Led to the scene by curiosity, his generous indignation was aroused by the sight of the helpless old man and his tormentors.

Now, to avoid being thanked for what he had done, he hurried away, released Bim from his confinement on the wharf-boat, to that bow-legged animal's intense joy, and went to the hotel for the night.
The next morning, when he came down into the office, the clerk handed him Mrs.Caspar's letter.

He stood by the desk and read it.

Then he read it again, with a frown of perplexity deepening on his forehead.
"Winn here, on board the _Mantel-piece_, and out of money! What can Ellen mean?
She must be losing her mind." The young man was so engrossed with this letter that he paid no attention to the other occupants of the room.

Thus he did not see Cap'n Cod and his niece enter the front door, nor notice that the former was greeted by two men who had been talking earnestly together and watching him with great interest.