Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/514

 4S6 DICK SANDS, THE COV CPTAIN. «ccivcd a spécial cartilicate of honour, and was at once raiscd to the rank of a captain in Mr. Weldon's firm. Thus by his industry and good conduct did the poor foundling of Sandy Hook rise to a post of distinction. In spitc of his youth, he commanded untversal respect ; his native modesty and straightforwardncss never failed him, and for his own part, he seemed to bc unconsctous of those fine traits in his charactcr which had impelled him to dccds that made hîm h'ttle short of a hero. His icîsure moments, howevcr, were often troubled by one source of sadncss ; he could never forget the four ncgroes for whose misfortuncs he hcld himself by his own inexpérience to be în a way rcsponsibie. Mrs. Weldon thoroughly shared his regret, and would bave made many sacrifices to discover what had become of them. This anxiety was at length relieved. Owing to the large corrcspondence of Mr. Weldon în almost every quarter of the world, it was discovered that the whole of them had been sold in one lot, and that they were now in Madagascar. Wîthout listening for a moment to Dick's proposai to apply ail his savings to effect their libération, Mr. Weldon set his own agents to negotiate for their freedom, and on the iSth of November, 1877, Tom, Bat, Actœon, and Austin awaited their welcome at the merchant's door. It is needless to say how warm were the greetings they received. Out of ail the survivors of the " Pilgrim " that had been cast upon the fatal coast of Africa, old Nan alone was wanting to complète the number. Considering what they had ail undergone, and the périls to which they had been exposed, it seemed little short of a miracle that she and poor Dingo should be the only victims. Hîgh was the festivity that night in the house of the Californian merchant, and the toast, proposed at Mrs. Weldon's request, that was rcccîvcdwiththe loudest acclama- tion was " DicK Sands, the boy captain l "