have recognized it like the face of a friend, and would have
embraced and kissed it, painted it white to stave off the decay of old
age, and set it foremost among his Lares and Penates.

For the present he was insensible. They put him naked into coarse, warm
horse-blankets, and laid him before the great fire in the blacksmith's
shop across the road from the shipyard. And at the same time they sent
one flying with a horse and buggy to the house of Hannibal St. John, for
Aladdin had not passed into unconsciousness without partly completing
his mission.

"Margaret--is--up--at--" he said, and darkness came.

At the moment when Aladdin came to, the door of the smithy was darkened
by the tremendous figure of Hannibal St. John. Wrapped in his long black
cloak, fastened at the throat by three links of steel chain, his face
glowering and cavernous, the great man strode like a controlled storm
through the awed underlings and stopped rigid at Aladdin's side.

"Can the boy speak?" he said.

To Aladdin, looking up, there was neither pity nor mercy apparent in the
senator's face, and a great fear shook him. Would the wrath descend?

"Do you know where my daughter is?"

The great rolling voice nearly broke between the "my" and the
"daughter," and the fear left Aladdin.

"Mister St. John," he said, "she's up at one of the islands. We went in
a boat and couldn't get back. If you'll only get a boat and some one
to row, I can take you right to her." Then Aladdin knew that he had not
said all there was to say. "Mister St. John," said Aladdin, "I done it
all."

Men ran out of the smithy to prepare a boat.

"Who is this boy?" said St. John.

"It's Aladdin O'Brien, the inventor's boy," said the smith.

"Are you strong enough to go with me, O'Brien?" said the senator.

"Yes, sir; I've got to go," said Aladdin. "I said I'd come back for
her."

"Give him some whisky," said St. John, in the voice of Jupiter saying
"Poison him," "and wrap him up warm, and bring him along."

They embarked. Aladdin, cuddled in blankets, was laid in the bow, St.
John, not deigning to sit, stood like a black tree-trunk in the stern,
and amidships were four men to row.

A little distance up the river they met a boat coming down. In the stern
sat Margaret, and at the oars her godlike young friend. Just over
the bow appeared the snout and merry eyes of the spaniel, one of his
delightful ears hanging over on each side.

"I am glad to see you alive,"