with his body, and quickly set fire to them. The blaze crackled,
leaped and grew. He had built his pyramid so well, and he had selected
such inflammable material, that he knew, if the flames once took hold,
the wind would fan them so fiercely the rain could not put them out.

Higher sprang the blaze, running to the crest of the pyramid, roaring in
the wind and then sending out defiant hissing tongues at the rain. The
boom of the cannon came once more, and, then by the light of his
splendid bonfire, he looked. There was the ship outside the reefs which
his great pyramid of flame now enabled her to see. He shouted in his
joy, and threw on more wood. If he could only build that pyramid high
enough they would see the opening too and make for it.

He worked frantically, throwing on driftwood, the accumulation of many
years, and the flames biting into every fresh log, roared and leaped
higher. The ship ceased to fire her signal guns, and now he saw, with a
great surge of joy, that she was beating up in the storm and trying for
the opening in the reef, her only chance, the chance that he had given
her. He had done his part and he could do no more but feed the fire.

As he threw on wood he watched. His pyramid of flame roared and threw
out sparks in myriads. The ship, a sloop, was having a desperate
struggle with wind and wave, but his beacon was always there, showing
her the way, and he never doubted for a moment that she would make the
haven. He was sure of it. It was a terrible storm, and there was a
fierce sea beating on the reefs, but a master mind was on the sloop, the
mind of a great sailor, and that mind, responding to his signal of the
fire, the only one that could have been made, was steering the ship
straight for the opening in the reef.

His glasses were always in his pocket, and, remembering them now for the
first time, he clapped them to his eyes. The sloop and her tracery of
mast and spars became distinct. He saw guns on the deck and men, men in
uniform, and he could see well enough, a moment or two later, to tell
that they wore the uniform of Britain. His heart gave a wild throb. The
spirits in the air were good spirits, and the storm had never been able
to drive them away. They had been calling to him when he thought they
were silent, only he had not been able to hear them.

He gave a wild shout of joy that could be heard above the crash of the
storm. Triumph was assured. He was rescuing, and he would be res