the fate of poor
Carrie to think of parting company with the yacht.

The fishing boat was made fast at the stern of the Flyaway, and she
stood off again to clear the rocks around the island. All the party on
board had followed Captain Littleton into the cabin, to learn the
condition of his child, or to render assistance in restoring her. It was
very fortunate that Dr. Lawrence was one of the company, for he was a
very skilful man, and under his direction the measures for the relief of
Carrie were conducted.

The Flyaway had reached her berth at the mouth of the river before the
efforts for the child's restoration promised to be effectual. It was
found that the blow of the boom had not seriously injured her. In an
hour after the yacht reached her moorings, she was able to speak, and
the doctor ordered her to be taken home.

Before the yacht reached her berth, a pair of anxious eyes, from the
chamber window of the cottage, had discovered the dingy old boat towing
at her stern. The mother's heart almost failed her, as her imagination
pictured some dreadful calamity that had happened to her boys. Filled
with dreadful forebodings, she seized her shawl and bonnet, and hastened
to the landing, in the rear of Captain Littleton's house. They were
bringing home the boat in which her boys had gone out, and she feared
that one or both of them had been lost. She tried to believe that the
yacht had overtaken them, and that Captain Littleton had invited them on
board; but her fears were stronger than her hopes.

When she reached the landing place, she saw that the gunwale of the old
boat was stove, and her heart sank within her. There were several
persons at the landing, and she told them what she feared. One of them
took a skiff and rowed out to the yacht. Paul and John were both in the
cabin, and when the messenger came alongside, the captain called them on
deck. Seeing Mrs. Duncan on the shore, they got into their boat, and
soon joined her.

"I never was so glad to see you before in my life!" exclaimed the
delighted mother, clasping them both to her bosom. "Why, Paul, you are
as wet as a drowned rat! You have been overboard; I know you have!"

"That's so, mother; but I didn't upset nor fall overboard. I went over
of my own free will."

"Yes, he did, mother," interrupted John. "Carrie Littleton was knocked
overboard by the boom, the Flyaway's boat got swamped, and she drifted
to leeward, and we came about, and bore down on