The two little boys were up in the gallery. Nat was the reflectors and overlooking the great She, whose wonderful individuality was taking a strong hold upon the imagination of both the children. Rupert knew almost all Pat's stories about the wonderful creature who slept all the day, but waked up to keep watch all the night, and he was never tired of watching her cleaned and fed; but the process lasted longer some days than others, and they would vary the morning's work by going out upon the sunny gallery, and calling out to the men at work within what were in sight, and where they seemed to be going. And whilst thus occupied, Rupert would generally demand that Pat should tell him some of Jim's many stories, many of which they would try to between them, making believe that the gallery was the deck of a ship, and that they were the officers in charge. Pat's vivid imagination, inherited from his mother, made this kind of make-believe easy and entrancing to him, and Rupert delighted in it, and in flourishing about and being the lord and master of everything and everybody. He was growing so brown and sturdy that it was a treat to look at him, and Pat had increased in health and strength visibly since he had had a little playmate to with. Before that he had been inclined to spend rather too much time in sitting and thinking. The sea and the rocks and the sky gave him many strange ideas; and there was Jim, too, who wanted so often to know things that took a great deal of puzzling out. Pat had liked all the thinking, being of a turn, but it was better for him to run about and shout and play more, and to sit and ponder rather less. The parents looked in wonder at him sometimes, remembering how all last winter he had seemed wasting away, and had fallen into a state from which it seemed as though nothing but a miracle could lift him.They could not be thankful enough for the wonderful change. The dreamy wistfulness which had lingered so long in his eyes, was changing now to something more boyish and healthy. He did not look as though he were always walking on the border-land of the unseen world. The and merry games with his little companion were fast making a boy of him again, and Nat looked with satisfaction at the change.
A merry pair they were up aloft to-day, and their shouts of glee rang cheerily over the dancing water. Eileen now and again heard them as she sat at her needle below, and she would smile and glance , as though to try and see what the were about. To-day was a glad one at the lighthouse, for Jim had taken a turn for the better. Now that the broken were properly set and in place, and no longer pressing upon the organs they had injured, he was relieved of the worst of the pain. He had been able to sleep and eat better, and to-day he felt so strong that he had Nat and Eileen to let him get up and sit beside the fire in the living room, well wrapped up in blankets, and with plenty of rugs about him. The doctor had said he might do this if he felt well enough, as a change of might be a relief. The children had watched the move with great interest; but had been sent upstairs after a while to let Jim rest and be quiet. The mother had told Pat to go and look out whether any boat from shore might not be coming to the rock. It was a fine day, and the week had expired which was to bring the doctor for another visit. He might come any day now; and the children were delighted to go up aloft and play the game of "look-out man," as they called it.
There were a good many fishing boats out in the bay, and Rupert had been certain that every one of them was coming to Rock, till at last he had grown weary of watching, had declared that nobody was coming to-day, and had suggested another game at which they had played some time. When, however, they were tired of this, Pat had gone to the rail to look over, and now he called to Rupert with some excitement.
"Come and look! Come and look!" he called out, "I do believe that boat is coming here! Look how she skims along! What a pretty one she is! How white her sail is! And doesn't she go fast! I don't know that boat, Prince Rupert. I don't think she belongs in the bay. Yet she looks just as if she was coming here. Shall I call father and ask him what he thinks? She doesn't turn or . She comes straight, straight on. Oh, I do hope she is coming! Perhaps she has got something for you on board."
"Perhaps it is my papa come for me," said Rupert, not looking as though he knew exactly whether he this thought or not, "but I'm not sure that I'll go away with him if it is. I like being here. I like playing lighthouse games. I didn't have anybody to play with me before. I don't much fink I will go with him if he comes. I fink I'll belong to you're father and mother. I like them very much."
Pat, not quite knowing how to reply, and greatly moved in spirit in case this pretty white-sailed boat should be coming to rob them of their darling, hastily called his father, who came out into the bright sunshine, and shaded his eyes with his hand.
