"

"She is."

"She is my mother," added Tony.

"We are going up there now; and if you choose we will row you up,"
added the coxswain.

"Thank you," replied the stranger, as he seated himself by Frank's
side.

Tony gazed at him with intense earnestness. The face looked natural to
him, but he could not think where he had seen it before.

"Give way," said Frank.

"You have a beautiful boat," added the stranger.

"She is a very fine boat. I saw you at the trial, did I not?" asked
Frank, looking with interest at his companion.

"I was there; it ended very happily."

"Just as we knew it would end," added Charles Hardy.

"It was a villanous conspiracy; and I should like the pleasure of
thrashing that Tim Bunker," continued the stranger, with a great deal
of feeling.

"You seemed to be much interested in the trial."

"More deeply than any other could be."

"Except his mother," said Frank.

"You are right, except his mother;" and the gentleman looked very sad,
and wiped a tear from his eye.

The boat was now approaching the vicinity of Centre Island.

"This is Captain Sedley's place," said the stranger.

"Yes, sir."

"There comes the Sylph, Frank," shouted Fred Harper.

"Uncle Ben is up to something, I suspect."

"What do you suppose it is?"

Before Frank could venture an opinion, a mass of smoke rose from the
bows of the Sylph, and the mimic roar of a little cannon was heard.

"Hurrah! Tony, he is firing a salute in honor of the verdict," cried
Charles.

"Three cheers for Tony Weston," shouted Frank. "One!"

"Hurrah!"

"Two!"

"Hurrah!"

"Three!"

"Hurrah!"

The stranger joined lustily in the cheers; and when they had finished,
Uncle Ben fired again. When the Zephyr came alongside the Sylph, the
veteran congratulated the little hero of the day on his escape from the
snares of his foes.

"You are a good boy, and I wish I had a bigger gun. You desarve a
salute from a forty-two pounder," said Uncle Ben, as he rammed down the
charge for another gun.

"Thank you, Uncle Ben, that gun is big enough for so small a boy as I
am."

The Zephyr continued on her course to the widow Weston's, followed by
the Sylph, the old sailor saluting all the way.

The party landed, and marched up to the house, followed by the
stranger. Tony embraced his sister and his little brother, and with
tears of joy told them that he was acquitted. Mrs. Weston and Captain
Sedley had not yet arrived.

In half an ho