e prayed for the life of
this man's son. Mine were drowned before my eyes--she and my eldest
and--the others. Shall a man be more wise than his Maker? I prayed
never for their lives, but I have prayed for this man's son, and he
will surely be sent him."

Salters looked pleadingly at Penn to see if he remembered.

"How long have I been mad?" Penn asked suddenly. His mouth was
twitching.

"Pshaw, Penn! You weren't never mad," Salters began "Only a little
distracted like."

"I saw the houses strike the bridge before the fires broke out. I do
not remember any more. How long ago is that?"

"I can't stand it! I can't stand it!" cried Dan, and Harvey whimpered
in sympathy.

"Abaout five year," said Disko, in a shaking voice.

"Then I have been a charge on some one for every day of that time. Who
was the man?"

Disko pointed to Salters.

"Ye hain't--ye hain't!" cried the sea-farmer, twisting his hands
together. "Ye've more'n earned your keep twice-told; an' there's money
owin' you, Penn, besides ha'af o' my quarter-share in the boat, which
is yours fer value received."

"You are good men. I can see that in your faces. But--"

"Mother av Mercy," whispered Long Jack, "an' he's been wid us all these
trips! He's clean bewitched."

A schooner's bell struck up alongside, and a voice hailed through the
fog: "O Disko! 'Heard abaout the Jennie Cushman?"

"They have found his son," cried Penn. "Stand you still and see the
salvation of the Lord!"

"Got Jason aboard here," Disko answered, but his voice quavered.
"There--warn't any one else?"

"We've fund one, though. 'Run acrost him snarled up in a mess o' lumber
thet might ha' bin a foc'sle. His head's cut some."

"Who is he?"

The _We're Here's_ heart-beats answered one another.

"Guess it's young Olley," the voice drawled.

Penn raised his hands and said something in German. Harvey could have
sworn that a bright sun was shining upon his lifted face; but the drawl
went on: "Sa-ay! You fellers guyed us consid'rable t'other night."

"We don't feel like guyin' any now," said Disko.

"I know it; but to tell the honest truth we was kinder--kinder driftin'
when we run agin young Olley."

It was the irrepressible _Carrie Pitman_, and a roar of unsteady laughter
went up from the deck of the _We're Here_.

"Hedn't you 'baout's well send the old man aboard? We're runnin' in fer
more bait an' graound-tackle. Guess you won't want him, anyway, an'
this blame windlass w