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〃Fifty…one years。〃
〃What！〃
〃Yes； sir； one…and…fifty years。〃
〃In the same employ？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Why； you must have begun as a child。〃
〃I was twelve when I joined。〃
〃It must be a strangely managed business；〃 said the manager； 〃which
allows men to leave it who have served for fifty years； and who are still as
good as ever。 Who did you serve？〃
〃The Queen。 Heaven bless her！〃
〃Oh； you were in the Royal Navy。 What rating did you hold？〃
〃I am Admiral of the Fleet。〃
The manager started； and sprang down from his high stool。
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〃My name is Admiral Hay Denver。 There is my card。 And here are
the records of my service。 I don't； you understand； want to push another
man from his billet； but if you should chance to have a berth open； I
should be very glad of it。 I know the navigation from the Cod Banks
right up to Montreal a great deal better than I know the streets of London。〃
The astonished manager glanced over the blue papers which his visitor
had handed him。 〃Won't you take a chair； Admiral？〃 said he。
〃Thank you！ But I should be obliged if you would drop my title now。
I told you because you asked me； but I've left the quarter…deck； and I am
plain Mr。 Hay Denver now。〃
〃May I ask；〃 said the manager； 〃are you the same Denver who
commanded at one time on the North American station？〃
〃I did。〃
〃Then it was you who got one of our boats； the Comus； off the rocks in
the Bay of Fundy？ The directors voted you three hundred guineas as
salvage； and you refused them。〃
〃It was an offer which should not have been made；〃 said the Admiral
sternly。
〃Well； it reflects credit upon you that you should think so。 If Mr。
Henry were here I am sure that he would arrange this matter for you at
once。 As it is； I shall lay it before the directors to…day； and I am sure that
they will be proud to have you in our employment； and； I hope； in some
more suitable position than that which you suggest。〃
〃I am very much obliged to you； sir；〃 said the Admiral； and started off
again； well pleased； upon his homeward journey。
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CHAPTER XV。
STILL AMONG SHOALS。
Next day brought the Admiral a cheque for L5；000 from Mr。
McAdam； and a stamped agreement by which he made over his pension
papers to the speculative investor。 It was not until he had signed and sent
it off that the full significance of all that he had done broke upon him。
He had sacrificed everything。 His pension was gone。 He had nothing
save only what he could earn。 But the stout old heart never quailed。 He
waited eagerly for a letter from the Saint Lawrence Shipping Company；
and in the meanwhile he gave his landlord a quarter's notice。 Hundred
pound a year houses would in future be a luxury which he could not aspire
to。 A small lodging in some inexpensive part of London must be the
substitute for his breezy Norwood villa。 So be it； then！ Better that a
thousand fold than that his name should be associated with failure and
disgrace。
On that morning Harold Denver was to meet the creditors of the firm；
and to explain the situation to them。 It was a hateful task； a degrading
task； but he set himself to do it with quiet resolution。 At home they
waited in intense anxiety to learn the result of the meeting。 It was late
before he returned； haggard pale； like a man who has done and suffered
much。
〃What's this board in front of the house？ he asked。
〃We are going to try a little change of scene；〃 said the Admiral。 〃This
place is neither town nor country。 But never mind that； boy。 Tell us
what happened in the City。〃
〃God help me！ My wretched business driving you out of house and
home！〃 cried Harold； broken down by this fresh evidence of the effects of
his misfortunes。 〃It is easier for me to meet my creditors than to see you
two suffering so patiently for my sake。〃
〃Tut； tut！〃 cried the Admiral。 〃There's no suffering in the matter。
Mother would rather be near the theaters。 That's at the bottom of it； isn't
it； mother？ You come and sit down here between us and tell us all about
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it。〃
Harold sat down with a loving hand in each of his。
〃It's not so bad as we thought；〃 said he； 〃and yet it is bad enough。 I
have about ten days to find the money； but I don't know which way to turn
for it。 Pearson； however； lied； as usual； when he spoke of L13；000。 The
amount is not quite L7；000。〃
The Admiral claped his hands。 〃I knew we should weather it after all！
Hurrah my boy！ Hip； hip； hip； hurrah！〃
Harold gazed at him in surprise； while the old seaman waved his arm
above his head and bellowed out three stentorian cheers。 〃Where am I to
get seven thousand pounds from； dad？〃 he asked。
〃Never mind。 You spin your yarn。〃
〃Well； they were very good and very kind； but of course they must
have either their money or their money's worth。 They passed a vote of
sympathy with me； and agreed to wait ten days before they took any
proceedings。 Three of them； whose claim came to L3；500； told me that if
I would give them my personal I。O。U。； and pay interest at the rate of five
per cent； their amounts might stand over as long as I wished。 That would
be a charge of L175 upon my income； but with economy I could meet it；
and it diminishes the debt by one…half。〃
Again the Admiral burst out cheering。
〃There remains； therefore； about L3；200 which has to be found within
ten days。 No man shall lose by me。 I gave them my word in the room
that if I worked my soul out of my body every one of them should be paid。
I shall not spend a penny upon myself until it is done。 But some of them
can't wait。 They are poor men themselves； and must have their money。
They have issued a warrant for Pearson's arrest。 But they think that he
has got away the States。〃
〃These men shall have their money；〃 said the Admiral。
〃Dad！〃
〃Yes； my boy； you don't know the resources of the family。 One never
does know until one tries。 What have you yourself now？〃
〃I have about a thousand pounds invested。〃
〃All right。 And I have about as much more。 There's a good start。
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Now； mother； it is your turn。 What is that little bit of paper of yours？〃
Mrs。 Denver unfolded it； and placed it upon Harold's knee。
〃Five thousand pounds！〃 he gasped。
〃Ah； but mother is not the only rich one。 Look at this！〃 And the
Admiral unfolded his cheque； and placed it upon the other knee。
Harold gazed from one to the other in bewilderment。 〃Ten thousand
pounds！〃 he cried。 〃Good heavens！ where did these come from？〃
〃You will not worry any longer； dear；〃 murmured his mother； slipping
her arm round him。
But his quick eye had caught the signature upon one of the cheques。
〃Doctor Walker！〃 he cried； flushing。 〃This is Clara's doing。 Oh； dad；
we cannot take this money。 It would not be right nor honorable。〃
〃No； boy； I am glad you think so。 It is something； however； to have
proved one's friend； for a real good friend he is。 It was he who brought it
in； though Clara sent him。 But this other money will be enough to cover
everything； and it is all my own。〃
〃Your own？ Where did you get it； dad？〃
〃Tut； tut！ See what it is to have a City man to deal with。 It is my
own； and fairly earned； and that is enough。〃
〃Dear old dad！〃 Harold squeezed his gnarled hand。 〃And you；
mother！ You have