to me as freely as if I had been his brother.

"Is there any hope for us, Dale?" he said on one occasion as we rested
for a few moments underneath the bulwarks.

"Oh yes," I replied. "Why not?"

"I don't know, I'm not a sailor, but I should not have thought the ship
could have kept on long like this without sinking."

I laughed.

"Why, she's a splendid boat," I said, "and quite strong, and so long as
we've got plenty of sea-room, we shan't hurt."

"You're talking like this to comfort me," he said.

"No; I'm telling you the truth as far as I understand it. Of course
I've never been out in a storm on the ocean before, but I've been in
some big ones off the coast round Ireland, where we were always in
danger of going on the rocks, which are awful there."

"But the sea comes thundering down on the ship so."

"What of that?" I replied. "The ship's hollow, and it sounds all the
more, but the water is soft, and we go through it or ride over it
somehow."

"Ah, you're too young to know what fear is," he said sadly.

"Oh no, I'm not," I cried, laughing. "I've been awfully frightened
several times to-night, but I'm more afraid of Jarette and his gang than
I am of the sea."

"You have no sister on board," he said. "No bitter regrets for letting
her come into such danger."

"No," I said, rather chokingly; "but I've got people at home, and it
would be very horrid to think I should never see them again."

"Let's go on," he said laconically, and I helped him along, choosing the
easiest moments till we were in shelter, and then without leaving hold
of me he whispered--

"Make the best of things to her."

There was a lamp burning in the cabin as we entered, and Miss Denning
sprang to our side.

"Oh, John," she cried piteously, "this will be death to you, drenched
with the cold sea! Pray, pray, stay in shelter now."

"Nonsense!" he cried; "it does me good, and it's grandly exciting to
fight the storm like this. How are you, little one? Ah, don't touch
me, I'm wet."

"Suffering terribly, John dear. You must stay with me now."

"Tied to your apron, you foolish girl," he said merrily. "Nonsense!
I'm wanted to help. There, I bring you good news. We've got all the
pirates safely in prison, and as soon as the storm's over all will be
right again."

Miss Denning gave me a piteous, inquiring look.

"Yes, that's quite right, Miss Denning," I said cheerfully.

"But this terrible storm; shall we be wrecked?