“I am just as glad to see you, old fellow; and I know you have taken good care of my mother; and I should have known it if she had not said so,” added Louis, as he touched the button of an electric bell, which presently brought Sparks into his presence. “Ask Mrs. Blossom to come to the _boudoir_, Sparks;” and the steward bowed and retired. “Mrs. Blossom!” exclaimed Mrs. Belgrave. “Is she on board of this steamer? And Captain Ringgold too?” “Both of them, mother; and the latter is the commander of the steamer.” Before any explanation could be made of the strange circumstances, as they certainly were to the lady and her companion from the wreck, Mrs. Blossom appeared in the _boudoir_, and gave her old friend and her favorite in the house of Squire Scarburn a cordial greeting. “Now, mother, Mrs. Blossom will conduct you to your stateroom. You will find all your clothes and toilet articles there; and you must change all your garments, for you must be wet through.” “All my clothes here!” exclaimed the lady. “They are, mother, for Captain Ringgold and I came down here on purpose for you. But I must go on deck and see what is to be done with Scoble, for he shall not annoy you here.” “I was never more astonished in all my life than I am at this moment,” said Mrs. Belgrave, as Mrs. Blossom assisted her down the stairs to the state cabin, where her room was opposite that of her son. “You need make no explanations, Mrs. Blossom,” added Louis. “Now, Flix, you must have a wet jacket. Sparks, you will take this young gentleman to the stateroom next to mine, which he is to occupy. Fit him out with dry clothing from my valise, and take the best of care of him.” “Thin it is a gintleman Oi am?” chuckled Felix. “As you always were, Flix. But Sparks is not a professor of modern languages, and I recommend you to speak English at him.” “I shall certainly do so, Louis; and Mr. Sparks shall have no occasion to find fault with me. But what is the meaning of all this masquerade? I do not understand it any more than I do the black art,” replied Felix. “You shall understand it all in due time, my dear fellow. In the mean time, Sparks and Mrs. Blossom will answer no questions; but as soon as the ship’s company of the Maud are disposed of, we will have a meeting here, and talk it all over,” said Louis, as he went out on the deck, while Felix followed Sparks below. The passengers were bewildered and delighted with the elegance of the cabin; but their exclamations were not reported. The owner found the captain and most of the crew of the ship engaged in getting the second cutter up to the davits. All who came in the boat were drenched with the spray, more especially those from the wrecked schooner. But all of them were sailors, and they made their way to the deck without assistance. The climate of this region, even in mid-winter, is very mild and soft, and no one could suffer on account of his drenched clothing.