The two ships glided by each other. The helm of the stranger was put down, and with her headsails backed against the masts, she lay, hove to. Captain Westerway imitated the manoeuvre, and the "Crusader" likewise became almost stationary. Scarcely even now crediting what they had seen, and feeling as if they were in a dream, the two sisters watched the stranger. A boat was lowered. Several people jumped into her, and she rapidly approached. In a few minutes their dear brother Charles, for whom they had so long grieved as lost, was in their arms. May hung about his neck, and kissed him again and again. Bill Windy and the rest of the boat's crew received the hearty greetings of their shipmates. The good captain, with a tear in his eye, warmly shook his mate by the hand. "I would rather see you here alive and well, my dear fellow, than be told I had a fortune of a hundred thousand pounds left me, and need no longer knock about the salt ocean. I had given you up as gone for ever, Bill." "I knew that you would do your best to look for us, captain," answered the mate, "and that it was no fault of yours that you didn't pick us up. We had a narrow squeak for it; but we had saved poor Tom, and that cheered us during the dangerous time we had to go through." "And how did it all happen, how did it all happen, Mr Charles?" exclaimed Mrs Clagget, as soon as she thought he and his sisters had kissed and welcomed him sufficiently, as she called it. "We're dying to know how it happened, for we never expected to see you again." "I hope soon to tell you my story," answered Charles, "but I must shake hands first with the friends who are wishing to speak to me." Mr Paget was among the foremost to welcome Charles, the rest of the passengers following, and expressing their pleasure at seeing him again. "Now, Charles, you must know that I am very angry with you for jumping into that boat," exclaimed Mrs Clagget. "The only way you can make your peace with me is to tell me your story at once. I can't let you go and describe all to your sisters and other people, and allow me to have it second-hand."