to his sleeping brother.

By this time all the inmates of the cottage were awake, Hamish being
the last to open a pair of bewildered, sleepy eyes. Room was made for
Neil at the fire, the smouldering peats were roused to life, and the
boys and girls clustered round, staring and asking questions, much too
excited to think of sleep.

'How is your mother, Neil?' asked Tricksy, whose dark eyes looked
bigger and darker than ever between surprise and sleepiness.

'She iss better, thank you, Miss Tricksy. I will have left her
sleeping quietly, and I will pe coming here so that I can be going back
early to see how she iss in the morning.'

Then after a little hesitation he added, 'She has made me promise that
I'll go away now. Rob MacLean's boat goes to-morrow evening.'

'Oh, what a sell!' exclaimed Harry, who had been sitting cross-legged
by his hero and looking up in his face with sparkling eyes. 'I mean,'
he added, somewhat confusedly, as he saw the faces of the others, 'I'm
sorry you have to go; it would have been such fun if you could have
stayed.'

They conversed a little longer, but quietly, for the darkness and
silence which reigned outside their little shelter, and the monotonous
lapping of the waves made them drowsy; and one by one they dropped to
sleep.

Marjorie was the first to awaken. The clear morning light was already
filling the hut, and the others were lying around and breathing heavily.

She rose and went out of doors.

The sun had not yet risen, but the clouds in the east were red. Some
gulls were rising languidly above the shimmering water.

Marjorie stood looking about her for a minute or two; then she ran into
the cottage.

'Allan,' she cried, 'wake up! There are some people standing on the
shore; your father and Mr. Graham and some others and Laddie is with
them. They are just going to launch the boat. Get up, quick; there's
no time to lose!'

Neil was already on his feet, the events of the past few months having
taught him to keep on the alert; and the others had begun to open their
eyes and stretch themselves.

'Hullo,' said Reggie, grasping the situation, 'boat coming over here;
that will never do.'

'Hurry up,' said Allan, 'or they'll be across before you know where you
are.'

'You had better wait until we've gone,' said Marjorie to Neil. 'Stay
in the cottage, or they may see you.'

Hastily saying good-bye they ran down to the shore, but stopped short
in dismay.

The