dark, looked
astonishingly familiar. As he stumbled aft it became more familiar
still. The ropes, a combination of new and old, the new boards in the
deck planking, the general arrangement of things, as familiar to him as
the arrangement of furniture in the kitchen of the Lights! It could not
be . . . but it was! The little schooner was his own, his hobby, his
afternoon workshop--the Daisy M. herself. The Daisy M., which he had
last seen stranded and, as he supposed, hard and fast aground! The Daisy
M. afloat, after all these years!

From the stern by the cabin hatch a man came reeling toward him, holding
to the rail for support with one hand and brandishing the other.

"Help!" cried the man wildly. "Who is it? Help us! we're drowning! We're
. . . Can't you put us ashore. Please put us . . . Good Lord!"

Seth made no answer. How could he? The man was Bennie D.

And then another figure followed the first, and a woman's voice spoke
pleadingly.

"Have you got a boat?" it cried. "We're adrift on this dreadful thing
and . . . why, SETH!"

The woman was Emeline Bascom.

"Why, SETH!" she said again. Then the sounds of the wind and waves and
the creaking and cracking of the old schooner alone broke the silence.

But Bennie D., even under the shock of such a surprise as this, did not
remain silent long. His precious self was in danger.

"You put us ashore!" he shouted. "You put us ashore right off, do you
hear? Don't stand there like a fool! Do something. Do you want us to
drown? DO something!"

Seth came to life. His first speech was sharp and businesslike.

"Emeline," he said, "there's a lantern hanging up in the cabin. Go light
it and fetch it to me. Hurry!"

"It's upset," was the frightened answer. "Bennie found it when we first
came aboard. When we--when this awful boat started, it upset and went
out."

"Never mind. Probably there's ile enough left for a spell. Go fetch
it. There's matches in a box on the wall just underneath where 'twas
hangin'. Don't stop to talk! Move!"

Mrs. Bascom moved. Seth turned to the "inventor."

"Come for'ard with me," he ordered. "Here! this way! for'ard! FOR'ARD!"

He seized his companion by the arm and pulled him toward the bow. The
frightened genius held back.

"What in time is the matter with you?" snarled the lightkeeper. "Are
your feet asleep? Come!"

Bennie D. came, under compulsion. Seth half led, half dragged him to the
bow, and, bending down, uncoiled a rope an