In this he was like many other men in this struggling world; but he _stuck_ to his time and to his work, in which respect he resembled the great few whose names stand prominent on the page of history.
In consequence of this, Mr.Stuart wrought with success at both departments of his business, and while in the one he coined thousands, in the other he earned more than the average wages of a working-man.
The Avenger was erratic and uncertain in her voyages.

She evidently sailed to the principal islands of the South Seas, and did business with them all.

From one of these voyages, Henry, her captain, returned with a wife,--a dark-haired, dark-eyed, lady-like girl,--for whom he built a small cottage beside his father's, and left her there while he was away at sea.
It was observed by the clerks in Mr.Stuart's counting-room, that their chief accountant, Mr.Corrie, was a great letter-writer,--that when one letter was finished, he invariably began another, and kept it by him, adding sheet after sheet to it until the Avenger returned and carried it off.

Once Mr.Corrie was called hurriedly away while in the act of addressing one of these epistles.

He left it lying on his desk, and a small, contemptible, little apprentice allowed his curiosity so far to get the better of him, that he looked at the address, and informed his companions that Mr.Corrie's correspondent was a certain Miss Alice Mason! Of course, Mr.Corrie received voluminous replies from this mysterious Alice; and, if one might judge from his expression on reading these epistles (as that contemptible little apprentice _did_ judge), the course of _his_ love ran smoother than usual; thus, by its exceptionality, proving the truth of the rule.
Years passed away.