your wife. I'll do
everything I can to take the place of Joe, although, of course, I
couldn't expect to do that altogether," replied Darry.

"Say, yuh make me feel better, already. Seems to me as if I heerd little
Joe aspeakin' to me from somewhere. I'm goin' crost the bay to-night,
lad. It's my turn for a day off, an' I'll take yuh with me. I reckons
his clothes'd just about be the right fit fur yuh."

So it was settled.

Darry felt easy in his mind now, much more so than he had been ever
since finding himself adrift on shore, like a vessel without an anchor.

No matter how humble, it would be _home_ to him, for he had no memories
to haunt him, and bring about discontent.

There was the village near by, where possibly he might meet boys of his
own age; and what Abner had said about the pursuits by which Joe had
been accustomed to making odd bits of money appealed to him, for he
believed he had something of a love for outdoor sports in his nature,
since he had never neglected to take advantage of a chance to use a
fishing line, when the brigantine happened to be in one of the world
ports to which business called her.

But above all he gloried in the fact that occasionally he would have the
opportunity to visit the station on the outer beach, where those hardy
men patrolled every night, and stood ready to go to the assistance of
any imperilled mariners.

After supper he accompanied Abner to the little landing where a stout
rowboat was fastened.

Into this they dropped, and Darry immediately seized upon the oars, to
the secret amusement and satisfaction of the life saver, who was quite
willing to let him display his ability in this important line.

"Yuh sure pull a good, strong stroke, lad," he declared, after they had
been upon the bay for some time, Darry taking his bearings from a bright
star that had appeared in the east.

"He taught me," replied the boy, and, perhaps unconsciously, his voice
quavered as he spoke, for he could not even think of the captain without
emotion.

"All the better. A feller ain't no use 'round this section less he kin
row a boat with the best. And if so be yuh 'spect to jine with us some
day, the more yuh larn about this same thing the better for yuh. Joe, he
was a reg'lar water duck--but he was too darin' and he tried the game
onct too often. Beware o' that inlet, lad. The tide sweeps outen it like
a mill race sometimes, an' the best man couldn't hold his own agin it.
It's ben