aptain handed Mrs. Stonehouse a pair of binoculars. For
an instant she looked through them, then handed them back and continued
gazing out to where the two heads appeared--when they did appear on the
crest of the waves like pin-heads. The Captain said half to himself and
half to the father:

'Mother's eyes! Mother's eyes!' and the father understood.

As the ship swept back to the rescue, her funnels sending out huge
volumes of smoke which the gale beat down on the sea to leeward, the
excitement grew tenser and tenser. Men dared hardly breathe; women wept
and clasped their hands convulsively as they prayed. In the emergency
boat the men sat like statues, their oars upright, ready for instant use.
The officer stood with the falls in his hand ready to lower away.

When opposite the lifebuoy, and about a furlong from Harold and Pearl,
the Captain gave the signal 'Stop,' and then a second later: 'Full speed
astern.'

'Ready, men! Steady!' As the coming wave slipping under the ship began
to rise up her side, the officer freed the falls and the boat sank softly
into the lifting sea.

Instantly the oars struck the water, and as the men bent to them a cheer
rang out.

* * * * *

Harold and Pearl heard, and the man turning his head for a moment saw
that the ship was close at hand, gradually drifting down to the weather
side of them. He raised the child in his arms, saying:

'Now, Pearl, wave your hand to mother and say, hurrah!' The child, fired
into fresh hope, waved her tiny hand and cried 'Hurrah! Hurrah!' The
sound could not reach the mother's ears; but she saw, and her heart
leaped. She too waved her hand, but she uttered no sound. The sweet
high voice of the child crept over the water to the ears of the men in
the boat, and seemed to fire their arms with renewed strength.

A few more strokes brought them close, Harold with a last effort raised
the child in his arms as the boat drove down on them. The boatswain
leaning over the bow grabbed the child, and with one sweep of his strong
arm took her into the boat. The bow oarsman caught Harold by the wrist.
The way of the boat took him for a moment under water; but the next man;
pulling his oar across the boat, stooped over and caught him by the
collar, and clung fast. A few seconds more and he was hauled abroad. A
wild cheer from all on the _Scoriac_ came, sweeping down on the wind.

When once the boat's head had been turned towards the ship, and the