` I 'm not afraid , ' answered Mary , with a loyal smile . ` I 've proved my captain in fair weather and in foul , and if he is ever wrecked again , I 'd rather be with him than waiting and watching ashore . ' ' A true woman , and a born sailor 's wife ! You are a happy man , Emil , and I 'm sure this trip will be a prosperous one , ' cried Mrs Jo , delighted with the briny flavour of this courtship . ` Oh , my dear boy , I always felt you 'd come back , and when everyone else despaired I never gave up , but insisted that you were clinging to the main-top jib somewhere on that dreadful sea ' ; and Mrs Jo illustrated her faith by grasping Emil with a truly Pillycoddian gesture . ` Of course I was ! ' answered Emil heartily ; ` and my `` main-top jib '' in this case was the thought of what you and Uncle said to me . That kept me up ; and among the million thoughts that came to me during those long nights none was clearer than the idea of the red strand , you remember -- English navy , and all that . I liked the notion , and resolved that if a bit of my cable was left afloat , the red stripe should be there . ' ` And it was , my dear , it was ! Captain Hardy testifies to that , and here is your reward ' ; and Mrs Jo kissed Mary with a maternal tenderness which betrayed that she liked the English rose better than the blue-eyed German Kornblumen , sweet and modest though it was . Emil surveyed the little ceremony with complacency , saying , as he looked about the room which he never thought to see again : ` Odd , is n't it , how clearly trifles come back to one in times of danger ? As we floated there , half-starved , and in despair , I used to think I heard the bells ringing here , and Ted tramping downstairs , and you calling , `` Boys , boys , it 's time to get up ! '' I actually smelt the coffee we used to have , and one night I nearly cried when I woke from a dream of Asia 's ginger cookies . I declare , it was one of the bitterest disappointments of my life to face hunger with that spicy smell in my nostrils . If you 've got any , do give me one ! ' A pitiful murmur broke from all the aunts and cousins , and Emil was at once borne away to feast on the desired cookies , a supply always being on hand . Mrs Jo and her sister joined the other group , glad to hear what Franz was saying about Nat . ` The minute I saw how thin and shabby he was , I knew that something was wrong ; but he made light of it , and was so happy over our visit and news that I let him off with a brief confession , and went to Professor Baumgarten and Bergmann . From them I learned the whole story of his spending more money than he ought and trying to atone for it by unnecessary work and sacrifice .
XXXXX thought it would do him good , so kept his secret till I came .
Baumgarten Bergmann Emil English Hardy Jo Nat Pillycoddian night trifles