yes. Bridget,
looking as white as a ghost, appeared and joined them.

"Nancy has to stay with Madam," she said. "She's at her wits' end to know
what to tell her next. For heaven's sake, is there no news at all from
anywhere?"

The men looked at her. They did not like to say, "It's your fault", so they
only shook their heads.

Presently Walsh said:

"There's a boat missin'."

Bridget screamed, and began to beat her breast and clap her hands.

"Whisht! will you," said the boatman. "We're bad enough without that. Give
us peace to think a bit. If they were drowned they would ha' been washed in
by this. The early tide would ha' brought them, for the boat couldn't carry
them far without upsettin'."

"I'll run away! I'll run away!" shouted Bridget.

"Run then," said Lally. "It isn't you we're thinkin' of, but the poor ould
lady, and the father and mother that's out in Africa."

At this moment a white speck appeared on the sea. A ray of sunlight had
struck across the twilight and made it visible; then something larger and
darker was seen behind it moving with it.

"Would it be a boat?" said Lally, as all eyes were strained watching this
appearances.

"Then you may well ask, for a boat it is!" said the boatman. "If it isn't
the angels that's bringin' them childher home, by my word, I don't know
what it is!"

A few more minutes of eager watching assured them that Terry and Turly were
returning, if not visibly in the custody of angels, at least in the care of
two sturdy oarsmen, who were pulling towards the shore.

As they came near enough to be well seen and heard the children stood up in
the boat and cheered and waved their handkerchiefs to their friends.
Bridget waited for no more, but ran with the good news to the House.

Poor old Nancy had made an excuse to get away from Madam for a few minutes
and was leaning against the door-post, scarcely able to stand, and with a
face of the most intense misery. When she saw Bridget running towards her,
waving her apron, she knew the news must be good.

"They're all right!" screamed Bridget, ever so far away. "They're comin'!
They're comin'!"

Hearing this, Nurse Nancy first of all knelt down in the hall and thanked
God. Next she went back to Madam and told her that she thought the children
had been punished enough, and should be allowed to come to her as usual at
tea-time. She was not a minute too soon with the news, for Granny had
already begun to get a little suspic