owed in her manner how pleased she was to have him there.

When noon had come and gone he prepared for his row across the bay, for
she insisted upon his making an early start.

"Clouds are banking up in the southeast, and we look for trouble
whenever that comes about. Still, you will have plenty of time to row
over. Stay with Abner to-night and return in the morning if it is safe
on the bay. Perhaps you may have a chance to see how the life savers
work," said Mrs. Peake.

It was almost two when he pushed off from the float and started on his
long row directly across the bay.

Steadily he kept pushing across the wide stretch of shallow water.

As Abner had said, a new pair of oars seemed to be badly needed in
connection with the old boat; but a willing heart and sturdy arms sent
the craft along until finally Darry reached his goal.

The storm was drawing near, for by now the heavens were clouded over,
and the haze seemed to thicken. Perhaps had he lingered another hour
Darry might have stood a chance of losing his way, and being drawn out
of the inlet by the powerful ebb tide--just as the unfortunate Joe had
been.

Abner was waiting at the landing for him.

"Glad to see yuh, lad. How's everything to home?" he asked.

Of course Darry understood this to mean with regard to himself and his
relations with the good woman of the house.

Truth to tell Abner had worried more than a little since parting from
the boy, for his wife had shown more than unusual ill temper lately, and
he feared that he had possibly done an unwise thing in leaving Darry
there to be a constant reminder of the son she had lost.

But the happy look on the boy's countenance eased his mind even before
the boy spoke a single word.

"He kin do it, if any boy kin," was what the life saver was saying under
his breath.

"All well, and your wife sent this over to you, sir. Here's the mail,
too. The postmaster didn't want to give it to me, but Mr. Keeler told
him it was all right, and that I belonged with the crew over here."

Unconsciously his tones were full of pride as he made this assertion,
and the grocer had evidently done more to please the lad in making that
assertion than he would ever know.

But Abner seemed to be staring down at something.

"Seems like as if yuh bed ben a leetle mite keerless, son, with them
trousers. Don't strike me thet burn was on 'em yesterday," he remarked.

"It wasn't, Mr. Peake. I got that last night," he said