y was carried away by the tide, despite his utmost
efforts to regain the beacon.

The boat was at once pushed off but so strong was the current there,
that Ruby was carried past the rock, and a hundred yards away to sea,
before the boat overtook him.

The moment he was pulled into her he shook himself, and then tore off
the outer covering of the packet in order to save the letters from being
wetted. He had the great satisfaction of finding them almost uninjured.
He had the greater satisfaction, thereafter, of feeling that he had
done a deed which induced every man in the beacon that night to thank
him half a dozen times over; and he had the greatest possible
satisfaction in finding that among the rest he had saved two letters
addressed to himself, one from Minnie Gray, and the other from his
uncle.

The scene in the beacon when the contents of the packet were delivered
was interesting. Those who had letters devoured them, and in many cases
read them (unwittingly) half-aloud. Those who had none read the
newspapers, and those who had neither papers nor letters listened.

Ruby's letter ran as follows (we say his _letter_, because the other
letter was regarded, comparatively, as nothing):--

"ARBROATH, etcetera.

"DARLING RUBY,--I have just time to tell you that we have made a
discovery which will surprise you. Let me detail it to you
circumstantially. Uncle Ogilvy and I were walking on the pier a few
days ago, when we overheard a conversation between two sailors, who
did not see that we were approaching. We would not have stopped to
listen, but the words we heard arrested our attention, so--O what a
pity! there, Big Swankie has come for our letters. Is it not strange
that _he_ should be the man to take them off? I meant to have given
you _such_ an account of it, especially a description of the case.
They won't wait. Come ashore as soon as you can, dearest Ruby."

The letter broke off here abruptly. It was evident that the writer had
been obliged to close it abruptly, for she had forgotten to sign her
name.

"`A description of the case;' _what_ case?" muttered Ruby in vexation.
"O Minnie, Minnie, in your anxiety to go into details you have omitted
to give me the barest outline. Well, well, darling, I'll just take the
will for the deed, but I _wish_ you had--"

Here Ruby ceased to mutter, for Captain Ogilvy's letter suddenly
occurred to his mind. Opening it hastily, he read as fol