Then he said:

"'Pears as if I couldn't see clarly after that tarnation blow. You look
out, Neb. And, Padre, you'd better step back thar and keep a weather eye
on them younkers. It doesn't do to turn them out too free, with things all
broke up."

"You're right, man,--you're right, Jeroboam," said the good Brother
tremulously. "I'll keep an eye on them, as you say."

"Thar,--I've got him out of the way!" said Captain Neb, as Brother Bart
hurried back to watch over his scattered flock. "Now look, Neb,--look
steady and straight! Three points to the south of Numskull Nob,--what d'ye
see?"

"Nothing at all," answered Neb.

"Look again!" His brother adjusted the old shipmaster's glass with a hand
that trembled strangely. "Another point to the south. Look steady as ye
can, Neb. Yer weather eye was always clarer than mine. What d'ye see
now?"

"Nothing," came the answer again; and then the dull tone quickened: "Aye I
do,--I do! Thar's suthing sticking out of the waves like a broken mast."

"The Old Light," said Captain Jeb, hoarsely,--"all that's left of it. Last
Island has gone under, as you said it would, Neb,--clean swallowed up. And
the boy--" (the speaker gulped down something like a sob). "Looks as if
the Padre will never see his little lad agin."

XXII.--THE LOST AND FOUND.

There had been an extra Mass at the little church at Beach Cliff on the
morning of the storm. Father Tom Rayburn, an old classmate of the
pastor's, had arrived, and been welcomed most cordially.

"I'm off to an old camping ground of mine--Killykinick," he had explained
to his host as they sat together at breakfast. "One of our Brothers is
there with some of St. Andrew's boys, and my own little nephew is among
them."

"Ah, yes, I know!" was the reply. "They come every Sunday to the late
Mass. And, by the way, if you are going out into those ocean 'wilds,' you
could save a busy man some trouble by stopping at the Life-Saving Station
(it's not far out of the way, as I suppose you'll take a sail or a motor
boat); and I promised two of those sturdy fellows who are groping for the
Truth some reading matter. I thought a friendly talk at the same time
would not be amiss. They have little chance for such things in their
lonely lives. But my duties are quadrupled at this season, as you know."

"And the 'wilderness' is in my line," said Father Tom. "Of course I'll be
glad to stop. I used to haunt the Life-Saving Station when I was a boy;