ved John Watt.

"Make up to her, lad," said Forsyth; "I think she couldn't refuse ye
after doin' her such service."

"Time enough to chaff after work is over," cried Ruby with a laugh, as
he turned up his sleeves, and, seizing the hammer, began, as his friend
Dove said, "to work himself dry."

In a few minutes, work was resumed, and for another hour all continued
busy as bees, cutting and pounding at the flinty surface of the Bell
Rock.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

A SLEEPLESS BUT A PLEASANT NIGHT.

The evening which followed the day that has just been described was
bright, calm, and beautiful, with the starry host unclouded and
distinctly visible to the profoundest depths of space.

As it was intended to send the _Smeaton_ to Arbroath next morning for a
cargo of stones from the building-yard, the wrecked party were prevailed
on to remain all night on board the _Pharos_, instead of going ashore in
one of the ship's boats, which could not well be spared at the time.

This arrangement, we need hardly say, gave inexpressible pleasure to
Ruby, and was not altogether distasteful to Minnie, although she felt
anxious about Mrs Brand, who would naturally be much alarmed at the
prolonged absence of herself and the captain. However, "there was no
help for it"; and it was wonderful the resignation which she displayed
in the circumstances.

It was not Ruby's duty to watch on deck that night, yet, strange to say,
Ruby kept watch the whole night long!

There was no occasion whatever for Minnie to go on deck after it was
dark, yet, strange to say, Minnie kept coming on deck at intervals
_nearly_ the whole night long! Sometimes to "look at the stars",
sometimes to "get a mouthful of fresh air", frequently to find out what
"that strange noise could be that had alarmed her", and at last--
especially towards the early hours of morning--for no reason whatever,
except that "she could not sleep below."

It was very natural that when Minnie paced the quarterdeck between the
stern and the mainmast, and Ruby paced the forepart of the deck between
the bows and the mainmast, the two should occasionally meet at the
mainmast. It was also very natural that when they did meet, the girl
who had been rescued should stop and address a few words of gratitude to
the man who had saved her. But it was by no means natural--nay, it was
altogether unnatural and unaccountable, that, when it became dark, the
said man and the said girl should get int