'ithout the doctor--I'll give un double watches."

"We'll get underway for Wolf Cove, Skipper Tommy," said Tom Tot, "when
the weather lightens. An' we'll fetch that lass o' mine," he added,
softly, "home."

"That we will, Tom Tot," said Skipper Tommy Lovejoy.

And 'twas thus it came about that we were rescued: for, being old and
wise, they chose to foot it to Wolf Cove--over the 'longshore
hills--fearing to chance the punt at sea, because of the shifting ice.
Midway between our harbour and Wolf Cove, they found the doctor sitting
blind in the snow, but still lustily entreating the surrounding
desolation for help--raising a shout at intervals, in the manner of a
faithful fog-horn. Searching in haste and great distress, they soon came
upon my sister and me, exhausted, to be sure, and that most pitiably,
but not beyond the point of being heartily glad of their arrival. Then
they made a tiny fire with birch rind and billets from Tom Tot's
pack--and the fire crackled and blazed in a fashion the most
heartening--and the smutty tin kettle bubbled as busily as in the most
immaculate of kitchens: and presently the tea and hard-bread were doing
such service as rarely, indeed, save in our land, it is their good
fortune to achieve. And having been refreshed and roundly scolded, we
were led to the cove beyond, where we lay the night at the cottage of
Tiltworthy Cutch: whence, in the morning, being by that time
sufficiently restored, we set out for our harbour, under the guidance of
Skipper Tommy Lovejoy, whose continued separation from the woman at Wolf
Cove I made sure of by commanding his presence with us.

"You may beat me, Skipper Tommy," said I, "when you gets me home, an' I
wish you joy of it. But home you goes!"

"But, Davy, lad," he protested, "there's that poor Tom Tot goin' on
alone----"

"Home you goes!"

"An' there's that kind-hearted doctor-woman. Sure, now, Davy," he began,
sweetly, "I'd like t' tell she----"

"That's just," said I, "what I'm afeared of."

Home the skipper came; and when the twins and I subsequently presented
ourselves for chastisement, with solemn ceremony, gravely removing
whatever was deemed in our harbour superfluous under the circumstances,
he was so affected by the spectacle that (though I wish I might write
it differently) he declared himself of opinion, fixed and unprejudiced,
that of all the works of the Lord, which were many and infinitely
blessed, none so favoured the gracious wo