into
a hearty laugh.

"Come on, mate," he said, clapping him on the back, "now let's go and
find Emma. If she don't fall in love with you now she never will. My eye
I you are a picture!"

He began to walk towards the town, and Mr. Heard, with his legs wide
apart and his arms held stiffly from his body, waddled along beside him,
Two little streamlets followed.

They walked along the quay in silence, and had nearly reached the end
of it, when the figure of a man turned the corner of the houses and
advanced at a shambling trot towards them.

"Old Smith!" said Mr. Heard, in a hasty whisper. "Now, be careful. Hold
me tight."

The new-comer thankfully dropped into a walk as he saw them, and came
to a standstill with a cry of astonishment as the light of a neighboring
lamp revealed their miserable condition.

"Wot, Arthur!" he exclaimed.

"Halloa," said Mr. Heard, drearily.

"The idea o' your being so sinful," said Mr. Smith, severely. "Emma told
me wot you said, but I never thought as you'd got the pluck to go and do
it. I'm surprised at you."

"I ain't done it," said Mr. Heard, in a sullen voice; "nobody can drownd
themselves in comfort with a lot of interfering people about."

Mr. Smith turned and gazed at the mate, and a broad beam of admiration
shone in his face as he grasped that gentleman's hand. "Come into the
'ouse both of you and get some dry clothes," he said, warmly.

He thrust his strong, thick-set figure between them, and with a hand
on each coat-collar propelled them in the direction of home. The mate
muttered something about going back to his ship, but Mr. Smith refused
to listen, and stopping at the door of a neat cottage, turned the handle
and thrust his dripping charges over the threshold of a comfortable
sitting-room.

A pleasant-faced woman of middle age and pretty girl of twenty rose at
their entrance, and a faint scream fell pleasantly upon the ears of Mr.
Heard.

"Here he is," bawled Mr. Smith; "just saved at the last moment."

"What, two of them?" exclaimed Miss Smith, with a faint note of
gratification in her voice. Her gaze fell on the mate, and she smiled
approvingly.

"No; this one jumped in and saved 'im," said her father.

"Oh, Arthur!" said Miss Smith. "How could you be so wicked! I never
dreamt you'd go and do such a thing--never! I didn't think you'd got it
in you."

Mr. Heard grinned sheepishly. "I told you I would," he muttered.

"Don't stand talking here," said Mrs.