as no hurt to their feelings. I wonder where in the
world the poor fellow is!'

'I will show you,' said Anne. And explaining in a few words what had
happened, she was promptly followed by David and Loveday along the road.
She lifted her dress and entered the arch with some anxiety on account of
Matilda; but the actress was gone, and Bob lay on the seat as she had
left him.

Bob was brought out, and water thrown upon his face; but though he moved
he did not rouse himself until some time after he had been borne into the
house. Here he opened his eyes, and saw them standing round, and
gathered a little consciousness.

'You are all right, my boy!' said his father. 'What hev happened to ye?
Where did ye get that terrible blow?'

'Ah--I can mind now,' murmured Bob, with a stupefied gaze around. 'I
fell in slipping down the topsail halyard--the rope, that is, was too
short--and I fell upon my head. And then I went away. When I came back
I thought I wouldn't disturb ye: so I lay down out there, to sleep out
the watch; but the pain in my head was so great that I couldn't get to
sleep; so I picked some of the poppy-heads in the border, which I once
heard was a good thing for sending folks to sleep when they are in pain.
So I munched up all I could find, and dropped off quite nicely.'

'I wondered who had picked 'em!' said Molly. 'I noticed they were gone.'

'Why, you might never have woke again!' said Mrs. Loveday, holding up her
hands. 'How is your head now?'

'I hardly know,' replied the young man, putting his hand to his forehead
and beginning to doze again. 'Where be those fellows that boarded us?
With this--smooth water and--fine breeze we ought to get away from 'em.
Haul in--the larboard braces, and--bring her to the wind.'

'You are at home, dear Bob,' said Anne, bending over him, 'and the men
are gone.'

'Come along upstairs: th' beest hardly awake now,' said his father and
Bob was assisted to bed.

XXXIII. A DISCOVERY TURNS THE SCALE

In four-and-twenty hours Bob had recovered. But though physically
himself again, he was not at all sure of his position as a patriot. He
had that practical knowledge of seamanship of which the country stood
much in need, and it was humiliating to find that impressment seemed to
be necessary to teach him to use it for her advantage. Many neighbouring
young men, less fortunate than himself, had been pressed and taken; and
their absence seemed a reproach to h