One thing was in his favour: the firm had not taken any steps whatever in the matter, and those handbills circulated at Calne were the result of a misapprehension on the part of an officious local police-officer.

Things had gone too far for Goldsworthys graciously to condone the offence--and Clerk Gum paid in his savings of years.

This was the fact written by Mrs.Gum to her son, which had called forth the line in the envelope.
Alas! those were the last tidings ever received from Willy Gum.

Whilst Mrs.Gum lived in a state of ecstacy, showing the letter to her neighbours and making loving preparations for his reception, the time for the arrival of the _Morning Star_ at Liverpool drew on, and passed, and the ship did not arrive.
A time of anxious suspense to all who had relations on board--for it was supposed she had foundered at sea--and tidings came to them.

An awful tale; a tale of mutiny and wrong and bloodshed.