the glen.
"Eban seems in a strange mood," observed Simon. "He might have stopped
till Michael and all of us had thanked him for his brave act; he seems
as if he was sorry he had done it, or was wishing that he was with the
other poor fellows who are lying out there among the rocks."
Michael was too weak to walk. Uncle Reuben invited him to come to his
cottage; but he wished to return home, and there was no lack of willing
arms to carry him.
"Where is David Treloar?" he asked. "If it had not been for him I
should have been washed off the spar, but he held me on till I was
hauled on board."
"David! poor fellow! he is among those who are gone," was the answer.
"If it was he who was on the spar with you, he would not, it seems, quit
it till he thought you were safe; and meantime his strength must have
gone before help could reach him."
"Then he lost his life to save mine," said Michael, deeply grieved.
"And how was I saved?"
"By that brave fellow, Eban Cowan, who jumped overboard, and brought you
on board," answered Uncle Reuben.
"Where is he, that I may shake him by the hand, and thank him?" inquired
Michael; but Eban was not to be found.
Michael hoped the next morning to be able to go to the mill and thank
Eban.
Nelly wondered at what she heard, recollecting Eban's visit to her a few
hours before; but she said nothing. Indeed, by that time, with a sail,
a litter had been rigged, on which his friends carried Michael to his
cottage, Dame Lanreath and Nelly following them.
The rest of the population of the village hastened to their homes,
several with hearts grieving for those who had been lost. They did not,
however, find any lack of friends to comfort them--for all could
sympathise where all knew that the like misfortune might some day happen
to themselves. Uncle Reuben, too, had ample cause for grief. The
little vessel on which he depended for the subsistence of his family had
gone to pieces, and it would be a hard matter to obtain another. And
honest David and the other lads in whom he was interested were gone; but
his young boys were saved, and he felt thankful for the mercies granted
him.
Michael, carefully watched over by Nelly, and doctored by the dame, soon
recovered his strength. As soon as he was strong enough, he told Nelly
that he must go and tell Eban how thankful he was to him for saving his
life.
Nelly, on this, gave him an account of what had occurred on that
eventful e
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