"Mr. Brudenell is going over in the 'Oceana.'"

"Indeed! What takes him over?"

"I do not know; unless it is the desire of seeing his mother and
sisters. He did not tell me, and I did not ask him. In fact, we had
so short a time together there was no opportunity."

"Oh! you have seen him? Where did you meet him? And where is he
now?"

"I met him at the Beacon, en route for Washington. He left there
this morning, to embark on the 'Errand Boy,' which expects to reach
the city to-morrow, in time for the express train North."

"Ah! coming by the 'Errand Boy,' is he? That's a risk, under all the
circumstances, for the 'Errand Boy' is sometimes three or four hours
behind time. And if he should miss the early train to-morrow morning
he can never be in time to meet the Boston steamer, that is certain.
Why couldn't he have dashed up on horseback with you?"

"I fancy, sir, he was not strong enough to bear such a forced ride
as I was obliged to undertake."

As it was eleven o'clock when they arose from the supper-table the
judge almost immediately took his leave, having previously arranged
with Ishmael to join him at his hotel the next morning, to proceed
from there to the station.