ed down to the saloon. Corinna and her aides had the
children pretty well in hand--but a cry of welcome went up at the sight
of Evan. Somehow the smallest toddler on board had gathered that Evan
was the man of the hour.

"A tug will be along in half an hour to pick us up," Evan announced.

Cheers from the crowd.

"Why, how do you know that?" Corinna demanded of him privately.

"Oh, I just stepped ashore to telephone," said Evan airily.

Corinna sat down suddenly. "You went ashore, and left us!"

Within the promised time they heard a deep-toned whistle searching for
them in the fog.

"Wh-e-e-re?"

To which the _Ernestina_ agitatedly responded: "Here! Here! Here!
Here! Here!"

This duet was carried on for upwards of ten minutes. The tug appeared
to be travelling around them in a circle. It was like a game of Blind
Man's Buff with both sides blinded. All of a sudden she came charging
out of the fog, as if a magician had evoked her. The children swarmed
out on the deck with cheers. Their elders let themselves relax with
thankful hearts. A furtive tear or two stole down Corinna's cheeks.

Ropes were passed to and fro, and with the tug alongside, the slow
homeward journey began.

As soon as all danger was over Evan received another lesson in the
curious workings of human nature. Once more the brotherhood drew away
from Evan as if the latter had the plague. Evan had them in an
uncomfortable hole now, for all were conscious of being under an
obligation to him. That only made matters worse, for when a person is
resolved to hate you, to put him under an obligation only obliges him
to be more hateful. As for Corinna, she retired into herself and was
inscrutable.

It was a weary journey. The supper, materials for which Evan had
brought from shore, created a welcome diversion; but supper over, they
were still miles from home, and the helpers were hard put to it to keep
the small passengers even moderately contented. Fortunately during the
last hour the greater part fell asleep where they were, on the sofas,
on the floor, on a couple of camp-stools placed together.

Evan and Corinna happened to meet beside one child draped over the arm
of a chair in an excruciating attitude. They straightened her out
together. Corinna did not look at Evan nor speak, but from her to him
he thought he felt a warm current pass--or perhaps it was only because
he wished to believe it. None of the other helpers were nea