acknowledged references to himself with a faint smile. "But, brother," exclaimed Miss Millet, with sudden energy when he had finished, "what will the consequences of this wreck be?" "The consequences, my dear, will be that the owners will lose a good many thousand pounds, for neither ship nor cargo were insured. An' it sarves 'em right for the vessel was not fit to go to sea; an' they knew it, but were too graspin' to go to the expense o' refittin'. Besides, they've bin what they call so lucky in past years that they thought, I fancy, there was no fear o' their luck departin'." "But I was not thinking of the owners, brother; I was thinking of the consequences to yourself." "Why, as to that, Molly, as I've lost my ship, I'm pretty safe to lose my situation; for, from what I know of the owners, they are sure to lay all the blame they can upon my shoulders, so that I won't find it easy to get another ship. Worse than all, I had made a little private adventure of my own, which was very successful, and the result o' which I was bringin' home in gold-dust; and now every nugget o' that is at the bottom o' the sea. So you see, Molly, it's loss an' disaster everywhere--nothin' but a black horizon all round." Jeff glanced quickly at Miss Millet. This seemed to bear somewhat on their recent discussions. Miss Millet as quickly returned the glance. "I know what you are thinking, Jeff," she said, with an intelligent look. "Well, auntie," returned the youth, "it does seem hard to think that any good can come out of all this--doesn't it?"