at a sight met his eyes!!

Dust, dust, dust--everywhere.

[Illustration]

Dust met his eye. (When I say that, I mean that he saw dust--over all
the simple cottage furniture he loved.)

He groaned three times.

The young man, who was idly chewing the stone of a cringet, turned and
saw, through the open door, dust, dust, dust.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

Leaping to his feet, he rushed to the Captain's side.

"Captain," said he, "we must have a Charwoman."

(I say charwoman, meaning a woman who is paid to do work that other
servants are hired to do, but will not.)

[Illustration]

In less time than it takes to skin an acquadatoric, Dingy David was in
the rowing-boat making for the shore of the mainland.

[Illustration]

Sixty-eight hours of hard rowing, without a rest, brought the strong
young fellow to the coast.

It was night.

[Illustration: Pause--excited reader.]

A light burned in the window of the lonely cottage that stood upon the
shore.

[Illustration]

It was the work of a moment for Dingy David to seize upon the beautiful
maiden who was writing jam labels, by the light of a solitary candle.

Such are the lives of the humble.

[Illustration]

Without a glance at her face, he carried her at breakneck speed to the
boat--pushed off, and rowed like Hercules for the island.

[Illustration]

Exactly one hundred and thirty-six hours--which is five days sixteen
hours from the time he started--David brought the captive beauty and
laid her, senseless with fatigue, at the feet of Tom Tomb.

[Illustration]

"What have we here?" asked Tomb, pronouncing the H very clearly.

"A charwoman, sire," responded David; and, smiling, the lad fell
asleep.

[Illustration]

When he awoke the sun was shining and the day was warm.

One glance showed him that the cottage was a model of cleanliness.

(Pirates are sharp glancers.)

[Illustration]

A smell of breakfast smote his nostrils pleasantly.

It was the work of a moment to dash into the house, wash, shave,
and--there, upon a snowy bed, were laid the very clothes in which--long
years ago--he had been captured.

In another moment he was in them and dashing downstairs, doing up the
buttons as he went.

He flung himself, panting, into the breakfast-room.

[Illustration]

The glorious girl looked up from her bacon with a cry.

Tomb started to his feet.

The young man opened his mouth.

[Illustration]

"Ermyntrude!" he called.