his rough horny hands
should hurt the tender blue-white limbs.

For some time the woman was too much occupied with her task to notice
his presence, but when her labour was rewarded by a faint sigh, and a
slightly-drawn breath parted the pale lips, she heard a grunt of
satisfaction behind her; and turning her head, she exclaimed, "What
gowks men are, to be sure."

"Eh, what is it, dame?" said Coomber, meekly; for he had conceived a
wonderful respect for Mrs. Peters during the last ten minutes.

"Ha' you been a-standing there like a post all this while, and never put
out yer hand to help save the child?" she said, reproachingly.

"I couldn't, dame, I couldn't with such hands as these; but I'll do
anything for you that I can," whispered the fisherman, as though he
feared to disturb the child.

"Well, I want a tub of hot water," snapped Mrs. Peters. "You'll find the
tub in the backyard, and the kettle's near on the boil. Look sharp and
get the tub, and then go upstairs and get a blanket off the bed."

Coomber soon brought the tub, and a pitcher of cold water that stood
near, but it was not so easy for him to grope his way upstairs. The
staircase was narrow and dark, and seemed specially contrived that the
uninitiated might bump and bruise themselves. Coomber, in his boat-home,
having no such convenience or inconvenience in general use, found the
ascent anything but easy, and the dame's sharp voice was heard calling
for the blanket long before he had groped his way to the bedroom door.
But what would he not do for that child whose faint wail now greeted his
ears? He pushed on, in spite of thumps and knocks against unexpected
corners, and when he had found the blanket, was not long in making his
way down with it.

"Now what's to be done with her?" demanded the woman, as she lifted the
little girl out of the water, and wrapped her in the blanket.

"Won't she drink some milk?" said Coomber, scratching his head
helplessly.

"I dessay she will presently; but who's to keep her? You say there ain't
none of the people saved from the wreck to tell who she belongs to?"

"No, there ain't none of 'em saved, so I think I'll take her myself,"
said Coomber.

"You take her!" exclaimed the woman; "what will your wife say, do you
think, to another mouth to fill, when there's barely enough now for what
you've got--four hearty boys, who are very sharks for eating?"

"Well, dame, I've had a little gal o' my own, but ain't likely to