to
sleep again. She made some coffee and carried it up to Davy; she dared
not stay alone. For the first time in her life she was afraid and
thoroughly unnerved.

That morning, before Davy had come from the lamp, there was a knocking
on the outer door, and a pushing as well. Janet, coming down the stairs
with the empty tray, saw the door open, and in the light of the gray,
still morn, for the storm was past, she recognized Mark in a yellow
oiler with a sou'wester nearly hiding his wet and ashen face.

"You found her?" The words broke from Janet like a sob.

"Not yet." Mark's voice was slow and weak. "We want Davy t' come an'
help, soon as he can. An' can you let me have a cup o' coffee, Janet?
I'm most done up. The--the _Comrade_ is bottom up round by the P'int an'
I--I guess she was bein' beaten toward home; but--but--"

Janet dropped the tray and ran to Mark; she drew him into the room and
pushed him toward a chair.

"Sit down!" she said brokenly. "Sit down, you look as if you would drop.
See, I have the coffee all ready; it will take but a minute." She
hurried the preparation, and after she saw Mark gulp the strong, hot
drink, she asked quietly, but with awe in her voice, "Can you tell me
now, Mark?"

"There ain't much t' tell. When a boat's bottom up in such a gale as was
a-blowin' last night, an' only a poor, little frightened gal was at the
tiller, why--why there ain't, what you might say, anythin' t' tell."

Mark stared dully before him. He was tired and soul-weary. "She's got
away fast enough this time, Janet," he went on drearily; "'t ain't
likely any one will be troubled settlin' things fur her now."

"Don't! don't! Mark." Janet was crouching by his chair, her tear-filled
eyes looking wildly at his dull, vacant face. "We, you and I, were
trying, you know!"

"Yes; but it was uphill work, an' would have been wuss, like as not.
'T ain't easy settin' straight a botch like that. I guess this is the best
way. Don't take on, Janet! Seems like she allus got the rough part, but
you couldn't help that none. I guess you'd been the quickest one t' help
her if she'd cried out t' you; but even you couldn't have helped much."

Janet heard again in fancy the weird call of the night.

"No; I could--not--help!" She shuddered. "Where are you going, Mark?"

"Back t' the bay. They're draggin' round by the P'int. Her father's
there, an' some others. I found the _Comrade_ 'fore daybreak an' got
them up. If Davy can len