gone.

"One last shot, my boy!" daddy had said, as the gun dropped from his
shaking hand. "And no one has heard,--no one could hear in the roar of the
storm."

"Oh, they could,--they could!" murmured Freddy. "God could make them hear,
daddy,--make them hear and come to help us. And I think He will. I have
prayed so hard that we might not be drowned here all alone in the storm.
You pray, too, daddy,--oh, please pray!"

"I can not,--I _dare_ not," was the hoarse answer.

"O daddy, yes you can,--you must! The waters are coming on us so fast,
daddy,--so fast! Please try to pray with me. Our Lord made the winds and
waves go down when He lived here on earth; He walked on the waters and
they did not hurt Him. Oh, they are coming higher and higher on us, daddy!
What shall we do?"

"Die," was the hoarse, fierce answer; "die here together, my boy,--my
little boy! For me it is justice, judgment; but, O my God, why should Thy
curse fall on my boy,--my innocent boy?"

"O daddy, no! That isn't the way to pray. You mustn't say 'curse,' daddy.
You must say: 'Have mercy, dear Lord; have mercy! Save me and my little
boy. Send some one to help us.' Oh, I am trying not to be afraid, but I
can't help it, daddy!"

"My boy,--my poor little boy! Climb, Freddy! Try to climb up on the
roof--the broken shaft! Leave me here, and try to climb, my boy! You may
be safe for a while."

"O daddy, no, I can't climb and leave you," and Freddy clung piteously to
his father's breast. "I'd rather die here with you, and God will take us
both to heaven together. I haven't been a very good boy, I know; and maybe
you haven't either; but if we are sorry He will let us come to Him in
heaven--O dad, what is that?" Freddy's low tone changed to one of wild
alarm. "What is it now,--what is it now?"

For the dogs, that had been crouching and cowering beside their master,
suddenly started up, barking wildly, and dashed out into the rising
waters; new sounds blended with the roar of the storm,--shouts, cries,
voices.

"Here,--_here_!" daddy feebly essayed to answer. "Call to them, Freddy! It
is help. God has heard your prayers. Call--call--call--loud as you can, my
boy!"

But there was no need. Rex and Roy had already done the calling, the
guiding. On they came, the sturdy rescuers, plunging waist-deep through
the waters that were already breaking high on the beach and bramble
growth, surging and swelling across the broken wall that had once guarded
the Ol