n ladder had been lowered.

"What brings you here at this hour, my dear girl?" he exclaimed, with a
look of anxiety in his countenance as he descended the ladder to help
Jessie up the side. "Has anything happened to my mate?"

"Oh, yes, Captain Mudge; he has been pressed, and will be carried off to
sea if we do not take him his protection," answered Jessie as she
reached the deck, no longer able to restrain her tears. "That boy knows
all about it."

Peter Puddle was called up, and gave the message he had received from
Ralph with sufficient clearness.

"No time to be lost indeed," exclaimed the captain. "Dear me! dear me!
poor Ralph! We'll make our way down the harbour as fast as sails and
oars will send us along, and save him if we can. Lower the boat, lads,
and take your breakfasts with you."

Jessie, in spite of her anxiety, did not forget her promise to Peter;
and the captain told him to go forward and get some food, which Toby
Trott, the cabin boy, would give him. Peter pulled one of his shaggy
locks and hastened to the caboose, where the cook was busy blowing up
the fire, the grey smoke from which had just begun to curl in light
wreaths towards the blue sky. In the meantime, Jessie accompanied the
captain into the cabin.

"I reminded him to take his protection just as he was going ashore. He
must have lost it, I fear, on his way," observed the latter.

But Jessie was not so easily convinced of that. She hurried down to
Ralph's berth, and eagerly put her hand into one of the pockets of his
jacket hanging up inside the door; her countenance fell. She tried the
other pocket; "Yes, here it is!" she exclaimed in a joyful tone, drawing
out a tin case and examining it. "Oh, Captain Mudge, let us go with it
at once."

"As soon as you have had a cup of coffee, my dear girl; I cannot let you
start without that," answered the kind old captain. "Careless fellow!
I am angry with him for giving you so much anxiety; but the fright he
has had will be punishment enough you think, I daresay. Come, come,
Jessie, don't cry; any man might have done the same. He just forgot in
his eagerness to see you that he had changed his jacket.--Here comes the
coffee." The captain poured out a cup for her, but she could only take
a few sips, while he hurriedly swallowed his breakfast. The boat was
soon ready. Jessie was handed into her, and the old captain taking his
seat, with four stout hands to row, they shoved off from