lady is dying to see you.'

He caught her suddenly in his arms, and bore her back into the tent. The
curtains dropped heavily behind him, just as Estelle, the spell of her
terror broken, uttered the cry Jack had heard.

Jack turned at the sound; so did Julien; so did Mrs. Wright. But Estelle
was nowhere to be seen. No further sound betrayed her whereabouts.

But Jack was not a man to be easily disconcerted. Mrs. Wright and Julien
stood still in consternation, but Jack made up his mind at once. He was
naturally impetuous and hasty in thought and action. Only the sore
troubles through which he had passed, and the knowledge that he had
brought so much unhappiness on his mother as well as on himself by his
quick temper, had had power to make him as calm and gentle as he had
shown himself to Estelle. It was as if a fire smouldered within him
always, but was held in restraint by a strong will.

Now, however, calmness was cast to the winds. The child was in danger.
She had no helper but himself. Till her parents were found she was _his_
child--his by right of being her protector, her preserver. On him she
depended for everything; on him and his mother. Who had dared to touch
her? His face flushed, then turned white. His keen eye searched every
corner. There was one place only in which the child could have been
concealed--the tent. She had been standing near it when he turned to
give the coppers to the children.

Without an instant's hesitation he sprang forward, the curtains were
thrust aside, and he was among the tawdry, excited crowd of play-actors.
They had been resting between the performances. Suddenly they were
startled by one of their number rushing through the tent with a child in
his arms, whose cries he was stifling with a large cloak. None
understood what the noise was about, nor had any of the men and women
seen the face of the little girl; therefore none were interested, and
none stirred themselves to ask what had happened. Only one spoke--she
whose cloak had been snatched up to enfold the child. She called out a
rough remonstrance, but Thomas answered her hurriedly, as he tried to
wind the garment closely about Estelle, with small regard as to whether
she could breathe or not.

'The child has been kidnapped,' he said, quickly. 'I know her parents,
and I must---- '

He got no further. Jack was upon him. The sudden appearance of the tall
sailor in hot pursuit caused a sensation among the people standing
ab