An hour afterwards there flashed farther northward than ever
current from a battery had gone before an earnest, cordial,
almost affectionate message from Margaret Raleigh to Sarah Block,
and it concluded with the information that it was the rough side
of the plasters which should go next to the skin. After that
Mrs. Raleigh went to bed with a peaceful mind and slept soundly.

Frequent communications, always of a friendly or domestic nature,
passed between the polar sea and Sardis during the next few days.
Mrs. Raleigh would have telegraphed a good deal more than she did
had it not been for the great expense from Sardis to Cape Tariff,
and Sarah Block was held in restraint, not by pecuniary
considerations, but by Sammy's sense of the fitness of things.
He nearly always edited her messages, even when he consented to
send them. One communication he positively refused to transmit.
She came to him in a great flurry.

"Sammy," said she, "I have just found out something, and I can't
rest until I have told Mrs. Raleigh. I won't mention it here,
because it might frighten some people into fits and spasms.
Sammy, do you know there are thirteen people on board this boat?"

"Sarah Block!" ejaculated her husband, "what in the name of
common-sense are you talkin' about? What earthly difference can
it make whether there are thirteen people on this vessel or
twelve? And if it did make any difference, what are you goin' to
do about it? Do you expect anybody to get out?"

"Of course I don't," replied Sarah; "although there are some of
them that would not have come in if I had had my say about it;