teak with onions did smell
mighty fine, as even the good cook admitted.

The future looked very rosy to both Darry and Abner's wife.

When the latter heard what Paul Singleton had said about getting some
place for the life saver ashore, where he could be with his family right
along, the poor woman broke down and sobbed; but it was joy that caused
the tears to flow, and Darry felt his own eyes grow wet as he realized
how she must have suffered while compelled to live in this mean way.

Nancy having been a teacher had looked to better things, no doubt; but
Abner thus far had lacked the ability to provide them for his family.
Now, however, the current had changed.

"And to think it all comes through you, boy. God sent you to us, I
believe, just when things were at the worst. How different it looks now.
I am the happiest woman in Ashley this night," she declared, and it
seemed as though she could hardly take her beaming eyes off his face
during that whole evening as they sat and built air castles for the
future.

It can be set down as certain that Darry found it hard to get to sleep
after so much excitement. Long he lay there and went over all the
recent experiences, to wonder again and again why Providence was so good
to him, the waif who had until the last few years known only cuffs and
trouble.

The morning showed no improvement in the weather, for which Darry
was sorry, because he wished to cross the sound in order to carry the
glorious news to Abner and relieve his mind of the worry that must even
now fill it.

And as the prospect was that even worse weather might follow before it
would improve he determined to go, though Mrs. Peake was rather loth to
grant permission.

CHAPTER XXII

ABNER HEARS THE NEWS

When Darry reached the village and was making for the place where his
boat was tied up, he remembered that Paul Singleton was close by with
his motor-boat.

Perhaps he was aboard and would be interested in hearing what had
happened to Darry since they parted.

Accordingly he walked that way and was accosted by a genial voice
calling:

"All hail, comrade, what news? Come aboard. Just thinking about you, and
if you hadn't hove in sight soon I meant to don my raincoat and saunter
up to find out what was in the wind. Here you are, just in time to join
me at my lunch, such as it is--coffee, a canoeist stew and some fresh
bread I bought from a good housewife in the village. Sit down right
there; n