Being in the daily receipt of letters and messages about ships and the like, old Sir Andrew paid little attention to the present one; but, observing that “Ship news—immediate,” was on the envelope, he opened it, and read:— To Sir Andrew McTurk, President of the London Insurance Company. SIR,—The captains and part of the crews of the China ships “Eclipse” and “Racehorse” have just landed at Hollyhead, and report the total loss of their respective ships, which were attacked and stranded, robbed and burnt by the famous Skeleton Crew off the Land’s End a week since. Nothing could withstand Death-wing and his band. The crew had scarcely time to get to the boats ere the ships struck the rocks, and were instantly smashed into pieces. Yours truly, CAPTAIN BROWN, King’s cruiser “Seagull.” If a twenty pound keg of gunpowder had exploded beneath Sir Andrew’s easy chair he could not have risen from his seat more suddenly than he did when he read that letter. He seemed to have jumped into the middle of the floor. And there he stood gazing at the round table, as if he saw thereon a nest of vipers. “Gone!” said he, with an affrighted look, pulling his hair about, with eyes distended and open mouth. “Gone! lost! _Both_ of ’em? Captured by those sea-fiends! It _can’t_ be!” He read the fatal letter again, word by word, and then sank into his seat with a spasmodic groan. “Ruined!” he muttered mournfully, and groaned again. CHAPTER XXI. TWO KNAVES QUARREL—THE STARTLING CONFESSION. Sir Andrew rose and walked about the room like a maniac. The unfortunate cat came in his path, and that he kicked through the window, slammed the room door and was about to leave the house! At that precise moment Phillip Redgill arrived, and there they stood gazing at each other in the hall like two beasts of prey. “What do _you_ want here, sir?” said old Sir Andrew, in a terrific rage. “Get out of my house, you penniless scamp. Get out of my house, you miserable intriguer! I curse the hour I ever saw you!” “Sir!” “Sir! Don’t ‘sir’ me, Mr. Redgill; this is no time for compliments, sir, and you know it. I want you to pay me what you owe me, sir, without any delay; the £15,000 which I have loaned you at different times! I want it, sir, paid up immediately, sir, and I’m bound to have it, too, or else——” “Sir!” continued Phillip, astonished. “Don’t stand there ‘siring’ me, Mr. Redgill; get out of my house this instant. I loathe the very air you breathe, and wish I’d never laid eyes on you.” “Really, sir, and madam,” continued Phillip, addressing husband and wife, for the latter, attracted by the noisy altercation, had arrived upon the scene, “really I cannot understand what all this means. I really——”