nd unslinging his gun, waited. The wind was making confusing
noises and he could not be sure. The suspense became too great to be
borne in silence.

"Who's there?" he said sharply.

There came a strange, new, and yet familiar voice out of the darkness:
"Garth, is that you?"

His heart began to beat wildly. "Who are you?" he whispered.

"Charley!" returned the voice with the boyish break in it.

They sprang to their feet simultaneously, not ten paces apart in the
grass.

"I've brought you grub!" sang the boy. "How's Natalie?"

In an instant they were in each other's arms. A swift reaction passed
over Garth; his knees weakened under him; he clung to the boy's
shoulders; and lowered his head.

"Oh, thank God! thank God!" he murmured.

XXI

THE BROKEN DOOR

Garth beat recklessly on the cabin door crying:

"Natalie! Natalie! Good news!"

She was not long in opening.

"See what I've brought you back!" he shouted.

They slammed the door shut; and together pulled Charley in by the light
of the fire.

"Charley! _Charley!_" cried Natalie, quite beside herself with delight;
and flinging her free arm around his neck, she pressed her lips full on
his.

The honest full-moon face of the boy turned as red as a peony; but his
arms closed around her too, with a right good will; and it was Natalie
in the end, who was obliged gently to disengage herself.

They all talked at once; they laughed and wept in concert. As soon as
they finished shaking hands all around, they began again. Whenever Garth
was at a loss to express his feelings, he whacked Charley between the
shoulders, until the boy coughed. In the end, speech failing them
completely, they whooped and capered about the shack like wild things.

"I say!" said Garth suddenly. "We're giving ourselves away nicely! The
news has reached Mabyn and Grylls by this time."

They quieted down.

"Tell us your adventures, Charley dear," said Natalie.

"I'd better bring my stuff in first," said he.

"Where is it?"

The boy unslung a bundle from his back. "Thought you might be hungry, so
I brought enough for a couple of squares," he said; "sugar, and tea, and
bacon, and flour. And say, I thought something fancy would go down good;
so there's a tin of sardines and a box of biscuits."

"Oh! you darling!" said Natalie.

Charley was much embarrassed. "The rest of the stuff's cached two miles
down the shore," he went on hastily. "I'll trot along and bring it in."