d to volunteer
again; and if it seemed absolutely necessary Abner would give his
consent, but he hoped circumstances might change and another hand be
provided.

With the women and children they had several of the crew who had come
along to relieve any oarsman who might give under the great strain; the
more sent in this load the less remaining for the next, and among these
Abner had picked upon a certain husky fellow who seemed able to do his
part if called upon.

Now the shore was close by.

The fire burned brightly, fed by Paul, and the steersman could see
several other men at the water's edge, proving that they had crossed the
sound in some sort of staunch craft, or had come down from above,
knowing the wreck was close to the life-saving station.

At last the boat mounted the last billow on which she was to continue
her voyage to the beach.

The crew pulled heartily to keep her perched high on its foamy crest,
and in this fashion they went rushing shoreward.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE AWAKENING

As the boat shot forward and her keel grated on the sand the crew were
over the sides like a shot, seizing upon her in order to prevent the
outgoing wave from carrying her along.

Then one by one the women and children were carried to the shore, and
hurried to the shelter of the station, where a warm fire and something
to drink in the way of coffee and tea would put new life in the
shuddering mass.

The woman who had been so strangely agitated at sight of Darry seemed to
be a lady of refinement, but she was almost perishing from the cold, and
did not resist when they forced her to seek shelter.

Once she turned around and looked back to where Darry was busy; but when
inside the house she swooned from exhaustion, to come to later and find
Paul Singleton bending anxiously over her, with words of affection on
his lips.

Meanwhile Darry was ready to again take his place with the rest, but
Abner had been busy, and spoke to Mr. Frazer, who in turn engaged a
stalwart fisherman to fill the vacancy caused by Tom's absence.

Although disappointed, Darry did not insist, for he knew the tax upon
his young muscles had been severe, and if he failed it might throw the
whole crew out of balance.

So he saw them set out again, with his heart in his eyes.

When they had vanished from view he walked nervously up and down the
beach for a short time; then noticing the presence of a moving light not
more than half a mile down t