e pale and breathless, at his side. "And you
were what most folk would call a consarned fool, matey. Didn't you hear me
say these 'ere waters had sharks in 'em?"

"Yes," said Dan, whose eyes were fixed upon a drift of sunlit cloud in the
distance.

"Then what the deuce did you do it for?" said Captain Jeb, severely.

"Couldn't let a fellow drown," was the brief answer.

"Warn't nothing special to you, was he?" growled the old sailor, who was
still fiercely resentful of his "scare." "Ain't ever been perticular nice
or soft spoken as I ever heard to you. And you jumping in to be gobbled by
sharks, for him, like he was your own twin brother! You're a fool,
matey,--a durn young fool!"

And Dan, who understood his old sailor friend, only laughed,--laughed
while his eyes still followed the drift of swinging cloud fringing the
deep blue of the sky. They were like the robe of the only Mother he had
ever known,--the sweet Mother on whom Brother Bart had called to save Dud.
And Dan had heard and obeyed and he felt with a happy heart his Mother was
smiling on him now.

But to Dud this thrilling adventure left no pleasant memories. He was sick
for several days from his overdose of salt water, weak and nervous from
fright and shock: there was a bruise over his eye from the saving impact
of Dan's sturdy fist, which he resented unreasonably. More than all, he
resented the chorus that went up from all at Killykinick in praise of
Dan's heroism.

Jim testified openly and honestly that the cry of "Sharks" got him, and he
couldn't have dared a plunge in those waters to save his own brother.

"I saw a nigger cut in half by one of those man-eaters once, and it makes
my flesh creep to think of it."

Even dull-witted old Neb rose to show appreciation of Dan's bold plunge,
and said he "reckoned all boys wuth anything did sech fool tricks some
times."

Good old Brother Bart felt it was a time for warning and exhortation,
which Dud found altogether exasperating.

"Sure it's on your knees you ought to go morning and evening to thank God
for bold, brave Dan Dolan. If it hadn't been for him, it's food for the
fishes ye'd be now. The Lord was merciful to ye, lad; for I'm misdoubting
if ye were fit for heaven. Though it's not for me to judge, ye have a
black look betimes, as if God's grace wasn't in yer heart. This ought to
be a lesson to ye, a lesson that ye should never forget."

"I'm not likely to forget it," was the grim answer. "I c