e, as of snow-drifts, in their wake; but the little boat,
climbing the top of the waves and sinking into the dizzy black pits
between them, sped fearlessly along and the pastor began to take heart.
Then, with a fierce cutting distinctness, came the command out of the
dark.

"Pull out the reefs!"

"Are you crazy, man?" shouted the pastor. "Do you want to sail straight
into eternity?"

"Pull out the reefs!" The command was repeated with wrathful emphasis.

"Then we are dead men, both you and I."

"So we are, parson--dead men. My son lies dead at home, though you might
have saved him. So, now, parson, we are quits."

With a fierce laugh he rose up, and still holding the tiller, stretched
his hand to tear out the reefs. But at that instant, just as a quivering
shimmer broke across the sky, something rose up from under the thwart
and stood between them. Atle started back with a hoarse scream.

"In Heaven's name, child!" he cried. "Oh, God, have mercy upon me!"

And the pastor, not knowing whether he saw a child or a vision, cried
out in the same moment: "Carina, my darling! Carina, how came you here?"

It was Carina, indeed; but the storm whirled her tiny voice away over
the waves, and her father, folding her with one arm to his breast, while
holding the sheet with the other, did not hear what she answered to his
fervent exclamation. He only knew that her dear little head rested close
to his heart, and that her yellow hair blew across his face.

"I wanted to save that poor boy, papa," were the only words that met his
ears. But he needed no more to explain the mystery. It was Carina, who,
repenting of her unkindness to him, had stolen into his study, while he
sat in the dark, and there she had heard Atle Pilot's message. Even if
this boy was sick unto death, she might perhaps cure him, and make up
for her father's harshness. Thus reasoned the sage Carina; and she had
gone secretly and prepared for the voyage, and battled with the storm,
which again and again threw her down on her road to the pier. It was
a miracle that she got safely into the boat, and stowed herself away
snugly under the stern thwart.

The clearing in the north gradually spread over the sky, and the
storm abated. Soon they had the shore in view, and the lights of the
fishermen's cottages gleamed along the beach of the headland. Presently
they ran into smoother water; a star or two flashed forth, and wide blue
expanses appeared here and there on t