had
once had for a shipmate on the brigantine; but at the same time his tone
was soft, and inspired confidence.

"Better hev a leetle more coffee, bub?" he said, coming upon Darry as
the latter turned away white-faced from the last body carried in by the
rough men.

"Perhaps it would do me good; I still feel mighty weak; but I'm glad to
be here instead of out there," replied Darry, pointing to where the
white-capped waves were rushing in long lines toward the beach.

"Course yuh be, bub. And we-uns air glad tuh get a chanct tuh pull yuh
outen the water. My old woman'd like tuh set eyes on yuh. Jest the age
our Joe would a-ben if he'd pulled through," and the rough surfman swept
his sleeve across his eyes as he spoke.

The secret of his interest in Darry was out; he had lost a boy of his
own, and his heart was very tender still, so that the sight of this poor
shipwrecked lad brought back his own sorrow keenly.

"You haven't seen anything of the captain, I suppose?" anxiously asked
Darry, wondering if it could possibly be that he had missed sight of his
friend at the time he was lying there unconscious.

Abner Peake shook his head in the negative.

He saw the boy was very eager to learn of the mariner's fate, and well
he knew that with each passing minute the chances of the other surviving
the pounding of the seas became less and less.

It was now not far from dawn.

The hurricane still blew with its old violence, and there was scant hope
of its passing for another twelve hours at least.

All that time those devoted men must be on the watch, ready to man their
surfboat again and take their lives in hand, should another vessel
strike the dangerous reefs that were marked upon the chart as the worst
within a hundred miles of Hatteras.

Sick at heart over the loss of his wise friend and benefactor, Darry
found the interior of the station almost unbearable just then.

He felt as though he must get outside where the elements rioted, and
watch the incoming waves for some sign of the captain.

But this new-found friend declared that it could do no good, since the
beach was already patrolled by those whose keen eyes would discover the
faintest trace of a brave swimmer trying to buffet the cruel waves; he
must remain under cover, so as to escape the possible evil results of
his late experience.

And so Darry had to once more lie down and let the other cover him with
a blanket, a pillow having been placed under his