re the sun set they were sighted by the cruiser returning to her
anchorage outside the little fishing-harbour. Mab, worn out by hunger and
exposure, had slipped back to her former position in the bottom of the
boat. She was half asleep and seemed dazed when Merefleet told her of
their approaching deliverance. But she clung fast to him when a boat from
the cruiser came alongside; and he lifted her into it himself.

"By Jove, sir, you've had a bad time!" said a young officer in the boat.

"Thirty hours," said Merefleet briefly.

He kept his arm about the girl, though his brain swam dizzily. And Mab,
consciously or unconsciously, held his hand in a tight clasp.

Merefleet felt as if she were definitely removed out of his reach when
she was lifted from his hold at length, and the impression remained with
him after he gained the cruiser's deck. He met with most courteous
solicitude on all sides and was soon on the high-road to recovery.

Later in the evening, when Mab also was sufficiently restored to appear
on deck, the cruiser steamed into Silverstrand Harbour, and the two
voyagers were landed by one of her boats, in the midst of great rejoicing
on the quay.

Seton, who had long since returned from a fruitless search for tidings,
was among the crowd of spectators. He said little by way of greeting,
and there was considerable strain apparent in his manner towards
Merefleet. He hurried his cousin back to the hotel with a haste not
wholly bred of the moment's expediency. Merefleet followed at a more
leisurely pace. He made no attempt to join them, however. He had done his
part. There remained no more to do. With a heavy sense of irrevocable
loss he went to bed and slept the dreamless sleep of exhaustion for many
hours.

The adventure was over. It had ended with a tameness that gave it an
almost commonplace aspect. But Merefleet's resolution was of stout
manufacture.

The consequences of that night and day of peril involved his whole
future. Merefleet recognised this and resolved to act forthwith, in
defiance of Seton or any other obstacle. He did not realise till later
that there was opposed to him a strength which even his will was
powerless to overcome. He did not even take the possibility of this
into consideration.

He was very sure of himself and confident of success when he descended
late on the following morning to a solitary breakfast--sure of himself,
sure of the smile of that fickle goddess Fortune--sure,