"It looks as though she were making for Lone Rock," he said, "and it's no boat from our bay, Pat; it's a better built and better-rigged craft than we often see in these parts. It's a yacht's boat by the look of her, and a tidy little craft she is. Well, well, we shall soon know; but she's heading for Lone Rock as sure as fate; and it's not the coast-guard , neither. That boat belongs to some gentleman, I'll be bound," and the man's eyes turned towards the little fellow beside him with a look that Pat understood in a moment. His eyes filled with tears, and for a moment everything swam in a golden . They were coming to take away his little prince, the darling little boy who had become the first object in his life. However should he bear to let him go? It did not do to think about it. If he thought, he would surely cry, and that would be a pity, for perhaps Rupert would cry too, and it would never do for his parents to find him in tears, they would think he had been badly treated, and take him away as quick as thought. No, he must put a brave face on, and try to make the best of it. Perhaps Prince Rupert would decide not to go, and Pat could hardly believe that his word would not be law if he once boldly asserted his determination.
"Shall we go down and watch her come in, and tell her how to make the ?" he asked of the child, and Rupert gladly.
Nat, too, the steps with the two children, and as he passed out he said to his wife—
"I believe the little fellow's friends are coming for him, wifie. There's a boat on its way that doesn't belong to our parts. Make the place as bright as you can, and set some food on the table. I'll make them welcome to come in if they have a mind. May be they'll like to see the place as their little boy has lived in these last weeks."
Eileen's kitchen was always neat and trim, and she soon whisked out a bright table-cover, and a few bits of , to smarten up the place, as she did for Sundays and holidays, or when summer guests were expected. Jim still sat by the fire , and scarcely alive to what was passing; but it was out of the question to think of moving him again so soon. There he was and there he must remain; but she cast a quick eye all over her small , and saw that everything else was in order; and then she went out to see what was happening outside.
The children were below on the rocks, for the tide was , and nearly low. The sun caught the yellow curls of the little prince, and made them shine like gold. He was visibly excited, and kept from one foot to another, whilst Pat held his hand in a close, protecting clasp, and kept him from slipping in his excitement, and falling amongst the wet sea-weed.
Nearer and nearer came the pretty boat, skimming its way through the water like a white-winged sea-bird. It was manned by sailors in uniform; plainly it was what Nat had said, the boat from some gentleman's yacht. "That's our boat, I do believe!" cried little Rupert, as it drew near. "Our men wear tings like that on their heads. I fink papa must have sent them to fetch me!"
Pat's heart beat so fast he did not know how to reply; but there was no need for him to say anything; for just at that moment the sail came fluttering down; they saw in the stern of the boat a lady and gentleman, sitting together, looking eagerly ahead; and the next moment a cry went up that awoke an answering thrill in Eileen's heart, and made the tears spring suddenly to Pat's eyes—the cry of a woman's voice—
"It is! It is! Rupert! Rupert! My own little boy!"
Rupert started at the sound of that call, looked hard at the boat, and then waved his little hand .
"Mamma! Mamma!" he cried, and pulling Pat by the sleeve, he added, in a tone of pleasurable excitement, "That lady is my mamma, Pat, and the gentleman is my papa, and those are his sailors. I should have liked him to bring his soldiers better; but perhaps he has them on shore waiting." Pat looked as one in a dream. He could not understand it—the child's calmness in the recognition which should have filled him with , and the evident deep emotion of the mother. Hardly had the boat touched the rock before the pretty young lady, with the sweet, sad face, had sprung out, at Nat's outstretched hand, and in another moment she had come flying towards them, and sinking on her knees upon the wet sea-weed, she took the little one in her arms in a clasp so close that it seemed as though she would never let him go; and Pat knew that the tears were raining down her face, and that the reason why she did not speak was that she could not for overmastering emotion.
When he looked up it was to find a tall, stalwart, bronzed man standing beside them, who put his hand upon Pat's head, and said —
"Well, my little man, and have you been to take care of our little boy for us all these days?" and Pat to his very ears with shyness and pleasure.
"We are all so very, very fond of him, sir," answered the boy shamefacedly. "Are you going to take him away from us?"
He could not help asking the wistful question, and as he did so he raised his face and met the glance of a pair of very kindly, though very keen eyes upon him. The question seemed half to amuse and half to surprise the gentleman, who hesitated a moment before he said&............