Then to her husband she said: "Mr.Radford brought some letters, Astor; perhaps you'll want to read them before he goes back." "Ah! yes, I'd better perhaps, though there will be no hurry about the answers, I guess, for this will be the last mail that will get through the Strait before the spring." He stood up as he spoke, sliding the babies on to the ground at his feet, for he could not read his letters with the small people clutching and clawing at his hands.

The others went on talking, to be interrupted a few minutes later by a surprised exclamation from the master of the house.
"Now, would you believe it! The Company has been bought out!" "What company ?" asked 'Duke Radford.
"Why, the fishing-fleet owners, Barton and Skinner and that lot," rejoined Astor M'Kree abstractedly, being again buried in his letter.

He was a boat-builder by trade, and this change in things might make a considerable difference to him.
"Who is it that has bought the company out ?" demanded Mrs.M'Kree anxiously.

Life was quite hard enough for her already; she did not want it to become more difficult still.
"An Englishman named Oswald Selincourt," replied Astor.

"He is rich, too, and means to put money into the business.