leading from the hospital, rattled a gig, the horse doing his utmost.
In this were Doctor John and Jane. She had, contrary to his advice,
remained at the hospital. The doctor had been awakened by the shouts of
a fisherman, and had driven with all speed to the hospital to get his
remedies and instruments. Jane had insisted upon accompanying him,
although she had been up half the night with one of the sailors rescued
the week before by the crew of No. 14. The early morning air--it was
now seven o'clock--would do her good, she pleaded, and she might be of
use if any one of the poor fellows needed a woman's care.

Farther down toward Beach Haven the sand was dotted with wagons and
buggies; some filled with summer boarders anxious to see the crew at
work. One used as the depot omnibus contained Max Feilding, Lucy, and
half a dozen others. She had passed a sleepless night, and hearing the
cries of those hurrying by had thrown a heavy cloak around her and
opening wide the piazza door had caught sight of the doomed vessel
fighting for its life. Welcoming the incident as a relief from her own
maddening thoughts, she had joined Max, hoping that the excitement
might divert her mind from the horror that overshadowed her. Then, too,
she did not want to be separated a single moment from him. Since the
fatal hour when Jane had told her of Bart's expected return Max's face
had haunted her. As long as he continued to look into her eyes,
believing and trusting in her there was hope. He had noticed her
haggard look, but she had pleaded one of her headaches, and had kept up
her smiles, returning his caresses. Some way would be opened; some way
MUST be opened!

While waiting for the change of wind and tide predicted by Captain Holt
to clear away the deadly drift of the cord-wood so dangerous to the
imperilled men, the wreckage from the grounded schooner began to come
ashore--crates of vegetables, barrels of groceries, and boxes filled
with canned goods. Some of these were smashed into splinters by end-on
collisions with cord-wood; others had dodged the floatage and were
landed high on the beach.

During the enforced idleness Tod occupied himself in rolling away from
the back-suck of the surf the drift that came ashore. Being nearest a
stranded crate he dragged it clear and stood bending over it, reading
the inscription. With a start he beckoned to Parks, the nearest man to
him, tore the card from the wooden slat, and held it before the