were violent. Such motion as
there was--and at times it was somewhat lively--seemed only to lull the
child to a sounder slumber. Toward daybreak the tub grounded at the foot
of the uplands, not far from the edge of the road. The waters gradually
slunk away, as if ashamed of their wild vagaries. And still the child
slept on.

As the light broke over the bay, coldly pink and desolately gleaming,
Captain Joe got up and looked about him. His eyes were tearless, but his
face was gray and hard, and deep lines had stamped themselves across it
during the night.

Seeing that the marshes were again uncovered, save for great shallow
pools left here and there, he set out to find the body of his boy. After
wandering aimlessly for perhaps an hour, the Captain began to study the
direction in which the wind had been blowing. This was almost exactly
with the road which led to his home on the uplands. As he noticed this,
a wave of pity crossed his heart, at thought of the terrible anxiety his
father and mother had all that night been enduring. Then in an instant
there seemed to unroll before him the long, slow years of the desolation
of that home without Jamie.

All this time he was moving along the soaked road, scanning the marsh in
every direction. When he had covered about half the distance, he was
aware of his father, hastening with feeble eagerness to meet him.

The night of watching had made the old man haggard, but his face lit up
at sight of his son. As he drew near, however, and saw no sign of Jamie,
and marked the look upon the Captain's face, the gladness died out as
quickly as it had come. When the two men met, the elder put out his hand
in silence, and the younger clasped it. There was no room for words.
Side by side the two walked slowly homeward. With restless eyes, ever
dreading lest they should find that which they sought, the father and
son looked everywhere,--except in a certain old fish-tub which they
passed. The tub stood a little to one side of the road. Just at this
time a sparrow lit on the tub's edge, and uttered a loud and startled
chirp at sight of the sleeping child. As the bird flew off
precipitately, Jamie opened his eyes, and gazed up in astonishment at
the blue sky over his head. He stretched out his hand and felt the rough
sides of the tub. Then, in complete bewilderment, he clambered to his
feet. Why, there was his father, walking away somewhere without him! And
grandpapa, too! Jamie felt aggrieved.