oars
had bent again to their work, they came soon within shelter. When they
had got close enough ropes were thrown out, caught and made fast; and
then came down one of the bowlines which the seamen held ready along the
rail of the lower deck. This was seized by the boatswain, who placed it
round him under his armpits. Then, standing with the child in his arms
he made ready to be pulled up. Pearl held out her arms to Harold, crying
in fear:

'No, no, let The Man take me! I want to go with The Man!' He said
quietly so as not to frighten her:

'No, no, dear! Go with him! He can do this better than I can!' So she
clung quietly to the seaman, holding her face pressed close against his
shoulder. As the men above pulled at the rope, keeping it as far as
possible from the side of the vessel, the boatswain fended himself off
with his feet. In a few seconds he was seized by eager hands and pulled
over the rail, tenderly holding and guarding the child all the while. In
an instant she was in the arms of her mother, who had thrown herself upon
her knees and pressed her close to her loving heart. The child put her
little arms around her neck and clung to her. Then looking up and seeing
the grey pallor of her face, which even her great joy could not in a
moment efface, she stroked it and said:

'Poor mother! Poor mother! And now I have made you all wet!' Then,
feeling her father's hand on her head she turned and leaped into his
arms, where he held her close.

Harold was the next to ascend. He came amid a regular tempest of cheers,
the seamen joining with the passengers. The officers, led by the Captain
waving his cap from the bridge, joined in the paean.

The boat was cast loose. An instant after the engine bells tinkled:
'Full speed ahead.'

Mrs. Stonehouse had no eyes but for her child, except for one other. When
Harold leaped down from the rail she rushed at him, all those around
instinctively making way for her. She flung her arms around him and
kissed him, and then before he could stop her sank to her knees at his
feet, and taking his hand kissed it. Harold was embarrassed beyond all
thinking. He tried to take away his hand, but she clung tight to it.

'No, no!' she cried. 'You saved my child!'

Harold was a gentleman and a kindly one. He said no word till she had
risen, still holding his hand, when he said quietly:

'There! there! Don't cry. I was only too happy to be of service. Any
othe