As a matter of fact he dreaded the meeting with his school-fellows; it would be so different from the scene he had pictured while walking home from the cricket-ground. He had looked forward to a regular triumph, for it must be confessed that Jim was rather vain, though he had the good sense to keep this failing, for the most part, to himself. "All right!" exclaimed the Angel cheerfully; but he went only a short distance, and waited till his chum came out. "What a silly chap you are!" said Jim peevishly; "now you’ll be late." "Never mind, my boy; better late than never, as they say in the copy-books. I said that to Laythorne the other day, but he gave me one back. ’Better never late,’ said he, as I went to my place." Prayers were over when they reached the school, but the master made no remark as they passed to their places. He had heard the sad news, and easily understood why the boys were late. At the interval he asked Jim to remain, and told him how sorry he was for his great loss. "Thank you, sir," said Jim, resolutely keeping the tears from his eyes. "And, by the way, Hartland," continued the young master kindly, "if there’s anything I can do, let me know." Just then the Head entered the room, and he, too, expressed his sorrow at what had happened, and Jim appreciated the kindness of his masters. He had dreaded going back to school, but it was not very dreadful after all. Most of the boys looked at him curiously, but only one or two said anything, and then matters resumed their usual course. At home it was much worse, although Susie, with strange persistence, still cherished the hope that her father had not been drowned. "We don’t know," she argued stoutly—"no one knows. The papers say some of the crew got ashore." "Don’t be stupid," said her brother. "It says plainly enough that father went down with the ship." "But he might have been picked up afterwards, or got ashore somewhere else." Even Susie’s faith gave way, however, when a fuller account of the wreck came to hand. It was supplied by an A.B. named Davies, who had been picked up by the steamship _Cormorant_.