rrent from the tunnel, as it
rushed into the river, that had rendered Sailor Bill senseless for the
time being.

He was now coming back to himself, for his limbs twitched convulsively,
and there was a faint tremor about the eyelids.

Just then Ernest Wilton came up and stood by the side of Mr Rawlings,
while Seth was rubbing the boy's bared chest vigorously with his brawny
hand to hasten the restoration of the circulation; and at that moment
Sailor Bill opened his eyes--eyes that were expressionless no longer,
but with the light of reason in their hidden intelligence--and fixed his
gaze on the young engineer as if he recognised him at once.

"Ernest!" the boy exclaimed wonderingly, "what brings you here? Why,
where am I?"

And he looked from one to the other of the group around him in a
half-puzzled way, "Jerusalem!" ejaculated Seth, jumping to his feet and
turning to the young engineer. "He knows you, mister. Ken you rec'lect
him?"

"By Jove!" said Ernest, "I do believe it's my cousin, Frank Lester, now
I hear his voice. Frank!"

"Yes, Ernest," answered the boy, heaving a sigh of relief. "Then it is
you after all. I thought I was dreaming."

And he sank back into a calm sleep as if he were in bed.

STORY ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

AFTER THE BATTLE.

"Now didn't I say so, Rawlings?" said Seth triumphantly, turning to that
gentleman. "I leave it to any one if I didn't diagnose the boy's
symptoms correctly! I said ef he can meet with a similar shock to that
which cost him his reason, he'd get it back again. I told you that from
the first on board the _Susan Jane_."

"You certainly did," replied Mr Rawlings. "It's the most curious case
I ever heard or read of! Do you think, Seth, when he wakes up he'll be
still all right here?" tapping his forehead expressively.

"Sartain as thaar's snakes in Virginny!" said the ex-mate, returning for
a moment to his vernacular mode of speech; although, his medical
instincts asserting themselves again presently, he spoke more formally
and in professional style in continuation of his reply to Mr Rawlings.
"He is still in a semi-comatose condition, as that somnolent fit assures
us; but he will sleep it off, and rouse up by and by in the proper
possession of his faculties, a glimpse of which we observed just now."

"I'm right glad to hear it," said Mr Rawlings. "What a difference that
look of intelligence in his eyes made in him! I declare I would hardly
hav