mother at home, it tasked all my energies to keep from breaking down
utterly.

Suddenly I heard a whistle. Never was sound so sweet. I stood up and
peered eagerly shoreward. Coming around the "Hole in the Wall"
headland, on top of the cliffs, I saw a boy and a dog. I sent a wild
halloo ringing shoreward.

The boy started, stopped and looked out towards Island Rock. The next
moment he hailed me. It was Ernest's voice, and it was Laddie who was
barking beside him.

"Ernest," I shouted wildly, "run for help--quick! quick! The tide will
be over the rock in half an hour! Hurry, or you will be too late!"

Instead of starting off at full speed, as I expected him to do, Ernest
stood still for a moment, and then began to pick his steps down a
narrow path over the cliff, followed by Laddie.

"Ernest," I shouted frantically, "what are you doing? Why don't you go
for help?"

Ernest had by this time reached a narrow ledge of rock just above the
water-line. I noticed that he was carrying something over his arm.

"It would take too long," he shouted. "By the time I got to the Cove
and a boat could row back here, you'd be drowned. Laddie and I will
save you. Is there anything there you can tie a rope to? I've a coil
of rope here that I think will be long enough to reach you. I've been
down to the Cove and Alec Martin sent it up to your uncle."

I looked about me; a smooth, round hole had been worn clean through a
thin part of the apex of the rock.

"I could fasten the rope if I had it!" I called. "But how can you get
it to me?"

For answer Ernest tied a bit of driftwood to the rope and put it into
Laddie's mouth. The next minute the dog was swimming out to me. As
soon as he came close I caught the rope. It was just long enough to
stretch from shore to rock, allowing for a couple of hitches which
Ernest gave around a small boulder on the ledge. I tied my camera case
on my head by means of some string I found in my pocket, then I
slipped into the water and, holding to the rope, went hand over hand
to the shore with Laddie swimming beside me. Ernest held on to the
shoreward end of the rope like grim death, a task that was no light
one for his small arms. When I finally scrambled up beside him, his
face was dripping with perspiration and he trembled like a leaf.

"Ern, you are a brick!" I exclaimed. "You've saved my life!"

"No, it was Laddie," said Ernest, refusing to take any credit at all.

We hurried home and arrived a