taken her to see it.

It was, as we have said, a lonely spot, far removed from the fishing
town, and was sought out by Jeff because he did not yet feel strong
enough to hold much intercourse with his friends and former mates--none
of whom had seen him since his illness began. But the poor invalid was
doomed to several interruptions that day.

The first comer was his comrade Wilson, of the coastguard, whose place
he had taken on the eventful night of the wreck. On rounding the point
of rock, and coming suddenly on our hero, that worthy was struck dumb
and motionless for at least a minute, while his eyes gradually opened
wide with surprise, and his mouth partially followed suit.

"Not Jeff Benson!" said Wilson at last, in quite a solemn tone.

"What's left of him," answered Jeff, with a faint smile.

"An' it ain't much!" returned Wilson, with a kind of gasp, as he
approached softly.

"Not much more than the bones an' clothes," said Jeff, with a laugh at
his friend's expression; "also," he added more seriously, "a good deal
of the spirit, thank God. How are all the lads, Wilson?"

The man tried to answer, but could not. The sight of his old stalwart
chum so reduced was too much for him. He could only go down on one
knee, and take the thin large hand in his. Seeing this, Jeff returned
his squeeze, and relieved him by saying--

"You can beat me now, Wilson, but I could squeeze till I made you howl
once, and mayhap I'll do it again--who knows? But you must not think me
unkind if I ask you to leave me, Wilson. The Doctor is always insisting
that I must keep quiet; so, good-day to you, my boy, an' remember me
kindly to my comrades."

The next visitor, who appeared half an hour later, was the terrier dog
of the station. Bounce belonged, of right, to David Bowers, but, being
amiable, it acknowledged the part-ownership of all the men. On suddenly
beholding Jeff, it rushed at him with a mingled bark and squeal of joy,
and thereafter, for full two minutes, danced round him, a mass of
wriggling hair from tip of tail to snout, in uncontrollable ecstasy.
Mingled misery and surprise at Jeff's sudden and unaccountable
disappearance, prolonged agonies of disappointed expectation, the
sickness of heart resulting from hope long deferred, all were forgotten
in that supreme moment of joy at reunion with his long-lost human
friend!

Jeff had to rise and sit down on a shelf of rock to escape some of
Bounce's overwhelming a