there!" called Drew, hailing the fort.

"Ahoy, yourself!" came back the answer. "Is that you, Allen?"

"Yes. And some friends with me."

"Friends?" There was surprise in the tone. "Who are they?"

"I'll let you see for yourself."

The besieged, whose sleep had been fitful, had all been aroused by the
colloquy, and they crowded to the front of the barricade. The moon had
now risen, and their faces could be clearly discerned. Ruth lovelier
every time he saw her, Allen thought, stood beside her father.

"Why, it's Whitlock!" cried Captain Hamilton jubilantly. "And
Gunther--and Trent--and Ashley--and _Barnes_!" he went on in
ever-increasing wonderment and excitement, as he recognized the
weather-beaten faces. "And blest if here isn't that old heathen, Wah
Lee! And the Jap! Glory hallelujah!"

There was a moment of wild exclamations and handshakings.

"Bully lads!" cried the master of the _Bertha Hamilton_, with deep
emotion. "So you broke away and came to help your captain, did you?
Good lads."

"We didn't exactly break away, Cap'n," said Gunther. "Though God knows
we wanted to bad enough. But it's Mr. Drew you want to thank for our
bein' here. He done it all."

"I knowed it! I knowed it!" cried Tyke. "I felt it in my bones when I
first saw 'em! Glory be!"

"He did it all?" inquired the captain. "What do you mean? Tell us,
Allen."

"Oh, there isn't much to tell," replied Drew. "I was lucky enough to
reach the schooner and I found the men there with their hands tied. I
cut the ropes and brought them along."

"You reached the schooner!" the captain repeated. "How?"

"Did you git the boat from under the eyes of them fellers?" asked Tyke.

"No. I swam over."

"Swam!" ejaculated the captain.

Ruth gave a little shriek and put her hand to her heart.

"Oh!" she cried. "The sharks!"

"Haven't I always told you that boy was a wonder?" chuckled Tyke.

But here Whitlock touched his cap.

"Beggin' your pardon, Cap'n," he said apologetically, "but if Mr. Drew
was as slow with his fists as he is with tellin' his story, meanin' no
disrespec', me an' my mates wouldn't be here."

"Go ahead, Whitlock," said the captain. "It is like pulling teeth to
get anything from Mr. Drew."

Whitlock told the story, which lost nothing in the telling.

There was a pause, tense with emotion, and all eyes were turned on
Drew. Tyke's hand clapped him on the shoulder, but the old man did not
trust himse