"The prodigal did not fall at his father's feet, though he might have meant to do so," said Jack, softly. "When he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." Paul started up with more energy than one would have thought possible. "Have you brought my father to me?" he cried. "Is he here?" "Hush hush!" said Jack, gently laying him back on the pillow. "Do but be quiet and composed, and all shall be well. There is, indeed, a worthy gentleman below stairs, and when I see you yourself again, I will bring him to your bedside." Great was the amazement and delight of Mary Brent when Sir John, coming down-stairs from his long interview with her lodger, took her by the hand, and, in fitting and formal phrase, thanked her for the kindness she had shown to his only son and heir. She could hardly comprehend the matter, and looked from Sir John to Jack in evident bewilderment. "Do you not understand?" said Jack. "The young gentleman above is Mr. Arthur Paul Brydges, Sir John Brydges's son, long in captivity in foreign parts and supposed to be dead. He was on his way home when he was wrecked and saved by your son Davy." No happier or prouder woman than Mary Brent could be found in all Bridgewater and Somersetshire to boot. It was plain that Paul, or Arthur, as we must now call him, could not be moved at present; so fitting furniture and garnishing was procured for Mary's empty rooms, and the next day Lady Brydges and her waiting gentlewoman came in from the Hall and took up their lodging with the shipmaster's widow. After all Jack's care in preparing the way, the shock of the meeting told severely on Arthur's enfeebled frame, and for many days, he hovered between life and death. At last, however, youth and good nursing carried him through, and he was able to be taken home to his father's house. It may easily be guessed that the knight and his lady were not wanting in thanks and in more solid tokens of esteem toward the kind little widow and her family. All the furniture which had been bought for Lady Brydges's use was given to Mary. Davy was advanced by Sir John's interest to be commander of a coasting vessel, and her younger children rejoiced in the new clothes, the toys, and sweetmeats, which made them the envy of all the school-children. "'Tis a fine thing to have grand friends," said Dame Higgins, who had made an errand to Mary Brent's house expressly to see the new furniture. "You were in luck, after all." "I should not have been in luck, if I had taken your advice and left poor Mr. Arthur to take his chance at the convent gate," returned Mary, unable to resist the temptation of triumphing a little. "But he should have been welcome to my best bed all the same, as long as he needed it, if he had been the poor sailor we all thought him."