had openly taken passage as seamen or even passengers, and thus got away from a hateful life of bondage.  Hence the peremptory regulation that no captain should sail with a stranger aboard without an official license.  Under these circumstances a plan was devised by the captain.  When the Government officers came aboard, no Tichborne or other stranger was visible.  As the vessel, loosened from her moorings, was slowly drifting down the harbour in the morning, the officers sat at a little table on deck, smoked and drank with the captain.  At length the moment came to call their boat and take farewell, wishing the good ship “Bella” and her valuable freight a pleasant voyage.  Scarcely had they departed, when the table was removed; and just beneath where they had been sitting a circular plug closing the entrance to what is known as the “lazarette” was lifted, and out came Roger laughing at the success of their harmless device.  Before noon the “Bella” had passed from the harbour of Rio into the open ocean, and was soon on her voyage northward.  That was on the 20th of April 1854, and that is the last ever known in good sooth of the “Bella,” except as a foundered vessel.  Six days after she had left the port of Rio, a ship, traversing her path, found tokens of a wreck—­straw bedding such as men lay on deck in hot latitudes, a water-cask, a chest of drawers, and among other things a long boat floating bottom upwards, and bearing on her stern the ominous words “Bella, Liverpool.”  These were brought into Rio, and forthwith the Brazilian authorities caused steam vessels to go out and scour the seas in quest of survivors; but none were seen.  That the “Bella” had foundered there was little room to doubt; though the articles found were chiefly such as would have been on her deck.  Even the items of cabin furniture were known to have been placed on deck to make way for merchandise, with which she was heavily laden.  The night before these articles were found had been gusty, but there had been nothing like a storm.  When time went by and brought no tidings, Captain Oates, a great friend of the captain of the “Bella,” who had been instrumental in getting Roger on board, came with other practical seamen to the conclusion that she had been caught in a squall; that her cargo of coffee had shifted; and that hence, unable to right herself, the “Bella” had gone down in deep water, giving but little warning to those on board.  In a few months this sorrowful news was brought to Tichborne, where there was of course great mourning.  One by one the heirs of the old house were disappearing; and now it seemed that all the hopes of the family must be centred in Alfred, then a boy of fifteen.  So, at least, felt Sir James Tichborne.  He had inquiries made in America and elsewhere.  For a time there was a faint hope that some aboard the “Bella” had escaped, and had, perhaps, been rescued.  But months went by, and still there was no sign.  The letters of news that poor Roger had so anxiously