k stood in need of aid which they could not have, he was
about to turn away and retrace his steps homeward, as the sky seemed
to shut down grayer and darker than before, and nightfall was
approaching. But at that instant the door of the dwelling opened, and
out came Dirk, beating his breast and crying aloud, whether with pain
or grief Noll was too surprised to notice at first.

The man failed to see the lad standing close by his door-step till he
had taken several strides up and down the sand, where the wind blew
the spray full upon him,--walking there hatless and coatless. When he
did perceive him, he stopped short, exclaiming, almost fiercely,--

"What _ye_ here fur, lad?--what ye here fur? The Lord knows it's no
place fur the sort ye b'long to!"

"I was looking at the sea," said Noll; "and--and--what's the matter,
Dirk?"

"Nothin' that'll do ye any good ter know!" cried Dirk, roughly,
beginning to pace up and down the sand again. "Ye can't know nothin'
o' trouble, lad! How ken ye?"

Noll hardly knew what answer to make to this vehement question, and
finally made none at all, but asked,--

"Are any of your family ill, Dirk?"

"Ill? Sick, ye mean? O Lord! yes, yes,--and dyin'!"

Noll started. Some one ill and dying on this dreary, wretched Rock!
and no doctor to give aid. He did not know how far he might dare to
interrogate Dirk in his present half-frenzied condition, but ventured,
after a minute or two of silence, to ask,--

"Is it one of the children?"

"Yes, my little gal!" said Dirk, groaning,--"my little gal it is, an'
nothin' to keep her frum it. O Lord! seems as ef I sh'u'd go mad!" and
he threw up his hands to the lowering sky in despair, and faced about
to the sea, letting the cold drops drive into his face.

Noll was fain to comfort him, but was at a loss how to offer
consolation to such anguish as Dirk's.

"Isn't there some one on the Rock that can help, that knows something
about medicine?" he asked, eagerly.

"No, no, lad!" Dirk cried, "there ain't a soul this side o' the sea
ken help my little gal! Ye don' know nothin' o' trouble, lad! Ye don'
know what 'tis ter feel that yer chile's dyin' fur want o' somethin'
to save it! O Lord! seems as ef I c'u'd swim through this sea to
Hastings fur my little gal!"

He rushed down to the boiling surf, and Noll half expected to see him
throw himself into the sea; but he came back, drenched with a great
wave, with despair a