the brigantine (who had treated us with the
most unremitting attention and kindness,
and had been warmly seconded in his efforts
for our good by all the people under his
command) volunteered to go sufficiently out
of his course to enable us to speak the first
Californian coasting-vessel sailing in the
direction of San Francisco. We were lucky in
meeting with one of these sooner than we
expected. Three days after parting from the
kind captain of the brigantine, we, the
surviving passengers and crew of the Golden
Mary, touched the firm ground once more, on
the shores of California.

We were hardly collected here before we
were obliged to separate again. Captain
Ravender, though he was hardly yet in good
travelling trim, accompanied Mrs. Atherfield
inland, to see her safe under her husband’s
protection. Miss Coleshaw went with them,
to stay with Mrs. Atherfield for a little while
before she attempted to proceed with any
matters of her own which had brought her
to this part of the world. The rest of us,
who were left behind with nothing particular
to do until the Captain’s return, followed the
passengers to the gold diggings. Some few
of us had enough of the life there in a very
short time. The rest seemed bitten by old
Mr. Rarx’s mania for gold, and insisted on
stopping behind when Rames and I proposed
going back to the port. We two, and five of
our steadiest seamen, were all the officers and
crew left to meet the Captain on his return
from the inland country.

He reported that he had left Mrs. Atherfield
and Miss Coleshaw safe and comfortable
under Mr. Atherfield’s care. They sent
affectionate messages to all of us, and especially
(I am proud to say) to me. After hearing
this good news, there seemed nothing better
to do than to ship on board the first vessel
bound for England. There were plenty in
port, ready to sail, and only waiting for the
men belonging to them who had deserted to
the gold-diggings. We were all snapped up
eagerly, and offered any rate we chose to set
on our services, the moment we made known
our readiness to ship for England—all, I
ought to have said, except Captain Ravender,
who went along with us in the capacity of
passenger only.

Nothing of any moment occurred on the
voyage back. The Captain and I got ashore
at Gravesend safe and hearty, and went up
to London as fast as the train could carry us,
to report the calamity that had occurred to
the owners of the Golden Mary. When that
duty had been performed, Captain Ravender
went back to his own house at Poplar,
and I travelled to the West of England
to report myself, to my old father and
mother.

Here I might well end all these pages of
writing; but I cannot refrain from adding a
few more sentences, to tell the reader what
I am sure he will be glad to hear. In the
summer-time of this present year eighteen
hundred and fifty-six, I happened to be at
New York, and having spare time on my
hands, and spare cash in my pocket, I walked
into one of the biggest and grandest of their
Ordinaries there, to have my dinner. I had
hardly sat down at table, before who should
I see opposite but Mrs. Atherfield, as bright-
eyed and pretty as ever, with a gentleman on
her right hand, and on her left—another
Golden Lucy! Her hair was a shade or two
darker than the hair of my poor little pet of
past sad times; but in all other respects the
living child reminded me so strongly of the
dead, that I quite started at the first sight of
her. I could not tell, if I was to try, how
happy we were after dinner, or how much we
had to say to each other. I was introduced
to Mrs. Atherfield’s husband, and heard from
him, among other things, that Miss Coleshaw
was married to her old sweetheart, who
had fallen into misfortunes and errors, and
whom she was determined to set right by
giving him the great chance in life of getting
a good wife. They were settled in America,
like Mr. and Mrs. Atherfield—these last and
the child being on their way, when I met
them, to visit a friend living in the northern-
most part of the States.

With the relation of this circumstance, and
with my personal testimony to the good
health and spirits of Captain Ravender the
last time I saw him, ends all that I have to
say in connection with the subject of the
Wreck of the Golden Mary, and the Great
Deliverance of her People at Sea.

THE END OF THE CHRISTMAS NUMBER FOR 1856.

The First Weekly Number of the Next Volume of HOUSEHOLD WORDS, to be Published on
Saturday, the Third of January, Eighteen Hundred and Fifty-Seven, will contain the Commencement of
A NEW STORY, BY WILKIE COLLINS, called
THE DEAD SECRET;
Which will be continued from week to week until completed.