the rocks and were upon the sand.
Simultaneously they turned their eyes toward the sea, and the sight that
burst upon them fairly took the breath from their lungs, leaving them so
weak that they staggered. A mile or so out at sea lay a huge ship, white
hulled and formidable. There were gun turrets above deck and a swarm of
men on board.

Hugh's eyes seemed to turn round and round in his head, his legs began
to tremble and his palsied lips parted helplessly, as he pointed to the
colors she flew. The American flag fluttered from the mizzen-mast of the
great vessel!

Almost crazed by the sight, the castaways, overcoming their
stupefaction, forgetting all that had gone before, danced frantically on
the sand hill, their ecstasy knowing no bounds.

"Will they see us?" she sobbed, falling at last to the ground in sheer
exhaustion, digging her fingers feverishly, unconsciously into the sand.

"Yes, yes! They must see us! We are saved! Saved!" he yelled hoarsely.
Then he threw himself beside her, and they were clasped in each other's
arms, crying like children. Afterward they could remember only that they
saw a boat lowered from the ship. It came toward them, a white uniformed
officer standing in the bow. As the boat drew near Tennys began to
regain her equanimity. She withdrew hastily from Hugh's arms and arose.
With streaming eyes she waved her hands in response to the faraway
salute of the officer. Hugh, not so easily restrained, jumped to his
feet and shouted:

"Hurrah! Hurrah! God bless you! American sailors! Angels of heaven,
every one of you! Hurrah!"

Holding their hands to their temples, the castaways finally calmed
themselves enough to look rationally at each other. Their minds began to
regain order, their nerves were quieted, their hearts forgot the tumult,
and they could think and talk and reason again. In the fierce ecstasy of
seeing the long-looked-for rescuers, they had forgotten their expressed
desire to live always on the island. Human nature had overcome sentiment
and they rejoiced in what they had regarded as a calamity an hour
before. Now they realized that a crisis had come.

"Hugh, will they take us away?" she cried, real anguish mingling with
triumphant joy.

"Shall we go or stay?" cried he, torn by two emotions.

"It may be the end of our happiness," she whispered, pale as death. "I
will stay here forever, Hugh, if you like."

"Do you want to go?"

"I want to go and I want to stay. What sha