ry Christmas party was assembled under Sir Baldwin Treherne's
hospitable roof. All sorts of games had been carried on till a late
hour, and everybody was in high spirits.

"Oh, if dear Harry was here it would be perfect," exclaimed one of his
sisters, the gentle Mary, who had been his chief playmate in his
childhood.

"Oh, Harry is all right, enjoying the warm weather in the West Indies,
instead of being frozen as we are here."

"Lucky dog!" said one of his brothers.

They all went to bed at last. More than one prayer in the house was
offered up that night for young Harry's safety.

Christmas morning came. The sky was overcast, the snow was falling
thickly. Sir Baldwin had promised to visit during the day a poor
family; the mother lay dying.

"I cannot begin this blessed day better than by a work of love," he said
to himself, as he looked out on the snow-covered landscape. "If I put
it off till the afternoon she may no longer be here."

He never allowed the weather to prevent him from going out. With a
thick greatcoat on, a stout stick in one hand, he set forth through the
snow on his errand of mercy, long before the rest of the family had left
their rooms. He was just going into the cottage when he met Paul
Petherwick, with his pilot-coat, sea-boots, and a spy-glass under his
arm, accompanied by several of his crew, carrying oars and coils of rope
and other ship's gear.

"What, Paul, are you going to sea such a morning as this--Christmas
morning, too?" asked the baronet, in a tone of surprise.

"Yes, Sir Baldwin, that I am; for you see, sir, I was one Christmas day,
as you will remember, tossing about on yon stormy sea till my craft was
driven on shore, and I and my crew well-nigh lost. I should have been
thankful if any brother pilot had been out on that morning to have towed
the _Sea-Gull_ into port. For what I know, there are some poor fellows
out of their reckoning; and if I can fall in with them, and pilot them
up Channel, I shall be doing as I should like to be done by."

"You are right, my friend. Heaven protect and prosper you," said the
baronet. "You'll come up in the evening to hear the carol-singers.
There'll be a cup of mead ready for you, and for your people, too, if
they will come."

"Thank ye, Sir Baldwin; we'll come," said several voices, and the
pilot's crew hurried down to their boat.

The pilot vessel made several tacks along shore before stretching out to
sea. She had made