"Ah!" said Saltash, and turned with ceremony to the captain. "Have I your
permission to go, sir?"

"Of course--of course!" the captain said. "I shall hope to see you again
later, Lord Saltash."

"Thank you," said Saltash, and relaxed into his sudden grin. "I should
have thought you would be glad to get rid of me before my bad luck
spreads any further."

The _Corfe Castle_, herself slightly damaged, was putting back to
Southampton to land the victims of the disaster, and to obtain some
necessary repairs. The weather was thickening, and progress was slow, but
they expected to arrive before mid-day. Saltash, carelessly sauntering in
the doctor's wake, found himself the object of considerable interest on
the part of those passengers who were already up in the murk of the early
morning. He was stopped by several to receive congratulations upon his
escape, but he refused to be detained for long. He had business below, he
said, and the doctor was waiting. And so at last he came to a cabin at
the end of a long passage, at the door of which a kind-faced stewardess
met them and exchanged a few words with his guide.

"Can I go in?" said Saltash, growing impatient.

The woman looked at him with wonder and compassion in her eyes. "The poor
little thing is very upset," she said. "She lies and trembles, and has
hardly spoken at all except to ask for you."

"Well, let me in!" said Saltash, suddenly imperious. "I've got something
to tell her."