"He is on board the ship ---- as a common sailor."

"Impossible!"

"It is too true. In a moment of angry disappointment he took the
rash step. And, since then, no communication has passed between him
and his friends."

The Secretary turned to the table near which he was sitting, and,
after writing a few lines on a piece of paper, rung a small
hand-bell for the messenger, who came in immediately.

"Take this to Mr J----, and bring me an answer immediately."

The messenger left the room, and the Secretary said to Jenny--

"Wait a moment or two, if you please."

In a little while the messenger came back and handed the Secretary a
memorandum from the clerk to whom he had sent for information.

"There is no such person as Clifford on board the ship ----, nor, in
fact, in the service as a common sailor," said the Secretary,
addressing Jenny, after glancing at the memorandum he had received.

"Oh, yes, there is; there must be," exclaimed the now agitated girl.
"I received a letter from him at Valparaiso, dated on board of this
ship. And, besides, he wrote home to his father, at the time he
sailed, declaring what he had done."