Had you been lost, it would have broken Norah's heart, and my
poor father's too--for, sick as he is, he couldn't have borne it. I
must go and tell them how it all happened--they'll think more of you
than ever--but I'm very glad Norah wasn't on deck, for she would have
felt as I did, and been terribly alarmed."

"Hush, Gerald, hush! you think more of the affair than it deserves,"
said Owen; "had I run any risk of losing my life, your father might have
blamed me, as the safety of the ship while he is ill is committed to my
charge; but remember that I took the precaution of having a rope round
my waist, so that I couldn't come to any harm, and what I did any man
with strength and nerve could have done likewise--so, Gerald, don't make
a fuss about the matter. I saved the man's life, there's no doubt about
that, and he, therefore, is the only person who need thank me."

Notwithstanding what the mate had said, Gerald hurried into the cabin
and gave a report of what had occurred, not failing to express his own
opinion of the gallantry of the act. Norah, who had listened with
breathless interest while he spoke, uttered an ejaculation of
thankfulness, forgetting to make any inquiry about the man who had been
saved. Captain Tracy, however, expressed himself much as Owen expected
he would.

"It was a rash though brave deed," he observed, "but I'll not blame
him--he had no time, evidently, to think of the risk he was running, but
acted as his gallantry prompted him. He did not get any hurt, I hope?"

"No, father, beyond a thorough wetting--it was all done in a moment--he
was on board again almost before I could have looked round, walking the
deck as if nothing had happened," answered Gerald.

"I am thankful for that," said the captain; "and where have they stowed
the man he saved? Poor fellow! it would have been hard lines with him,
in such a sea as is still running, if he had not been picked up."

"The mate put him into his own cabin," said Gerald; "the cook has been
heating some soup for him, as he seemed very weak and pretty nigh
exhausted."

"Owen might have let him go forward with the men; they would have looked
after him carefully enough," observed Captain Tracy. "There was no
necessity for Owen to give up his own cabin--but he is always generous
and ready to sacrifice his own comforts for others."

"But the stranger from his way of speaking and dress seems to be an
officer, and he would think himself badly t