idea as to the possible cause of this transformation.
She only said, "Sit down, my bonny man, and your bacon will be ready for
you in two minutes. I have never seen you look so well in my life. Will
I be sending to the town for some bottled beer for you by the time you
get back?"

"No, mother; I am going to try and do without the drink for a bit. I hit
you last Saturday night, didn't I?"

"Well, don't speak about that, my bonny man."

"Show us the mark, mother."

She bared her arm to the shoulder, and there, sure enough, was a black
bruise.

He ate his breakfast and went out, leaving his mother in a condition of
exaltation which she had not known for many years. All the day, while
the lines were over the side, Tommy sat with his face in his hands. His
two mates joked with him, swore at him, tried all kinds of clumsy
inducements to make him revert to his ordinary saturnine and
entertaining mode of conversation; but he would not be tempted from his
silence. Towards evening a chill blast struck off from the shore, and
Mary's Jem, who was Tommy's mate, said--

"My man, we'll have the white horses in half a minute!"

A short, jumping sea sprang up as if by magic; the men hauled in their
lines, took three reefs in the coble's mainsail before hoisting, and
then laid the boat's head for the land. Minute by minute the blast grew
heavier; quick gusts shook the bents on the sandy hills, and screamed
away over the moaning floor of the sea. The boat had to beat very near
the wind, and, as she ducked and plunged to the short rollers, clouds of
spray came aboard, varied by plunges of green water. Sailing within
three and a half points of the wind, and with her three reefs in the
lug, she made at least four knots, and the water roared under her
rudder. Jemmy lit his pipe, and said--

"We'll have to run north, my man."

Tommy said, energetically,--

"No, I'll not. The old woman is going to make my supper for me, and I'll
not disappoint her, if I'm drowned in trying."

So the boat raced towards the bay, bows under. Nearing the Carr, where a
narrow passage opens into smooth water, a strong back-wash came from the
jagged rocks. One curling black sea came foaming back, and met the green
sea that was plunging on to the reef. A mountain of water rose and fell
with a heavy crash over the sail, and the boat turned slowly over. All
three men were encumbered with their heavy sea-boots, but they managed
to struggle out and fasten th